Williamson once claimed Robyn Nevin felt this was based on Cate Blanchett taking over from Nevin at the STC. That would have been amazing. Nevin, who survived the atmosphere of the 70s and marriage to the charismatic wife basher Jim McNeill to become the giant of Australian theatre; replaced by Blanchett, blessed with greater beauty and talent... that's an amazing jumping off point.
But he didn't.
I was apprehensive at a Williamson play focusing on two women, they've never been his strong point, and that proves to be the case here. I didn't buy his take on th book publishing world; maybe it was accurate and well researched, but it didn't feel like it, at least not to me. It's also got too much tired overused Williamson stuff - an older male alpha who the younger woman can't resist fucking, a career striving woman who neglects her daughter, obsession with good reviews and making a career out of art, clunky dialogue.
Like all Williamsons though it can tell a story and has some funny lines. There's a genuinely moving scene where the younger girl's mother dies.
I wish he'd made it more about himself. Set this story in the theatre - a young playwright snapping at the heels of Davo. Or make him an artistic director. If worry about Cate/Robyn make the artistic director male. That would've been great.
The play did inspire a very amusing hatchet job from Bob Ellis and a highty entertaining subsequent correspondence between he and the Williamsons on Ellis' blog.
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