REVIEW: Nevil Shute's Apocalyptic Novel ON THE BEACH, Adapted For Stage By Tommy Murphy, Retains A Relevance In The 21st Century.

Saturday 22nd July 2023, 7:30pm, Roslyn Packer Theatre

Director Kip Williams delivers a captivating production of Tommy Murphy’s adaptation Nevil Shute’s 1957 novel ON THE BEACH.  Presented at a time when war over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has escalated this apocalyptic tale of a world post nuclear war has a terrifying relevance. 

Nevil Schute wrote ON THE BEACH 12 years after the United States had dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945 but his 1957 novel foreshadowed a situation akin to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis that would bring the world the closest it has been to full scale nuclear war but in his story, it frighteningly evolved to World War 3, with nuclear attacks and retaliations, some erroneous, occurring in multiple locations in the northern hemisphere leaving the only inhabitable land in 1963 being in the southern hemisphere.  The British writer, who had emigrated to Australia in 1950, set his story in Melbourne, presenting his idea of what society would look like after a dangerous nuclear cloud was threatening to move south and obliterate all life in its path. He pairs a view of a world where Melbournians are maintaining some semblance of normality amidst changes caused by the inability to obtain resources from the northern hemisphere with the idea that one of the last remaining submarines, USS Scorpion, is sent on a mission to determine if there is any life above the equator and if the belief that the Intertropical Convergence Zone will stop the toxic air from moving south is really true.

As with many of Kip Williams’ other works, he has a clean, uncluttered vision for this work, allowing Murphy’s script and the performers be the main focus.  Set Designer Michael Hankin has created a beautifully simple aesthetic for this work with large white cloth panels bordering the stage and simple additions to the revolve stage giving enough context and variety.  A bougainvillea covered suspended frame over a raised catwalk provides a striking image as it evokes ideas of the quintessential country porch while a submarine’s periscope and work table housing Doctor Osborne’s scientific instruments and the Morse code receiver are enough to transform the same space into USS Scorpion.  The movement of the revolve and the cloth panels that drift spectacularly add a peaceful energy to the work while enabling the space to shift easily.  Damien Cooper's lighting makes full use of the white panels, projecting looming shadows that add a forboding and eerie element while washes of light indicate times when the character's are trying to find a normality amonst the changing world.  Mel Page’s costume design anchors the work in the early 1960’s and provides an extension of the characters, from Mary Holmes’ (Michelle Lim Davidson) simple and conservative look to Moira Davidson’s (Contessa Treffone) outfits that show that even in Moira’s most mundane of moments helping on her parents farm, the flirtatious fashion conscious party girl still remains below the surface.

While the end of the world looms over this work, Murphy ensures that the human stories remain the focus and he captures Shute’s idea that the characters are approaching this inevitability with a stoicism that has them choose to find the joy where they can rather than complain about the situation though he ensures they still remain aware of the situation.  Standout performances come from Contessa Treffone, Tai Hara, and Ben O’Toole who ensure that their portrayals of Moira, US Submarine Captain Dwight and Australian Navy liaison Peter respectively, feel intuitive and real against the minimalist staging. 

Treffone is brilliantly bold yet tragic as the young woman that initially has chosen to see out the end of the world with one long party of drinking and enjoyment but finds a purpose and last love when she’s introduced to Dwight, a man who’s heart still remains with the memory of his wife who he refuses to believe is really gone.  As Dwight, Hara captures the essence of a loyal military man who has lived by rules and regulations all his life and won’t betray them even at the end.  O’Toole ensures that his portrayal of Peter echoes a similar loyalty to the service while having a naive faith in the political spin that they are safe.  Vanessa Downing provides light comedy relief in her various minor roles with her physicality and facial expressions saying so much more than words ever could and Matthew Backer captures the nervous energy of the scientist, Doctor Osborne, who can see beyond the spin yet still remains dedicated to uncovering the truth.  Michelle Lim Davidson however delivers the most obviously directed performance, exhibiting less intuition and connection to Mary, a character that carries the weight of expressing the evolving fear and sadness that her infant child Jennifer is unlikely to have a future. 

With Russia forcibly trying to take over Ukraine, China building power and intimidating neighbouring countries and range of countries holding weapons of ever-increasing danger, ON THE BEACH is both captivating and terrifying.  While science and experience has shown that the fallout of nuclear war may not play out exactly as Shute imagined in 1957, there is enough to know that a global war will have devastating consequences if the global superpowers get trigger happy which is likely as some of those powers are lead by some highly volatile men.  The brightest part of ON THE BEACH, a reference to the Royal Navy term for ‘retired from service’, of which both Dwight’s vessel and humanity soon will be, is the human element that persists throughout.  This is a story of hope, friendship, resilience and finding moments of joy as well as seizing some control over our future in a world where some things are inevitable. 

On the Beach - Sydney Theatre Company

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