A Man with Five Children (Darlinghurst) – theatre review

Based on the groundbreaking British documentary series 7-up, A Man With Five Children tells the story of a documentary maker who follows the lives of five people from childhood through to their adult years. The play, by the acclaimed writer Nick Enright, was first seen by Sydney audiences in 2002, a time when reality TV was a hot topic among audiences who were starting to become better acquainted with it, due to divisive yet popular shows such as Big Brother. The question is whether, over a decade later, the subject still has the zest and vigour to captivate audiences.

The play opens with the documentary maker, Jerry, artfully portrayed by Jeremy Waters, explaining his vision and ambitions for his upcoming project. He quickly goes about assembling a group of five 7 year old, ethnically diverse Australians to take part in his series, and we are given an insight into their personalities, vulnerabilities and dreams for the future. The idea is that they are to be filmed for one day each year until they are 21, and for the next hour and a half we see how their lives unfold and their dispositions change as they begin the turbulent journey into maturity.

There are several engaging and enjoyable aspects of the play. Firstly, the concept of a longitudinal study of people in their formative years remains an intriguing idea to audiences, and is light-years away from the hackneyed, landfill reality TV that we’ve become familiar with since A Man With Five Children first appeared in Sydney theatres. Enright uses the premise to subtly explore the issues that can arise from such a dynamic. Jerry’s struggle to be accommodating yet objective, to be warm but professional, is delicately conveyed in the production through his relationships with his five subjects. The performances of Waters and his participants drive this idea forward effectively. Charlotte Hazzard is excellent as the sensitive and lovesick Susannah, as is Chenoa Deemal as the more precocious and motivated Jessie. Also, Jemwel Danao (Roger) and Taylor Wiese (Cameron) are convincing as their emotions range from despair to ecstasy regarding the position they find themselves in.

The concept of the play, while being enduringly interesting, is also unfortunately a hindrance at times. Trying to give colour and depth to the lives of five main characters, not including the documentary maker, is difficult considering the time constraints and the basis of a once a year interview. Because of this, despite some carefully crafted direction from Anthony Scuse, A Man With Five Children feels rather thinly spread at times, and when the end comes, you feel that the characters and the relationships between them could’ve benefitted from having a bit more about them displayed.

Still, the production does enough to highlight the intelligence of Enright’s observations on the phenomenon of such studies and create interest his eclectic and ever developing characters. It is at times funny and bittersweet, doing justice to the original 7-Up idea and the playwrights thoughtful interpretation of it.

Company: Darlinghurst Theatre Company
Venue: Eternity Playhouse, Darlinghurst, Sydney
Dates: to 26 June 2016

Tom Hadfield