At the Cottesloe Theatre in the National Theatre. Written by Lisa D’Amour. Directed by Austin Pendleton. Set by Kevin Depinet. Costumes by Susan Kulkarni. Lighting by Mark Henderson. Sound by John Leonard. Starring: Will Adamsdale, Clare Dunne, Stuart McQuarrie, Justine Mitchell, Christian Rodska.
Ben and Mary welcome their neighbours Sharon and Kenny with a bar-b-q. Mary is a paralegal. Ben has just been laid off from the bank and is planning to create a website and do financial consulting. Sharon and Kenny live in the rundown house next door. Kenny says that his aunt gave it to him until he and Sharon get on their feet. They are recovering addicts and it’s hard going. Neither has a secure job.
Mary and Ben’s marriage is shaky and they look on their flighty next door neighbours with envy. Things go wrong. Both Sharon and Kenny fall off the wagon and the result is total destruction of Mary and Ben’s house.
I’m sure there is a message here but I couldn’t find it. I found the characters unbelievable in their naivety and neediness. I guess people are gullible, but not this much. The acting was ok. And the destruction of the set is dandy. But the whole thing is mystifying.