Ray Chong Nee, Skyler Ellis, Briallen Clarke, Alex King and Anthony Taufa on the attack. Photo: Prudence Upton
In 1978, when Munster became the first Irish rugby team to beat the seemingly unconquerable All Blacks, an instant legend was born. John Breen’s heart-warming comedy Alone It Stands celebrates this tale of triumph and brings another almost impossibility to life – staging rugby matches within the confines of the Ensemble’s small stage.
A cast of six take on 62 roles, including players, wives, rabid fans, the coach – and even a loyal dog – and while the actors are to be absolutely commended, so too is the direction from Janine Watson and the fight director Tim Dashwood.
No spoiler alert: I know nothing about rugby, so I expect those with even a rudimentary knowledge of the sport will glean more than I did about the skills involved in scrums and tackles and whatnot. But, never mind – with a modicum of concentration, even I could work out what was going on.
On a set bare of anything except a couple of benches and AstroTurf for the pitch and walls, the action starts with a Haka – so, yes, even I know that the six, black-shirted sportsmen on stage are the All Blacks, as played by Ray Chong Nee, Skyler Ellis, Briallen Clarke, Alex King, Tristan Black and Anthony Taufa. A brief scene follows, a discussion of tactics. Then, another – and, wait a minute, now the same actors are speaking with broad Irish accents (another credit due here, to the dialect coach Linda Nicholls-Gidley) and we’re in a hostelry.
This is a very cleverly constructed piece of theatre, and as Watson notes it is ‘acting as extreme sport. It is such a physical play. The choreography of the scenes from beginning to end is rigorous and detailed. The actors have to change accents, not only from scene to scene but within the scenes themselves. And much like the game of rugby, the chaos often disguises the technique and detailed analysis that has gone into the work.’
And there is so much humour. From pep talks to pub discussions, to the four kids intent on making the biggest bonfire ever seek, to the know-it-all spectators, to the hilariously incompetent taxi driver. Impossible really to detail everything, but King’s slavering, affectionate dog was a laugh-out-loud moment, and Clarke’s segue from a rugby player in some sort of scrum to a mother about to give birth is nothing short of spectacular.
The only costume change comes after the interval, when the six actors appear in red kit (we’re heading towards Munster victory, folks), when ‘14,000 spectators are holding their breath’, not daring to believe that the amateurs can beat the Kiwis. I am sorry I can’t explain the tactics. You’ll just have to go see for yourselves. Rugby fans or not, Breen’s play and this ensemble will have you laughing and cheering the players on. A triumph, on and off the pitch.
Alone It Stands runs until 2 March at the Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli
Tickets: $40-88
https://www.ensemble.com.au/shows/alone-it-stands/
