The Cherry Orchard – Old Fitz Theatre (NSW)

By Gary Owen. Directed by Anthony Skuse. Presented By Secret House & Old Fitz Theatre

Virtuisitic writing pairs well with an extraordinary ensemble to bring to life a new vision of Chekhov’s well-worn play. It’s an absolute delight.

Reviewed by Juliana Payne
Old Fitz Theatre, Woolloomooloo
Until August 24th, 2024
Tickets: https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/the-cherry-orchard

Yes, this is that Cherry Orchard, even though the playwright’s name is Gary Owen, a Welsh writer who studied philosophy. So if you’ve never seen a play by Anton Chekhov, or have seen one and wondered what all the fuss was about, or even if you are an aficionado of the collected works, please do go and see this wonderful reworking of one of his most performed plays. 

With Owen’s finely honed, blackly comic text, Anthony Skuse has directed a stunning cast that give the performance of their lives. This is a true ensemble piece of theatre, without any weak links. The cast have inhabited the characters and they play with gusto, proficiency and heart – I hope Owen somehow gets to see them in action doing full tribute to his marvellous play. 

Most Chekov plays have a similar chamberful of characters, a jaded world-weary older woman, perhaps a younger lover, some young people who are dissatisfied with life and falling in love variously, a tired old uncle and a witty wisecracking family retainer. We sit back and watch them tear each other apart, with well placed jibes and emotional string-pulling. 

The Cherry Orchard, Old Fitz Theatre (2024). Images by Braiden Toko

Owen has breathed new and dynamic life into The Cherry Orchard, set in Thatcher’s England at the outbreak of the Falklands War, the war that she ensured saved her electoral neck. Sound familiar? But this family has nary a thought for the world’s stage, as they are too busy creating a hothouse of emotional blackmail, bitter revenge and scathing payback of their own. And it’s hilarious.

The cast is so uniformly strong and skilled that there are no moments where the audience can relax – they’ve got us by the throat for the whole performance. The length of the play does test its stamina in parts, but the second act really flashes by in a trice. 

Deborah Galanos as Rainey is a stunningly viciously funny planet around which everyone else orbits; her performance is a joy to watch and chortle at, and she can plumb the depths of tragedy just as well. Jane Angharad (who also produced – is there anything she can’t do?) was fantastic to see on stage again, and her Under Milkwood-esque opening was wonderful in her genuine Welsh accent. Amelia Parsonson was channelling Lady Mary from Downton in the best possible way, with her effortless upper class charm, and Talia Benatar as Dottie the long suffering housekeeper has perfected the exasperated eye-roll, as she couples with cutting one-liners .

Anthony Skuse has directed a stunning cast that give the performance of their lives

Dorje Swallow’s mellifluous voice can be listened to all day, meanwhile Charles Mayer’s comic turn as the useless Uncle Gabriel was by turns really funny and really sad in true Chekovian style. James Smithers as Ceri the socialist conscience gave us a genuinely charming character even while hectoring us on contemporary politics. He also designed the set, which was a lovely piece of verite styling without messing up the stage with lots of tat that just get in the actors’ way. 

We all know the original plot, and themes, and how it all ends, but this is rather a performance that you should go and see for the virtuosic writing and, most especially, the acting. It’s a treat.

Cast and Creative Team
Producing Company: Secret House
Playwright: Gary Owen
Director: Anthony Skuse
Producer: Jane Angharad
Set Designer: James Smithers
Lighting Designer: Topaz Marlay-Cole
Composer & Sound Designer: Johnny Yang
Stage Manager: Sofia Cleaver
Accent & Dialect Coach: Linda Nicholls-Gidley
Assistant Director: Oliver MacFadyen
Assistant Producer: Talia Benatar
Assistant Set Builders: Ryan Scott & Max Shaw
Film & Photography: Braiden Toko

Cast: Amelia Parsonson, Charles Mayer, Deborah Galanos, Dorje Swallow, James Smithers, Jane Angharad, Talia Benatar