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This
Is Our Youth
Presented by:
Inside Job Productions
Date Reviewed:
16 January, 2009
Venue:
Fortyfive Downstairs
Reviewer:
Adam Rafferty – Theatre People Editor
.JPG)
Ben Geurens and Ashley Zukerman
Photo: Pia Johnson
Kenneth Lonergan’s review of young adulthood in Reagan-era New York,
This Is Our Youth, has become almost a foundation stone for
many young
Hollywood
performers keen to try their skills out on the stage. Particularly
during its 2002 West End run, this three-hander featured a cavalcade
of bright young things, including Matt Damon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anna
Paquin, Hayden Christensen, Casey Affleck and Freddie Prinze Jr.
Likewise, some of Australia’s brightest young talents – Ben Geurens,
Ashley Zukerman and Nicole De Silva - have now turned their hands to
Lonergan’s introspective view of burgeoning maturity in the early
‘80s. However, while Zukerman and De Silva are perhaps now
well-known from their roles in Channel Ten’s Rush, both have
significant theatre experience behind them and Zukerman, along with
Geurens notably starred in Melbourne Theatre Company’s successful
season of The History Boys in 2007. So this production
suffers nothing from the youth of its stars and in fact, often glows
with its youthful enthusiasm.
Nicole De Silva
Photo: Pia Johnson
.JPG) On
a packed opening night where the fortyfive downstairs seating space
seemed to work perfectly for the first time, the intimate setting
was electrified as the young stars bounced off each other displaying
their obvious affection for the text and one another.
Geurens and Zukerman are both founding members of this new
production company along with director Nicholas Pollock and producer
Martina Murray, so it helps to explain why these two seem to relish
every aspect of their quirky characters. Geurens plays Dennis, whose
apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan is the setting for the
play. When his 19-year-old friend and fellow college dropout, Warren
– Zukerman – turns up on the doorstep with $15,000 he has just
stolen from his abusive father, Dennis hatches a plan to use some of
the funds to buy cocaine. He’ll cut it with sugar and on-sell it to
a friend for a greater price. Warren however has other plans for how
to use his newfound windfall; when fashion student and pop
psychologist Jessica Goldman comes over he seizes the opportunity to
entice her into bed by renting a suite at the Plaza Hotel and
romancing her with room service.
.JPG) Geurens
ably defines Dennis’ restless, wily and domineering nature, clearly
displaying the power in his relationship with Warren. When reaching
for the top levels of aggression in his performance Geurens seems to
somewhat disconnect from the reality of the situation, but overall
his interpretation of the drug-fuelled ‘lost boy’ is well honed and
slowly bubbles with darkly affectionate energy.
Similarly, Zukerman has a contagious spark in his performance that
electrifies in the intimate space, but with a youthful naivety and
puppy-like enthusiasm that contrasts wonderfully with Geurens. The
only criticism that can be wavered over his performance is that
perhaps too much attention to naturalism makes the performance
slightly less natural to the viewer. At the end of the day though,
his performance is glorious to watch – especially when Warren
attempts to match wits with Jessica.
Ashley Zukerman and Ben Geurens
Photo: Pia Johnson
Ashley Zukerman and Nicole De Silva
Photo: Pia Johnson
.JPG) Treading
the difficult line of intellectual superiority yet sexual attraction
to Warren is something De Silva balances well in her performance of
Jessica. The affinity the pair has gained from their onscreen work
together aides beautifully their performance here, and particularly
for De Silva, adds an extra level when illustrating the pain of
Warren’s irrational behaviour towards her in Act Two. While De Silva
struggles a little with the accent, her emotional integrity is on
the mark and her comic skills - displayed to best effect when Warren
and Jessica dance to vinyl records – are a delight to behold, making
the most of the opportunities in this supporting role.
Andrew Bailey’s intriguing set design is not only functional –
affecting all the necessary collapses required as the two boys get
overly enthusiastic with their game of ‘catch’ – but it imbues the
venue with a level of warm intimacy I’ve rarely seen it achieve
before. Suddenly fortyfive downstairs seems a less limited space –
future hirers take note!
.JPG) Director
Nicholas Pollock has kept the pace and energy of the piece alive
with his restive and agitated blocking – making use of every square
inch of the deceptively small set. His performers have done him
proud, but he should also be pleased with his own work in ensuring
that the themes of maturing from adolescence and being adrift in an
era that was struggling to define itself are clearly portrayed.
Ultimately, Lonergan’s play makes no defined point, it merely
observes what it meant to be an adolescent in America in 1982 and
therefore makes a statement regarding the foundations upon which
today’s leaders were built. But then again, maybe it’s just making a
point about the foundations upon which tomorrow’s stars will be
built. We shall wait and see.
Nicole De Silva and Ashley Zukerman
Photo: Pia Johnson
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