Currently playing at the Seymour Centre is Susan Rogers’s play ‘Night Letters’, a work that has been inspired by Robert Dessaix’s highly acclaimed novel ‘Night Letters’. This work, produced by So What? Productions, is one of this year’s featured Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival events.
The narrative starts with two literary, sophisticated men, Robert and Peter, living a comfortable gay lifestyle in suburban Melbourne. Peter has been feeling unwell and goes for a medical check-up. His Doctor diagnoses that he is suffering from a chronic illness. Robert is devastated.
Not knowing how much longer that he has, Robert determines a course of action. He’s going to travel overseas and spend time living in Italy. He assures Peter that he’ll write letters home, the night letters of the title. Robert’s journey begins…
I have come to Rogers’s adaptation without any preconceptions, not having Dessaix’s novel. This evening at the theatre, as directed by Christopher Hay, featured a celebration of the muse in full flight with Robert being the master storyteller, holding his partner Peter and the audience captive.
There’s Robert the travel writer, with his evocative descriptions of cities like Venice and the unusual characters that he befriends, including an untrustworthy valet and an eccentric Professor. There’s the contemplative, philosophical Robert, trying to work out his place in the world post diagnosis. And then there’s the postmodern Robert, crafting out of traditional tales his own intriguing fables.
A large cast performs well in bringing Robert’s odyssey to the stage. Sean Ohlendorf is great in the lead role, the director himself plays Peter, and they are supported by a fine cast.
Recommended, ‘Night Letters’ opened at the downstairs theatre, Seymour Centre on Thursday 17th February and runs until Saturday 12th March, 2011.