A Critical Review Of The Play Jasper Jones By Nescha Jelk

The energetic, spirited performers of the State Theatre Company were able to make the adolescent world of Kate Mulvany’s Jasper Jones stage adaptation come to life. However, death, prejudice and the complexities of adulthood present themselves in unexpected ways. A truly thrilling, confronting yet mesmerising experience, Jasper Jones directed by Nescha Jelk and presented by the State Theatre Company in association with Flinders University and Dramatic Women on the 22nd of August 2019, is a suspenseful, spine-chilling theatre production that unravels the horrific acts surrounding a murder and it’s repulsive, upspoken secrets that eventually brings together two very different people in an unlikely yet unique bond. 

Though lending his name to the play as well as the book, Jasper Jones is all through the eyes and mind of quiet and introverted Charlie Bucktin (played by James Smith). Set in the remote Western Australian town of Corrigan in 1965, we delve into the silent lives of the residents and little by little slowly witness the loss of innocence through the perspective of Charlie, a bookish 13 year old boy, as he navigates his way through the darkness that has overshadowed his once uneventful life; with the help of the towns resident outcast, Jasper Jones, and charlie’s love interest, Eliza Wishart. 

All noise died down as soon as the lights dimmed in the Dunstan Theatre until only hushed whispers were left and slowly dispersed. And then Charlie entered the stage and started to perform his powerful opening introductory scene. The feeling of enthrallment could be sensed among the audience as soon as he began to enlighten the crowd about his life and the town of Corrigan. He engaged the crowd beautifully and was unbelievably captivating. Perhaps it’s the way his eyes pierced you down to your soul whenever he so happened to look in your direction or the way they shone as the stage lights projected on him. Either way, not only him, but the entire ensemble (consisting of Elijah Valadian-Wilson as Jasper Jones, Rachel Burke as Eliza and Laura Wishart, Rory Walker as Mad Mad Jack Lionel, the friend of local bully Warick and Charlie's father) were able to fully immerse themselves in their roles and completely convince the audience of their struggles, confusion, pain with their brilliant and skillful acting as they tried to make sense of the occurrences happening around them. Jeffery Lu (played by Roy Phung) was definitely the comic relief of this production, along with the outrageously hilarious scenes shared with Charlie, that made us forget for a second that a murder had even occurred at all. Although being racially marginalised, he was always portrayed as optimistic and upbeat and definitely became a crowd favourite. He definitely won us over with his over the top martial arts and extraordinary cricket skills. 

As soon as the as the stage curtains parted and the lights dimmed, the very first thing that would've caught any of the viewers’ attention the most were the thick, massive tree trunks that were specifically scattered across the stage (the work of Alisa Paterson) and the way the lights (courtesy of Nigel Levings) illuminated in between them so as to create the illusion of depth and thus a multitude of trees. They spanned floor to ceiling of the Dunstan Playhouse and made the adult actors look like the small frightened children that they were portraying, which perhaps was a directorial choice by Nescha Jelk. The use of props and how they were incorporated within the play was exceptional. Charlie's portable bedroom on wheels, the Lu’s door frame that descended from the ceiling of the Playhouse, all designed by the genius Alisa Paterson, just some of the amazing props used. Charlie's bedroom, in particular, was something to be noted. There was one side that resembled the outside of his house and another side that was set up to look like Charlie's bedroom. Depending on the scene, the side at which the bedroom was facing changed. When facing the audience it created a sense of closeness and intimacy, the fact that we are looking in on Charlie and his life, however, when the bedroom was turned to face the exterior it is made us feel as though we were spectators looking on into the action and watching from afar. 

Overall, this play was beautifully directed and put together, with an exceptional ensemble, all with immense talent, accompanied by breathtaking aesthetics, lighting and music that were really able to incite the right moods at the right times. If there was ever a chance to watch this production again, one should definitely do so. There is nothing negative that can be said for this play, however, opinions may vary depending on a person and their preferences. This production was able to ignite an abundance of emotions and surprise the audience in unexpected ways with its horrifying twists and deceit and that is something worth the utmost praise.