Review: WAYSIDE BRIDE Celebrates Reverend Ted Noffs' Inclusive Ministry That Challenged The Norms Of 1970's Australia

Saturday16th April 2022, 2pm, Belvoir St Theatre

Alana Valentine's WAYSIDE BRIDE draws on real experiences from interviews and a personal connection to share the stories Of Reverend Ted Noffs' unusual ministry. The modern-day exploration of societal pressures and prejudices around race and religion and marriage in the 70's and 80's echoes more contemporary struggles to have love acknowledged legally.

Under Eamon Flack and Hannah Goodwin's co-direction, the audience is taken back to the Wayside Chapel of the 1970's after a brief introduction of the premise of the project where Playwright Alana, portrayed by Emily Goddard, has finally found time to interview the Wayside Bride most significant to her life, her mother (Sacha Horler). Set designer Michael Hankin has designed the stage to suit both WAYSIDE BRIDE and LIGHT SHINING IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, the other show in the repertory season. For WAYSIDE BRIDE the set evokes memories of run-down school and community halls with floorboards and linoleum tiles, mottled painted walls and stacks of utilitarian plastic chairs. Ella Butler's costume design transports the story back to the 70's and recreates some of the wedding dresses from the brides' stories to reinforce the transition.

While many in Sydney will have at least a passing awareness of the Wayside Chapel and its Uniting Church ministry to the people that often sit at the periphery of society, far from the traditional image of 'respectable' and judgmental suburban churches, it's founder Reverend Ted Noffs' (Brandon McClelland) efforts to allow those in love to wed, regardless of race, religion or history, may not be as well known. At a time when Civil ceremonies were only just starting to be established by the Commonwealth Attorney General in 1973, interfaith or mixed-race couples could not find religious ministers that would perform their marriages so Ted Noffs, supported by his wife Margaret (Sacha Horler), opened the doors of the Wayside Chapel and performed marriages to more than his Methodist flock. These inclusive actions along with Noffs interpretation of the purpose of the church, which was actually more aligned to the founder of the Methodist Movement, John Wesley's teachings however didn't sit well with the church hierarchy which wanted a purer focus on saving souls rather than Noffs' understanding that the body need to be saved first before people could consider their souls and faith.

The format of WAYSIDE BRIDE is that in connecting with her mother's own wedding at the Wayside Chapel, an event that young Alana attended as a flowergirl, Alana is transported to the 1970's to observe, and occasionally interact with the stories that have been unearthed. This premise, along with a 'theology game show' moment and a joke about the author being part of the storyline all makes for an overly contrived work that detracts from the stories and the understanding of the pressures that Noffs was facing from the church leaders. It feels as if Valentine didn't have enough faith that the stories she has compiled were enough to engage an audience for a two act theatrical experience and in some ways the 'tricksiness' does lead to a degree of disengagement which is a pity as there are interesting stories and important messages being explored.

WAYSIDE BRIDE is an interesting exploration of Sydney's recent history in both raising the awareness of the Wayside Chapel and a sector of society that may not always be as seen. It also serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenge for acceptance that we are still struggling with as while the previous prejudice of interfaith and cross culture marriages has reduced, the recent marriage equality vote reinforced that there is still a lot of prejudice around who should and should not be allowed to express their love in the eyes of the church and law.

https://belvoir.com.au/productions/wayside-bride/

 

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