The Year of Magical Thinking

Gordon the Optom | 10/02/2009 - 06:50

Perth | Drama | Theatre Reviews | Tragedy

‘The Year of Magical thinking’ is author Joan Didion’s memoir, produced by The Black Swan State Theatre Company. The hour and three quarter monologue is showing at the Dolphin Theatre, UWA, Nedlands each evening at 7.30 until 25^th February.

The curtains open to reveal a late, middle-aged woman sitting on a wooden chair, placed on an island of sand surrounded by water. The lady is American writer Joan Didion (Helen Morse) who relates to us a period of her life. At a time when she was already under great personal pressure, she was making the evening meal in her New York flat, when tragedy visits her home.
This story shows how this pedantic and demanding woman sets about dealing with, and coming to terms with, the situation.

This rich script is filled with allusion and quotes from literature and religion. For the whole 105 minutes, Morse held the audience in stunned silence as she, with minimal movement, but a hypnotic voice related the story. Only an actor of the highest calibre could tackle this play, but to do so with such brilliance takes someone of Helen Morse’s charisma and talent.

The set, make-up, and costume (Christina Smith) were designed with pale, extremely neutral colours, which were then tinted with numerous, very subtle light changes (Matt Scott). Iain Grandage’s appropriate background music, was softly and sensitively played on the cello. The music actually spoke, with delicate sound effects throughout.

Director Kate Cherry and associate director Paul English have given Perth a beautiful and satisfying production to remember for years to come.

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I'm With You Gordon

Author: Greg Ross
Date: 12/02/2009 - 08:08

There
is a line in an old Procol Harum song - …
the mirror on reflection, climbed back upon the wall. It resounded in my
head as I watched the astounding performance of Helen Morse as Joan Didion in
“The Year of Magical Thinking.”

Didion,
now in her 70s is a successful journalist, novelist and playwright. She and her
husband collaborated for over 40years on screenplays of films such as “Star is
Born.” Theirs was obviously a close relationship, which produced one child, a
daughter, but their world was torn apart over a period of 18 months from 2003,
when her husband died of a heart attack, then a year and a half later, her
daughter died of Acute Pancreatis.

In
a subconscious attempt to survive this period, Didion took to writing copious
notes and references, which she later turned into the book “The Year of Magical
Thinking” (2005). She rewrote the book into a screenplay, which debuted on
Broadway in 2007, featuring Vanessa Redgrave.

Director
Kate Cherry, in her inaugural role with Black Swan, has orchestrated her own
stunning debut with this production. I am tempted to concentrate on the
astounding performance of Helen Morse, but this production is truly a
collaboration of six people – Helen Morse as Joan Didion, Ian Grandage as the
composer (her also wrote the music), Kate Cherry as Director, Matt Scott
(Lighting), Christina Smith (Set and Costume) and Paul English (Associate
Director).

The
curtain opens to a deeper than blue canyon of walls and a solitary woman
(Morse) on her island. We’re aware of a figure in the background, just.
Possibly a mannequin. After a while, there is unexpected movement, it proves to
be Grandage and his cello – in itself a performer – there are three performers
on this stage.

This
is the most complex minimalist set I have ever seen. The combination of set,
lighting design and music should probably become icons for teachers in drama
courses across the land. It is simply brilliant and a perfect compliment to the
story.

Then
there is Helen Morse and here, the Director has taken an unusual and clever
step. So often, people are cast, as they either look like the person, or an
actor who’s previously played the role. Helen Morse looks quite similar to Joan
Didion, however Cherry has chosen to use a blonde wig on Morse, the audience is
forced into concentrating on the power of the acting. It’s a thoughtful,
incisive decision and it works.

Morse
is on stage for around an hour and half (there is no interval). It is almost
impossible to resist the use of superlatives. Anybody who’s ever acted knows
the task of learning lines. This role is frightening, no, terrifying in both
its complexity of language and the sheer volume of words. I detected three
immediately-corrected mistakes, Morse was a little soft at the start and only
once did she falter in an almost seamless American accent “quarter pounda” rather than “quarter
pounderrr” and my friend picked that up, I didn’t, (she works with
Americans).

In
all this, I didn’t find Didion an appealing person, a control freak – one of
those insufferable souls who HAS to be right. Even the daughter’s husband was
not given a place in an emergency flight, mother went and we’re talking about a
daughter who was 39! But dear God, Morse nailed this woman’s journey through
terrible, terrible tragedy, as the ice queen regains composure and rebuilds her
isolation, amidst the protective wall of writing. John Keats wrote that “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,” that
indeed describes this intensely personal journey of loss, grief and reflection.

