Review: Reagan Kelly
Reagan Kelly is a play set in 2013 Brisbane. Focused on one slightly dysfunctional family, the plot incorporates divorce and threatened suicide, all framing a story about the development of new relationships, and seen through the microscope of millennial angst. Although the title suggests that it is all about Reagan (Emily Carr), the most interesting characters are those in her orbit. The most interesting parts of the evening were the interactions between her parents, and the struggles faced by her twin brother (Jeremiah Wray), who so desperately wishes to conform—when announcing his engagement to his girlfriend (Lisa Huynh) while actively pursuing a relationship with Reagan’s ‘gay best friend’, Hugh (Jackson McGovern).
Reagan Kelly is a show of great promise. Advertised as a ‘bitterly hysterical comedy,’ the cast and creatives include a number of people who have worked on other great shows: Producer, Danielle Carney (Retail Therapy), as well as Director Tim Hill and actor Elise Greig (both most recently in the excellent Wheel of Fortune).
The writing was interesting, and it is always great to see ‘Brisbane stories’ on the local stage. Lewis Treston (playwright) melds millennial dilemmas with a touch of farce, and has created a work that deserves better.
There were some highlights. The set and costume design worked well (in particular the costume choices for Kristy!). I liked the use of the videography, and it was a pity that the show didn’t blend more of these images into the performance (for example, as in the Wheel of Fortune). Scenes of the evening were those featuring the divorcing husband and wife, Ewan (Chris Kellet) and Kristy (Elise Grieg). Greig gave a compelling performance as the slightly neurotic mother figure, where the sauce bottle/frenzied fridge-cleaning scene was entertaining and memorable. Jeremiah Wray’s portrayal of the conflicted twin brother, Oliver, was relatable and sensitive.
But perhaps in a future iteration, a director might debate some cuts to Regan’s monologues, move away from stereotyping gay characters, and consider how to better integrate videography in the show?
The audience response was fascinating. If you want to giggle at every swear word and laugh hysterically at sexual references, then this is a show you will find entertaining. But this production didn’t hit the spot for me. Sitting watching Reagan Kelly in the Metro Arts Sue Benner Theatre, I reflected on some of the many great shows I have seen in this building. I hope to add a few more wonderful memories before the building closes—but sadly Reagan Kelly is not one for the great-shows-I-have-seen-at-Metro-Arts list.
Verdict: One for Millennials, perhaps.
Audience tip: 150 minutes (including 20 minute break), Sue Benner Theatre, Metro Arts (16+. Sexual references, coarse language, portrayal of drug use, and suicide references, and adult themes). The show opened on 20th March and closes 30 March 2019. Tickets $25-$31 plus transaction fee.
The reviewer attended the Thursday 28 March 2019 performance (7:00pm).