REVIEW: Thieving Boy/Like Stars In My Hands

Thieving Boy/Like Stars In my Hands is a wonderful production with a talented cast.   

The 2008 Midsumma Festival got underway on Saturday night with the opening of Fly On The Wall Theatre's much anticipated Theiving Boy/Like Stars In My Hands written by Timothy Conigrave and directed by Robert Chuter.

Conigrave (1959 – 1994) was an Australian actor, writer and activist. His autobiographical Holding The Man (1995) has become one of the biggest selling Australian love stories of all time.

These two wonderfully contrasting stories are magnificently handled in Fly On The Wall’s adaptation which Chuter has described as, “minimalist but lush!”

Chuter’s productions have often resembled detailed paintings and are either breathtakingly beautiful or reminiscent of Dante’s Inferno – hellish but equally breathtaking in their depth and complexity.

In this production we begin with a blank canvas of stark white and 20 year old projector technology is brilliantly utilised to provide backgrounds as required.

In Thieving Boy (Act I), Daniel McBurnie gives a solid performance as the troubled Peter. Peter is a young man coming to terms with his sexuality, his father’s sudden incapacitation through a stroke and his own anti-social problems which have landed him in gaol.

The realistically heart wrenching scenes which ensue are tempered by Conigrave’s easily injected humour that takes the edge off some of the more intense moments.

Notably funny is Francesca Waters as Peter’s long suffering mother whose ultra-real performance forms a moving highlight of this production.

Stephanie Lillis is very convincing as tomboy teen Tracy.

Chris Gaffney’s portrayal of a stroke victim is extraordinary. It is so realistic and understated that you wish you could reach out and help him. Heath Miller is also good as the reluctant Tom.

Like Stars In My Hands (Act II) is a trip into magical realism. In this act we are treated to Chuter’s trademark contrasting of beauty and horror, along with the moments when the two themes overlap.

Using techniques perfected in his earlier masterpieces such as The Singing Forest (2001 - a landmark in Australian theatre now widely recognized as being as ahead of its time) Chuter takes us out of our comfort zone and right into someone else’s shoes.

Gary Abrahams and Luke Arnold accomplish their roles well and David Forster is great as Simon.

One moment we are in the presence of Ganesh imparting mystic wisdom, the next witnessing the agonizing dressing of lesions caused by terminal illness.

The entire act is poignantly peppered with subtle ‘Chuterisms’ which need to be seen to be fully appreciated.

There is a long way to go in this Midsumma Festival but my bet is that it will be hard to top this production. Apart from a few lighting glitches, which will be ironed out by now, it is a wonderful tribute to a great Australian writer.

The cast can be proud of this remarkable achievement. If you see one show this Midsumma – make it this one.

Theiving Boy/Like Stars In My Hands
Carlton Courthouse - Jan. 19th - 5th Feb
Bookings - 03 9347 6142