This is an earthy, heart warming and at times funny ‘slice of life’ play written by British playwright Tom Wells and set in a suburb of Yorkshire. Wells’ play takes us inside the world of a local family going through changes.
The play is well directed by Shane Bosher, a highly regarded New Zealand director who relocated to Australia back in 2014. Bosher runs the play straight through at not much more than an hour and a half.
We walk into the theatre to see Charles Davis’ elegant, well designed set of the family living room and kitchen. Stage right is the the entry area to the apartment, stage left is a flight of stairs up to the bedrooms.
A couple of items on the set stand out – a laundry basket full of washing. More significantly there is a great framed portrait of Dolly Parton sitting on a chair. It is as if she is looking at us (the audience) directly with those wonderful warm eyes.
Huw Higginson, who many will know from The Bill, gives a winning performance as the head of the household, Martin. A gruff, sullen man, Martin has spent most of his adult life working as a milkman. Business has steadily been dropping and he has to decide whether to throw in the towel.
This is what his wife Kath wants him to do. Hannah Waterman gives a good performance as Kath, also Huw’s real life partner, a good natured, more even tempered and wiser character than Martin is. Kath is the cool centre of the play and the person who everyone goes to when they want to chat.
Kath is her hands full with her two adult children who are still trying to find their way in the world. Billy, in particular, goes to his mum as he and his Dad don’t have a good rapport, which pretty much comes down to his father not coming to terms with his homosexuality. Ben Hall gives a sensitive performance in this role.
It is Billy who has come up with the Dolly Parton portrait which has got him entry to the local Art College. Billy however is a discerning character and soon drops out, saying to his mum that the College is too pretentious and full of trendies. Yes he is a handful!
As is Martin and Kath’s daughter Sophie, in a terrific performance, by Contessa Treffoni. Sophie is a bit of a firebrand, a temperamental and uncompromising young woman. She is hoping for a career in training martial arts, and completely sabotages herself by bopping one her teachers, after which she is given her marching orders. Kath consoles her and tells her not to give up on things.
Sophie’s petulant attitude extends to her potential boyfriend, the softly spoken Peter who is often dropping by the house and misguidedly dotes on her. Their well played out scenes together are funny sad. Duncan Ragg gives a perfect nuance to the part.
I enjoyed spending time with this unexceptional but engaging family. The constant motif/theme running through Wells’ play is that of change, and whether the family will be able to adapt to its inevitable impact.
Recommended, THE KITCHEN SINK is playing at the Ensemble Theatre until the 18th November.
http://www.ensembletheatre.com.au