Theatre: The Warrior and the Princess/ Tinkertown

The Warrior and the Princess
Blue Moose
By Shirley Van Sanden

Directed by Monica Main

Performed by Brian Liau, Rhoda Lopez, Ian Toyne, Monica Main, Shirley Van Sanden and Marty Liang
The Blue Room

Until October 20

Tinkertown
by Nathaniel Moncrieff
Directed by Sam Farringdon and Nathaniel Moncrieff
Performed by Phil Miolin, Tessa Carmody, Hannah Day, Jeremy Levi and Felicity Groom

The Blue Room

Until October 13

In The Warrior and the Princess, Shirley Van Sanden has taken the story of Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese diplomat who saved thousands of Jews in WWII Lithuania, and fashioned an inventively told and moving tale of universal human sympathy and courage.

That history is long and complex, and, in the hour or so at her disposal, a bit too much of Van Sanden’s dialogue serves exposition rather than the development of character and relationships, but she holds our interest in her story and makes us care about her people, and that’s a fine achievement.

There’s a harrowing momentum in Nathaniel Moncrieff’s writing that gives his actors plenty to work from.

But the characters in his Tinkertown talk too much, and, consequently, often don’t say nearly enough. Moncrieff would do well, I think, to heed the example of many of his heroes, count the words in his script and re-write it with half as many of them. 

Link here to the complete reviews in The West Australian