Ensemble performs Speaking in Tongues

FOUR actors playing nine roles and one director presenting three stories may seem like a simple description of Andrew Bovell’s Speaking in Tongues.

However, Ballarat National Theatre’s upcoming production of the play delivers an intricate storyline which is especially innovative in its intercut and overlap of dialogue.

Director Dan West successfully pitched the play to the Theatre’s committee because he likes the complexity of the story.

“I love the interwoven narratives and how authentic the characters are, they are so real they are flawed personalities with genuine struggles in their lives that the audience could relate to,” he said.

“It’s wonderful to capture that on stage with actors who are agile in their delivery, where they can show contrast in the physicalisation and voice of their characters.”

Kate Suter, Deborah McKelvey, Josh Brodrick and Shannon Nicholls are the four seasoned Ballarat actors West chose for the parts at the play’s audition.

Shannon Nicholls said it is a good script with a challenge of playing three distinct characters during the performance.

“It is hard if you focus on it too much, it is not only a vocal and physical activity it is a physiological activity as well, so you have to put yourself in different shoes,” he said.

“I realised last night that two of my characters were doing the same thing, they were putting their hands in their pockets the same way.

“Both of the characters might do that but when being played by the same actor you have to make it a different action.”

Bovell developed Speaking in Tongues into the screenplay of the iconic Australian film, Lantana starring Anthony LaPaglia, Kerry Armstrong, Geoffrey Rush and Vince Colosimo.

West said he hasn’t seen the film since it first came out in 2001 and chose not to revisit it so it wouldn’t influence his directing.

“It’s a unique opportunity for me as director to create art through the lens of all my skills, musician, educator and actor,” he said.

Ballarat National Theatre presents Speaking in Tongues at Ballarat Courthouse Theatre, 17 Lydiard Street South, Ballarat from Saturday, 6 July to Saturday, 13 July at 8pm with matinees on Sunday, 7 July and Saturday, 13 July at 2pm.

Tickets $25 adults, $20 concession and $18 each for group booking of ten or more, are available at Her Majesty’s Theatre Box Office during business hours, or online at hermaj.com.