by Alexandria Avery
The thing that first attracted me to ‘Speaking In Tongues’ was its complex structure, the air of mystery and the way each character and their intricacies are interwoven. When I first read the play I knew it was a piece of theatre I wanted to be a part of, so I jumped at the chance of auditioning when I saw it was Beaumaris’ next show.
I was intrigued to see how the piece would transpose from the page to the stage and to learn of Sharon’s vision, which focuses on the language and relationships with very contemporary and minimalistic staging.
Melbourne playwright Melissa Reeves once referred to Andrew Bovell as “a great plotter, a formalist with a chess player’s brain” which I have to agree with. The way the opening two scenes are written is like a strategic game of chess with each player moving every which way around the board, or in this case the stage. The characters are all, unbeknownst to themselves, connected and the way in which the multiple narratives unravel throughout the play is to be admired.
The overlapping dialogue, whilst rhythmically beautiful to listen to has been somewhat of a challenge to master and meant as a cast we’ve had to get off book as quickly as possible. Not an easy feat when we’ve been in lockdown and unable to rehearse as much as we’d like. I have personally had to adapt my learning style as this piece requires a specific structure and pace, so that’s been a difficulty I’ve had to contend with.
In the opening scenes, we see four individual characters each with their own intentions and wants but the way their dialogue echoes one another’s and creates symmetry reinforces the basic theme of the piece, the sexual jealousy and marital infidelity. The scenes mirror each other yet there are slight differences which affect the characters outcomes, and this has been really interesting to see play out during rehearsals.
Playing two characters within the same play has also been really gratifying (although sometimes confusing!) but has allowed us to really get stuck into discovering more about their relationships and connections. Sharon has had us each working on analysing the characters, their intentions and the truths we extract from the script, as well as their backstories, to help with our portrayal and to establish distinct differences between the characters, both in the way the characters speak, their mannerisms and movement. This approach has greatly helped me embody both Jane and Valerie.
After a year and a half hiatus (thanks to Covid) getting back into the theatre has been a breath of fresh air and working with Sharon and the rest of the cast has been really enjoyable. I can’t wait for opening night!
NOTE: Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions, Speaking in Tongues has been cancelled.