By Oscar Bray
At one point when speaking before the show, Georgina Luck – the writer/producer of The Memory Mirror – described the stage design as ‘homespun’. It’s true that on first glance, the gauzy curtains, fake leaves on the ground, simple shadow puppetry and reliance on expository monologues might seem cutesy or juvenile. Don’t be fooled. Just as there’s an unexpectedly dark secret at the centre of the small town in the story, The Memory Mirror is a tightly-wound, intricately written play with great poignancy and a strong message about community resilience.
We first see the small town through the eyes of Daniel (Gabriel Partington), a gruff paramedic and the story’s narrator. The town he’s stationed in is about to hold its annual Mind, Body and Spirit Festival, the main attraction of which is the Memory Competition. The contest has been won by its founder, Mr Munroe (Jim Daly), for thirteen years running, and he has always been supported by his two pet black cockatoos and his loving wife, Mrs Munroe (Margot Knight). When Daniel arrives just before the festival, he realizes that he has actually been there before. Seven years ago, he met the Munroes and scratched the surface of their strange relationship before an emergency call with a tragic outcome compelled him to leave. Now that he’s back, it quickly becomes clear that Mrs Munroe needs his help. What secrets will he uncover, and how can he help others while processing the darkest parts of his past?
The Memory Mirror is a text-heavy show, almost novelistic in how it uses flashbacks and reminiscing monologues to bring its numerous plot threads together. It’s rare and refreshing to see a modern play in this style, and the cast does a fantastic job at bringing it to life. Partington plays a great protagonist, snarky but still loveable, with a couple of truly heartbreaking moments where we see the anxiety and guilt behind his cynical façade. Knight is a delightfully sweet Mrs Munroe, while Daly as her husband could put a chill over the room with a simple look or turn of phrase. Whether we fear them, are suspicious of them or feel sorry for them, this odd couple do feel like the true heart of the town. Credit is also due to the supporting cast – while elderly town crier Banjo (Don Bridges) and fresh-faced paramedic trainee Pip (Christine Husband) are guilelessly funny, Anthea David brings balance as Myra, an older paramedic who fluctuates between getting caught up in the town’s escapades and being a mentor figure for Daniel. There are no small parts or small actors in this show, and everybody shines in every scene.
The script itself is complex, compelling and wonderful to see unfold. It has a knack for whipping between comedy and suspense in a disorienting yet natural way, and while every character gets at least a handful of laugh lines, they never detract from the emotional core of the story. Luck’s writing is also very well structured, knowing exactly when to explain finer plot points to the audience and when to leave them shrouded in subtext, and making the themes of trauma and community healing clearer as the story progresses. It feels rewarding, as if the audience is unspooling the mystery and its implications alongside the characters. Without spoiling the plot, there were some questions about specific moments and character traits that I felt the resolution didn’t explain, but this wasn’t enough to detract from the heartfelt ending to the beautiful story. The sparse staging adds to the writing by giving room for it to breathe…mostly. While the use of shadow puppets and silhouetted flashbacks was an interesting device, it felt hit-or-miss in execution. At times it felt slipshod or like a cop-out to showing moments in more detail, but equally often it added to the eerie atmosphere and the themes of how elusive certain memories can be.
As a story and as an overall production, The Memory Mirror shows the power of community. The festival and the town in their own way come together several times to provide sanctuary and healing for several people with physical and mental trauma. At the same time, Luck’s writing, Drew Tingwell’s direction and the cast’s performances create an intriguing world that is comforting in spite of all the hardships it contains. Although The Memory Mirror may look simple on the surface, it is anything but, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone seeking a thought-provoking, engrossing night of theatre.
Image: Julia Broad
