“he two damaged characters are delivered with profound sincerity and a lot of actor muscle … a terrific matching of actors; unafraid to go toe-to-toe with each other in what is a quite physically and emotionally violent play.”
Kate Stratford
4.5 Stars
Venue : Old Fitz
Sydney
Dates: Until 1st Febuary 2026
Desperate, disenfranchised, and despairing, Danny and Roberta seek a few hours of solace together in an attempt to alleviate their loneliness and find connection. Set in the 1980s in the Bronx, John Patrick Shanley’s Danny and the Deep Blue Sea draws on the preceding movements of Poor Theatre and the Theatre of Angry Young Men; the economic world system has created a class of poorly educated people, caught in a cycle of poverty against which they can only impotently rage with raw anger and frustration.
The two damaged characters are delivered with profound sincerity and a lot of actor muscle by JK Kazzi and Jacqui Purvis. It is a terrific matching of actors; unafraid to go toe-to-toe with each other in what is a quite physically and emotionally violent play. Their performances have the intensity of barely checked subversive behaviours and defiance against conformity. Director Nigel Turner-Carroll, whilst leaning into the raw nature of the play prevents it from becoming turgid with a tight control over pace and timing.
It is a tough but engaging 80 minutes. The transition from bar to bedroom is handled as a dance with push-pull quality reflective of the emotional action of the piece. Turner-Carroll obviously understands how important it is to keep up the energy in change of scenes and thankfully, we are not subjected to a blackout with a crew member setting a scene in a blue light followed by a cast having to work hard to re-establish potency. For me, how a director conducts a scene change is an insight into their understanding and vision for a play. The bar itself, where Danny and Roberta first meet, could do with an indication of an outside world with a hint of noise. After all, this is the world which has compelled both to seek refuge. Roberta’s bed in the following scene is perfectly placed centre stage, offering an island in the deep blue sea of despair.
In an effort to avoid spoiler alerts, all that should be said here about the end is that our hearts hope for Danny and Roberta even whilst our minds suspect an unfortunate long-term outcome. Author John Patrick Shanley went on to write the screenplay for Moonstruck and his relationship with the Bronx Italian community is as affectionate here as it is in the film. There is the same humour, the same seething violence, the same pragmatism. (“I love you” – slap – “Snap out of it”) Don’t let this one get lost amongst the Festival offerings. It is not part of the Festival, so you need to check with Old Fitz itself.
This seemed to me a great Sunday matinee outing and I suspect this show will sell out. So booking ahead is vital.
Kate Stratford, Theatre Now
