‘Love Letters’ delivers for Matamata Dramatic Society
What: Love Letters
Presented By: Matamata Dramatic Society
Where: Matamata Little Theatre
Dates: 8-15September
Tickets: www.mds.org.nz
R. A Gurney’s 1988 play Love Letters has long been a favourite for well-known actors, attracting a roll call of big names. As well as a well-crafted script, reading the letters means busy actors can also shortcut the time needed to learn screeds of lines.
Those of us of a certain age will recognise some on screen partnerships like Larry Hagman and Linda Grey, Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross, Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks. The play has also been performed by Christopher Walken, William Hurt, Martin Sheen, Anjelica Huston, Candice Bergen, Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver, among many others.
So it was with some anticipation that we made the short 40-minute journey to see the new Matamata Dramatic Society production.
Love Letters is a great choice for a spring production, and an opportunity to showcase the talents of two experienced performers. Mike Williams is the more traditional, sincere Andy (Andrew Makepeace Ladd III) and Julie Taylor is Melissa Gardner, a fun-filled, rebellious socialite and artist.
The first thing we notice at the gate is the Little Theatre letterbox with ‘Love Letters’ painted on it, a nice touch. Inside, the committee have added decorations and displays of letters and photos to the foyer to set the scene.
The first act is ‘Growing Up’, starting with childish things, birthdays, school, leading into the angst and exploration of teenage years followed by the many separations of study, family commitments and expectations as they head into adulthood.
The stage is set in two halves, Julie on the left in an armchair, a coffee table at her side, red wine to hand. On the right, Andy sits at his large wooden desk with his papers and a glass of whisky. The action takes place from 1937 to 1985, and both Williams and Taylor give the younger versions of Andy and Melissa the right lightness and tone
It’s a lot to cover and my companion and I both found ourselves closing our eyes at times to let the language wash over us and to visualise the scenes they were describing.
The second half ‘Adulthood’ is vivid as the characters take turns both expected, and not. The letters, written with care and detail by Andy, and with haste and reluctance by Melissa, show their different personalities, as is the way they’re managed by the actors. Melissa’s drop casually to the floor when she’s read them, Andy’s are picked up and placed with care.
While the act of reading a letter is relatively sedentary, the play is not static. The words are vivid, playful, angry & clever. Both Williams and Taylor use the limited space and scope for subtle expressions and changes in tone, movements and gestures, playing entirely within their own space, giving each section its own light and shade, building mood between them without any direct interaction.
In 90 minutes they cover nearly 50 years and directors Robin Essex and Korstiaan Prins sum it up well describing the ‘humour and passion of this roller coaster ride’
As an added temptation, at the interval we discover ice creams to buy, plus a complimentary cuppa and a biscuit or some crackers and cheese at the wine bar – all served up with a smile by volunteers.
This is a well-known play that has endured with consistent performances over its 36 years. Williams and Taylor more than do it justice. It leaves me thinking about life, and love, and how life turns out. Highly recommended.
