The stage was set, and the red carpet laid for opening night of the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Do Not Go Gentle at the Roslyn Packer Theatre. Upon the initial lift of the curtain, the incredible set for this play immediately elicited the awe of the entire audience, with the setting of Antarctica extraordinarily well done by set designer Charles Davis. The stage was surrounded by glaciers and falling snow, with gorgeous scenery and seamless transitions at every turn. It is rare for a theatre set to draw such attention from the outset, but this was so spectacular that it warrants a mention from the beginning. 

Do Not Go Gentle is a challenging play, both in terms of execution and in terms of communication with the audience. The set, costumes and thematic matter are so precise that it is easy to get wrong. However, this cast and production team did a fantastic job at using all the elements to convey the themes so well. 

In terms of communication, the source material demands absolute focus from the audience given that it jumps around in chronology and really blurs the line between imagination and reality. This is done to develop the allegory behind the play, for it is not simply about Robert Falcon Scott’s fateful 1911 trip to Antarctica but also represents the descent into dementia and old age. Subtle lighting changes were used to highlight the shift between reality and allegory, but it was still a challenging exercise for the audience to keep up, given that the chronology of the play is not completely linear. 

However, the strength of the acting made the audience’s job a lot easier. Led by Philip Quast, the experienced cast were absolutely outstanding, projecting their characters through the theatre with power, nuance and emotion. Quast came across as the brave, authoritative man that Scott would have been while Vanessa Downing provided copious amounts of humour as Wilson. Peter Carroll and John Gaden really explored the pain and suffering that the South Pole brings the crew while Brigid Zengeni and Marilyn Richardson also gave fabulous performances, with Richardson’s operatic interludes being a particular highlight. 

The show is at its most powerful when it is exploring the allegory of old age. It is a considered reflection, with death and loss looming over the characters throughout the work. Writer Patricia Cornelius and Director Paige Rattray explored the issue very sensitively but also were unafraid to display some of the different manifestations of dementia, from Zengeni’s sexual inhibition to Gaden’s flashbacks to the suicide of his son. Perhaps most tragically, Richardson’s pleas to return home were heard throughout the play and were felt viscerally by the audience. It was only at the very end of the play, when the setting moved to a hospital room did the allegory become obvious.

Unsurprisingly given the pedigree of the cast, the attention to detail and craftsmanship in the play were seamless. Transitions felt incredibly natural as did movement and action. In such a precise setting, it would be easy for these things to go awry but they remained flawless throughout. 

Not every question posed by the work is answered but nor should it be. This is an extremely challenging work of theatre, yet it is most thought-provoking. While the themes are heavy, there is a strength in the portrayal of the characters that ensures that the tone does not become overly depressing. For anyone committed to understanding the complexities and nuances of this work as they arise on stage, this is a play not to be missed. 

Rating: ★★★★

Do Not Go Gentle plays at the Roslyn Packer Theatre until 17^th June. For more information, click here.

Photo credit: Prudence Upton