On opening night at The Greek Theatre, Luminar Theatre Company’s debut production of Samson brought a packed house into a world both familiar and startling, balancing the brutality of grief and loyalty with the lightness of wit and friendship.
As I drove home, I was left thinking less about theatre as performance and more about theatre as connection. It truly felt like I was watching real people’s lives play out on stage before me. Their rawness and authenticity with one another lent the show an air of believability that left me in awe. Hands down, some of the best acting I’ve seen all year.
Samson premiered in 2015 at Belvoir St Theatre, where Julia-Rose Lewis was lauded as a fresh and fearless voice in Australian playwriting. Now, almost a decade later, the play finds new life under Luminar – a brand-new theatre company founded by real-life couple and creative duo Henry Lopez Lopez and Rhiannon Jean.
Their mission is simple but bold: to make heartfelt, resonant theatre that reminds us what it means to be human. This production marks a trio of debuts – Luminar’s first-ever outing, Chloe Callow’s directorial debut, and Ava Jones’ Sydney theatre acting debut.
Set in 2009, the play follows four young Australians dealing with their faith and their loyalties to one another after a friend passes away. Essie (Rhiannon Jean), Rabbit (Henry Lopez Lopez), Beth (Ava Jones), and Sid (Samuel Ireland) struggle to make sense of the tragedy while clinging to friendship, humour, and fragments of belief.
It’s a story that swings wildly – sometimes violently – between heaven and hell, between laughter and despair, leaving its characters and audience alike suspended in the complexity of growing up.
Ava Jones, in her Sydney theatre debut, is magnetic as Beth. Her performance brims with infectious spirit and surprising depth, drawing the audience into every moment she commands. Samuel Ireland’s Sid is equally unmissable. A performance of sharp contrasts; hilarious one moment, devastatingly vile the next.
Rhiannon Jean’s Essie anchors the group with warmth and a quiet intensity. As Rabbit, Henry Lopez Lopez delivers a performance textured with vulnerability and wit. Together, the four form an ensemble that feels lived-in, real, and heartbreakingly human.
Chloe Callow, in her directorial debut, shows remarkable assurance, shaping scenes with a rhythm that allows humour to bubble up naturally while never losing sight of the play’s darker undercurrents.
Max Shaw’s set design is lean, grounding the world in 2009 with clever little details, while his fight choreography brings unbridled physicality to the stage.
Lighting by Julian Dunne carves out the play’s emotional highs and lows with subtle brilliance; the ‘memorial’ site is used magnificently.
However, it is Rhiannon Jean’s sound design that is the most evocative and passionate. It underscores the action with an emotional resonance that brings the audience to tears.
Samson is exactly the kind of theatre Luminar promises to make: resonant, heartfelt, and deeply human. It is both brutal and tender, devastating and uplifting – an honest portrait of young Australians searching for meaning in a fractured world.
The truest way to describe this debut is: it sees humour and heart collide in a vibrant explosion of life. Luminar Theatre Company’s Samson is a triumph. A darkly beautiful and surprising coming-of-age tale that will leave you laughing and crying. Don’t miss the chance to see this remarkable new company – and this remarkable young cast – make their mark.
Samson is presented by Luminar Theatre Company and runs to 11 October at The Greek Theatre. 142 Addison Road #Building 36 Marrickville, NSW 2204.
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/samson-tickets-1564791747239
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/luminartheatrecompany/
Photo credits: Simon Pearce
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