In The Next Room, or the vibrator play Season: 08 - 11 June 20116 Playhouse, The Canberra Theatre London Circuit,

Canberra City ACT Director: Pamela Rabe

Cast: Josh McConville, Mandy McElhinney, Jacqueline McKenzie, Marshall Napier, David Roberts, Helen Thomson & Sara Zwangobani

Set in the 1880s, Dr Givings (played by David Roberts), of American playwright Sarah Ruhls In The Next Room, or the vibrator play, discovered a rather fascinating and perplexing fact in which, he unwittingly adjure to one of his male patient, Leo Irving, an artist (played by Josh McConville) with his opinion, that: "[ha!] what men do not perceive because their intellect prevents them from seeing would fill a book!" And how right you are, Dr Givings, the (pre) inventor of what would be known (in due course) to mankind in the Western world as the vibrator. How kind of you, Dr Givings, to share this remarkable, and yet so very delightful insight with (unassuming) Canberra audiences over four nights which made this indulgent even more wicked! No, no, no, Mr Givings the giver of all good things the pleasure was all mine ;) Needless to say, Ruhls vibrator play (and yes, for Albee, I chose: Who is Sylvia?) explores the speculative view that perhaps way back in Franklin days (just after the kite & key experiment) American doctors may have once used vibrators to perform clinical duties on women to treat hysteria - oh doctors, behave! Nominated for three 2010 Tony Awards, Sarah Ruhls craftsmanship of her vibrator play, was exquisite, impeccable superb even she delivered an intelligent, sophisticated, charming, and witty instrument for us to explore the female psyche on love, loss, intimacy, rejection, marriage, and perhaps abandonment; managing to hit all the right notes ;) with moments of inquisitiveness, fright, shame, embarrassment, suspicion and hilarity. Ruhls play invites us to embark on her heroines journey, that of Dr Givings wife, Catherine (played by Jacqueline McKenzie) to explore these themes to determine what that missing element was that she couldnt quite put her finger on;) A restless and a troubled soul, she questions her happiness as she shares her thoughts (and feelings) with some of her husbands patients she came across: Sabrina Daldry (played by Helen Thompson), Leo Irving, as well as her wet nurse Elizabeth (played by Sara Zwangobani); with

whom she finally realized is that what she ultimately craved (so desperately) was her husbands gentle touch. The Sydney Theatre companys production of the Australian premiere of Ruhl was superb in all the right places :) The Stage (by Tracy Grant Lord) and Light (by Hartley T A Kemp) designs were amazing, marvelous and breathtaking especially in the finale; and needless to say, the performances were incomparable: it was simply astounding, thrilling and magnificent. It really, really was perfect, exceptional, flawless; except for one tiny weeny bit worth notingit could have gone on for a little bit longer, Dr Givings :)