Closer
Closer
taDaa Productions
BRIGHTSPACE, St Kilda
12 July 2008
Patrick Marber’s powerful statement on the nature of love in the modern age, Closer has been played continually since its 1997 debut at the Royal National Theatre in London. Since then, it has been seen in more than 100 cities around the world, including a season on London’s West end, and has spawned a movie of the same name. With so much history surrounding the work, it is difficult not to come at a new production of it without some expectation of a powerful and engaging portrayal of Marber’s words.
taDaa Production’s most recent production of the work, while strong, seems to falter somewhat in its portrayal. With an apparently younger cast, the aging relationships and long-term chemistry of the characters are somewhat lost.
With an unorthodox staging, in St Kilda art gallery BRIGHTSPACE, the production struggles occasionally with blocked sightlines and an extremely broad stage area. Mostly, this was dealt with well, with only a few moments when crucial action was blocked or difficult to see. The space was well used, with permanent fixtures in the gallery often becoming part of the set design.
All this said, the female cast members of the show were impressively engaging, with great chemistry and often subtle performances that fit well with the emotionally charged nature of the piece. Amanda Kingston’s portrayal of photographer Anna was wonderfully reserved, and she plays the ‘older woman’ with a beauty and grace that work well. Lily Hall is perfectly cast as stripper Anna, oozing sex appeal while still maintaining a youthful innocence.
While lacking slightly in production value, and struggling slightly with casting, taDaa Productions’ Closer is nonetheless a well-formed presentation of a classic piece of modern theatre. A fresh look and a talented cast make it enjoyable, if not exceptional, to watch.