The film, Picnic at Hanging Rock, is one of the most iconic films in Australian cinematic history. Telling the story of four girls who get lost on a school excursion and the associated fall-out, the film has won numerous awards, becoming noted for its chilling and artistic storytelling. The film (which was based on Joan Lindsay’s 1967 novel of the same name) has now been adapted by Tom Wright into a play, as part of the Sydney Theatre Company’s season which is being directed by Ian Michael. 

While the acting and the storyline are generally the first things to notice in a play, in this production, the all-encompassing effects were the salient features. Lighting Designer Trent Suidgeest’s lighting was atmospheric and added immensely to the tension of the story, creating an almost intimidatory and predatory feel which permeated the theatre and gave a chilling effect. For a production so reliant on a feeling of horror and unease, this was the perfect way to capture the attention of the audience and was one of the defining features of this production. 

Graphics were also projected onto the stage as the lights flickered, with the name of the Hanging Rock, “Ngannelong”, being one of the key projections. A constant theme bubbling below the surface in this production is the impact of colonialism and the use of these graphics ensured that the history and undercurrents were well-addressed. 

The acting was relatively strong throughout, with the five performers, Olivia De Jonge, Kirsty Marillier, Lorinda May Merrypor, Masego Pitso and Contessa Treffone, having to play everything from schoolgirls to teachers driven to madness. This required a great deal of acting breadth and the performers handled this very well. 

While the effects and the acting were both very high quality, the consequence of the pervasive effects was that the chronology was somewhat difficult to follow. The performance presumed familiarity with the film, which meant that important contextual details were sometimes glossed over and the action was hard to follow. The frequently shifting scenes also made it slightly unclear which characters were being played at any particular point, which led to some confusion. 

The tragic ending to the production was well done, however, it still left the audience with a sense of mystery in the air. Although the film was left in a very similar vein, it felt like, given the medium in which the play was performed, there could have been some more exposition at the end of the production rather than being wholly mysterious. 

Overall, this was an exceptional work of art, with incredible effects and great acting, which acted as a fitting homage to the classic film of the same name. While some more clarity would have been welcomed at times, this was a play that tugged at all the senses, keeping the audience on their toes for the entire duration of the production. This was a production filled with horror and unease and although it was perhaps too reliant on a familiarity with the source material at times, it still worked very well as a creative piece of theatre in its own right. 

Rating: ★★★★

Picnic at Hanging Rock plays at the Drama Theatre until 5^th April 2025. For more information, click here.

All photo credits: Daniel Boud