Reviewed by Jack Bengough
Black Swan’s latest production in their 2024 calendar is The Seed, an original production written by Kate Mulvany and directed by Matt Edgerton. This drama set in the late 00s explores the lasting impacts of generational trauma across three generations of a family.
The Seed takes place primarily in the living room of a family home in Nottingham, England in 2008, the set (designed by Zoë Atkinson) is quite ordinary for the home of an aged man, if not for the space being invaded by dozens of cardboard boxes of various sizes, the largest ones scaling the walls of the room. While not remotely subtle, this design choice leans nicely into the themes of the production, clearly illustrating to the audience the story of familial baggage that is about to unfold.
The production opens with a flashback, where the middle-aged Danny (Steve Turner) embodies his ten-year-old self, while his daughter Rose (Tegan Mulvany) narrates the scene. This was a very strong opening for the production, giving insight to the Danny’s young life that will become vital to the story later on, and Turner portrays this terrified adolescent boy very convincingly. From there, we enter the present day, as Danny and Rose arrive outside the home of their father and grandfather respectively, Brian (Geoff Kelso). Rose has never met Brian, and Danny hasn’t been face-to-face with him in several decades. While Lucy Birkinshaw’s lighting design is appropriate for most of the production, there are a couple of moments during these opening scenes where the audience is blasted with bright white light which while its purpose was clear was still discomforting for some audience members.
The play's first act is largely focused on Rose gradually getting to know her estranged grandfather, an Irishman who is very proudly affiliated with the IRA. The conversations the three exchange range from awkward and cringy to delightful and wholesome to confronting and even frightening, as Brian seems quite old-fashioned compared to his granddaughter and holds some yet-to-be-uncovered bad blood with his son. Ben Collins’ sound design effectively guides the atmosphere and mood of the production, and a particularly impressive use of this soundscape came at the first act's conclusion, when Brian and Danny have a particularly explosive argument that is appropriately backed by a building cacophony of fireworks.
Act two begins with a feeling that the audience is in for more of the same, but with introductions and pleasantries out of the way, this intergenerational relationship begins to change. There are still plenty of lighter moments in the second act but the emotional stakes for the characters are much more present. These emotional stakes lead to a conclusion that was thrilling to see unfold on stage as all three actors give incredibly powerful performances. It is quite apparent that this story comes from either an immense amount of research or a very personal place for Mulvany, as the concept of “generational trauma” manifests in very real and tangible ways for the characters. The cast wields the emotional weight of the script excellently to create an incredibly tense and emotional conclusion to this production. Audience members were left quite shocked by the revelations reached and secrets revealed by the production’s conclusion. Certainly, it is this significant emotional weight that is this production’s greatest strength, otherwise, it would be quite commonplace.
The Seed delivers an emotional narrative presented by a strong cast and is sure to be a hit for the mainstream theatre-going audience. The show continues at the Subiaco Arts Centre through to the 17th of November.
Reviewer Note: Tickets for this review were provided by the theatre company.
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