After eventually finding our venue at the back of a decaying industrial estate in Newtown we were treated to a performance that can only be described as a little gem.
Andrew Bovell’s When the Rain Stops Falling is a gripping play spanning three generations and eventually exposing a powerful and tragic story. Bovell’s credentials are notable. As a screenwriter he has been involved in some of the most acclaimed and revered films including Strictly Ballroom, Head-On, and Lantana. This play is wonderfully constructed, shifting between four time periods, 1959, 1988, 2013 through to 2039, and surprising the audience with disquieting and heart-rending twists and turns as the story unfolds.
While Bovell’s potential Australian classic was a wonderful platform to work from this was a production and performance of high quality. As director, Julie Baz kept things uncomplicated, allowing the action of each scene to unfold. The set is simple but highly effective, with a kitchen table, soup bowls and wall calendar capturing the family ghosts, and the water feature a constant link between Australia’s uncompromising and turbulent weather and the storminess of the unfolding drama.
The acting was of high quality too. Alex Nicholas is convincing as both Gabriel York and Henry Law and his ability to connect with the audience from the beginning is crucial to the play’s success. Cherilyn Price in her portrayal of the furtive and tragic Elizabeth Law is compelling as we watch her enigmatic deterioration over time. There is not a weak link in the rest of this able cast and the evenness in the acting is central to the success of this performance.
This performance has now finished but Bovell’s play will certainly be worth catching again in any form. Most importantly it was great to see “fringe” theatre alive and kicking. It was well worth the effort to uncover this little gem in the somewhat concealed backstreets of Newtown. It will certainly be worth keeping an eye out for any of the Sydney Independent Theatre Company’s future productions.
