Red Stitch Theatre has established its strong ability to present realism and drama through productions of international and new local work, but in presenting this gothic romance by US writer, Jen Silverman, they have done a 180-degree spin.
“Red Stitch gives local theatre makers the chance to work with new actors, new stories and they also get you to lift your game and communicate with an audience you may not have had the chance to communicate with otherwise,” Nicolazzo says.
Describing the stylistic departure from Red Stitch’s skilled realism productions as “exciting,” Nicolazzo praises the company for still commissioning and developing local work as well as exposing upcoming international voices in playwriting. Indeed, Jen Silverman is certainly a new voice in both her US homeland and in Australia.
“Silverman’s voice is wry, sharp, violent and also beautiful. She has a real awareness of the genre that she’s writing – taking the tropes from the Victorian era and making them current. She provides a critique that is wry and sharp,” Nicolazzo says.
Essentially, The Moors takes the combined plotlines of the Bronte sisters – Charlotte, Anne and Emily – to create a gothic mystery scenario, which opens up questions around sexuality, fantasy, sibling rivalry, femininity and romance.
Set in the bleak moors of England, recognisable to fans of Wuthering Heights, two sisters live with their elder brother, a scullery maid and their mastiff.
When a governess is summoned to their gloomy mansion, it initiates a rollicking unravelling of the quiet loneliness of each of the siblings into a wild and wonderful chaos of love, sex, desire and, ultimately, murder.
In his signature style, Nicolazzo has added “a peppering of pop culture” references throughout The Moors. From Kate Bush’s classic Wuthering Heights to Pat Benatar’s All Fired Up, there’s plenty of recognisable anthems alongside the literary Bronte characters, stories, themes and scenarios throughout.
Zoe Boesen as Emily plays the initially wide-eyed ingénue governess who – in an echo of Catherine from Wuthering Heights – discovers her burgeoning sexuality and the power of her own femininity in this desolate new home. Her first lesbian affair and the clash of expectations of women and femininity versus her newly awakened gender and sexuality confusion creates a rich and potent character and storyline for audiences to embrace. As Australia and the world are forced to discuss and debate same-sex rights and gender equality, these topics are absolutely on point.
Anna McCarthy is Huldey, the diarist who has dedicated her every waking hour to creating fictional fantasy worlds, is the epitome of the Bronte sisters as authors. So obsessed with her invented places, characters, visions and stories, she is entirely vulnerable to the malevolent suggestions by the scullery maid.
Literary types will thrill in seeking and recognising the locations, characters and plotlines of classic Bronte novels. Certainly, Silverman’s play has garnered international acclaim wherever it has been staged, so these timeless themes have resonated with audiences of every age, gender and nation. Nicolazzo has established his form for querying gender, sexuality and femininity throughout his work with Little Ones Theatre. The Moors couldn’t be in better hands.
“Having seen the response from preview audiences already, people are having a really fun night in the theatre. It’s celebratory, fun, heartfelt and really memorable as well as being totally ridiculous.”
