On and around a king-king-king-sized bed play lovers, Summer (Katrina Mathers) and Autumn (Rebecca Morton). There’s a beautiful world to look down on from their eyrie, but neither are able be present with each other for very long.
Summer is occupied with her plans to host a grand party, while Autumn is distracted by a constant dripping she cannot locate that’s gradually getting worse.
While literal skating does take place in Skating in the Clouds, it soon becomes apparent that the skating being referred to is the idiom kind – as in “skating on thin ice” – referring to the irrevocable and calamitous path towards environmental disaster humanity seems intent on pursuing.
The large space at Theatre Works can be a tricky one to fill for both the designers (set, lights, sound) and the performers (voice). Bianca Pardo’s set design – large bed with draping canopy, windows in the floor allowing glimpses of the world – did a commendable job of establishing that these embodiments of the seasons existed elsewhere.
The long curtains behind the performers did have an unfortunate effect on the acoustics, absorbing the actors’ voices whenever they turned upstage, but this lessened as the action progressed and the cast came forward.
Sharyn Brand’s expressive sound design and Natalia Velasco Moreno’s increasing vibrant (as the warming of the globe escalates) were great in conveying the sense of increasing unavoidable danger.
It’s not easy playing abstract concepts, but Katrina and Rebecca were excellent in their roles. Admittedly, some character transitions from season to viticulturist to parent were unclear in places, but it never took long for the audience to get reoriented and engaged again.
Interspersed between Katrina’s and Rebecca’s scenes were vignettes performed by El Kiley and Shamita Sivabalan. Every turn as different characters were delivered in compelling, often hilarious, fashion.
It wasn’t all jest, however, with an electric scene towards the end as a daughter (Shamita) rips into her mother (Katrina) for doing nothing about climate change for all the decades since the first warnings were raised.
Consider minimising your carbon footprint by catching the tram to the bottom of Acland Street in St. Kilda and walking up to Theatre Works to support another good work from Melbourne Writers Theatre.
Skating in the Clouds
Theatre Works, 14 Acland Street, St Kilda
Performance: Thursday 5 December 2024
Season continues to 14 December 2024
Information and Bookings: www.theatreworks.org.au
Image: Rebecca Morton and Katrina Mathers in Skating in the Clouds – photo by Anna Moloney-Heath
Review: June Collins