A thick amount of hype preceded the opening of Seventeen.
The play’s premise – teens on their last day of school to be played by actors in their 70s – pricked a few ears, but the publicity the production garnered just a day before opening had the theatre foyer in overdrive. In a nutshell, it hadn’t got permission to use Taylor Swift’s hit single ‘Shake It Off’ in the play; director Anne-Louise Sarks took to Twitter; Tay-Tay herself granted permission in an 11th-hour reply. It’s the stuff marketers dream of.
The play itself is basic end-of-school stuff: Tom (Peter Carroll) is moving to Melbourne after exams, his best mate Mike (John Gaden) is dating Sue (Maggie Dence), whose bestie Lizzie (Genevieve Lemon) is a bit of a goodie two-shoes. School outcast Ronny (Barry Otto) tags along much to Mike’s chagrin, as does his 14-year-old sister Edwina (Anna Volska). The first half of the play sees the gang play on teenage tropes, and it’s hard not to feel like we’re going to be ladled with corny gags at the expense of a group of seniors while they wear skinny jeans and sink beers. There’s also a noticeable lack of technology for 2015 teens. Aside from one selfie, there’s no Instagram or Snapchat – not even a lazy text sent – and after a while it’s hard to get past the perfect diction of these seasoned performers to really believe they’re teens.
But about halfway through, something happens. The actors slip into their new skins, the story reveals itself, and suddenly we’re presented with real characters and real problems. In opting for more truthful presentations rather than caricatures, we’re able see these teens for who they are and engage with it altruistically. It’s powerful to watch performers with a huge depth of experience play these kids with such sensitivity and warmth, and bring a timeless essence to the awkwardness of adolescence. It’s definitely one to experience before it’s gone forever.
4/5 stars
Seventeen is playing at Belvoir St Theatre until Sunday September 13.
