The Great Divide (Ensemble) ★★★1/2

Written by David Williamson. World Premiere. Ensemble Theatre. 8 Mar – 27 Apr, 2024.

Retirement obviously does not sit well with playwright David Williamson, or maybe Australia is just in need of its great chronicler to help illuminate the way and he’s heeded the call to duty… whatever the reason, he’s back and he’s tackling Australia’s obsession with property and the widening wealth gap in The Great Divide.

Australia’s richest woman, Gina Rine… oops sorry, I mean Alex Whittle (Georgie Parker) has picked the sleepy coastal town of Wallis Heads to become the new Byron Bay and is using all her influence to push opposition aside. But single mum Penny Poulter (Emma Diaz) is fighting back, trying to ensure people like her, those on minimum wage in the midst of a rental crisis, aren’t forced out of town by rising rents. When rough progress hits compassionate conservation – which will win?

Georgie Parker is having a ball playing the powerful, manipulative and downright nasty Alex. Pacing across the set with a permanent sneer on her face, she spits out insults and rude truths with glee – she’s incredibly likeable while we loathe her at the same time. Kate Raison’s poise as Alex’s long-suffering personal assistant is a complete contrast, and the duo work so well together I wanted more scenes of them chewing each other out. 

Williamson’s strength here is to make it clear that Alex’s plans are not without merit. An influx of development and jobs would be welcome in a town full of empty shop fronts. The youth of the area, as represented by Penny Poulter’s teenage daughter Rachel (Caitlan Burley), are keen for the change. Is Penny being unreasonable by trying to hold back progress? Do we dislike Alex’s plans because we dislike her? 

In the age of shamelessness that we live in now, Williamson taps into the difference of generational mindset to add some fun wrinkles to the tale. The scene of Penny explaining a shameful secret to her daughter is filled with laughter and takes the story in a fresh direction. Unfortunately that spark of originality isn’t present in all aspects of the script, which does seem to walk its way through the plot. The ending is neat, but feels forced compared to everything that has come before without really offering too much in the way of insight into the issues.

Mark Kilmurry’s production is, on the whole, surprisingly flat. The coastal 80s inspired set is static, bar the cast moving the odd chair around. The lighting bakes the stage like the set of a soap opera and some inter-scene black outs had the audience momentarily confused about whether the act had ended or not.

It’s really the energy of the cast that brings The Great Divide to life. John Wood may not have much to do as the town’s Mayor, but he happily makes a meal of it in every scene. James Lugton’s local newspaper editor is a great counterpoint – all tired idealism in the face of economic collapse. Caitlan Burley literally bounds onto the stage with teenage exuberance. You can feel Kate Raison’s eyes rolling behind Alex’s back without even looking at her face.

But this is Georgie Parker’s night and she delivers in spades. I’d have loved her to dial it up even more – a full-on Miranda Priestly for the Australian stage! With each devious turn of Alex’s mind, Parker gets to have her cake and eat it too, and so do we.