“Out past the shallows, past the sandy-bottomed bays, comes the dark water – black and cold and roaring.”
The Peacock Theatre and Archipelago Productions have recently put on a series of performances of Past the Shallows, a stage adaptation of Favel Parrett’s award-winning novel of the same name.
Written by Julian Larnach and directed by Ben Winspear, it starred Meg Clarke, Ryan Hodson, and Griffin McLaughlin in multiple roles.
Set on the south-east coast of Tasmania, the play told the story of three brothers who work on a dangerously derelict abalone fishing boat. They are from a fractured and dysfunctional family, and the consequences of their parents’ choices shape their lives and ultimately bring tragedy to them all.
Review
Past the Shallows was an incredibly poignant play, filled to the brim with many emotions, from happiness to sadness, from grief to anger. A strong sense of family and place was also present throughout.
The three actors were, in my opinion, outstanding. They each had good technique and exceptional talent. Their portrayal of the characters was believable and realistic. I cannot fault them; however, having them play multiple roles sometimes made the play hard to follow.
The costumes were plain and minimalist, clearly designed not to be distracting for the audience and burdensome for the actors.
No props were used until the final scene, so audience members had to work to imagine the material things referred to by the characters.
The stage set was a simple one. At the front were several plywood boxes stuck together. At the back, some screens displayed footage of water, as well as ‘theatrical hazes’ and animations similar to kaleidoscope patterns. Music and sound effects played from speakers strategically placed throughout the theatre.
The video animations, music, and sound effects all created an immersive environment for audience members.
I think the play was an admirable adaptation. I would recommend it to anyone interested in experimental theatre.
Callum J. Jones studied English, History, and Journalism at the University of Tasmania. He has written fiction and non-fiction for Tasmanian Times since 2018, and can be traced by the smell of fresh coffee.
Follow him on Twitter (@Callum_Jones_10) and Facebook (@callum.j.jones.creative).