Black
Swan have created a magic, it augers well for the year, nobody should miss this
production. This PIAF event is on at the Dolphin Theatre (UWA) from 7 – 25
February, then tours regional Western
Australia, schedule as follows:

7
Feb Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre

28
Feb Margaret River
Cultural Centre

4
Mar Albany Town
Hall Theatre

7
Mar Merredin – Cummins Theatre

10
Mar Moora – Performing Arts Centre

12
Mar Geraldton – Queens Park Theatre

14
Mar Denham Town Hall

17
Mar Carnarvon Civic Centre

19
Mar Tom Price Community Recreation Centre

21
Mar Newman Recreation Centre

24
Mar Port Hedland – Matt Dann Cultural Centre

26
Mar Karratha – Walkington Theatre

28
Mar Exmouth Shire Hall

3
Apr Kununurra Leisure Centre

I
feel that mention must be made of the sponsors, too many to mention here, but
Rio Tinto as Principal partner, ANZ, Wesfarmers, Water Corporation and
Healthway, all of whom are helping to ensure regional Western Australian has
the opportunity to see this incredible performance.

All Good Things

Greg

Greg Ross

Minister for Good Times

Procol Harum song

Author: Marcus Cook
Date: 13/03/2009 - 14:37

Your Procol Harum reference brings to mind a mondogreen that stayed with me for many years (I was well into my 50s when I realized that my lines were wrong, however, I still prefer my mondogreen to the original).

Skip a life and dangle ...

12/02/2009 - 21:58 Walter Pinkshirt (not verified) Removed

Who is the Judge, Jury & Executioner here?

Author: stinger
Date: 13/02/2009 - 09:45

(a)Who decides if something posted on this website is defamatory?
(b)What qualifications do they have to do so?
(c)Who is said to have been defamed?
(c)Since when has it been policy of this website to remove a post on the grounds of "defamatory information" anyway?

If we all knew that we could have a post removed just by claiming that it contained defamatory material and requesting its removal, I suggest that there would be very little left on here. Also, it should be borne in mind that TRUTH is a complete defence to a claim of defamation.

Come on 'Administrator' - let's have your reasons and satisfy our curiousity.
Ssstinger>>>

Happy to answer questions

Author: administrator
Date: 13/02/2009 - 10:15

But please can we move this discussion out of reviews to the Green Room

The Year of Magical Thinking

Author: marcie
Date: 13/02/2009 - 09:03

I saw this last night and agree with everything that has been said, except that I'd add 'real water' to the set details.

I loved the intensity and beauty of the writing and the way it moved the narrative forward while interweaving recurring strands of meaning, symbols and images. Helen Morse did it full justice, creating such a real character - pedantic yes and controlling, but I empathised totally as she told of this period where she had no control over events. She brought all the turmoil of emotions and rationalisations to life so fully; her feelings that she had made her daughter a promise she couldn't keep, all the reactions and adjustment to her husband's death and the typical themes of things left unfinished seemed so real. She moved from reluctant acknowledgement of the physical reality and denial into despair and then a degree of lightness as she began to come to terms with what had happened, all so subtly and with perfect timing and control. One tiny 'slip' was woven in completely naturally. The little ironic touches of humour were welcome for relief but also helped so much to make her a more sympathetic character.

Everything - set, lighting, contributed to make it a memorable experience and there was barely a flicker of movement from the audience throughout - spellbound, I suppose you'd say.

The music was just wonderful, at times like a very faint sound-effect in the background, at times moving into a passage of melody, always just right for mood and volume. I loved it. The use of silence when she occasionally reached a high point of emotion was very effective too.

I wish I could comment more expertly, but will say I was originally planning to see this in Melbourne and felt so lucky that this was coming to Perth. I'm really happy that so many country places in WA will also get the opportunity.

agreement

Author: marcie
Date: 13/02/2009 - 10:26

When I wrote 'everything that has been said' I was referring to the post about the play, which was the only message at that time other than the one which was removed, from another 'Walter'.

This was such a lovely theatrical appearance. I wish there could be more focus on that. I came back hoping the new messages were about other people's thoughts on the production.

Oh well, maybe later - it's only just opened.

Here's another review of

Author: Peppermint Patty (not verified)
Date: 14/02/2009 - 15:02

Here's another review of the play in question: http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,25053798-5005368,00.html

The year of magical thinking

Author: Alain Bernay (not verified)
Date: 19/02/2009 - 14:15

I was mesmerised all along with the actor performance, the music, the story, everything. Helen Morse is absolutely amasing and to be commended.

Another thing that was fascinating for me, was that during one and half hour a woman suffering with traumatic losses succeeds in almost never expressing emotions. A control freak person not able to let go and just feel. I found it almost unreal.

Thank you Black Swan Company for staging this play.

The Year of Magical Thinking

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