The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table @ Cremorne Theatre, QPAC 15th October 2010 – Theatre Review

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Review: Pepa Wolfe

It was a wet, windy night in Brisbane for the opening of Wesley Enoch’s The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table, directed by and starring Leah Purcell. Produced by the independent indigenous company Bungabura Productions and presented by QPAC, this is the story of Opening Night. It goes something like this.

The Cremorne had been transformed (the stage removed so that some of the audience was sitting amongst the set) into the simple dining room of a house on Stradbroke Island, sand strewn on the ground, with the backdrop arranged in pieces, working both as a broken barrier to the outside world and an obscure window into the past, the faces of time gone by etched into its panels. At its centre sat the table, Cookie’s Table.

Originally Cookie’s birth tree, it was cut down by the white man and turned into a table that was eventually passed down through four generations. This night the audience learnt the history of the table; its meaning, its power. Its mystery unravelling as estranged mother and son, Annie and Nathan, argued over its ownership, and in doing so challenged the meaning of family and the elusive nature of the truth.

Cookie’s Table explores storytelling and its various connotations; storytelling as a living history, storytelling as in political spin, or simply storytelling for entertainment or inspiration. While the truth here is highly subjective, there was such honesty in the performances; they grounded the material in a very explicit, palpable way. Nathan Ramsay was tormented yet understated as the detached young man yearning for his history, while Roxanne McDonald brought a quiet humanity to Faith, the stubborn matriarch whose character is often disputed. However, the heart of the play lies within the mercurial Annie, played with exuberance and wicked timing by Leah Purcell. From the moment she appeared on stage she had the entire audience in the palm of her hand, leading them through old tales and vivid memories, entertaining them with a sharp tongue and the love of a good joke. She gave vibrancy, rhythm and power to the language of Enoch’s script, and had the crowd laughing, even cheering for the woman they instantly felt they knew. The audience roared at her hi-jinks, cried through her pain, stilling and quiet as they witnessed her growth and her homecoming.

Buoyed by the production design, which created the bare intimacy of a living room while encouraging the warmth and dynamics of a campfire gathering, the audience became an integral part of the performance. Throughout, the sounds of the island gave a strong sense of place, at times flooding the room, along with the echoes of days past.

As Annie explains, while the essence of a good joke stays the same, the life of the joke is in the retelling. This new production retells Enoch’s piece with a decidedly indigenous spirit –“Black Pepper”, Purcell calls it– steeped through every layer of the production. Every nuance carries that richness; an authenticity. Yet the themes of Cookie’s Table are universal. The characters are complex, the writing fluid and colourful, and the direction detailed yet unpretentious.

Opening night was a celebration, of culture, of history, of human connection. Cookie’s Table is a significant piece of Australian theatre, in content, style and spirit, and this offering from Bungabura is a compelling realisation. Purcell is thrilling to watch. It was quite a ride.

The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table plays at the Cremorne Theatre, QPAC until 30th October. Be sure not to miss it.

THE STORY OF THE MIRACLES AT COOKIE’S TABLE – Cast: LEAH PURCELL, ROXANNE MCDONALD, NATHAN RAMSAY. Production Team: Producer – BAIN STEWART, Director – LEAH PURCELL, Assistant Director – TRAVIS DOWLING, Designer – BRUCE McKINVEN, Design Realiser – JOSH McINTOSH, Lighting Design – BEN HAMLEY, Music & Sound Design – BRENDAN O’BRIEN, Production Managers – ABBIE TROTT, GLENN HUGHES, Stage Manager – JENNIFER BUCKLAND

Review: Pepa Wolfe

The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table by Wesley Enoch –
Venue: Cremorne Theatre, QPAC
Directed by Leah Purcell
With: Leah Purcell, Roxanne McDonald and Nathan Ramsey.
Season Dates: 14th – 30th October 2010

Related:
* Interview with Leah Purcell, 11th October 2010 – LifeMusicMedia Interviews
* The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table @ QPAC, Brisbane 14-30 October 2010 – [Show details]