Monday, October 19, 2020

Play review - "At Any Cost" by David Williamson and Mohamed Khadra (2011) (warning: spoilers)

A powerful central idea: a family bickering over whether to turn off the life support. It's ideal for theatre, and this definitely has "what would you do" moments. One senses unfulfilled potential in the play though - there is talk of euthanasia and the cost of keeping people alive and it's all important stuff. The vehicle with which to explore these issues doesn't do the issues justice. Says I, anyway. 

There is an honest ocker racist working class dad, two duelling bitch sisters (one rich the other a self righteous liberal), the composer brother who can't find a job after years (interesting to wonder if this is Williamson having a jab at one of his actor kids). They snap about the brother not getting a job and the rich sister being a bitch and the middle class sister being annoying; the skeletons feel very musty skeletons (I'm not your dad! I was abused! She had an affair!). 

It's two dimensional characters. The doctor is one dimensional - he is pleasant, courteous and dogged, though one sense he is keen to flick off the switch. It would have been a more interesting play had that been the case. 

A play that isn't up to its conception.

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