THEATRE: TENDER

THEATRE: TENDER

BY SUNDAY FRANCIS-REISS

The cast of Tender are no strangers to the new Australian play, having performed its debut together in 2007. Individually excellent, they make an outstanding ensemble and will draw audiences deep into the play’s web of memory, grief, love and relationships.

Michael is an ‘alien’ of a man, too pure to have come from the turgid suburban earth like the rest of us. He is the centre that holds various small planets in orbit, namely his wife, mother and father, and newborn son. When he disappears suddenly and unexplainably these planets are each affected in extreme ways.

The play is essentially an exploration of love. Can love ever be altruistic’ Is selfish love any less valid’ Is love enough of a reason to live’ Is it the only reason to live’ And is familial love stronger than amorous romantic love’

There are some minor flaws in the writing but what else can one expect from a 21-year-old debut author’ The stylistic, sentimental dialogue will either endear or irk audiences, but it does contain more than a few moments of very truthful, funny and tender exchange.

Until December 20. SBW Stables Theatre, 10 Nimrod Street, Kings Cross. Tickets $25-$43 (Pay-What-You-Can Mondays* minimum $10), 1300 306 776 or www.griffintheatre.com.au

 

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