The Arrogance (KXT on Broadway) ★★★½

Written by Olivia Clement. World Premiere. KXT on Broadway. 26 Jul – 10 Aug, 2024.

Olivia Clement’s The Arrogance is a gentle, and handsomely staged, look at the contradictions of abusive parents and the way adults deal with childhood trauma. With a focus on complex characters rather than plot, it may not travel far, but it has great depth.

A heavily pregnant Amber (Whitney Richard) has moved out of New York to Iowa, for her dream job. She’s a long way from her native Australia. Her new neighbour Erin (Linden Wilkinson), a widow living on her own, takes an instant interest in the newcomer and helps her get settled. But Amber is having a hard time sleeping, and has recurring dreams of her father (Alan Glover), dwelling on both his good and bad sides. In her dreams she gets to say all the things she wished she’d said to him in the past…

To start with, the evocative set by Soham Apte (the photos don’t do justice to the black on black theme), along with the gorgeous score by composer Baran Yildiz instantly set this above much independent theatre fare. This show has a look and feel (aided by Aisling Bermingham’s sound design and Sophie Parker’s lighting) that elevates the excellent text.

Against this backdrop, the actors deliver strong, empathic characters who feel authentic and unique. The play moves through some very emotional material and the performances are held in tight control thanks to Lucinda Gleeson’s direction. This strong focus on character is where The Arrogance excels. These are deep characters with rich backstories.

The Arrogance is, in essence, a “hang out” play. The plot mechanics are minimal. Amber’s pregnancy puts a ticking clock on proceedings, and instigates a lot of parental soul searching, but doesn’t drive the drama in any particular direction. Plot threads of Amber’s increasingly unusual behaviour, or Erin’s past don’t really thread together in any way other than to lead us to the point of “damaged people helping each other in need”. 

Alan Glover does great work as the memory of Amber’s father who is both warm and caring while also threatening and dismissive. It’s a fine line he walks well. I was instantly drawn to Linden Wilkinson’s Erin who is both giving and withholding in her solitude. Her yearning and sadness bled through every line of dialogue, no matter how simple. A lovely performance.

For all the emotion on stage, the final scene of confrontation felt a bit forced to me, in sharp contrast to the rest of the play which played out quite naturalistically. It wasn’t quite justified in the narrative. 

The Arrogance combines excellent performances with beautiful characters, supported by wonderful production elements. The result is a piece of theatre that evokes a strong mood that lingers after you’ve left the theatre.