An 18th birthday party should be a time of celebration, but for a young girl it will be the last night of her life. Lunatix Theatre’s new production of Nick Enright’s Blackrock tells the story of a small community that is shattered by the events of one night that will have consequences for everyone in the town.
The play can be divided into before and after the tragedy. In the build-up to the party we meet the characters and their families –  there are light-hearted moments, fun banter and a sense of an idyllic coastal life. The play does start a bit clunkily, and the cast take a few scenes to warm into their work. Once the party starts, the script gets going and the performances lift along with it. Following the tragic end of the party, the play shifts into a darker, reflective mood as it focuses on the fallout of the pivotal event – a shocking crime.
Blackrock has a cast of 12 with some playing multiple parts. There are many scenes, some very short, and there is a lot going on in the play. It is a credit to co-directors Grace Mclaughlin and Maddie Richards that the production maintains its focus throughout. After the slow start the ensemble does a great job and the characters become real and relatable. This is especially important after the crime, as the audience must understand the motivations and emotions that each character goes through. The set design consists of the placement of wooden pallets on the stage with hanging bits of sheet metal and fishing nets. This simple concept is evocative of Black Rock the place (in Melbourne’s outer south-eastern suburbs) and works well.
Enright’s script walks the tightrope of balancing the reactions of the characters to the central event while trying to be as realistic as possible. For the most part this is done well and there is a high level of believability in what is on stage. The play does suffer at times from the sheer number of characters and scenes, and some can distract from the best parts of the script. This isn’t a whodunnit as such. While there is a mystery as to who is responsible for the crime, the play is about the impact it has on both individuals and the community. This approach allows the focus to be on how the narrative after the event can shape perceptions and consequences.
Read: Theatre review: Happy-Go-Wrong, fortyfivedownstairs
Sadly, Blackrock is as relevant today as it was 30 years ago. The material is confronting and reminds us that a violent act can have many victims. It is an important work in the context of a society that still grapples with how to end gendered violence. Enright’s script doesn’t provide any easy answers – nor should it.
Blackrock by Nick Enright
The MC Showroom, Level 1, 50 Clifton Street, Prahran
Directors: Grace Mclauglin and Maddie Richards
Stage Manager: Charlotte Fisher
Assistant Stage Manager/Set Design: Sarah Ryan
Lighting Design: Carla Grcic
Sound Design: Patrick Spencer
Costume Design: Amelia Joy Fraumano, Maddie Richards and cast
Properties: Maddie Richards and cast
Intimacy Coordinator: Jessica Stanely
Fight Choreography: Scott Jackson
Photography: Maddie Richards
Cast: Bailey Griffiths, Cassandra Hart, Charlotte Palmer, Fletcher Von Arx, Hayley Michaels, Isabel Dickson, James Parker, Javier Lumsden, Matt Young, Olivia Mitchell, Sabrina Hault, Samuel John
Tickets: $27-$35
Blackrock will be performed until 28 June 2025
