Writer: Ryan Craig
Director: Lindsey Posner
As soon as you step into the theatre, the atmosphere draws you into the story. The stage is that of a living room. There is loud music playing, setting the scene. The music plays popular songs from the late 2000s. At times, the music dims and the radio broadcasts updates on the Israel and Palestine conflict. This switch between fun and serious helps to set the tone of the production.
This play originally premiered in 2011. For this revival, the director opted not to move the time frame to the present. This is a conscious choice, citing that the current geopolitical situation in the Middle East is too “raw”. By keeping the play set in 2009, this production offers distance from the events which occurred over 15 years ago.
The family is in turmoil after a death. The head of the family, David (Nicholas Woodeson) is stubborn and believes that a catering job at a wedding will turn their family’s business around. He believes in the community who have always been there, but are no longer supportive of the family. His wife (Tracy-Ann Oberman) is at her wit’s end and wants him to walk away from the business and try to get another job. She wants to be supportive, but is overwrought.
Their living children are also struggling. One of their sons, Johnny (Nitai Levi), is regularly getting into fights. He wants to prove himself to his father, yet can’t seem to stop comparing himself to his brother. This brother, Danny, has recently passed away while fighting with the IDF. Their sister, Ruth (Dorothea Myer-Bennett), is a lawyer working with the United Nations. Her work revolves around the conflict with Hamas and the IDF. This adds an extra layer of complexity for her and the family because no one fully understands why she would work for an organisation that is negative towards Israel.
The whole play centres around an afternoon and evening, specifically the day before Danny’s funeral. The importance of community is heavily connected too and pitted against the family unit. The Rosenbergs are a family on the brink of ruin due to no fault of their own. The community they cherish is unforgiving to the point where Ruth is told to not come to Danny’s funeral. Her role with the United Nations makes the community suspicious of her. Woodeson does an excellent job at playing a man who is lost, yet still holds firm convictions of what is right for his family and the community.
The actors masterfully move between grief and humour. They perfectly portray a dysfunctional family. One that loves each other, but also one that no longer fully understands who the other is anymore.
This production is extremely raw in terms of stripping away the layers behind a family that is grieving. The confusion, grief, heartbreak and brutal honestly between the Rosenberg family leaves audiences feeling as if they are overstepping by watching.
The subject is heavy and complex. There is no black or white in this production, only shades of grey as a family on the tip of a breaking point reaches their limit.
Runs until 2 May 2026
