Comments on: Long Day’s Journey Into Night | Sydney Theatre Company

By: Susan Lever

Susan Lever — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:18:09 +0000

Thanks for your review. I was pleased to see such a rarely performed play done with full honours, and two American actors. I don’t think it’s been done in Sydney in my considerable lifetime. I agree the direction could be tighter (and the offstage run was ridiculous). It’s naturalism but theatrical too–and I thought Hurt could have been a more convincing ham actor, ie naturalistically play a man who was a ham actor. A lot of the grander, poetic moments didn’t get their due. It’s a difficult play and 4 of the 5 people on stage really have to be stars.

By: Beverley

Beverley — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:21:04 +0000

I thought the same when I heard. I’m disappointed that Sydney Theatre Company is importing from America instead of employing Australian theatre artists. And why an American play again? We have so many amazing playwrights who write about us and our experiences. If we foster our Australian talent it will improve and our culture will grow richer for it.

By: Shae

Shae — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:45:58 +0000

The STC is a business, and caters to what their target market asks for. If you want to make a change, a real and sustainable one, I suspect it is best made at the audience level first. Collaborate with and challenge the theatre-going population of Sydney, change what people demand out of their theatre.

As a theatre-goer, rather than a theatre-doer, I have no reservations in saying that I am just as excited to go and see these ‘American blockbusters’ as I am to see something new with my Laksa at the Old Fitzroy. In fact if it has an interesting look and a bit of a heartbeat, I will give it a go. Some is great, some is terrible; but all is exciting and I rarely regret spending time and money on any of it. Variety is important from an audience perspective – a spectrum of available spaces, stories and experiences, both new and well worn.

And since I wont be able to afford to travel any time soon (because I too work in an industry where the majority of the workforce is undervalued) I can only thank the STC for providing me with opportunities to view these works and these actors, which I may not otherwise have. Just as musically I would thank Quirkz, The Factory, and, periodically, The Entertainment Centre.

As an aside – as far as I can see, of the 12 Main Stage productions in the 2010 STC season – there are eight plays, of which four are by American playwrights and two by Australians. Of the further four adaptations, one is American and three are Australian – adapted from novels or plays from Russia, France and Germany. Plus a British play and a Greek tragedy. The American ring-ins, it would appear, are all involved with the American plays. Sure, it’s not global theatre and it certainly isn’t representative of all the beautiful and rich cultures stitched together to make this country – but I don’t see it as quite the American All-Star calamity that you’re suggesting.

By: Jane

Jane — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:07:13 +0000

I seem to recall Blanchett calling this an American season, in homage to Obama, whatever that means. And I recalled where I found it, her and Upton talking to the SMH last year http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/arts/meaty-works-bigleague-names-to-satisfy-cravings/2009/09/25/1253813612395.html So not quite how I remembered it, but still apparently when Australian theatre goers want “big, meaty works” it’s looking towards the US that you’ll find it.

That article also has Upton saying ”We want the day to come when all the companies in America and England say, ‘What’s being done in England and what’s being done in America – and what’s being done in Australia?”’ My response to that when I read it, looking at the STC’s season this year, and their recent history of International tours, is the answer will be “not writing.” And that makes me sad, because we are writing some brilliant work. I wish they got a larger stage.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:24:13 +0000

I would very much like to see the stories exchanged, as you say….our brilliant plays being performed in the US. This has been coming for a while. It’s shrewd business sense that the STC have picked up on the “Americanisation” of not only their new target market, but of mainstream Australia…It’s almost become, in a sense, “blockbuster theatre”. American films do far better than Aussie ones, so it stands to reason that it should work for theatre. I am all for a cultural exchange of solid theatre and stories, and I think it’s good that theatre audiences are being exposed to a world of theatre and storytelling. Having said that, the advantage of this is that the general theatre literacy of the theatre going public is hopefully expanded upon. Another advantage is that people get exposed to a more intellectual form of American culture, rather than hollywood studio production line pap. We get to appreciate fine writing that hopefully continues in the style of Arthur Miller, Tennesse Williams, Mamet, Shepherd etc etc. It is fair to be rubbed the wrong way with what seems to be a poor representation of Australian writing, but if it it is a short term plan by the STC to make money and garner a strong and fresh subscriber base, then it can allow it to survive longer and stronger. They have realised that big name theatre can bring in the money and reinforce a more important place of theatre in the community. I would much prefer the general public be exposed to theatre of this type of calibre and develop a respect for it than much of what people are tortured with as a result of enduring most of Short and Sweet every year. By experiencing Long Days Journey they may not be so hesitant to go to Griffin, The Fitz, The Darlo or The New next time someone suggests a night at the theatre. The upside, in a ideal theory, for Australian writers and theatre makers is that in the long term the STC will be able to support them and expose their work to a new generation of theatre goers that will not only appreciate fine writing, but will have a broader knowledge of cultural storytelling. This all sounds very idealisitc, and I have to believe it to be so…the artform I love so much couldn’t be so easily bought….could it?

By: James Waites

James Waites — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:46:58 +0000

On the money gus – well done xxx