One-person horror-style plays are all the rage at the moment, with productions like Dracula having moved from Sydney Theatre Company to the West End starring Cynthia Erivo, alongside many other Gothic-tinged plays that have come to Sydney in the past year. This time, it is the turn of Belvoir to put on The Birds, written by Daphne Du Maurier and made famous by Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960s film which has been adapted into a one-woman stage show starring Paula Arundel as she confronts a world where the birds are both literally and metaphorically closing in on her.

The show is set in an almost post-apocalyptic world where it seems as though the birds are seeking revenge for long-held environmental disasters. The script has been moved from the UK to modern-day Australia and, in a time of bushfires and climate inaction, it feels strikingly poignant in the Australian context. What starts as a lone bird attack delves into a state of national emergency as friends begin to perish and their homes are closed in on by the birds. Soon, it becomes a global emergency with no end in sight as eventually Tessa and her family have no option but to wait for their eventual downfall.

This is a Herculean acting performance from Arundel, who has to manage the 80-minute runtime with a huge amount of dramatic energy while also narrating the story, bringing the fear, unease and paranoia of the situation to the play very well. At times though, it does feel a little bit one-paced, with Arundel having to play all the characters in the family, which by its nature means that the interpretations are not quite as fleshed out as they could be. The play itself is also quite repetitive, meaning some of the nuances that could have been explored are not, particularly the interactions with other members of the world and even with Tessa’s own family.

The adaptation also feels slightly underdeveloped and more emphasis could have been made on the Australian context and updating this into a modern political commentary rather than solely a relic of the past, given its obvious relevance to the current climate. The lighting design of Niklas Pajanti and composer and sound designer J. David Franzke lifts the production significantly, using great effect to portray the horror of the bird attacks. However, the largely bare set and lack of a real punch towards the end of the play means a lot of the effect is lost at times, with the poignancy of the lasting message being somewhat obscured. 

Overall, this is a solid play which features some great theatre showmanship from Arundel alongside fantastic lighting and sound effects. However, the play feels a little dated in spite of its modern relevance and remains slightly underdeveloped throughout, with the references to Australia perhaps warranting a little more attention. It is definitely an interesting watch and fairly unique in its execution but for some, it may leave them wanting a little more.  

Rating: ★★★1/2

The Birds plays at Belvoir St Theatre until 14 June. For more information, click here. 

All photo credits: Brett Boardman