By Nick Pilgrim
Though deeply personal and introspective, stories about writing, research and intellectual ownership can make for surprisingly compelling theatre. Notable examples of this niche but fascinating genre include A Room With a View, Adaptation, Arcadia, Glengarry Glen Ross, Midnight in Paris, Misery, Proof, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Stranger Than Fiction, The Social Network, Vita & Virginia, Wonder Boys and You Hurt My Feelings, just to name a few.
Steve Carey’s new play, Between The Lines – The James Joyce/Groucho Marx Letters, comfortably sits within this tradition.
Spare, forthright and deliberately intimate, the work strips its layered narrative back to essentials, inviting audiences to consider a provocative question: can the pursuit of academic success come without compromise, and what sacrifices are we willing to make in pursuit of our ambitions?
Pandora Friedan (Seon Williams) stands on the brink of a potentially career-defining literary discovery, one capable of transforming her postgraduate future. Standing in her way is Murray Dalton (Shannon Woollard), a respected academic and former mentor to Pandora’s mother. How Pandora navigates this obstacle forms the emotional and ethical backbone of the story.
Carey positions the audience as both judge and jury. This investigative drama unfolds through a series of conversations, revelations and confessions that feel as though they were never intended for public consumption. As secrets emerge and perspectives shift, viewers are invited to determine where truth ends and self-interest begins.
Adding further intrigue, Carey frames Pandora’s contemporary journey through the real-life correspondence between two unlikely cultural icons: James Joyce and Groucho Marx. Their letters serve as both inspiration and counterpoint, creating an additional layer of intellectual curiosity.
For admirers of either figure, there are numerous literary Easter eggs scattered throughout the production’s brisk eighty-minute running time. Indeed, it is during the extended exchanges between Joyce (Tref Gare) and Marx (Scott Middleton) that the play finds its most engaging rhythm. Their wit, eccentricity and contrasting worldviews provide some of the evening’s most memorable moments.
This is far from the first play to use James Joyce as a dramatic touchstone. Tom Stoppard’s Travesties famously explored the intersections of art, politics and memory through the recollections of Henry Carr, whose encounters with Joyce, Tristan Tzara and Vladimir Lenin blurred the boundaries between history, imagination and truth.
By comparison, Between The Lines occasionally falls into the trap of telling rather than showing. Key events are frequently described rather than dramatised, diminishing the emotional impact of moments that might otherwise resonate more deeply. Significant issues surrounding professional boundaries and academic misconduct are introduced but only lightly explored before the narrative moves on.
Whether this restraint is intentional remains unclear. Similar to Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother, where family secrets remain frustratingly elusive, I found myself wanting to know more about Pandora and her mother. Their motivations often feel just beyond reach.
Unlike the morally charged confrontations found in works by Australian playwrights such as Gabriel Bergmoser (The Critic), Ron Elisha (Unsolicited Male) or Suzie Miller (Prima Facie), Carey’s characters never quite generate the same level of dramatic urgency. Were they driven by a need for justice, professional validation, personal redemption or something else entirely? The answer remains frustratingly ambiguous. As the story progresses, the inclusion of Joyce and Marx increasingly feels more structural than essential.
The production also suffers from occasional clarity issues. Christina Costigan’s dual roles as Pandora’s mother Mary and radio announcer Jill Snow are initially difficult to distinguish. Greater differentiation through costume, accent or physicality may have helped audiences navigate the transition more smoothly.
Fortunately, the production’s creative team makes excellent use of fortyfivedownstairs’ warehouse aesthetic. Ishan Vivekanantham’s impressive set design transforms the stage into a forgotten archive, with towering stacks of cardboard filing boxes visually reinforcing the scale of Pandora’s research.
Lindon Blakey’s suspended Edison-bulb lighting creates a warm yet mysterious atmosphere, while Inder Singh’s sound design and original compositions provide subtle dramatic support. Zach Dixon’s period costumes effectively delineate the play’s shifting timelines, particularly the forty-year divide between 1937 and 1987.
Clearly crafted with literary enthusiasts and academics in mind, Between The Lines offered an intriguing exploration of scholarship, ambition and legacy during its limited season at fortyfivedownstairs on Flinders Lane. While its ideas are often more compelling than their execution, Carey has nevertheless created a thoughtful work that raises worthwhile questions about knowledge, ownership and the price of discovery.
Image:Jody Jane Stitt
