Wednesday 24 May 2000

The Goldberg Variation, May 24, 2000


Written by Ron Elisha by Playbox Theatre
 at Beckett Theatre until June ?  2000
Reviewer: Kate Herbert

Families can be fraught with emotional blackmail, madness, anger and misunderstanding. They are also the people we rely on in a crisis.

Ron Elisha's play, The Goldberg Variations, examines twenty years in the life of the Goldberg family. He chooses to do so through the eyes of a blind man, an outsider.

Sol Goldberg - no relation - makes his living as a speechwriter for Jewish family occasions. Over the twenty years, the Goldbergs come to him to discuss speeches for Nina's 21st birthday, (Christen O'Leary) and engagement party, her parents' 25th wedding anniversary, (John Wood, Catherine Wilkin) the opening of her sculpture exhibition,  her son's barmitzvah and Lev's 56th birthday.

Elisha uses each visit to Sol to reveal a little more about the characters and the family dynamic.

Sol is almost a blank slate for them. He lives alone, isolated in darkness but creates speeches for them out of their own thoughts, comments and feelings.

He is asked to write speeches that will manipulate other members of the family: make mum and dad stay together or force Nina to take her boring optometrist husband's name.

Elisha writes a good gag in the off-hand, cynical style of Woody Allen and Seinfeld. But he also writes some good monologues. His best work is in the second half which is much more substantial and successful.

The finest monologue in the play is from mad Uncle Zev played by Brian Lipson  He speaks to the UN about the state of the Jewish nation and the impact of the Holocaust. Lipson's performance is poignant and beautifully executed.

John Wood is also particularly strong as Lev while Christen O'Leary and Catherine Wilkin are warm and lively presences. .
Unfortunately, the pivotal role of Sol is weakened by Pip Mushin's performance. He is vocally limited, particularly in Act One and misses some fine opportunities to milk the humour and pathos.

Director, Max Gillies,  could have enlivened the stage with more engaging interaction between characters. The design by Shaun Gurton although representing an authentic hermit's cell for Sol, does not enhance the piece.

The Goldberg Variations is a mixed bag, but quite an entertaining evening

By Kate Herbert


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