Three standing ovation encore bows to a packed theatre on opening night would tell you this show, having won a Pulitzer Prize, is well worth seeing. Especially if you have an interest in helping others. If you have an interest in helping others with extreme disability needs and or want a better understanding of their world as told by them, and you love theatre, then you must not miss COST OF LIVING now playing at Southbank Theatre.
Whilst the story lines are typical in love and loss in life, and if you just put four regular actors in these roles, ‘Cost of Living’ may not be something to write home about. Yet, I could nearly write a 5000 word essay on this review. It’s just ‘out-there’ on so many levels. And before you think the show is about inflation, well guess again, it’s nothing about money problems. Although it does show a magnitude of financial differences between two of the characters, this script (written by Martyna Majok) is, at its core, about humans connecting within the circumstances of life dealt to each of them.
As in a typical narrative of love, loss, tragedy and regret, those things are certainly here too in sadness; deep sadness, but the message I went home with was uplifting and to be truly grateful for what we have and what others offer us in support.
Even remotely, the lives of two of the characters have never been subjects on stage in anything I’ve ever seen and those roles highlight serious aspects that are reality for these two cast members, so this play defies the norm with Oli Pizzey Stratford (also an amazing wheelchair athlete) playing ‘John’, and disability advocate Rachel Edmonds (graduate National Drama School) playing ‘Ani’.
John, a rich white guy with cerebral palsy, employs born poor Jess (played by Logie award nominee Mabel Li), to help him with everyday tasks. At the outset, Jess does not care about John’s condition as much as she needs the work in being his caregiver, which she is good at, but does she start to see something else blossoming between the two of them? Does John also see that? You will laugh and cry for these two.
Cynical Ani married a genuinely concerned Eddie (played by the highly acclaimed Aaron Pedersen). Their interactions in a since love/hate relationship are absolutely relatable and funny for all partnerships whether or not a disability is involved. However unfortunate Ani has been though, having someone who cares for her beyond their own needs is much more than fortunate. It was their situation I found the most amazing.
‘Cost of Living’ shows caregiving under a light you don’t see at the shopping centre or at a party where you might have a guest with a disability. In fact, it will make you realise what they go through to get there. For personal daily tasks like showering and bathing, we would understand if curtains came down, but not here, not really. It may not be full exposure of skin and body parts but it is full exposure of feelings. In these scenes, Oli and Rachel prove that having a disability is no barrier to acting. I won’t lie, it was uncomfortable to watch in the beginning; this is not TV, this is live theatre, and I’m honestly thinking “what next?”, but both Oli and Rachel bring ‘John’ and ‘Ani’ into their own and after a while… just like watching any other actors play a part. Well done!
‘Cost of Living’ brings about so many questions it’s difficult to put into words exactly what you feel when leaving the theatre, but I do know I’ll not be forgetting this one and those taking the encore bows on stage cannot be separated into having a disability or not, because in this show they all have full ability. They could have taken 10 bows and we’d still be clapping.
I give extra applause to Director Anthea Williams – Congratulations to you and your team behind this thought provoking, interesting and out-of-the-box theatre experience. How you have done this with each mechanical turn of the stage into the next scene is fantastic, great execution and the slight wait we had on a technical difficulty once was quite OK because we were all talking about how entertaining was the opening!
COST OF LIVING is playing until 19 October 2024 at the very beautiful Southbank Theatre (part of Melbourne Theatre Company), 140 Southbank Blvd, Southbank.
Parking: We paid a $15 flat rate (if you arrive after 5pm) at The Australian Ballet Centre a short walk away (2 Kavanagh Street, Southbank).
