Jumpy

Sydney Theatre Company

The chief protagonists in 'Jumpy' are a fifties something mother and her fifteen years old daughter. They don't see eye to eye over nearly everything and are engaged in an endless battle of wits. Peripheral characters are the girl's father, the mother's female friend, the parents of the daughter's boyfriend and a couple of other friends of the daughter.

The program notes suggest this play is more than the comedy it appears on the surface to be. Apparently it is also a commentary on post Thatcher Britain. If so, I didn't get any of that from this production.

From the audience reaction at the performance I attended those who got most from the play were women who I guess could relate to the mother/teenage daughter representations. The males in the audience mainly remained quiet.

Even as comedy I thought this play missed the mark. The performers certainly tried hard but I wasn't impressed.

The set design which has furniture items sliding across stage by remote control through endlessly opening and closing walls seemed at times like a Swiss cuckoo clock gone berserk on steroids. It was a distraction.
★★