State Theatre Company
Space Theatre, Tue 30 July
The stage set for The Questions immediately catches your attention: bright, modern, urban, and obviously high above the ground. The adjoining band practice room, visually separated by just a thin set of Venetian blinds, suggests life lived at close quarters. Enter Chaya Ocampo singing a charming little ditty about dating being a digital shit show!
From the outset she is engaging and vivacious, and she’s excited about meeting her online date (Charles Wu) for the first time. It doesn’t begin well. Both Ocampo and Wu quickly realise they preferred the online version of the person in front of them and want out. Then comes the lockdown and there’s no escape. They have to deal with each other for a long time.
You can imagine the fear, angst, frustration and anger that accompany this realization. Things initially get very heated but over time they begin to accommodate each other’s presence with relative calm. Key to this connection are The Questions they agree to ask each other to wile away time and get to know each other. Curiously, effectively, some of the more personal questions are asked and answered in song adding a level of poignancy that rises above mere words.
Not once was I surprised or bothered by the characters breaking into song. In so many musicals the transition between spoken dialogue and song can feel blatantly contrived. Here the transition from dialogue to song felt natural and perfectly integrated into the fabric of the narrative.
And Ocampo and Wu are such fabulous singers. I especially enjoyed the warm tones of Wu’s lower register – really quite special – but the songs they sing together are sensational. A wonderful blend of emotion and harmony – often telling the story from opposite perspectives in the same song in a complex lyrical dance. Quite magnificent writing by Van Badham and Richard Wise, and delivered in near flawless fashion with conviction, compassion, and honesty.
Using the band next door as live accompaniment for the songs was a masterstroke, and the proximity of these inquisitive neighbours offers plenty of opportunity for comedy. Not only does The Questions look and sound great, but it is also very funny.
This really is an exceptional piece of theatre – a stunning set used so creatively, an entertaining story, and great music in the hands of two fine performers equally adept at acting and singing. A must see.
(This review also published on The Clothesline.)
