Sydney theatre company Popular Playhouse is taking a bold step with Turpentine, a Victorian gothic thriller that promises to unsettle and intrigue audiences in equal measure.
The debut production, written by Australian playwright Tommy James Green, plunges into the fog-shrouded streets of 1887 London, where a desperate mother and uncle seek to reverse death itself. Their mission brings them to the doorstep of Doctor Raymond Crow, a gin-addicted surgeon whose basement laboratory harbours both electrical marvels and dark secrets. Their goal: to resurrect seven-year-old Tiberius Milton before his death becomes public knowledge.
Green's script, which opens 20 February at Flight Path Theatre in Marrickville, draws clear inspiration from classic gothic literature while forging its own identity. The playwright weaves elements reminiscent of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd into a fresh narrative that explores themes of grief, guilt, and humanity's eternal struggle against mortality.
Director Katherine Hopwood Poulsen, fresh from her work on Terminus at Marrickville Town Hall, has assembled a cast of emerging talent to bring this macabre tale to life. The claustrophobic single-night setting confines five characters to Crow's cellar-laboratory, creating what promises to be an intense pressure-cooker of emotions and revelations.
The production features Jarred Keane and Megan Elizabeth Kennedy in leading roles, supported by Cris Bocchi, Othniel Mani, Freddy Hellier, and Charles Griffin. This ensemble navigates Green's script, which aims to balance horror with what's described as "Wildean wit" – suggesting audiences can expect sharp dialogue and dark humour alongside their gothic thrills.
What sets Turpentine apart from typical horror-genre theatre is its exploration of deeper human drives. Beyond the surface elements of Victorian medical horror and supernatural tension, the play examines the lengths to which people will go to avoid facing loss. The desperate attempt to resurrect young Tiberius serves as a lens through which the play examines broader questions about mortality, social appearances, and the price of playing god.
Popular Playhouse's choice of Turpentine as their inaugural production signals an ambitious entry into Sydney's theatre scene. The company appears to be positioning itself as a home for bold, genre-bending works that challenge audience expectations while maintaining theatrical craftsmanship.
For theatre-goers tired of lighter fare, Turpentine offers a promising combination of psychological horror, period drama, and philosophical inquiry. Whether it successfully walks the tightrope between homage and originality remains to be seen, but the ingredients are there for a memorable night of theatre that could establish Popular Playhouse as a compelling new voice in Sydney's performing arts landscape.
VENUE: Flight Path Theatre, Marrickville.
DATES: From 20 February, 2025
TICKETS: https://events.humanitix.com/turpentine
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