★★★★★
The Homecoming is a dark comedy by Harold Pinter exploring the complex relationship of a family of men living in North London. This familial relationship is pushed to its limits when one of the sons returns home after years away with his wife, whom the rest of his family have never met.
The Australian Shakespeare Company has opened their season of this revered play at the Athenaeum Theatre in their secondary theatre space.
Set in the quaint living room of a North London home in the 1960s, The Homecoming is about a family of men: patriarch Max (Richard Piper), his sons Lenny (Ben Guerens), Joey (Eddie Orton) and Teddy (Peter Houghton), and Uncle Sam (David Field).
Teddy returns to the family home after years abroad with his wife Ruth (Kate Kendall) to the surprise of his family, who never even knew he had married.
What unfolds is, at face value, shocking and confronting, but it is delivered in a fashion that is captivating and darkly funny. All of these men have complicated relationships with women, to say the least, and Ruth’s insertion into their lives unleashes the worst parts of them all.
The Homecoming, as a text, has been the subject of much discussion as far as what it has to say about the relationship men have with women. Director Greg Carroll and the cast never put their fingers on the scale, encouraging and inviting the audience to actively participate in the production and try for themselves to decipher Pinter’s intentions.
Richard Piper and Ben Buerens have incredible chemistry on stage. Their characters, Max and Lenny, are constantly interlocked in a conflict for power over the household.
Uncle Sam, on the other hand, is resigned to the sidelines. David Field brings a performance that is warmer and kinder than the other men but, at the same time, diminutive and pathetic.
Joey is a short-fused dullard who is never really taken seriously by the rest of the men, always pushed down as the youngest son. Eddie Orton brings a puppy-dog-like performance to the character, always brimming with energy and rage.
Teddy is the closest thing the play has to a protagonist. Peter Houghton’s performance in the role feels light and grounded, a man who actively lives in the outside world, unlike his family stuck in their own small one.
The normality of Teddy falls away as the second act unfolds, and he remains coldly calm to the events unfolding around him.
Kate Kendall is undeniably the star of the show as Teddy’s wife, Ruth. In the text, the beauty of the character of Ruth is how unassuming she is, just the family’s new sister/ daughter-in-law meeting her husband’s family for the first time, unsure of who they are and where she may stand with them. It’s a shock to the audience when suddenly she begins to take an incredible influence over these men.
Kendall nails this in her performance, coming off as sheepish and shy, subtly asserting her power over the men when necessary.
The set, designed by Carroll, is decked out with dark leather and wood, the atmosphere of which is uplifted by Peter Amesbury’s lighting design.
In addition, there is some excellent shadow play thanks to the lighting; these long shadows cast by the performers often have an awesome impact on the dynamic visuals of the scene.
The Australian Shakespeare Company’s take on The Homecoming is simply gripping, with stellar performances across the board and a fantastic production to boot – it is a must-see.
The Homecoming is presented by the Australian Shakespeare Company and runs to 3 October at the Athenaeum Theatre 2. 188 Collins Street Melbourne Vic 3000.
Tickets are available here.
Website: https://www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au/productions/the-homecoming-ath-2
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/homecomingplayau/ and https://www.instagram.com/shakespeareaust/
Photo credits: Ben Fon
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