Theatre Now Review: Werkaholics

Venue: Belvoir Downstairs
Sydney
Dates: Until August 17th

Three perfectly cast actors in Belvoir Theatre’s 25A latest production of three “werkaholics” bring Vivian Nguyen’s witty new play about influencer culture, wealth, and relationships to life.

Sage (Ruby Duncan), who opens the show, talks about the demise of our society – the death of the cult of the Kardashians, and introduces her own internet blog Unmoi. This is her own revenge site to bring down influencers.

Sage is angry. Angry that the cult of the influencer preys on other women making them feel inferior until they aspire to the lives of the influencer that they really can’t afford – leading to a world of debt. Sage works as a debt collector, and she wants transparency to show that the actual lives of the influencers are not as they seem.

She lives her life within four walls of her bedroom, dappled with the artificial light of her computer screen. Her mother encourages her to join the living but Sage is not interested …. until aspiring actor Jillian makes contact.

The play really begins with Jillian (Shirong Wu) and her best friend Lillian (Georgia Yenna Oom), an influencer. Their similar names are no coincidence. They have a lot in common, even though they don’t realise it.

Lillian and Jillian are at an upscale restaurant and Lillian is hungry for her next great Insta post. Jillian is just hungry. Lillian quickly establishes herself as the alpha female in the relationship. Lillian is living the enviable life of an influencer – fab fashion, beauty, lifestyle – all high end. All she has to do is make a few videos of her opinions spliced with product and her lifestyle is maintained.

Jillian is there to hold the camera, pose alongside when heeded, and be her best friend. She is also there for Lillian to feel superior to – relationships can be so complex. Jillian is waiting for her big break, which isn’t on the horizon even when it’s just a one liner.

Wu, is a terrific comedienne, playing two roles – Jillian and Sage’s mother (in a ridiculous wig). Her timing is impeccable, and her ability to throw herself into the absurdist situations is a joy to watch. Her expressions are hilarious and her phone sex scene is one of the play’s highlights.

Georgia Yenna Oom is a delight as Lillian in her first production since graduating from NIDA. Her performance belies her limited professional expertise. She has the moves, the great delivery, and the easy riffing with her co-stars.

Dialogue is snappy and smart. There are many laughs, particularly from the millennials in the audience who lap up all the clever cultural references.

Playwright Vivian Nguyen has clearly had fun with the dialogue and director Nicole Pingon has put together an excellent production with a very bare but functional set.

The play starts as a fun laugh but descends into absurdist madness with relationships being tested. Blame is tossed around for all that is wrong with society, much emanating from the online world but with real world implications.

Nguyen’s next work is something I’d definitely want to see, and I’ll certainly be watching out for future plays starring the three actors.

Three ‘likes’