Review: This Genuine Moment

Rock-Bottom-Productions-This-Genuine-Moment-photo-by-Darren-GillThis Genuine Moment is a grounded new work that mines themes of love, loss and acceptance with intriguing honestly and surprising twists.

“The morning after” plays are a dime a dozen – characters awkwardly scooting around each other as they piece together the moments that brought them together, and thought this particular script sometimes dips into this cliche model, the text leads the characters into realms of complex honesty and heart-aching emotional pitfalls.

Jacob Parker’s writing is refreshingly to the point – free from overly romantic prose or clunky metaphor, rather he ensures that his characters remain true to the world around them and only ever conduct themselves with emotive truth.

An awkward tension builds throughout the work – bubbling with more furiosity until the audience is craving a release – Parker knows exactly how to create moments of true unbridled uncertainty, which is to the betterment of this work.

Hayden Tonazzi’s direction keeps the script well paced and flowing free from stagnating. Tonazzi gives the script the lightest of touches – a gentle nudge here and there to allow the world to unfold and the characters to reveal themselves to the audience – one moment at a time.

The production’s more emotionally heightened interludes are so well earned and seamlessly executed, displaying again Tonazzi’s skill at knowing when and how to move an audience through the work.

Tom Dawson and Ilai Swindells are breathtaking performers. Cheeky, warm, nervous and guarded, both display a brilliant skill at delivering performances that feel relatable and completely human.

The ever evolving power dynamic between the two is electrifying and gives way to perfect moments of depth, humility and hypocrisy. These are two performers that audiences should definitely keep an eye on.

This Genuine Moment is a smart work that creatively inverts a well worn narrative, giving the audience a terrific work from artists at the top of their game.


This Genuine Moment
La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond Street, Carlton
Performance: Friday 30 April 2021
Season: 28 April – 2 May 2021 (ended)
Information: www.lamama.com.au / www.rockbottomproductions.com.au

Image: Tom Dawson and Ilai Swindells in This Genuine Moment – photo by Darren Gill

Review: Gavin Roach