There were high expectations for Black Swan State Theatre Company’s production of Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County.
The 2007 play won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and it’s become an often-performed work, despite its length and large cast requirements. This co-production with Sydney’s Belvoir St Theatre got huge critical acclaim during its east coast run late last year, and audiences loved it too.
At the Sydney Theatre Awards in January, it picked up Best Mainstage Production, Eamon Flack was named Best Director, while actors Pamela Rabe and Tamsin Carroll shared the award for Best Performance in a leading role in a Mainstage Production.
The story is of a tragicomedy about an extremely dysfunctional family. Set in Oklahoma, it’s a sprawling tale where each character has their moment in the spotlight.
It lunges from hilarious to heartbreaking, it drew equally gasps and guffaws from the audience, and despite its long runtime of close to four hours, with two short intervals, it’s captivating for every single minute.
The story introduces us to the Weston family as the father Beverly Weston, a poet who has spent the last few decades dedicating his time more to drinking than writing, interviews a young woman to take up the role of being the housekeeper of their large but rundown home.
He explains that his wife Violet prefers pills to booze and is currently recovering from being treated for cancer. The two spend their days either arguing or avoiding each other. A few weeks later things change when Beverly disappears, bringing an onslaught of concerned relatives, including the couple’s three daughters, to the house.
Pamela Rabe, best known to television audiences for her work on Wentworth, is undoubtedly one of Australia’s greatest actors working today. The role of matriarch Violet Weston allows her to show off all of her skills with great aplomb.
She’s equally matched on stage by twelve performers who each deliver faultless performances. For the west coast outing of the show there has been some expected cast changes.
Geoff Kelso plays Beverly Weston, Hayley McElhinney joins as oldest daughter Barbara, Caroline Brazier takes on the role of Violet’s sister Mattie Fae Aiken, and Ben Mortley appears as the local Sheriff Deon Gilbeau.
Continuing on from the Sydney production, Anna Samson delivers comic perfection as daughter Karen, Esther Williams captivates as granddaughter Jean, Greg Stone plays Uncle Charlie Aiken and Will O’Mahony is his awkward son ‘Little Charles’.
Bert La Bonté, best known for his work on TV’s Five Rooms is Barbara’s husband Bill Fordham, newcomer Bee Cruse plays housekeeper Johnna Monevata, Amy Mathews is daughter Ivy – who has always stayed close to home. Rounding out the cast is Rohan Nichol who plays Steve Heidebrecht, the fiancé of chatterbox daughter Karen.
Letts’ writing is filled with beautiful and comedic turns of phrase, and almost every character has a centre-stage moment to shine and that often includes a sensational monologue.
But this play is so much more. To pull it off the actors need perfect comic timing, the ability to deliver physical theatre and then turn on a dime to switch and twist to scenes filled with emotion and heartbreak. It’s a roller coaster ride and it’s enthralling.
Thematically it’s a play about escape, whether that be an attempt to numb reality, break free from your family, find love, find the truth or forget the past.
Don’t be put off by its long run time, it’s worth every minute, and you’ll rarely find a finer cast or more perfect performances. It’s so good I immediately wanted to see it again.
August: Osage County is on at the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia as part of the Perth Festival. Tickets are on sale now.
