Written by Hilary Bell. World Premiere. Ensemble Theatre. 8 Sep – 14 Oct, 2023.
Hilary Bell’s triptych of short plays focuses on the way memory interacts with our present-day lives. From heart-warming stories of youth, to tales of past snubs and regrets. Summer of Harold, Enfant Terrible and Lookout are beautiful vignettes of life, showcasing two excellent actors and Bell’s power of storytelling.
The most successful is the opening piece, Summer of Harold. Bell explains in the programme/playtext that it began as a short play, Window, Cricket Bat (co-commissioned from Griffin Theatre and the Australian Design Centre for Sydney Festival 2022) before being expanded. Inspired by true events, it’s a monologue by an Australian woman named Janet (Hannah Waterman), who backpacked to London in 1984 and worked as housekeeper to intimidating playwright Harold Pinter [insert pause. Two dots, not three]. It’s a charming tale of Aussie gumption, culture clash and the importance of savouring small moments. Waterman is hilarious as Janet, reminiscing of her youthful adventures and weaving a lovingly high-stakes/low-stakes tale of a single luncheon.
The most broadly comedic story is the second, Enfant Terrible, in which Gareth (Berynn Schwerdt) breathlessly explains his night and everything that built up to one moment of intense spite. A ceramicist, who can not stand the success of a ‘friend’ he considers his inferior, Gareth is a ball of resentment wrapped in denial. Schwerdt is bursting at the seams as he bounces around the set delivering Gareth’s manic story. It’s funny because we’ve all known this type of graceless, bitter artist (or let’s be honest, at some point, we’ve all been this insecure, judgemental mess ourselves), a mix of ego under strain and self-delusion that comes to an explosive finale.
Closing out the evening is Lookout, the most rawly emotional of the three. Jonathan (Schwerdt) hikes to a lookout and is surprised to find Rae (Waterman) there as well. Bell’s writing keeps you guessing as to their dynamic. Are they a couple of friends? Ex-lovers? Relatives? There is a comfortable familiarity tinged with sadness as Jonathan talks about selling up and starting a new life with a new woman. As the two confront their past, filled with warmth and pain, they reach a moment of unexpected catharsis.
The three stories are held together by the detailed design work of Jeremy Allen, whose towering shelves of mementos and nicknacks hint at dozens of untold, personal experiences. The set is littered with humour and takes you on a journey all its own. Matt Cox’s lighting is sharp and atmospheric, almost a character in itself. Director Francesca Savige gives each piece its own energy, powered by the two talented performers.
Rooted firmly in their humanity, Bell avoids trying to make these tales anything more they are – brief character studies. They may not be speaking to the world at large, but focus their attention on the personal and intimate. This makes them heartfelt and entertaining but those seeking more urgent theatre will need to look elsewhere.
Short tales are a skill all their own, and while it’s rare we get to see short plays staged (I’m still waiting on someone to programme Tom Stoppard’s The Real Inspector Hound for me to see) there is a real joy and relief to watching a whole story be told concisely. The worry going into an evening of short plays is that they’ll be disjointed or unsatisfying, and Summer of Harold definitely isn’t that – you’re just getting three emotional rollercoasters for the price of one!
Cultural Binge 
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