Review by Lisa Lanzi
First impressions of this play are suggested by Ailsa Patterson’s set design resting on the Playhouse stage with house curtain absent. Indicative of architect Romaldo Giurgola’s somewhat brutalist curved and columnar grey marble wall, a recognized symbol of Canberra’s Parliament House, the set is imposing and spacious. As audience members enter, a cleaner (Sunitra Martinelli who later doubles as the calculating Prime Minister) armed with backpack-style vacuum and rubbish bag is earnestly working as they listen to music.
Housework is penned by South Australian playwright Emily Steel (Euphoria, 19 Weeks, How Not To Make It In America) and was supported during its research phase through a residency at Assemblage Centre for Creative Arts, Flinders University. While Steel (wisely) won’t reveal names or identities, the research period allowed her to speak with politicians plus parliamentary staff in both State and Federal settings; she also admits to
reading “… a bunch of books” and absorbing “… the news in all the usual ways.”
Relevant, real-life issues are referenced in the satirical narrative of Housework like the hierarchy of power, workplace bullying and sexual harassment (unsurprisingly Brittany Higgins’ appalling experiences come to mind). Gender inequality too is a hot topic, both in politics and within the broader health landscape. This is brought to light by the newly elected MP character and former nurse, Susie Youssef in fine form, who is passionate about altering the norms around under-representation of females in health research. Possibly the most heart-rending thematic material is that of mothers and mothering within the world of politics. A number of instances arise in the play where family issues are forced to take second or third place by the urgency of work. Of course, politics is not the only arena where mothers and females work in stress-filled, unfair arrangements.
Steel’s writing (with dramaturgical input from Tahli Corin) is headlined as “A whip smart, gaspingly funny and incisive deep dive into the corridors of power”. In reality, the text is more subtle and layered and quite a shift in energy appears as we delve into Act 2. Yes, the humour is there in the appropriately cracking pace of sometimes noxious verbal exchanges or the dry wit of these world-weary career-building public servants. Housework is a well-written (and well-researched) work of fiction with prescient relevance to the unfolding political calamities visible on the international scene right now. The Act 1 exposition is rather long and laboured despite the pace of the dialogue and entertaining though somewhat implausible elements like staff sharing hotel rooms. I don’t see the work as a ‘deep-dive’ but it does highlight important issues in a fraught, flawed system and places them in an entertaining package.
Director Shannon Rush has shaped this play with intelligence, clarity and a discerning eye. All the cast have a main role and at least one other character to contend with. Anonymous workers clutching phones or folders speed to and from meetings as a backdrop to scene shifts and there is thoughtful placement of actors to denote power plays or pecking orders. The scene with the Prime Minister is particularly engaging due to the astute positioning of the players. It is clear the ensemble and director had reverence and care for their tasks and for each other, such is the cohesiveness of the production. I did question the location of the ‘hotel room’ downstage in the extreme stage-left corner. It seemed cramped (perhaps in reference to hotel room aesthetics?) and sight-lines were not ideal for a good part of the audience. This may have been remedied with more focused lighting and the rest of the performance area in a darker state - a choice like this may have assisted in the restaurant scene as well. ‘Other’ characters of the opposition were denoted with a simple device (red-framed glasses) and slightly altered vocal and physical presentation, their appearances scattered throughout akin to a mini Greek chorus spruiking the alternate view.
Nigel Leving’s lighting, apart from aforementioned concerns, worked beautifully and as usual, Andrew Howard has contributed magnificently with inspired music and sound composition. The scene changes accompanied by driving, frenetic, almost military-style rhythms did much to keep the energy pulsing and the stakes high. The other star of the show was Ailsa Paterson’s enormous, looming wooden table that took centre stage. Able to spin on a hidden central pivot, this robust piece of furniture (along with the rest of the set and props) was manipulated between scenes by the cast to signify different locations - from within the ‘halls of power’ to a restaurant. The symbolism was strong here as characters turned tables on colleagues either to their own advantage or for the advancement of their partisan mission.
Every actor gave very fine performances capturing the conflicting pull of their work and private life, the stress of intrigue or betrayal, and contrasts between the private and public persona. Franca LaFosse, Emily Taheny, Sunitra Martinelli, Renato Mussolino, Benn Welford, and Susie Youssef formed a thrilling cast, paired with a brilliant creative team to bring this play to life. It is a joy to witness so much South Australian talent on show across all the creative roles in Housework and this work is an excellent choice to open the 2025 State Theatre season.
