When people think of Australian theatre royalty, Nancye Hayes would be one of the first people who come to mind. It is therefore a massive coup that the Sydney Theatre Company has managed to get her for their season opener, 4000 Miles by Amy Herzog. It is the first time that Hayes has performed with the Company in over 20 years, and it did not disappoint. 

Hayes, as 91-year-old Vera, formed a duo with Shiv Palekar, as 21-year-old Leo, for most of the play and the energy between the two was absolutely fantastic. Hayes was the perfect balance of defiant and warm as Leo’s grandmother while Palekar balanced stoicism with raw emotion. The play began as Leo showed up on his bike dishevelled after cycling across the country. He needed somewhere to stay and while his grandmother was initially hesitant, they formed a bond very quickly. 

The play has a lot to say about relationships, both in their most meaningful and their most transient and this is where the production was at its strongest. The relationship between Vera and Leo was the strongest in the production but other familial relationships as well as relationships between Leo and his soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend Bec (Ariadne Sgouros) and between Leo and his fling, Amanda (Shirong Wu). From these relationships, Herzog says something quite profound about the power of relationships and the intricacies of each interaction. 

The play also dealt quite substantially with the theme of loss, with the death of Leo’s cycling mate being one of the key storylines. Palekar was exceptional in bringing this storyline out, moving from a college-bro persona to one of sensitivity and vulnerability. The intergenerationality of the production also meant that this sensitivity could be further explored between Vera and Leo, which added to the poignancy. 

The strength of this play was in the acting of all four characters on stage. Hayes and Palekar were the stars, with absolutely stellar performance, touching every bit of emotion that the play has to offer but Sgouros and Wu were also fantastic, with Wu in particular providing the perfect comedic touch to the play, which was a nice balance when compared to the more serious tone of the rest of the production. 

The production values for Sydney Theatre Company shows are always high and this show was no exception, with Jeremy Allen’s set being incredibly well-furnished and constructed, with incredible attention to detail. The soft musical score and lighting also added to the ambiance, which felt very homely but with a hint of loss behind it. 

Overall, this is a play that does emotion very well and shines accordingly. The performances of Hayes and Palekar were absolutely outstanding and brought the themes of the production to the fore in a meaningful way. The subject matter was interesting and accessible and although the play did not push any major theatrical boundaries, it was executed extremely effectively. While there was a wisp of sadness behind the play as it touched upon loss, it also highlighted the special bonds between families and, as the audience was leaving the theatre, this was very much the takeaway for most. 

Rating: ★★★★1/2

4000 Miles plays at the Wharf 1 Theatre until 23^rd March 2025. For more information click here.

All photo credits: Daniel Boud