The Almighty Sometimes ~ Theatre Review

[Theatre                 SA premiere]

Space Theatre   Adelaide Festival Centre   25th Sep 2024

When Anna turns eighteen she realises that as an adult, she has the opportunity to take responsibility for herself. Together with her rekindled desire to be a writer, this sets her on a new path. The question is, how will she navigate new territory, having been diagnosed with a mental illness since before her teens? This delicate and complex subject is handled beautifully by the creative team at Theatre Republic.

They have devised a compelling portrait of a person’s journey through the maze of medications, and the mysterious process of psychoanalysis. The fraught relationships with family and friends are likewise given full development.

While the absent parent is somewhat idealised in the memory of the child, the sole parent as carer now has the job of learning to let go, without knowing how their grown-up child will cope. The constant pressure on the parent without any respite also causes their mental health to suffer.

This play perfectly exposes not only the fragile nature of mental illness, but also the utter fragility and uncertainty of the treatments offered. While it celebrates the abilities of the person – in this case her self-expression, both verbally and in writing stories – this is balanced with the challenge of not hurting others, or oneself.

The normal desires for connection, love and self-fulfilment drive the drama, and the shared intimacy of such usually private conversations creates a strong bond between the characters and audience. For example, her regular visits to the psychiatrist reveal the shifting ground beneath this professional relationship.

All this generates a growing compassion for the characters, and a better understanding of the issues involved.

The small but excellent ensemble all give superb performances. Emily Liu in the main role gives a flawless and fully rounded performance, supported by the other equally strong cast members. The direction by Corey McMahon is spot-on, allowing the actors to shine. Kendall Feaver as playwright has obviously done extensive research, and incorporated in this script as much truth as possible, with out ever being didactic. Some technical and medical elements are cleverly woven into dialogue to be easily digested. And many of the latest methods are referenced.

Of course, the reality of each person’s experience with the ‘system’ varies greatly. For example, some clients go through a whole series of psychiatrists, not necessarily by choice, but who simply change for a variety of reasons, administrative and otherwise.

‘The Almighty Sometimes’ is a feisty, sensitive and fresh take on an important subject we usually prefer to avoid. It has its funny moments, plenty of poignant points, and it brings insights into what many families go through, since it is often the wider family who bear the duty of care. As such it is a powerful and valuable tool to promote wider and deeper understanding of what we call mental illness.

5 Stars

David Cronin

The Almighty Sometimes continues at The Space various times until 28th September.

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DIGITAL PROGRAM                 Images by Bri Hammond

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