“The infamous picnic has become a faux Australian history that has haunted the Australian psyche for almost fifty years.” - Hunter Wall, Director
This is the backdrop on which the story takes place, not that of the period in history, but in the present. In the effect of this story and what it means to Australians. Children study the text in schools, the name, and the mystery, is synonymous with Australian literature.
“Whether Picnic at Hanging Rock is fact or fiction, my readers must decide for themselves. As the fateful picnic took place in the year nineteen hundred, and all the characters who appear in this book are long since dead, it hardly seems important.” - Joan Lindsay, Author
This adaptation of the text is extremely true to the original material, and serves as an excellent example of the power of theatre as a way of bringing stories to life. This adaptation, expertly staged at Javeenbah Theatre, is a triumph of storytelling. It is clear that director Hunter Wall was driven by a very clear vision of what he wanted to achieve with this production and that he has done with aplomb.
“Whether the Headmistress of Appleyard College [...] had any previous experience in the educational field, was never divulged. It was unnecessary. With her high-piled greying pompadour and ample bosom, as rigidly controlled and disciplined as her private ambitions, the cameo portrait of her late husband flat on her respectable chest, the stately stranger looked precisely what the parents expected of an English Headmistress. And as looking the part is well known to be more than half the battle... ” - Joan Lindsay, Picnic at Hanging Rock
The set, while initially appearing cramped on what could be a much larger stage, draws in our focus tightly. A deadwood sculpture, crafted from the branches of some of Australia’s most recognizable flora, hangs menacingly over the audience, adding to a sense of claustrophobia and foreboding. The walls, painted to serve as chalkboards and evoke the feeling of a schoolroom, provide a canvas for the characters to slowly add and display lines from the text. The scratching and scrawling of the chalk marking out would-be headlines both menacing and reassuring, add to the anticipation for the awful events yet to come. This simple act, of writing on the walls, aids with the story's pacing, like the title of a chapter which we anticipate eagerly each time it occurs.
“Although we are necessarily concerned, in a chronicle of events, with physical action by the light of day, history suggests that the human spirit wanders farthest in the silent hours between midnight and dawn. Those dark fruitful hours, seldom recorded, whose secret flowerings breed peace and war...” - Joan Lindsay, Picnic at Hanging Rock
The lighting, co-designed by director Hunter and lighting operator Ben Vlasich, is superb. Subtle fades and changes in direction keep our focus. The use of shadow and darkness to maintain the element of suspense is masterful. There is also a wonderful variety of techniques used, though none are superfluous or wasteful, the perceived simplicity of the lighting is what makes it so effective, it does precisely what it needs to and creates a frame through which we view the story. Special mention should also be made to the use of extreme darkness, used to conceal transitions and scene changes, it is a technique which is not without risk and credit has to be given to the five performers of the cast who, through a huge amount of work no doubt, traverse the stage effortlessly in total darkness.
The sound design, also put together by director Hunter, blends an assortment of sounds of the Australian bush and deep, foreboding music to both immerse us in the environment, but also suddenly shock us out of our comfort zones. Again, much as with the absence of light, the absence of sound, the use of total silence, is expertly done. Moments of suspense so intense that you could almost hear the sound of your neighbor’s hearts beating.
“Insulated from natural contacts with earth, air and sunlight, by corsets pressing on the solar plexus, by voluminous petticoats, cotton stockings and kid boots, the drowsy well-fed girls lounging in the shade were no more a part of their environment than figures in a photograph album, arbitrarily posed against a backcloth of cork rocks and cardboard trees.” - Joan Lindsay, Picnic at Hanging Rock
The costumes, whilst somewhat anachronistic for the setting of the original text, don’t impede on the telling of the story. In fact, the school uniforms of the five girls are more modern than the original telling of the story, and actually serve as a reminder of how the story has pervaded its way into the Australian cultural fabric, and even though the events occurred a long time ago, instill fears which are still relevant today.
“Everything begins and ends at exactly the right time and place.” - Joan Lindsay, Picnic at Hanging Rock
The performances of the five actors were absolutely outstanding. Tyla Molloy, Isabella Whitehead-Nagy, Hayley Stein, Emma Neilson & Jessica White all shone brightly in every role they played. Each had several opportunities to showcase a huge range of vulnerability, determination, hope, and despair. Their delivery was enthralling and it was impossible not to be hooked on every word. The movement around the stage was so measured and precise, and transitions between scenes were executed flawlessly in total darkness. I have to give so much credit to the director, actors and stage crew for bringing all of these elements together so effectively, it is clear that a great deal of attention has been paid and work has been done to get this just right. The only minute area of improvement of the performances was a few, extremely small, slips in accent. I admit that I am being personally nit-picky on this and even those slight drops of “proper English” into a slightly more Australian tone, given the setting of the story, didn’t seem out of place.
“As always, in matters of surpassing human interest, those who knew nothing whatever either at first or even second hand were the most emphatic in expressing their opinions; which are well known to have a way of turning into established facts overnight.” - Joan Lindsay, Picnic at Hanging Rock
All-in-all, this production was excellent, better in many ways than professional productions. However don’t just take our reviewer's word for it, there are a few chances to see it for yourself!
Picnic at Hanging Rock closes on the 29th of June 2024, Tickets can be purchased here!
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