Bryony Lavery’s ‘Stockholm’, a co-production between the Sydney Theatre Company and Britain’s Frantic Assembly theatre company, directed by Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett, is a disturbing, compelling portrait of a young couple in love.
‘Stockholm’ takes place over a twenty four hour period. Everything should be going well for Todd and Kali. In the morning they are going on holiday to Stockholm, a magic city where in summer the sun shines day and night. Today is Todd’s birthday, and Kali is planning lots of treats for him. It should be a perfect day, and yet their day is wrecked when all of the issues that they’ve put under the carpet, resurface and threaten to tear them apart.
Two main demons threaten their relationship; jealousy and possessive family. The green eyed monster lurks mostly within Kali, and comes out fiercely. Kali also sees Todd as being too close to his family. She wants to see him break away from them, which may also have something to do with how she feels that Todd’s parents are rejecting her.
‘Stockholm’ is high impact drama. This impact mostly comes from the intense and very physical performances given by Socratis Otto and Leeanna Walsman. The two actors oscillate between carressing and hurtling themselves across the stage to express the volatile nature of the relationship. Scenes of emotional meltdown are followed by scenes of great tenderness. In the play’s most erotic and dark scene the couple cavort on top of their kitchen table, and carress each other with chef’s carving knives.
This couple burn for each other. Bryony Lavery’s ‘Stockholm’ plays the Wharf 1 theatre, Sydney Theatre Company until April 24, 2010.
