Trees Beneath The Lake Review
Trees Beneath The Lake from up-and-coming kiwi playwright Arthur Meek, has just opened for its debut season at Auckland’s Maidment Theatre and judging by the excellent writing and acting on display, deserves a long and successful run.
Set in Central Otago, and featuring 3 generations of family as the central cast, the play touches on some tough topics including suicide and the fallout from dishonest financial dealings of the prodigal son William, played with supercilious aplomb by Michael Hurst. However, despite the family wranglings and threat of financial ruin, the interactions of the Campbell family are wittily crafted and draw warm laughter from the audience throughout.
As we delve ever deeper into the web of lies and fraud woven by William, we get to enjoy some fantastic acting from the cast playing around him. Theresa Healey as wife Jennifer is natural and identifiable, and newcomer Leighton Stitchbury, as socially awkward son Ross, just about steals the show with his deadpan delivery and spot-on body language throughout. It is also a pleasure to watch some fabulously talented older actors command such stage presence, Catherine Wilkin especially deserves a mention as matriarch Nieve, who is easily the most magnetic and memorable performance of the show.
This is a story that will engage and entertain you with ease. The intricacies and politics of families will be familiar to all, and as the story progresses to its somewhat shocking climax, the audience will be gripped by each turn of events.
Superlative acting enhancing a wonderful script, aided generously by the superb set design of Tracey Collins, Trees Beneath the Lake may well be on its way to becoming a new New Zealand classic.
Trees Beneath The Lake is on at Maidment Theatre until 27 September.
Reviewed by Natalie Ridler