When writing reviews or your thoughts on a piece of theatre you sometimes feel like you are repeating yourself, every review you must say if a show was either good or bad, you try to justify it, you can even talk about the entire show. Saving Grace is different, different because how does one write a review about a show when around every corner there is a twist? A change in tact? When everything you thought you knew changes from the start to the end!? I am going to say it, but writing this review is probably just as hard as marketing this show would be as all that can really be said about it is that an unlikely friendship forms between a street kid with a chip on her shoulder and a lonely unemployed carpenter. And from there two hours of "stuff" begins.
This show is a two-hander and Jon Pheloung and Kathleen Burns tear up the stage from start to finish. Jon Pheloung plays Gerald the sweet, innocent charming man with a secret with skill and with maturity. He towers over Grace. He is the person that finally gets Grace to break. Kathleen Burns in the role of Grace has obviously done some real hard work to nail her character of the kid off the street. She is dark, twisted and doesn't care much for anything. But the real work is the work they do together. They work so well off each other that as bizarre as the the piece is, they are so natural, so very natural indeed. There are not just moments where the two cohesively work, it is constant, they never slip, they never fault. A hard task for any actor who is on stage for a whole two hours, let alone these two where they also move set, interact with video projection and bizarre 'outside' voices and take this journey of hilariously dark oddities.
Lara MacGregor has done an epic job of creating theatre that although wont be for everyone still has a feeling that it could be. This is theatre that challenges and she hasn't toned anything down for anyone. There is no need to, but it is so refreshing to see that. She has pulled out every bit of dark, twisted humour that the writer Duncan Sarkies put into the script and from the very first 'should we be laughing at this' line the treatment is clear. Treat the audience with intelligence, treat them with something that they will probably never experience again and let them feel the full force of a very well crafted, very funny script.
The production team should all stand proud alongside their actor and directing counterparts. Nigel Kerr created a set that worked for a total of 26(?) different scenes in a multitude of locations with only some flat folding walls, doors and a little bit of set construction magic. Everything about the set was great, the colour choice of a bloody red mixed with earthy tones, to what can only be described as the beautiful centre piece of the play. Brendan Albrey 'hazed' up the theatre to get the best effects from his lighting which once again although simple worked so utterly well. Beryl Hampson used a limited three colour palette to create costumes which again, fitted, worked well and costumes which we have all seen people wear in our own streets and suburbs. But the stand out production choice was the audio and visual by Andrew Todd. The video projections were simply outstanding and it is clear why he is constantly in the finals for the 48 Hour film festival finals. His work added to the piece rather than detract like often do in theatre. His audio work was also on par with the video, with space invader remixes, odd voice overs and other music it was all loud, bold and again didn't just compliment the show it enhanced it above and beyond previous shows in The Forge.
Sorry to all out there that feel the review has so many holes, it's just that it is hard to reference and talk about a show that has the "MAJOR" twist half way through act one, and from there, has twist, after twist after twisted twist and part of the fun of the piece is to have those things fired towards you. It is also great to have a piece of theatre that finally pushes the boundaries of theatre as we haven't been lucky enough in 'mainstream' to get this. Saving Grace is my style of theatre. Theatre that is dark, black, pushes taboos, boundaries and makes you feel somewhat weird at the end of it and that the last two hours you saw something unique. Saving Grace is all of those and more. Saving Grace is an amazing and hugely epic start to The Forge season for 2010, I loved it, utterly loved it beyond any review can say. My last 'bit' to all those out there... if you are a theatre programmer reading this then get your hands on this New Zealand script and get it on your stage. You wont be disappointed- if you can handle it.
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Saving Grace
Court Theatre
Directed by Lara Macgregor
Featuring Kathleen Burns & Jon Pheloung
Now playing until the 10th April 2010
2 Hours 15 minutes
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