Sydney Theatre Company
until July 13
Bookings: (02) 9250 1777

Almost as excited as a kid in a candy store, co-Artistic Director of the STC, Andrew Upton, on opening night, described Tony McNamara’s latest effort The Great as a “lolly of a play”. It was, I thought, a very apt description of what I had just seen. The piece is indeed a delightful sugary treat, exquisitely wrapped.

McNamara hasn’t intended his play to fathom Catherine II completely. It is a contemporary take on her life and many loves, yet despite all the rutting and profanity I found the work quite conservative.

This ruler of Russia, a woman who wore a crown and held onto power for over 30 years, was considered one of the most enlightened despots in all of 18th century Europe, and I think I wanted something a little more outspoken and wild as befits the subject matter. That said McNamara’s script is jammed full with funny one-liners and clever dramatic conceits, and the production certainly flies along and keeps the audience, even at 150 minutes, entertained for the duration.

I got great pleasure from the performances and the piece is extremely well directed by Peter Evans. Catherine is played by a luminous Robin McLeavy in the first act, just arrived at court with some critical choices ahead of her, and then by the commanding Liz Alexander in the second, as the mature monarch who is living with the consequences of the decisions she has made. The ubiquitous Toby Schmitz is in fine form as the odious, mad emperor Peter, and later as Catherine’s appallingly immature son and would be usurper.

Fiona Crombie has designed a sumptuous set fit for a Romanov who would keep her head while other aristocrats around the place would lose theirs.

Plush red velvet curtains are drawn to reveal a mandala-esque kaleidoscope of geometric designs rendered in vivid colours on a revolving stage.

Costumed by Tess Schofield, the actors seem to be having a ball under their powdered wigs and fur hats. While the two Catherines look terrific and are adept at managing a train, it must be said that Schmitz stole the frock-off and especially thrilled the audience in one scene with his flapper ensemble. 

The play is really a lot of fun and having said that I suppose it doesn’t matter that it is as sustaining as a bag of red eyes.

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