REVIEW: Guest Reviewer Kym Vaitiekus Shares His Thoughts On TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Sunday February 4th 5 pm 2024, Belvoir St Theatre

TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Queensland Theatre brings Cheryl Strayed’s TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS to the Belvoir stage.

The work stems from Strayed’s book that reveals her journey as a mother daughter, writer, ex heroin user and as Sugar, the advice columnist.

Working from home, Sugar while dealing with the chores of daily life, responses to the calls for help. Her replies reveal her own challenges that led to the insightful advice for the readers.

This non-traditional narrative follows the many steps of Strayed’s journey.

This through line is peppered with the Dear Sugar letters. Letters that reflect and intertwine with her personal challenges, her own events that evoke Sugar’s response and advice.

Director Lee Lewis has a crafted a fine ensemble with lead Mandy McEihinney as the astute Sugar/ Strayed. McEihinney beautifully brings the layered emotion and grounded depth to this role.

Sugar reads out her responses as she sits at the laptop on her kitchen table, the writers positioned at various spots on the multi levelled set vocalise their written words. As the Play evolves, she delicately interacts with her contributors, with the occasional eye contact that empowers the moment.

Stephen Geronimos, Nic Prior and Angela Nica Sullen portray the various readers who write seeking release from their individual traumas and heartaches. Lewis has elicited wonderful performances that are textured and nuanced.

The media around this work informs us it’s based on truth. The stories are real. Sugar’s advice is based on fact.

The construct of this Play appears somewhat as a reading of a book. A format that could be deemed as challenging for the audience. A response that's akin to sitting in class when the teaches reads out loud.

The theatre experience is subjective. My date for the night found the work somewhat “tedious, undramatic and shapeless”.

I was in a somewhat similar mood but still curious, then Nic Prior early in the evening performed the letter-writer of person who came out as trans to their parents. The tone of the night flipped, I was completely enthralled. My engagement continued through the remaining performance with tales of the personal journeys that followed. I needed that box of tissues.

Stage shows come with a tone, a sensibility, a language of their own, often this tone relates to many people, sometimes it connects to those with a similar and specific sensibility. Sometimes our mood of the day influences how we respond to the tone/language of the performances we go to experience. In my case I didn’t connect at the start of TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS, then I fell into it’s language, it resonated. I feel that this mixed response happened for the audience, I didn’t see many reaching for their handkerchiefs.

Sugar’s advice transferred us to the therapy room which could be perceived as somewhat preachy but her understanding and intuition led to profound and important ways to emerge forward and to a place of acceptance. It was grounded and important advice.

Simone Romaniuk’s inventive, colourful and clever set design gives us an overall view of daily life while simultaneously creating a multitude of locations for the vignettes that unfold. Bernie Tan-Hayes’ lighting beautifully works with the design to enhance the heartfelt moments.

This work approaches how it may be possible to respond to the roller coaster ride that life throws in your lap. It’s devised in a way that reflects the works particular literary origin - Dear Sugar Letters, it conveys how life becomes a collection of eventful moments.  The written word is fleshed out with on point performances.

Check this production out, if it connects you’ll be glad you did.

 Photo @ Brett Boardman 

WARNING:

This production contains coarse language, dead blackouts and letters sent by real people seeking advice on all matters of life including complex conversations around life, death, and love. If you or someone you know needs information or support, these organisations are there to help:

Beyond Blue 1300 224 636

Lifeline 13 11 14

Headspace headspace.org.au

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