Summer of the Aliens by Louis Nowra. Rep Fringe directed by Nina Stevenson at Theatre 3, Wed - Sat October 8 - 23, 1999 (matinee October 16, 2pm).
I was pleasantly surprised by a light whimsical presentation of Aliens, which I have previously seen done as hard-nosed social criticism. The adult Nowra looks back on himself as a 14-year-old in 1962, parading the sad working class characters of Singapore Street, fringe-dwelling where outer suburbs meet the paddocks. Young Lewis (Toby Wilkins) lives with the news that World War 3 is about to begin and the belief that aliens in UFO's abduct people - except that it never happens to him. He discovers too late, but never forgets, that he really did love Dulcie, played by Cally Robinson with an accurate and therefore almost shocking sexuality.
Rep Fringe has grown from presenting $5 readings to $10 productions with the special intention of encouraging young people on stage and backstage.
It was brave to cast young actors at the ages of the characters, but maybe this is why the play is so much lighter in tone that it might be. The Director's Notes talk of "important themes", "the struggle to understand the world" and claim that the play "is caustic", but her cast is not up to investing such depth into the work. Yet they were directed well to form an effective ensemble and so I found myself responding to a more gentle Leunig-like humour.
Because Rep Fringe is low budget, the set is simple, but I must say the backside of a Housing Commission redbrick with concrete apron was exactly right. Technically the production runs smoothly with lighting used to move from scene to scene. However I did find that the older Lewis, who narrates his story and occasionally interrogates his younger self, would have been better left on stage throughout rather than entering and exiting each time he speaks. This was a distraction and, thematically, I wondered where he went to when he disappeared. I was reminded of Tom in The Glass Menagerie who stays visible and moves into and out of the action, making it clear that this is a memory play, like Summer of the Aliens.
A value-for-money evening at Rep.
©Frank McKone, Canberra
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