Review: ORDINARY PEOPLE at Star Theatres

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Friday 16th May 2025.

Independent Theatre is presenting Nancy Gilsenan Hersage's 1983 adaptation of Judith Guest's first novel, Ordinary People, published in 1976. Artistic Director, Rob Croser, and Chair of the company, David Roach, have brought many Wonderful Productions to us since they began in 1984, and this is another worthy of adding to that long list.

Conrad Jarrett, a boy in his late teens, was boating with his older brother, Buck. Both were on the high school’s swimming team and keen sailors, but a storm came up swiftly on Lake Michigan catching them unawares and resulting in Buck drowning. Conrad became depressed and, six months later, attempted suicide. As the play opens he is back at home, having spent eight months in a psychiatric hospital. We find him reading Thomas Hardy’s novel, Jude the Obscure which, by an odd coincidence, I have been reading recently. It is, perhaps, an unfortunate choice of book for Conrad to read as the protagonist, Jude Fawley, is depressed and considers suicide when trapped into marriage by Arabella Donn.

Conrad Jarrett is a massive role for Callum Logan, who is onstage for almost the entire play, in a role demanding deep emotional engagement. He gives a sterling performance, negotiating all of the twists and turns of his character, and giving a finely nuanced performance. A relative newcomer to this company, it is to be hoped that, like many other excellent artists, he becomes a permanent fixture.

His parents, Calvin and Beth, are played by Fahad Farooque and Lyn Wilson, both of whom are regular performers with the company, and who have received critical acclaim many times over. The strain of coping with Conrad reveals the problems that have existed in their marriage which they have, heretofore, managed to skirt around, but the cracks widen into chasms as the play progresses. These two performers have a great rapport and develop believable characters who are negotiating a difficult relationship with each other, and with their son, fraught with differences in opinions and approaches to the situation. The climax is inevitable, and Farooque and Wilson are wonderful as a couple in crisis, unable to cope with all that has happened, and that is now happening.

Steve Turner plays Conrad’s psychiatrist, Dr Berger, whose sessions add a touch of much-needed levity to the play as he goads and probes in a somewhat unconventional approach to treatment. Turner gives a fine performance as the rather quirky doctor whose methods bring positive results.

There are a number of smaller roles, with Oscar McLean as the unpleasant schoolmate, Kevin Stillman, Olivia McAdam, as Jeannine Pratt, a new girl at school who becomes Conrad’s girlfriend, Ryan Kennealy, as Joe Lazenby, once his Best Friend, but with whom Conrad initially has difficulty in reconnecting, Cleo Barker, as the tragic Karen Aldrich, whom he met in the hospital, and David Roach as Coach Salan, the school’s swimming coach, and as Ward Butler. Although their appearances were relatively brief, they were no less important to advancing the narrative, and required just as much authenticity and commitment as the major roles. These supporting artists gave as much in their performances as the main players, a tribute to Croser’s eye for detail as a director.

Independent Theatre often has very elaborate sets but, rather than divide the stage into various locations, Croser opted for a white box set, with a raked stage, painted blue to symbolise the water of the lake and the fateful drowning, with only a couple of chairs and tables, moved by the cast between each scene. The rest was left to the lighting to establish both locations and moods, aided by the sound design. This whole approach worked extremely well, and allowed for the entire stage to be available as the performance space, rather than several cramped areas.

Once again, Independent Theatre has created a captivating and thought-provoking performance that played to a full house and ended with a standing ovation. Like most productions in Adelaide, it has a short run, closing next weekend, so don’t delay, book those tickets now.