Rob Croser and his Independent Theatre have once again staged an Australian premiere in Adelaide: this theatre company is about as professional as a non-professional theatre company can be.
Bracken Moor is a new work by British playwright Alexi Kaye Campbell. It is set in 1937 at the time of the Yorkshire coal mining troubles, when working conditions for miners were appalling and little consideration was given to them by employers.
Harold Pritchard (Brant Eustice) is the owner of a large coal mine and he is set to buy new equipment that will replace 140 workers. John Bailey (Angus Henderson) is a Yorkshire miner who desperately presents the plight of his workers to his employer. While class battles are waged over the future of the mines, Harold’s wife, Elizabeth (Alicia Zorkovic), is still grieving for the loss of their son, Edgar, who tragically died down a mineshaft 10 years earlier.
Zorkovic is exceptionally good from her first entrance until her final exit: she conveys the heartfelt pain and torment of a parent who has buried a child, but who maintains dignity while dealing with her depression. Eustice plays Pritchard as a very reserved, hard-hearted businessman who bottles up his emotions; he could afford to remove his hands from his pockets and unleash some more variety in his performance. Will Cox seems very comfortable playing Terence Avery, the young, arrogant, argumentative idealist, and he clearly enjoys the theatrics and histrionics of being possessed.
David Roach has designed a magnificent set that transforms Norwood’s Odeon Theatre into a wealthy man’s mansion: it is cleverly made of beams that extend upstage into a mining shaft. Harold Pritchard’s wealth is inextricably linked with the mine, and the shaft serves as an ever-present reminder of Edgar, who died in the mine. The doors are solid, a sturdy staircase leads to the upstairs bedrooms and quality leather furniture adorns the room.
Director Rob Croser dresses the stage tastefully and actors are frequently caught in picturesque friezes that complement the central action. Matthew Marciniak’s lighting is generally subdued, but shafts of window light cross the stage and occasional spots strikingly highlight key moments.
Lyn Wilson is a strong and confident Vanessa Avery, close friend of the grieving Elizabeth, and her husband Geoffrey (Michael Eustice) provides a few light laughs to relieve some tension. Heather McNab, as Eileen the maid, lights up the stage with her energy and animated vocals, and she conveys the superstitious nature of those who believe in the supernatural. David Roach appears briefly as Dr Gibbons, contributing enthusiastically to the intrigue of the scene.
Alexi Campbell is enjoying considerable success as a new playwright and Bracken Moor is an interesting play in its fusion of an older-style murder mystery with class conflict and contentious coal mining content that is so relevant to modern life. There are essential conflicts presented and debated about supposed “progress” in the opening and final scenes: the owner expresses no concern or compassion for the workers who bear the brunt of sacrifices in order for his company to succeed.
Most of the play, however, deals with the family’s loss of a son: no matter what wealth a family has attained it does not preclude them from personal tragedy. Bracken Moor encourages us to consider what progress we have made in 100 years and what decisions will be taken in the next 20 that will impact on the vast majority of us.
The Independent Theatre is presenting Bracken Moor at the Odeon Theatre in Norwood until November 22.
