Written in the early 1990s by the dearly missed Australian playwright Nick Enright, Daylight Saving is a lighthearted romantic comedy that delves into the loneliness of marriage, middle-aged life and the heart.
Set on Sydney’s Northern Beaches on the final eve of summer, the play revolves around a corporate married couple – restaurateur and chef Felicity (Rachel Gordon) and sports agent Tom (Christopher Stollery) – whose high-profile, jet-setting life is clearly beginning to take a toll on their relationship.
When Tom leaves for LA on yet another business trip to chaperone his tennis-playing client, wedding vows and morals are put to the test as an old flame from America, Joshua (Ian Stenlake) visits Felicity for one night and attempts to recreate the passion they once shared in 1969.
Although Daylight Saving is light in terms of the content and the themes it addresses, it is without a doubt highly entertaining. The sharply executed and polished performances of the cast, along with the snappy and laugh-out-loud rapport between the characters, is characteristic of Enright’s work.
In fact, it’s the characters that really make Daylight Saving an enjoyable show. Belinda Giblin’sperformance as Felicity’s enigmatic and slightly batty mother is truly outstanding; then there’s the sex-crazed and broken-hearted neighbour Stephanie (Helen Dallimore), whose fiery presence, desperation and sharp dialogue leave you remembering that crazy neighbour we’ve all once had. Jacob Warner is also fabulous as the hairsprayed peroxide blonde Jason Strutt, the world number one tennis player whose self-obsession and dimness provide much comic relief.
Daylight Saving is a play about turning back the clock – to the last night of summer, to a night in 1969 and to forgotten wedding vows. Not only does it want us to reflect on our present-day selves, but it’s also a subtle reminder that when trying to recreate a time or experience from the past, the result is not always what we had hoped it to be.
4/5 stars
Daylight Saving is playing at the Eternity Playhouse until Sunday November 30.
