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ARTLOOK #1 | June 2004
Reviewed by:
Stella Wilkie
Written by Domenic Mico, Directed by Peter Damien-Hayes, The Street Theatre, 24 June – 3 July
Sirocco and the Angel
On 23 June I attended the preview of the first professional production of Sirocco and the Angel, a play which was first presented in 1993 as part of a Theatre Festival. Dominic Mico notes in the program that in 1993, 'the rich, creative opportunities for contemporary theatre' for the migrant experience were overlooked, Eleven years later not much has changed.
Mico's script is beautiful and poetic. Its language ranges from epic to contemporary and is devilishly difficult to deliver. Rocco (Silvio Ofria) and Rita (Bronwyn Grannell) came to Australia from Calabria many years ago and have a son, Michael (Michael Butcher) who is married to Gail (Leith Arundel); they have a son, Gino (Ryan Jones) who is on the threshold of manhood. When the play opens it is of a family uneasy with each other; Rocco sleeps alone, is sick and incontinent; Rita is confused and keeps insisting she is returning to Italy. Gail is forced to be the one in control and resentful of Michael's refusal to be more involved.
Overlooking the scene are the angels. They live at the back of the set in a cloister-like setting on a raised platform. They look down on the family, sing quietly, one (Michael Butcher) plays the guitar beautifully, and they sometimes come down the steps to take part in the action, as long-dead members of the family. I liked the initial tableaux of Renaissance-type angels, who then maintained their earth personalities as opposed to androgynous worshippers. Don Gino was especially appealing in his trilby hat and wings. I really love the angels in this play; they are at the same time our guardians and our visible memories. They all have beautiful wings and look enchanting.
The angel of the title is played by Jorian Gardner who gently brings the play to a close with great charm. In the program, his other persona is 'pimp'. I missed this part entirely, but am told that a stabbing takes place in the back of the set. I was not the only one to miss it. Perhaps it, and more of the action, needs to be brought forward. It seemed that the railing/fence along the front of the upper stage concealed a lot of what the angels were doing. I think I would have preferred them down among the action, to appreciate them fully.
Some of the angels could not sustain their long speeches; they need to use pauses and 'see' what they are saying so that we do, too. The text deserves better working. The 'mortals' on the other hand, handled the dialogue more easily. The long opening scene between Gino and his grandfather is a difficult one to carry off, being, as it is, 'the story so far' and setting what is to come. Ryan Jones and Silvio Ofria displayed their love and affection for each other in their gentle teasing. The scenes between Michael and Gail and Rita and Rocco were better directed; their love for each other overcomes the frustration and regret.
I hope that by opening night, a full blackout at the beginning was achieved, since the visible assembling of the angels lessened the impact of the opening tableau.
Stella Wilkie is a freelance writer and theatre practitioner.
