If you’re looking for a wholesome night at the theatre with plenty of laughs, Ensemble’s production of The Roommate will not disappoint.
Written in 2015 by Jen Silverman, The Roommate is a dark comedy following two women in their fifties whose lives appear to be entirely different. Sharon (Lucy Bell), a divorced, clean-cut woman living in Iowa, decides to rent out a room in her house to Robyn (Belinda Bromilow), a black eyeliner-wearing woman from the Bronx seeking a fresh start.
But there’s something oddly mysterious about Robyn. She carefully reveals herself piece by piece, each conversation uncovering another trait or occupation – a vegan, a lesbian, a former potter, a slam poet – keeping both Sharon and the audience guessing.
As the two adjust to living together their unlikely friendship blossoms, challenging each woman’s assumptions about the life Robyn’s been living. Sharon is gradually drawn out of her comfort zone, discovering a mischievous zest for life she never knew she possessed, while Robyn is forced to confront the past she has tried to escape. Between suspicious voodoo dolls, “medicinal herbs”, revealing phone calls, and a growing appetite for rule-breaking, the play continually surprises without ever losing sight of its emotional core. It is a riveting, funny and tender story of friendship, reinvention and identity that constantly keeps audiences on their toes.
Direction by Lee Lewis is expertly crafted, maintaining a palpable sense of anticipation while eliciting laughter throughout the show. The play’s tonal shifts are handled with great confidence, seamlessly moving between warmth, wit and tension.
Set design by Simone Romaniuk brings to life a beige but homey kitchen, immediately introducing Sharon’s orderly, predictable existence before Robyn’s arrival turns it delightfully upside down. Costumes also by Romaniuk perfectly emphasise the contrast between the women, with Sharon in pale pink button-ups and Robyn in darker, grungier clothing. Matt Cox’s lighting realistically captures morning sunlight flooding through the kitchen windows and subtly heightens the intrigue surrounding Robyn’s ambiguous past. Madeleine Piccard’s sound design similarly elevates these moments of suspense, using percussion to inject an exciting sense of theatricality, particularly towards the play’s climax.
Performances by Bromilow and Bell are fantastic. Bromilow effortlessly portrays Robyn’s carefree, artistic spirit while never reducing her to a stereotype. Bell’s Sharon is delightfully funny, committing wholeheartedly to the character’s transformation from cautious Midwestern homebody to someone who discovers the thrill of taking chances. Her French-accent scam phone call is a definite highlight.
However, at times there was a little too much performative, almost fourth-wall-breaking delivery to the audience, which occasionally distracted from the authentic connection between the actors. Nonetheless, the dynamic duo exhibited brilliant characterisation, navigating everything from awkward small talk to moments of genuine vulnerability with accuracy, making their relationship development a real joy to watch.
By the play’s closing moments (and its cheeky note that “there’s a liberty in being bad”), it’s difficult not to leave the theatre smiling. The Roommate is a thoroughly entertaining night out and deserves full audiences for the remainder of its run.
