VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE (PLAY)

 

Written by Christopher Durang

Directed by Steph Evans

Mockingbird Theatrics

Belconnen Arts Centre to 23 May

 

 

Reviewed by Len Power 15 May 2026

 

When playwright Christopher Durang decides to have some fun with the characters and themes of Anton Chekhov, his play, ‘Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike’, is the result. It’s wildly and outrageously funny but underneath all the exaggeration and absurdity, real characters emerge with their pains, hopes and disappointments of life. You don’t need to know anything about Chekhov’s plays to enjoy this, but it adds extra depth if you do.

It’s 2013 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Gay brother and adopted sister, Vanya and Sonia, live in a country house with a small orchard. They feel that life has passed them by. Their sister, Masha, a famous, ageing, yet troubled movie star, who owns the house, arrives with her young and handsome boyfriend, Spike. When Masha announces she wants to sell the house, Vanya and Sonia are plunged into turmoil about their future.  Spike begins to show interest in a pretty young neighbour and aspiring actress, Nina, upsetting Masha, and the housekeeper, Cassandra, adds to the drama with her dire warnings and prophesies of disaster.

Tracy Noble (Sonia), Helen McFarlane (Masha) and Chris Baldock (Vanya)

The cast of six – Chris Baldock (Vanya), Tracy Noble (Sonia), Helen McFarlane (Masha), Darcy Worthy (Spike), Lily Welling (Nina) and India Kazakoff (Cassandra) – give their characters real life while playing the humour for all its worth. There are many delicious moments to enjoy including the characters’ monologues, an awful play reading and a voodoo doll sequence. The actors all display excellent comic timing and maintain a frantic pace throughout.

Director, Steph Evans, has obtained a fine balance between the truth in the characters and the frenzied humour. It might all be crazy fun but the humour is grounded with a logic and truth, nicely realized by the director and the cast.

With a running time of 150 minutes, including interval, the play did seem a bit overlong, but, overall, this is a very funny play expertly done.

 

Photos by Zac Bridgman

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.

 

 

LOSE TO WIN (PLAY)

Written and performed by Mandela Mathia

Directed by Jessica Arthur

Belvoir Street production at The Q, Queanbeyan May 2

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

A young man surviving a childhood in war-torn South Sudan and becoming an actor in Australia sounds like an impossible dream, but that young man, Mandela Mathia, tells all in his compelling and moving one man show.

Mandela Mathia grew up in South Sudan. He barely knew his father who died in the war there and lost his mother who drowned during a search for food. He and his older brother survived and, with a second foster mother, left South Sudan for Egypt. Eventually – and luckily – they made their way to Australia. Against all the odds as a young refugee, he pursued a dream to become an actor and succeeded.

Mandela Mathia

Mathia is a charismatic young man with a commanding presence and a fascinating story to tell. His show gives him the opportunity to tell his personal story as well as showcase his skills as an actor and singer. Trained as an actor at NIDA, he gives a strong, confident performance that connects immediately with the audience. His story is an emotional one but his personal resilience shines through his telling. Momentary flashes of humour in his story succeed because of his excellent comic timing and he is also a fine singer.

Yacou Mbaye

He is accompanied on stage by musician Yacou Mbaye, one of Australia’s leading West African drummers and dancers. Mbaye also engages personally and skilfully with the audience. He and Mathia work very well together presenting this story in words and music.

Director, Jessica Arthur, has created a fine production around Mathia. Her sensitive staging heightens moments of drama as well as making the show entertaining. Set and costume designer, Keerthi Subramanyam, lighting designer Kate Baldwin and sound designer and composer Brendan Boney have all contributed very effectively to give this show its unique look and sound.

At the end of the show, Mathia proudly announces that he is now as much Australian as South Sudanese. His story of resilience, self-acceptance, perseverance and hope is moving and uplifting.

 

Photos by Brett Boardman

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 3 May 2026.

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.

 

  

LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES (PLAY)

 

Written by Christopher Hampton

from the novel by Choderlos De Laclos

Directed By Lainie Hart

Canberra REP production

Canberra REP Theatre to 9 May

 

Reviewed by Len Power 29 April 2026

 

Playwright Christopher Hampton’s literate 1985 play, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, is based on the famous and scandalous at the time French novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, written in 1782. People of a certain age will know it from the excellent film made in 1988 of Hampton’s play. It was powerful stuff then, and it remains just as powerful nearly 40 years later in this fine stage production by Canberra REP.

Two aristocrats, the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont, enjoy using sex as a weapon of humiliation and degradation. It’s all a game to them but they devastate the lives of their targets, married woman, Madame de Tourvel, and the young and innocent, Cécile de Volanges. Fate ultimately takes its revenge on the pair of schemers.

Jordan Best (Marquise de Merteuil) and Jim Adamik (Vicomte de Valmont)

There are some outstanding performances in this production. Jordan Best is a formidable and evil Marquise de Merteuil and Jim Adamik is a powerful Vicomte de Valmont. They both present highly believable characters throughout the play and are particularly effective as their characters realize they have become victims of their own vile games. In their many scenes together, they are skilful in their timing of the dialogue and in their non-verbal interaction.

Yanina Clifton as Madame de Tourvel and Jamie Johnston as the young Cecile de Volanges, the two victims, give strong, emotional performances and Ros Engledow, Desiree Bandle, Isaiah Pritchard and Jack Shanahan are also very effective in their characterizations.

A feature of this production that involves many scene changes is the way they are smoothly handled by the actors playing the servants. The period set, very well designed by Kayla Ciceran, provides several acting areas for the different scenes and Nathan Sciberras’s lighting design is particularly effective in adding to the period atmosphere. The colourful period costumes by Helen Drum are attractive.

Director, Lainie Hart, clearly had a vision here. Her thoughtful and meticulous direction shows in every aspect of this production.

 

Photo by Ross Gould

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.