At the beautiful Wharf 1 Theatre at Dawes Point, Sydney Theatre Company brings another Australian premiere to their 2024 season. Martyna Majok’s Cost of Living is a the winner of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a multi-Tony Award nominated production and is an inspired choice for the STC, bringing disabled representation to the stage in a way that feels much greater than a superficial exploration. 

Co-directed by Dan Daw and Priscilla Jackman, the play features four actors, Daw, Kate Hood, Philip Quast and Zoe de Plevitz. The production plays with chronology from the outset, with two stories interwoven throughout the narrative. John, a disabled man, is looking for a new carer and hires Jess, a Princeton graduate to be his assistant. Meanwhile, Eddie looks after his ex-wife Ani, who has recently become a quadriplegic. 

The interweaving of the two narratives allows Majok to make statements about a number of themes simultaneously. John and Jess’ relationship shifts constantly as the power balance changes (or is perceived to change). At times, Jess, the carer, believes she is more powerful than John by virtue of her position but in the end is left to realise, that by virtue of his wealth, she is, in fact, more disempowered and vulnerable than she initially believes. Meanwhile, Eddie and Ani’s relationship deals with loss and forgiveness, as both overcome anger and grief to care for each other before tragedy strikes once again. 

The acting throughout is strong, with all four performers on stage showing off different storytelling strengths. In essence, this adds to the crux of the story, which is concerned with the diversity of humanity and experience. The play is at its strongest at its end, when Jess and Eddie cross paths at the end for a profound reflection on loneliness. It is the most poignant part of the play and is the point that ties everything together. 

While the use of chronology is interesting, it is also quite confusing at times. At many points, it is hard to follow what is happening and only at the end of the play do the links become clear. Some metaphorical and symbolic devices used throughout the production are clever but should be spelled out a little more clearly in order to make sense. 

While I am generally averse to an interval in plays (especially of this length), this is a play that could use one. The material is so dense that immense concentration is required and given the natural resting points of the story, an interval would not interrupt the flow in the same way it would in other productions. 

Michael Scott-Mitchell’s set design in the production is simple but strong, with the set banal yet frequently full of movement to highlight the chronology shifts in the production. Like most Sydney Theatre Company productions, everything flows seamlessly and the production values are very high. Arguably more effort could be made to further accentuate the chronology but this is arguably more of a job for the source material.

Overall, this is a strong play that is increasingly thoughtful and poignant upon each reflection. While there are problems with the text and the chronology that make it hard to follow at times, this is a play with a lot to say and an outstanding avenue for more varied representation in Australian theatre. This is a production that could do well around the country and it will be interesting to see just how far it can go. 

Rating: ★★★★

Cost of Living plays at the Wharf 1 Theatre until 18^th August. For more information, click here.

Photo credit: Morgan Roberts