Samson Review

'Samson' is the latest La Boite drama currently at the Roundhouse and it’s a bold debut for first time playwright, and previous playwright-in-residence Julia-Rose Lewis.

Centering around three teenagers coming to terms with the death of a close friend, a newcomer named Rabbit (Benjamin Creek) befriends Essie (Ashleigh Cummings) upsetting the group dynamic. Its rambling, genre-bending approach reflects the hormone-fuelled dilemmas the characters deal with as it flits between numerous genres with abandon, fitting a number of sub-plots into just 75-minutes.

As such, it never settles in one place for long, seeming to proactively avoid classification. It touches upon a huge number of issues from cancer to cuddling. There's little time to develop the characters in a meaningful way and leaves audience empathy at a surface level.

Benjamin Creek and Ashleigh Cummings

The play is set in a remote outback town, residents of which have limited prospects. Four close-knit friends living a seemingly carefree existence until one tragically drowns, a catalyst which leads suppressed feelings and emotions to surface. With nothing but the four actors on a barebones wooden stage, there is nothing for the cast to hide behind, putting a huge weight of expectation on the script.

The interaction frequently feels wooden and it’s hard to buy into the chemistry between Sid (Charles Wu) and Beth (Belinda Jombwe) in particular, despite a solid effort from the cast to make the most of it. Essie (Ashleigh Cummings) and Rabbit (Benjamin Creek) in particular put in strong performances, capturing the intentionally limp romantic angle in a believable manner.

Charles Wu and Belinda Jombwe

There is an abundance of ideas at the heart of 'Samson', and having been 25 years in the making, it’s understandable perhaps why there are so many dramatic elements fighting against each other. Though a lack of focus and direction is familiar to any late-teen trying to make sense of their place in the world, it makes it difficult to engage with the play, and care about the characters involved.

There are enough shining moments within to suggest that better things may be in store from this playwright in the future.

'Samson' plays at La Boite until 2 May before heading south to Belvoir Theatre, 7-31 May.