Review: BROKEN IS A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH OF THE OUTBACK at Eternity Playhouse

Three lives orbit each other, each on the brink of chaos in the serendipitous pursuit of rapture. Darlinghurst Theatre Company's Broken is akin to theatre heroin; powerful in its purest form capable of transfixing in some moments and transporting in others whilst maintaining a reverent potency in word and sound. Playwright Mary Anne Butler and Director Shannon Murphy didn't cook this in a bathtub, it is effective and razor-sharp. An intertwining, drain-circling tale of a car accident romance and domestic collapse in dustbowl Australia, every element from cast to homespun sound effects brought a sense of ambient pregnancy. Broken is very much a gem that too rushed a judgement will cost the flawless experience of it.

Pitching this emotional rollercoaster in Australian outback brought with it the powerful and ingenious authentic sound put together by Sophie Fletcher on production, JAmes Brown on sound, partnering with Simon Boyd and Brett Wilbe on sets evoked an intrigue that almost became the highlight of the piece. Then Rarriwuy Hick emerges from behind frosted glass, and steals the whole thing. The script is bold and uncomfortable, the mastery of which can be mostly credited to Sarah Enright who does a wonderful job steering the emotional rudder from which Hick and Ivan Donato can shift the sails to catch the higher winds. In its simplicity, the show is almost like a spoken word lucid dream. Hick's delivery of the woman shaken from her steadfast trajectory by love and chance is unnerving and endearing. Donato gave a remarkable performance for its emotion that made great waves forward in representations of masculinity and heroes. Enright's ourobouros-like narrative literally winded Audience members.

Shannon Murphy made a superb choice keeping the emphasis on the words, allowing the action to drive momentum rather than plot. As a 60-minute piece that is high-drama in terms of context, but low impact in terms of staging, this is an effective strategy to keep the haunting thrill suspended, supported by Ben Brockman's subtle eerie lighting. The use of symbolism in Boyd and Wilbe's set spoke volumes and inflated the critical thought level of the audience, and more theatre should grant such intellect. Broken revealed only as much as it hid, in a truly fantastic script by Mary Anne Butler, which has been nominated for the Nick Enright Award. For its clarity, cut and carat, this piece is worth treasuring.

Tickets available here.
Images by Helen White.

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