Beachfront Reality hits the mark

Pictured in a scene from Beachfront Reality are, from left, Andrew Stevens as Peter Elwood, Bea Fawcett as Zoe Ripley and Alyx Findlay as Aimee Elwood. Picture by Jaeda Mapu

Set at the family bach at an East Coast community, Evolution Theatre’s Beachfront Reality is the new, and first, offering from local playwright Susan Partington. She has given us something that is instantly relatable and highly entertaining.

From the first act we are immediately drawn into the unfolding drama as we meet Zoe (Beatrice Fawcett) and her dad Cliff (Russell McLeod)at the outdoor table at their seaside bach, sharing easy banter about Zoe’s return from her travels and reminiscences about Christmases past and their dearly missed mum and wife. It is also here we learn of Cliff’s dementia as he goes off on a tangent about bird migration that is completely unrelated to the flow of conversation.

Next we meet Amy (Alyx Findlay), Zoe’s uptight older sister, the organiser in the family with a spreadsheet for everything, and her climate scientist husband Peter (Andrew Stevens).

Last on the scene is Margot (Rachel Crawford) who plays long time neighbour and Cliff’s new love interest, much to the consternation of his protective daughters.

Peter’s job, and his concern for the future,   allows the theme of climate change on coastal communities to be woven into the plot. We learn about the increasing frequency of weather events, in this case a storm that takes out a bridge cutting off the community and the fact that people are selling up and moving away. The idea of selling the family bach is the source of major conflict between the sisters which builds to a heated climax dispelled by a dramatic event  in the second act.

Partington has a talent for writing well-paced, relatable dialogue which keeps the audience engaged and the comic timing is spot on with laughs sprinkled throughout. There’s a nice hook at the end of act one which keeps the audience guessing until it is resolved in the second act.

The conflict between Zoe, the free spirited traveller, and Amy, the responsible organiser, is balanced by the sisterly love behind it. Their reaction to the threat of the newcomer Margot comes to a head when Margot overhears the sisters talking about the potential of her being a con-woman “hidden in plain sight” trying to get her hands on Cliff’s money.

Director Danielle Siata has done a great job in getting such nuanced performances from her small cast while telling a Kiwi story, ultimately about family love.

The set, designed and built by Andrew Stevens with help from scenic artists Dinna Myers and Jan Crawford, deserves a mention too, with its realistic bach windows and doors leading  on to the outside deck and steps down to the sandy foreshore.

It is exciting to see a home-grown play make its stage debut at Evolution Theatre and important to get along to support it. You won’t be disappointed.

■ Beachfront  Reality, Evolution Theatre, 75 Disraeli Street, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 7.30pm, Sunday March 3, 4pm.