Break of Day’s tribute to invisible labour of working-class Australians is ultimately disappointing
In Steve Rodgers new play, now at Malthouse, solid performances are undermined by expository writing.
Break Of Day, a new play by Steve Rodgers, pays tribute to the often unseen labor of Australian working-class individuals, including supermarket workers, cleaners, nurses, and others who keep the country running. The semi-autobiographical work, first brought to Sarah Goodes' attention in 2021, premieres at Malthouse Theatre, highlighting the lengthy process of getting Australian plays on stage and the often overlooked nature of such stories.
The play follows Pam (Kat Stewart), a single mother working the nightshift at a multinational logistics company's warehouse, her daughter Rae (Sherry-Lee Watson), a high-achieving student, and her daughter's boyfriend Jedediah (Theo Clarke), a community-minded young man. Pam's father, Frank (Richard Piper), a man struggling to cope with his own complex family history, is a drunken presence in their lives.
As Rae struggles to finish her English essay on Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita, the family's precarious situation comes to light in a snapshot of a family in crisis. The story is presented through the perspectives of a few key characters, with somewhat didactic moments highlighting different aspects of life in this hardscrabble town.
While the performances are solid, the play suffers from overly expository writing. Stewart's portrayal of Pam is gritty and angular, but her poetic monologues sometimes feel unnecessary and fail to convey the sweaty exhaustion of a factory worker. Watson and Clarke show promise in their roles as Rae and Jedediah, but their inexperience is evident, particularly during intimate scenes that lack emotional depth.
The set design by Anna Cordingley is a standout feature, with an intricate and dynamic revolving stage that transports the audience from intimate domestic scenes to the bustling factory floor and streets of the town. The sound design, by Jethro Woodward, further enhances the experience, using sub-woofers and other sonic cues to punctuate scene changes and shifts in mood, though the constant noise may reflect current audience expectations shaped by long-form television and streaming services.
Despite its rich themes, Break Of Day is ultimately disappointing due to its simplistic writing, which fails to fully capture the complex emotions and ethical dilemmas presented in the story. The play oscillates between gritty narrative and melodrama, never quite finding resolution, leaving the audience with an unresolved sense of tension. Break Of Day runs at Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne until August 29.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
