Face to Face | Emily Wells & Playlab Theatre
Face to Face by Kamilaroi playwright, Emily Wells, is an intimate performance that combines comedy, drama, and powerful truth telling that highlights issues impacting First Nations People. Emily’s writing allows the show to have an authentic dialogue and an honest perspective, and as a Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi person myself, many of the themes throughout resonated deeply with me.
Lorinda Merrypor and Hannah Belanszky shine on stage and show a wide range of emotions as they bring life to their characters. Leila (Belanszky) has been living in the big smoke for six years, and in that time hasn’t been back on country as she navigates her way through city living and working alongside organisations to implement better solutions for Indigenous people. During the middle of the night, Leila’s niece Maddie (Merrypor) unexpectedly shows up on her front doorstep after a long trip from home.
Leila and Maddie might be fictional, however it’s evident that that many aspects of their characters have been inspired by various people in Emily’s life and it allows them to come across as very authentic.
All images by Justine Walpole.
Both characters share the same desire of wanting to see better outcomes for mob, yet they have differing approaches in how to attempt that, and their difference makes an interesting dynamic which can spur on important discussions well after the show has ended.
Various parts reminded me of my own life especially the duality of being caught between two worlds. Like Leila, I moved off country and for a long time struggled to return home. And when Maddie tells Leila with excitement that their hometown now has a KFC, it instantly flooded me with memories of how excited I was when KFC came to Wellington, New South Wales, and the huge line up on opening night. It was a big deal!
Initially, Face to Face comes across like a sitcom, with the script being full of witty lines and blackfella lingo that reminded me of family. There is even a reference to Friends with the apartment setting. The clash of personalities between aunty and niece create some genuine laugh out loud moments, and the comedy has an organic feel to it. But even in the comedic start, there are still serious issues that are addressed.
I thought it was smart to start the show with a light-hearted touch as Face to Face explores heavy issues and themes. Lorinda Merrypor and Hannah Belanszky prove they can make people laugh, but they also prove they can make people cry and we get some serious dramatic performances. I found those moments to be very confronting as they spoke about injustices, police brutality, racism, grief, disconnect from family and more.
All images by Justine Walpole.
Growing up in an Indigenous community, many of the issues that impact our mob happen so frequently that I have personally found and still find it difficult to properly process a lot of the grief and my own trauma. Sitting in the crowd and watching the characters speak gave me some time to truly reflect and allowed me to be vulnerable as they expressed their own vulnerability. It made me ask myself how I can do better for my mob and community and the expectations that come with that.
Because of the serious subject matter in the show, it can be quite upsetting in certain parts. I found myself highly emotional at times, but also laughing and feeling the love in the heart-warming moments. It should be something to be aware of when heading in.
Ultimately, Face to Face is an important piece of theatre with a lot of truth telling. It made me feel represented, as I have personally experienced the issues raised in the performance either directly or through witnessing loved ones endure them. But what makes it stand out for me particularly is how it’s able to talk about those issues through the lens of a compelling drama with strong characters.
In what can feel like situations of hopelessness at times, Face to Face manages to show the resiliency of First Nations People. Showing not only survival, but how we can stand up and take action to improve our mobs.
