Review by Scott Whitmont
For the benefit for those who missed it last year, the STC has performed a true public service bringing back Joanna Murray-Smith’s Julia for a return season. A reimagined study of the formative years, character and motivations of Australia’s first female Prime Minister, this analysis of Julia Gillard’s unforgettable and masterful 2012 ‘misogyny speech’ is a triumphant piece of political theatre. The tour de force performance from Justine Clarke surely marks the pinnacle of her stage career.
Clarke morphs with seamless facility between the roles of narrator, Gillard’s Welsh mother and Julia as a child, university student and seasoned politician. Mesmerising, she consistently holds the audience in the palm of her capable hand throughout her one-and-a-half-hour performance, ultimately displaying her character’s rock star-like persona with confidence and conviction.
Joanna Murray-Smith’s decision to present her protagonist mainly through narration with only snippets of Clarke taking on the first-person, speaking in Gillard’s voice, is a brilliant construct which served to highlight Justine’s commanding facility in role juggling. With eery brilliance, she even physically embodies PM Tony Abbott with a mere smile and the tilt of her head.
The fact that Ms Clarke convincingly ‘becomes’ Julia, not by a wig, costumes and makeup but simply through her perfect ocker accent delivery and by Murray-Smith’s words, only further highlights her firm grasp of her craft. Filled with rage, only in the final triumphant scene when she recreates the misogyny speech, does she don the red wig and suit (on stage) to physically transform into our former PM to deliver her powerful dénouement.
Clarke is more than ably supported by STC newcomer Jessica Bentley, a fluid stage presence who variously plays Julia’s childhood friend, assistant, conscience or representation of future generations. At the same time, she serves, cleverly, as an in-character stagehand, ensuring the smooth arrival and departure of sparse yet crucial props.
The staging by designer Renée Mulder is minimalist, yet effectively allows the audience to focus solely on Justine Clarke’s performance. Lighting Designer Alexander Berlage further ensures this with an enormous central, ring spotlight which variously dims and brightens, adding to the intensity of scenes as needed. The stage is backdropped/framed on two sides by huge, mirrored screen walls that are brought to life by Video Designer Susie Henderson through video footage of natural scenes, the stark Welsh coalmining village of Aberfan or of Julia herself – her enlarged head and shoulders shown from behind, her trademark red bob lightly smoothed by her delicate hand’s touch. The effect is mesmerising.
Director Sarah Goodes is more than adept at translating Murray-Smith’s scripts to the stage having previously directed the world premiere of Switzerland for STC in 2014. With Julia, she has skilfully brought together each element of the production to guarantee audience members the best theatre experience they could hope for. On the night of this review (and doubtlessly on every night), attendees whooped exuberantly and gave rapturous unending applause with a universal, well-deserved standing ovation. Don’t miss it!
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