BWW Reviews: RUPERT Is An Amusing Look At The Life Of Media Mogul Rupert Murdoch And The People That Surround His Story.

Thursday 18th December 2014, Theatre Royal, Sydney NSW

David Williamson's RUPERT takes audiences on a journey through the life and scandals of the media magnate Rupert Murdoch in this cleverly constructed piece of theatre. Murdoch's obsessive greed for media dominance is portrayed by James Cromwell as Rupert as he recounts the "real" story of his life.

Starting on a bare stage, the imposing Cromwell addresses the audience directly whilst sending out Tweets from his phone, an action even more relevant after the boasts about his reporters that he made during the week following the Sydney siege. With the house lights still up, Rupert interacts with the audience, pointing out looks of cynicism before introducing his family.

The ensemble of Jane Turner, Danielle Cormack, Bert LaBonte, Scott Sheridan, Haiha Le, Glenn Hazeldine, Ben Wood and Jane Phegan, in black suits, each holding ipads line the stage looking like the stereotypical reporters as Rupert introduces his family. The ensemble initially represent the family members and later, various characters that surround Murdoch's life, utilising head shots, paper cut out puppetry, and minor wardrobe changes, and clues in the dialogue to indicate who they are portraying in each instance.

Whilst Cromwell narrates the story from the point of view of the modern day Murdoch, the story is played out from the position that Murdoch has hired the ensemble to dramatise his story, including "hiring" Guy Edmonds to portray his younger self. The play is a blend of the older Murdoch telling his story and the ensemble playing out the events of his life, all with the older Rupert never far from the action as he oversees that the story is told as he wants it.

Williamson has crammed a lot of detail into the play, including personal and professional events starting at Rupert's university days. Whilst fast paced, there is enough detail for those not as familiar with Rupert Murdoch's life to follow along and get a good sense of the megalomaniac. Many events and characters are recognisable and others are quickly explained without dragging on the storyline.

Jane Turner's performance as Dame Elisabeth Murdoch and Dame Margaret Thatcher is brilliant as she captures the disappointed philanthropist mother and the Politician that sides with Murdoch's dislike of the unions in addition to other characters. Danielle Cormack takes on the roles of Murdoch's first two wives without confusing the audience and Haiha Le includes a seductive, manipulative Wendi Deng, Murdoch's third wife, in her line up of characters that she covers.

The older Rupert keeps Guy Edmonds on his toes through the story with prompts on how to behave to ensure his story is told how he wants it, even portraying himself as a fitness fanatic at one point, as he has Edmonds continue his depiction whilst undertaking various forms of exercise.

The story covers Murdoch's rise in Australia, UK and USA, and presents the other people that Murdoch encounters as caricatures including the Packer family as fat loutish idiots and presents many issues as sensationalist headlines that his newspapers are known for.

Whilst the performance is predominantly dialogue and narration, the minimalist set is transformed using white curtains, mobile platforms, and projection with some changes sparking cheesy dance numbers to show transitions in mood and location.

This is an entertaining caricature of the well-known power hungry media force that again showcases Williamson's clever writing and would appeal to those interested in politics, and the business of making news and media. The 2 ½ hour piece, that can be likened to a cabaret in the sense that it is presented as Rupert telling his own story, will also be entertaining to those that do not have an existing knowledge of the subject matter as there is enough scandal, suspense and silliness to keep the audience engaged.

RUPERT

Theatre Royal 108 King Street Sydney

Till Saturday 20 December 2014

Photographs: James Morgan