Dictionary
CHUTZPAH
/ˈhʊtspə,ˈxʊtspə/
noun INFORMAL
- self-confidence; perseverance.
“love him or hate him, you have to admire Cohen’s chutzpah”
This week, I watched Theatre Group’s recent play, Rumours. I noticed that alongside extremely fabulous lighting, it was taboos—infidelity, suicidal ideation, buried quarrels—that also coloured the stage.
Credit: SUSU Theatre Group
Originally written by Neil Simon, this farcical play premiered in 1988, as a response to ‘some difficult times’ Simon was having, so he ‘wanted to work, because work is always a cathartic process for me, and I thought it would be really good just to get into a comedy’. This plot certainly did contain difficult times—on the tenth anniversary party of Charley Brock, the Deputy Mayor of New York, and Myra Brock, chaos ensues. The kitchen staff are gone, Myra is nowhere to be found, and Charley has seemingly shot himself in the head. Every attempt to cover it up causes a Streisand effect of even more secrets resurfacing among the party guests. We are introduced to the Gorman couple, Ken (Joe Hutson), and Chris (Kiera Robinson). In this social circle that the evening has trapped them in, the idea of attempted suicide isn’t just sad. It’s scandalous. No one can know. Pretend you’re having fun.
When I walked into the theatre, what I noticed was the eclectic set. The white doors in different places and storeys sort of reminded me of the doors in Monsters Inc.—I could tell this play was going to be really dynamic. The timeless balance of minimalism with extravagant props (well done to Emma Froud and Sam Duffy for the latter!) meant that there was no distraction from the characters’ animated personalities. Everyone could switch between doors and rooms, so my head turned left and right constantly. The house’s interior composition allowed for a domestic closeness with each character. The effort put into designing and building this two-storey set is certainly worth the praise.
Credit: SUSU Theatre Group
It’s also worth saying very well done to the co-directors, Melis Ensert and Anna Wildgust. After reading the program, I’m now very proud that this didn’t stay as a play script that Melis read in a cafe, and that the both of you had the chutzpah (cool word from the play ahh!) to put on this show. However, it would be foolish of me to not mention how much the set complemented the acting. The play starts with a frantic quarrel between Ken and Chris, but despite this, I thought they had excellent chemistry, like each line of dialogue gradually unfolded their shared history and struggle. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had the same level of catharsis while acting as Neil Simon had during writing, because the delivery and tone was consistently passionate and well-enunciated.
But someone knocks at the door repeatedly (stressful, but kinda immersive)—Claire and Lenny Ganz (Saskia Bindloss and Morgan Allen), who are also friends of the Brocks. Both actors added an extremely animated and funny personality to their characters, which cut through the tension of the situation. When no one else was around, their argue-gossiping slowly unravelled whatever the other guests tried to hide. Lenny’s personal grudge against Carol from the tennis club successfully revealed to me how poisonous this social sphere was, but in a way that felt like I was involved in the gossip. The tennis club? I bet Carol so thought she was in Challengers (2024)…
Credit: SUSU Theatre Group
And the costumes? Divalicious. Saskia’s black, velvety dress immediately reminded me of Portrait of Madame X. Whether intended or not, the scandalous context behind that painting’s dress intensified the theme of dishonour, even if it was just for my own enjoyment. Although, this interpretation may not be too far off, because scandal is central to one particular guest couple—the Coopers, played by Alex Tsherit and Athena Vourgos. This relationship dynamic was probably the most interesting. Both actors excellently pulled off the constant miscommunication and resentment between each other. Cassie Cooper’s red dress was perfect with the red lighting that shone during her open flirtation with Lenny. Her messy hair and erratic gestures contrasted so well with Glenn Cooper’s stoic, composed attitude. Another thing that stood out to me was how timeless the costume design was. Simple, but fitting with any time after the 40s/50s. This meant that any social commentary could be applied timelessly to any era. My compliments to costume producers Charlie and Emily for these evocative decisions!
In terms of comic relief, every actor delivered, particularly those who played Ernie and Cookie Cusack (Megan Lawrie and Emily Goring). They both played their age super convincingly, and embodied the characters’ bubbly personas. Before the first act ends, they show how the story’s incident warps this bubbliness into instability. Despite everything, they stay endearing and funny the entire way through.
Samantha Parker and James Stark are also worth mentioning properly for their roles as the police officers. Their performance of the house search managed to raise the stakes and bring a bit of humour at the same time.
Overall, SUSU Theatre Group has created an eclectic, haywire, and engaging play that I would absolutely recommend watching for yourselves. The bold, vibrant lighting, the performances, the humour, the set, and the timeless costumes are why I am giving this play 5 stars.
Watch the trailer for Rumours below:
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