Australian playwright, screenwriter, novelist and librettist Suzie Miller is hot property both at home and abroad. Last year, her one-woman show Prima Facie was nominated for five Laurence Olivier Awards – the highest honour in British theatre – and won two, including Best New Play.
That, in tandem with the New Theatre’s stated commitment to ‘artistic and social expression, not just escapism’, meant it was only a matter of time until the New staged a Miller production.
Sunset Strip is certainly more than just escapism. A family drama set in the small town of Sunset Strip, beside a dried-up lake in the Outback, the play tackles heavy themes including cancer, dementia, addiction, relationship issues and sibling rivalry.
It could be sombre – even depressing – but the script and Annette van Roden’s direction generally steer the play from gloomy waters towards levity; lighter passages and occasional comedic elements keep the drama from becoming overwhelmingly dark and heavy.
Sunset Strip revolves around two sisters, Caroline and Phoebe. Erica Nelson is believable as Caroline, a city lawyer who comes back to her small hometown after undergoing cancer treatment. Molly Haddon brings much light and shade to the role of Caroline’s sister, who never left Sunset Strip and looks after the siblings’ dementia-stricken father.
The two male actors (Vincent Melton as the ailing patriarch and Shane Davidson as Phoebe’s fiancé, Teddy) aren’t quite as effective. Their characters are never fully fleshed out beyond the clichés of stereotypical Aussie blokes, although how much this is down to the script, the direction or the actors themselves isn’t entirely clear.
In the play’s more dramatic sections, the male actors also tend to lean too heavily on a didactic “hands-on-hips” style of delivery, which can make the characters feel a touch unnatural.
It would be a mistake to dwell too much on any shortcomings, however, as all four actors are competent, as are the behind-the-scenes members of the production.
Van Roden’s stamp is all over Sunset Strip. Not only is she the director, but she also designed the clever, versatile set, which functions as several different locations, including the interior of the family home and a sandy beach on the margins of the dried-up lakebed.
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Her involvement even extended to set construction and bump-in, underscoring her passion for bringing this story to the stage.
Meanwhile, the lighting and sound were effective, as they always are at the New Theatre and, overall, this is a capable production.
If something is missing from Sunset Strip it is perhaps a strong sense of dramatic impetus. Despite the weighty issues, the play is not overly compelling and its treatment of said issues doesn’t feel particularly original or inspired. But for theatregoers seeking a character-driven Australian drama, Sunset Strip could be just the ticket.
Sunset Strip by Suzie Miller
New Theatre, Newtown NSW
Director, Set Designer: Annette van Roden
Assistant Director: Martin Kelly
Lighting Designer: Casey Moon-Watton
Sound Designer: Jay Murrin
Production Coordinator: Gemma Greer
Stage Manager: Marc Monnet-Demarbre
LX/SX Operators: Jay Murrin, Violet Powter
Set Construction/Bump-in: Annette van Roden, Tom Bannerman, Rodger Wishart, Jay Murrin, David Marshall-Martin
Scenic Art: Paris Burrowes
Production Photography: Chris Lundie
Cast: Shane Davidson, Molly Haddon, Vincent Melton, Erica Nelson
Tickets: $25-$37
Sunset Strip will be performed until 3 August 2024.
