Entertaining, but offers little beneath the surface.
Top Silk, Ensemble Theatre‘s production of David Williamson‘s 1989 play, hits all of Williamson’s classic notes. Family drama. Police corruption. Moral questions and the influence of high-status figures. Combined with sharp direction from Mark Kilmurry, it is an enjoyable show. But it doesn’t reach much further than that.
Top Silk concerns the dynamic between Trevor (Nick Brown) and Jane Fredericks (Rachel Gordon). Both are hotshot lawyers; Nick a top prosecutor with political aspirations, Jane a criminal defendant. As Trevor decides whether to take a brief from media mogul Paul Bradley (Thomas Campbell) and Jane defends alleged heroin supplier Eddie O’Donnell (Jeremy Waters), also her old flame from school, the two must understand what sort of marriage they have and the relationship they have with their teenage son Mark (Samir Nasser), whose poor grades greatly concern Trevor.
The show offers a distinct old-school charm. The set and costume design (Ailsa Paterson) – often one of Ensemble’s strong points – screams 1980s, with pinstripes, suspenders, and baggy clothes galore. A credit card imprinter plays a small but notable role in that regard. Composition and sound design (Madeleine Picard) feels pulled from an 80s or 90s legal drama, adding to this vintage aesthetic.
And the writing reflects this. Kilmurry has stayed faithful to Williamson’s script, keeping the show’s portrayal of seedy media figures, crooked cops, and power-hungry politicians reflective of those groups as they were 40 years ago. Kilmurry’s Director’s Note says that the play is marvellous because of its ongoing relevance, but yet this show is grounded in nostalgia, and all the better off for it.
Performances from the lead cast are underwhelming. Brown does not portray Trevor with the gravitas required of the role, also unfortunately missing most of Trevor’s humorous punchlines. Gordon initially plays Jane with limited emotional range (even for a lawyer) but somewhat manages to bring out the character’s unfulfilled desires later on. Mark goes through a more noticeable arc than Trevor or Jane, and Nasser portrays that nicely. He is the glue between his parents and the glue between the performers, creating a nice friction with Brown and discord with Gordon that helps the family address their evolving relationship.
By contrast, the supporting cast are lively. Campbell plays Bradley knowing he is a caricature of Rupert Murdoch, speaking and moving like the man to great comic effect. Waters plays O’Donnell with authenticity and charm. His character is a family man who made a stupid mistake, and Waters portrays that brilliantly, acting with authenticity and charm and building a warm dynamic with Gordon. A cameo from Laurence Coy as politician Stuart Kelvin is similarly delightful. Collectively, these performers add much needed energy to the show.
Kilmurry’s direction is punchy, with well paced scenes and quick transitions making the play fly. The humanity Williamson’s writing is known for is best displayed by the supporting actors. But, because the Fredericks family drama is lacking, such humanity (or any deeper resonance) is limited. One gets a sense that, despite Trevor and Jane concluding their respective cases, neither have quite developed emotionally. Their relationship with each other still seems rocky, and their relationship with Mark unfulfilling. If the production were to focus more on those characters, and Brown and Gordon played up their humanity, another layer could have been added to the show.
Nonetheless, Top Silk is well produced. It is another fun show from Ensemble that understands its source material, and brings it to life with great charisma.
