One of Williamson's more autobiographical later works, the tale of a lefty documentary filmmaker and his book editor wife who have moved to Noosa. I wish it had been more autobiographical - I confess I was looking forward to an Emerald City examination of the differences between Noosa and Sydney; we get a little of that, with satire of both places, but soon it develops into a family saga (it takes place over a few years) about the muso son of some lefties falling for the lawyer son of the business types. The muso becomes a little more right wing as he buys a studio, the wife gives up law, the parents sort of buzz around. The kids take over, there's a GFC.
It's an odd sort of play, as if Williamson couldn't pick a lane. The pessimism of the main lefty is affecting - is this how Williamson sees the world? He's depressed. Which I get. But the Williamson character drifts out of focus.
The character based on Kristen is fascinating: everyone loves her, she's smart, a success in business, the Noosa wife wanted to be her, the husband wants to schtup her, the David Williamson character adores her. I don't think there's been a female character in Williamson more put on a pedestal. Yet the last section has her being fearful of being a dud grandmother.
There's a lot of whingeing here. Lefties worried about the world, righties worried about lefties, boomers wanting more time with their grandkids. A lot of entitlement.
Did this play stop Williamson writing more autobiographical plays? Did his kids arc up? Did Kirsten? I actually wish he'd made it more autobiographical and really explored what it was like to live in Noosa - how his old friends responded, making new friends. I sense that would've been more interesting than what goes on here. Still, it's his play.
As always there are some funny lines and it tells a story.
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