Ella Road’s Fair Play is a no holds barred deep dive into the complex world of women’s sports and how, even at an elite level, their bodies are not only scrutinized but rarely their health and well being is not even governed by themselves.
Ann and Sophie have the same goal – to be the best they can be, no matter the struggle. Their rivalry morphs into admiration then friendship and still, they are cautious to fully open up to each other. Any sign of weakness can derail years of hard work and determination. As a question of fairness begins to gain pace, is it enough to support in the shadows and continue to rise as your once rival starts to fall.
Ella Road packs a great deal in to relatively simple script – two characters, 100 minutes, straight through – but the story can take a while to get to a point. For all of the theatrical ground covered, Road’s world building often treads over repeated territory.
Even as the audience watches these two individuals’ lives change and evolve, the third act twist comes far too late to be better explored, with unfortunate expositional dialogue coming off as a lecture rather than effective writing and character building.
Emma Whitehead directs with a sharp focus and a keen eye for character, building the tension as the complexities of the character’s lives push and pull them from their end goal. Whitehead creates a perfect balance by not shying away from the humour of the work, leaning into the cheeky competitiveness and the tender supportive nature of friendship, enriching the world with depth and grounding. However, early issues with pacing and unfocused transitions further highlight the uneven script and flatten the highs and lows of the character arcs.
Rachel Crossan and Elodie Westhoff are perfectly cast as Ann and Sophie – each bringing their character to life with emotional range and a distinct point of view. Both Crossan and Westhoff masterfully showcase the full extent of their abilities with expert emotional realities and intriguing subtly. The journey of time often became murky as some character choices remained juvenile – making both individuals come off as petulant rather than grown and complex.
Kate Beere’s set is an absolute stand out, an undulating representation of the adrenaline highs and the gut wrenching pit falls, as well as a literal tactile playground for the actors to revel in. EJ Zielinski and Mitchell Brown & Osibi Akerejola respective lighting and sound designs work bring balanced and flawless storytelling to the stage and enrich the work with intrigue and surprise.
The importance of this story cannot be understated – more than ever people are being further excluded and banned from competitive sport because they disrupt the conservative thinking of the status quo. The themes are very real and impact far from fictitious as audiences are challenged to see the person behind the one sided pursuit of fairness.
Fair Play
The Old Fitz Theatre, 129 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo (Sydney)
Season continues to 21 March 2026
Information: www.oldfitztheatre.com.au
Image: Rachel Crossan and Elodie Westhoff in Fair Play – photo by Robert Miniter
Review: Gavin Roach