A small postscript on Jude the Obscure at PACT as a part of the Sydney Fringe.

OK first up – this show has NOTHING TO DO WITH THOMAS HARDY. Which I personally think is a good thing.
Secondly this show has A LOT TO DO WITH JUDITH LUCY. Which personally I think is also a good thing.

I must confess that my whole life I have been plagued and delighted by the compliment that my delivery and my humour is quite reminiscent of Ms Lucy. So I must admit to being a natural fan of hers. I also relate to her incredulity at people’s behaviour and conversation. I also find it very easy – very easy to be an audience for her confessions and observations (also labeled as “comedy”) So really this is a show that not a long distance for me to travel to feel like I’m on board.

Alice Williams is an artist I have known for some time. She is a playful and fun writer and has flexed her curious mind in front of me on more than one occasion.

This Fringe offering is really a portrait of a fantasy – Judith Lucy encountering the intricacies and philosophies of space travel. Gorgeous idea. Simply staged and staged with a vast swarm of “true Lucy fact” that is so seemlessly interwoven with the realm of some of the more challenging conceptual sciences.

A great strength in this work is the impersonation itself – Williams as Lucy is magnetic- the sad clown with a crushed spirit and a bright young face. This coupled with some fairly far reaching ruminations of the world is really quite astounding.

A part of the Lucy charm is her ability to broadly over-share tragedy and humiliation and bravely face it with a dry and patient delivery. There is something evenly paced in Williams – and yet with the style of saucy sly cheekiness that the Judith Lucy of the mid to late 90s exuded.

A wonderful and thoroughly enjoyable and artful show – and perfect for anyone who is familiar with the Judith Lucy back catalogue of woe.