Job – quick links
A therapist’s office is meant to be a safe space, but when a patient brings a gun to their appointment it becomes anything but in Max Wolf Friedlich’s new play, Job.
Jane (Jessica Clarke) is on leave from her tech job but is desperate to return. She needs Loyd (Darren Gilshenan) to sign off on the paperwork to say she is fit for work. Jane reaches for a gun in the opening scene and so begins a riveting psychological thriller.
As the hostage/therapy session progresses we see the complex back stories of both characters develop. Friedlich’s dialogue is sharp, and the content is multi-layered as the battle between the thoughts of an individual and their place in wider discourse is examined.
Jane’s job is a mystery that is gradually unpacked, she initially can’t even say the name of the company she works for. She wants to be someone, noting that ‘nobody knows who I am’. She clashes with Loyd over their generational and gender differences and seems beyond help.
Loyd gradually gets Jane to reveal more of herself and unwillingly begins to reveal his own personal trauma. Friedlich skilfully navigates the story through several twists and turns before a shocking ending. There are also some very funny moments in the script that are well executed.
Having a gun appear in the first scene immediately makes one think of Chekhov’s gun and places that seed in the mind of if/when it will be fired.
Job: perfectly paired actors
Clarke and Gilshenan are perfectly paired for this play. They bring great depth to their characters and the dramatic tension in the small, enclosed therapist office is palpable. Clarke does a wonderful job of portraying a character that is right on the edge, but also one that can be empathised with. Gilshenan is convincing as a therapist caught in a desperate situation but still trying to help.
Nadia Tass’ direction has the characters always active with no room to breathe. There is an overwhelming feeling that something must give in the mindset of the characters.
Job: confined space
The confined space of the Red Stitch stage is put to good effect as the therapist office feels claustrophobic for the characters. Loyd tries to take them outside, but Jane ‘can’t be outside’ and her refusal leaves them trapped together with not much room to move. Jane’s declining psychological state is demonstrated by flashes of light and noise that coincide with confusion in her mind.
This feels overdone as we don’t need the additional cues to let us know what is happening. The script and Clarke’s performance should be enough. It is observed that ‘how we process the world is more important than what happens to us’ and this is a perfect summation of what is happening to Jane.
Job: complex material
Friedlich deals with a lot of complex material. It would probably take multiple viewings to unpack all the content. Just like Jane and Loyd are from different worlds, each audience member will probably interpret this play in a different way.
At times it feels like the play is trying too hard in its depiction of mental illness. Some of these scenes feel overwritten and detract from the slow buildup of character that works much better. The central concerns about the role technology plays in our life and whether this is good or bad for us is dealt with in a balanced and thought-provoking way.
‘The internet is where we live’ and Friedlich give us plenty to ponder on what that means for us as individuals.
Job is a brilliant new play that is engrossing from beginning to the final climax. The wonderful performances and a clever production make this an easy recommendation.
Just expect to be thinking about it long after you leave the theatre.
