Theatre Review: Destiny

The Production: Destiny by Kirsty Marillier

The Company: Melbourne Theatre Company

The Theatre: The Southbank Theatre

Runtime: An hour 40 minutes, no interval. 

Until 14 September

Stars: 3

I will admit that Destiny is not my favourite of the MTC season so far. I will admit to being poked awake on two occasions. I can see the value of the play. I can see what the playwright and lead actress were getting at. Yet for me, it didn't gel. 

On the other side of things, it's interesting to see a play about apartheid South Africa in the seventies, set from the coloured point of view, to which all of the players had links. This play has the feel of a passion project. It also has some very good things in it. But this play is not for everybody. (Jay said she was bored. I wouldn't say I was bored, but I didn't get right into the play either. 

The play's premise goes like this. it's 1976.  Della (Kirsty Marillier) lives with her father, Cliff (Patrick Williams) and brother, Rocky (Gaz Dutlow) in the Natal, South Africa. Under the Apartheid regime, the family are classed as Coloured - second class citizens - not black, nor white, living in the borders and excluded from the privileges of white society. Della is trying to live a quiet life, working in the local store and looking after her family after the death of her mother. Around her, the country is beset by troubles brought on my student activism and civil unrest. 

Della was supposed to go to Cape Town for university. Her ex-boyfriend, Ezra (Barry Conrad), a student with some radical ties, returns to their town, where he spellbinds Rocky and brings trouble to the doorstep. 

I'm going to concentrate on what I enjoyed of this play, and not that I found it rather stilted.

I liked that it gave a view of the South African coloured diaspora - something we don't see every day, and it was good having actors who have ties to the community. 

The set and costumes were great and captured the impoverish nature of the family, yet the pride they had in their home. These are proud people, and this was played well. One thing I didn't understand was why the set was kept smoky throughout the play. I'd like to see what Sophie Woodward, the set designer has to say. 

Zindzi Okenyo's direction keeps the action moving, although there are some lulls in the action. 

Oh, and Patrick William's singing voice is incredible and Barry Conrad is very easy on the eye. 

As I said, I'm looking for the good.

Although not a bad play, this offering didn't grab me as much other plays have this season. It does, however, give an interesting perspective on a bit of recent history. 

Today's song: