Mark’s Score 5 stars
I am not familiar with the works of Branden Jacobs – Jenkins, the 35-year-old American playwright who seems to have made quite a mark on New York independent theatre in recent years. Indeed this, his 2015 play Gloria, is making its Sydney debut, after a production by MTC last year. Apart from his adaptation of Dion Boucicault’s 19th century The Octoroon (QTC 2017) we are yet to see his handful of other plays.
As I fear not when a Jeremy Water’s Outhouse production is on offer I therefore elected to read nothing about the play in advance. I urge you to do the same. The privilege of experiencing a new play and being transported by the events on stage is a seduction one should yield to as often as the opportunity arises. Alexander Berlage directs with such clarity and precision that his extremely well cast troupe of actors achieve greatness. The production team fully complement the brilliant dialogue and direction via clean and crisp design in set, costume, lighting, sound composition and effects.
On entering the Reginald Theatre Jeremy Allen (set & costume design) serves up a foreboding mock proscenium arch with a matching black curtain shielding what lies behind, the word “Gloria’ emblazoned upon it. My pulse quickens as the triumphant opening bars of Bach’s Mass in B Minor (La Gloria) floods the auditorium (sound design – Ben Pierpoint) while the most elegant drawing back of the aforementioned curtain occurs. This is a beautifully accomplished heightened operatic flourish which reveals a rather sparsely furnished corporate world lit in functional tones (lighting design Alexander Berlage with associate Veronique Bennett) washing over white and grey surfaces and glass panelled walls. The contrast I relish and is not lost on me. Something is awry here in this seemingly innocuous naturalism.
The first act qualifies this premonition that not all is rosy in glossy magazine world. In this theatre of war there are battles fought over derailed careers, vague ambition and suspect motives. Work – shy Kendra (Michelle Ny) takes no hostages and shoots barbs like poison-tipped arrows ad nauseum. In the line of fire of her vitriol is long term editor’s assistant Dean – bitingly played by Rowan Witt – who at 29 is also no stranger to a pithy retort and copes somewhat with Kendra’s entitled view of the world with glib resolution. Preppy Ani (Annabel Harte), a younger twenty-something, manages to keep on the right side of Kendra by finding common ground, their gales of laughter continuously invading the quiet domain down the hall of mid 30s fact checker Lorin (Reza Momenzada). Observing this is senior year university intern Miles (Justin Amankwah) who’s getting the work experience he never expected. Add to the mix the intermittent visits of office old faithful Gloria (Georgina Symes), described as a 37-year-old oddball with very little going for her. Today she is understandably out of sorts as no one in the office (apart from Dean) attended her house warming party the previous night. Just another day in the fabulous world of journalism? – not!
Post interval and the ensuing two scenes find some of actors taking on new roles. Several months and then a couple of years have elapsed and prior events mean many have moved on from the magazine and secret plans, harboured resentments and recently penned novels occupy their lives. To elaborate on the plot would be unfair. Needless to say performances maintain the same high standard. In another role, as Nan, a successful editor, Georgina Symes delivers a monologue in the second act that is breathtaking in its range and proportion.This is a masterclass in perfect storytelling. Dean and Kendra take on the battle to end all battles which pushes the story two years down the line and to the bitter-sweet denouement.
Be not mistaken that this is high octane theatre that appears to be couched in the familiarities of quality television drama. Is that what the proscenium arch is doing – framing the stage converting it to a screen? The major theme investigated in the play is later eked out by Lorin – impressively underplayed by Momenzada – who shines a light on the mercenary tactics one may take to tell a story, or the unchallenged right we the audience have in hearing it. Journalism champions the cause that the readership must have it warts and all, while social media alerts us to the fact that in part we no longer own our lives and consequently have nowhere to hide. Technologies seem to only manipulate us more.
This is a 4 out of 4 stars show and is therefore highly recommended. Playing until June 22 only.
Mark G Nagle – Theatre Now Sydney
Gloria
Reuben Kaye
6 – 22 Jul 2019
Tues to Sat 7:30pm
Sat Matinee 2pm
Venue: Seymour Centre
Theatre Company: Outhouse Theatre Co
Duration: N/A
Outhouse Theatre Co (The Flick and The Rolling Stone) and Seymour Centre will present the Sydney premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-finalist play, Gloria at the Seymour Centre’s Reginald Season this June 6th to 22nd.
In the offices of a hip New York magazine, where the banter is more poisonous than the pens, a group of twentysomething editorial assistants scrap it out for their bosses’ jobs. And, a book deal before they’re thirty.
In a culture powered by status and Starbucks, a regular work day suddenly turns into anything but, and these aspiring journalists are presented with a career-defining shot at the best-seller list.
In this razor-sharp dark comedy that set both New York and London abuzz, award-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins skewers ambition, office warfare and the cutthroat opportunistic culture of the modern workplace
★★★★★ “Shocking, Hilarious and Spectacularly Honest” Chicago Tribune
★★★★ “A Major New Talent” The Telegraph London
★★★★ “Sharp, Witty & Inventive” The Guardian London
★★★★★ “Gloria is just Glorious” The Stage London
Directed by 2018 Sydney Theatre Award-winning director Alex Berlage (Hayes Theatre Company’s Cry Baby), Gloria will star Justin Amankwah (The Flick), Annabel Harte (QTC’s Blackrock), Reza Momenzada (Darlinghurst Theatre Company’s The Sound of Waiting), Michelle Ny (Belvoir’s The Wolves), Georgina Symes (The Catherine McGregor Story at STC) and Rowan Witt (The Book of Mormon).
Image: Marnya Rothe
Ticket Prices
Full $47
Concession $38
Previews $33
Cheap Tuesdays $33
