Voices: The Carrical Project

Finally, the show I’ve been waiting for.  Voices: The Carrical Project, brought to us by Candlelight Productions, has everything you could ask for – a clever script, a well-made set, thought-out costumes, expert direction and most wonderfully, it was Australian. 

Voices follows the lives of five residents of Carrical, a kind of halfway house helping homeless and mentally challenged peoples.  The play treads a line of reverence, respect, comedy and pathos taking the audience on an exploration of these men, their stories and how they are dealing with their lives.  Moreover, Voices charts the friendship that these men develop when everyone else has abandoned them; friends, family, work colleges etc. 

One of the great things about the production, and the company, is that the show really starts in the foyer.  There was free food – dips, chips and cupcakes – a large board for everyone who sees the show to sign and free programs.  Then the audience was taken behind the stage to where there were photos and sound stations about the original project.  The show was created by six Scotch College boys who visited Carrical and began to document what they saw there.  This show is born from those stories.  It is a significant, moving and eye-opening experience to see these people, many of whom we have seen in one form or another around Melbourne.  On the tram, down the street or wherever, we simply keep walking.  Voices shows us that everyone has a backstory, everyone is worth listening to and profoundly the people of Australia are important enough to make into a show.     

The set was a simple room but with attention to detail; an old computer, a piano, couch a TV with some VHS tapes and a tea station.  In addition the costumes were subtle but character enriching.  To round out the production elements, the lighting was mostly naturalistic but with momentary interludes which offered insights into the characters thoughts, feelings or back stories.

The actors were outstanding to watch.  And in an ensemble as tight as this one it is difficult to say who was best, however, Gavin Williams as Richard had such a superb performance that he deserves recognition.  The others, Luke Mulquincey, David Lamb, Damian Hill and Allen Laverty were all fantastic and truly embodied their characters.  From neurotic drug takers to alcoholics and everything in between these men are dealing with issues that, hopefully, many of us never have to.  And the actors treated the subject matter brilliantly; never playing for cheap laughs and managing to find emotion that resonated with the audience when needed.

The director, Amy Dwight has done a superlative job at bringing the show to life. Her vision permeates through the piece and the positive views of the near sold out audience are testament to her skill.  The show moved between naturalism to dreamlike effortlessly and never once in the hour and a half that the show ran for did I look at my watch (the usual sign that I am losing interest).  The show had a flow and it kept to its rhythm, moving from moment to moment with deliberate pace.

Overall I can only hope that the show was a complete sell out as it was one that demanded attention.  In that, I mean that this was an important piece of theatre which should have been seen by as many people as possible.  Those of you that saw it will, I’m sure, attest to this, those that missed out, watch this space as I’m sure there are great things to come from this company and all involved.  Congratulations on a stellar show.