A Cheery Soul

What a joy to see a play by Patrick White presented at Holden Street Theatres with a first rate cast, including  a knock out performance by Martha Lott as the larger-than-life Miss Docker.

To what degree did White wish to shake up the complacent souls in Sydney’s suburbia? The indications are first there when Miss Scougall (Sandi McMenamin) shuffles on to the stage, opens the small organ and begins to play and sing a hymn, very badly. They occur again and again as Miss Docker’s story unfolds.

The action begins with Mrs Custance (Catherine Campbell) and her husband (Robert Cusenza)  seen in their neat, ordinary home, discussing the possibility of inviting Miss Docker to share it. He is very reluctant, she is convinced that this would be an act of Christian charity as Miss Docker is such a ‘good soul, always helping others, and do we deserve to be hoary all the time?’

Miss Docker moves in, in a flurry of laughter, bon homie, too much furniture, settling herself to improve the household, starting with the hydrangeas, and moving to correcting Mr Custance’s posture.  She is loud, self opinionated, hearty and immensely irritating to all but herself. Her stay in this househodld is curtailed.

In the next scene we see Miss Docker, now living in a retirement home, wreaking havoc. The scene and language here is  less naturalistic, where at times the residents resemble something of a Greek chorus, in language reminiscent of T.S.Elliot’s Waste Land, delivered by Mrs Hibble (Jo Coventry) and Mrs Wattmuff (Sue Wylie).  Miss Docker, throughout the turmoil and chaos she creates, smiles, laughs and pontificates.

Having then completely demoralised the young vicar (David Arcidiaco) by explaining to him ‘as a friend and isn’t that what friends are for?’ that his sermons are not inspiring or even interesting the action moves to a church service where the vicar vainly attempts to control the service, as Miss Docker orchestrates from the front pew. The aging congregation struggles with cushions and pews and the need to rise, then kneel, then then sit again, in a bewildered muddle. This is an hilarious scene while at the same time exposing the established church as being irrelevant and ineffectual.

Finally all turn their backs on Miss Docker, who stands alone at the front of the stage, facing her demons.

This play demands excellent acting from all, but especially Miss Docker who is rarely off stage. Martha Lott superbly creates a woman whose insecurities are masked by over confidence and total insensitivity to others, while she longs to be accepted and appreciated.  It is a challenging role and Martha Lott rose to the challenge with aplomb. In this she was strongly supported by the other actors. There  was not a weak link amongst them.

Credit must be given to Peter Goers, who directed and designed this production. He had always wanted to produce A Cheery Soul, which Patrick White deemed to be his best play, and it is to Holden Street Theatres credit that he was given this opportunity to produce it with such a n accomplished cast and stage crew.

Holden Street Theatres  September 24- October 12