Naomi by Patrick Livesey: Life, Joy And Mental Illness ~ Adelaide Fringe 2022 Review

[Theatre and Physical Theatre/Solo show ~ WORLD PREMIERE ~ VIC] The Studio at Holden Street Theatres, Tue 1 Mar. It is not giving anything away to say that the main character in this play ends up taking their own life. That is a given, the starting point in Patrick Livesey’s latest play Naomi. Last seen at Adelaide Fringe as one of the characters in the 2021 thriller Dirt, Livesey has returned with a self-penned solo performance paying homage to Naomi and exploring the circumstances leading to her death – from the joy she created in the lives of those around her to the struggle with mental illness that she hid from them. Using a very simple stage technique, Livesey moves to different spots at the front of the stage to represent the various characters who were real people in Naomi’s life – friends and family. Having interviewed these people for the purpose of writing this play, Patrick is able to bring them all to life on the stage as they recall their memories of Naomi. Some of them have happy memories, and Patrick presents these memories with a zest that sometimes borders on caricature, but this does prevent the play from becoming too bleak. In some ways I missed being taken in so many unexpected directions as in DIRT. But the richness of the script asks us to put away our expectations of the twists and turns of a fictional plot, and spend time appreciating the complex web of events and emotions that make us human. If there is a powerful ending to the story it comes when it is revealed that Naomi did not die immediately from her overdose, but more gradually from the organ damage that the tablets had done, leaving Patrick enough time to ask her some pertinent questions and receive some telling answers. Do not be deterred by the disturbing topic of this play. There is much life in the script with plenty of humour as each of the characters played by Livesey come to life and gives us that chance to appreciate a real life family story presented by a truly gifted actor. Directed by Bronwen Coleman (DIRT). 4 stars Adrian Miller Naomi continues at The Studio at Holden Street Theatres, at various times, until Sun 20 Mar. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 or adelaidefringe.com.au. Click HERE to purchase your tickets. #ClotheslineMag #ADLfringe