Radiance

 It was a tough crowd at last night’s performance of Radiance but it wasn’t a fair response to the funny and dynamic production that certainly had me smiling.  

Brisbane Arts TheatrePetrie Terrace, Brisbane
Thursday, 11 February, 2010
It was a tough crowd at last night’s performance of Radiance but it wasn’t a fair response to the funny and dynamic production that certainly had me smiling.  Three incredibly talented young drama students were responsible for bringing to life this raw and honest story of Indigenous half sisters coming home to bury their mother. It was their ability to read one another and respond sincerely, as well as their obvious natural connection that made this such a convincing experience of family in turmoil. Louvel Yapali-Purcival was the youngest sister, the loveable and outgoing Nona. This care-free and knickers-free girl with a killer wardrobe returns to her small town home after chasing rodeos all over the country looking for her long-lost father “the black prince”. Yapali-Purcival owned this role and clearly had a lot of fun kicking about stage, shocking her sisters and telling it like it is. I loved her! Nona’s complete opposite, Mae, played by Georgia McBride-Levi, is a hardened young woman forced to mature before her time after taking on the role of caring for their mother, who suffered from dementia, until she died. Mae’s cynicism and heartache was displayed beautifully by McBride-Levi as she graced the audience with flooding emotion. Josifini Hawkins had me fooled at first, appearing uncomfortable on stage, which really showed when compared to the other girls who were so grounded. Whether it was an intentional portrayal or not, it didn’t take long until she illustrated what a fine actress she really is. Cressy returns home after her successful career as an Opera singer and, as the story progresses, it reveals her haunting past. Hawkins was elegant as she tenderly cared for her sisters. She came into her own in the second act. The attention to detail of costume and props was another key element which drew in the audience further into the experience. Small but effective touches like the subtle burn marks on Cressy’s dress brought life to a fire we could not see, and eye-catching and modern dress for Nona gave the play timeliness. Robyn Edwards was responsible for wardrobe design. With few flaws, it is true to say the play itself is more light-hearted and enjoyable in the first half. Act one is full of quirks from Nona and clumsy moments as the sisters get to know one another again. Act two takes a more serious tone as their grief and struggles with the past begin to show. It’s a fitting lead up to a surprising end, but I found myself wishing the story continued on the brighter path. But that wouldn’t be drama would it? Director Jo Piece has beautifully constructed this piece into a real-life touching story of a family’s past unravelling privately for the audience. This is a great example of young Indigenous theatre making its powerful mark on Brisbane stages.
Bookings: www.artstheatre.com.au Radiance is showing until the 6th of March 2010