The Unspoken Word is ‘Joe’ | The Reaction Theory

“Don’t tell me how to do my play. This is my play and I will do whatever I f***ing want to do and you can just f**k off.”*

Wow. Sometimes the shows we enjoy the most are the most difficult to review because, as cliché as it sounds, words cannot often describe the level of thought, care, and excellence that goes into making brilliant theatre. The Reaction Theory’s first main house production of The Unspoken Word is ‘Joe’ fits into this category of brilliance. I howled with laughter and my mind was frazzled as I watched the cast romp around the space and interrogate the messiness of dating, acting, playwrighting and theatre making, networking, and what makes a ‘good play’.

I don’t think it is possible to write this review without spoilers. If you are considering going to this show, I would suggest not reading this review (sorry Nadia). It is a show that may be best enjoyed going in blind. All you need to know is that it is funny, over-the-top, energetic, and will surprise you. Just when you think that it couldn’t possibly surprise you anymore, it will. Ride the rollercoaster of a show right to the end and I can almost guarantee you will have an incredible time.

“I was dizzy, I was above the clouds, I was jutting out the edges, I was mashed f***ing potato baby, and in that moment I had never not been yours”**

Image supplied by company.

The Unspoken Word is ‘Joe’ is a metatheatrical and satirical show that consistently breaks theatrical form. The script, written by Naarm | Melbourne based playwright Zoey Dawson, begins like a traditionally rehearsed ‘play reading’ of Zoey’s new play. The play reading is for one night only and takes place on the set of another show. However, not everything goes as planned and when the actors begin to go off book, chaos ensues. As I watched the evening unfold, I was in awe at how cleverly written this script was and how masterfully the actors took on the challenging roles.

Normally watching someone get drunk, completely humiliate themselves, and alienate the people they love is an incredibly cringey watching experience. However, and I’m not entirely sure how, the actors of this piece managed to heighten that uncomfortable level of cringe into a ridiculously comedic and energetic production. I was laugh crying at multiple points in the play. The audience was also extremely receptive and vocal towards the piece – I heard an audience member audibly gasp before breaking into hysterical laughter – and the responses I overheard from people following the performance were overwhelmingly positive.

The Unspoken Word of ‘Joe’ questions how much power the playwright has over the narrative and direction of their play. It also explores how the writing process can go wildly wrong and to what extent a theatre maker will go to fix the mess they’ve made. The main character of the script is playwright Zoey Dawson/Woman 1 – played by Rachel Nutchey – who becomes unhinged when her play reading doesn’t go as planned. We watch Zoey crumble into a wallowing mess, abandoned by those closest to her, as each mistake spirals into a tsunami of mistakes. As Zoey is sloppy-sobbing on the floor, surrounded by a destroyed set while laying in her own puke, the Woman Who Reads the Stage Directions – played by Alison Telfer McDonald – says “she looks around her and smiles”***. This moment provided satirical commentary on the pressure for young femme creatives to produce controlled flawlessness at the very beginning of their careers. When things go wrong, even to a career crushing level, we are expected to smile.

Unfortunately, The Reaction Theory’s run of The Unspoken Word is ‘Joe’ has ended. I do hope that their completely sold out run of shows will encourage the stellar cast and creative team of this performance to come back to a stage very soon. This production showcased some incredible young talent in Meanjin | Brisbane and was a true delight to watch. The script was clever, witty, and fast. Meanjin needs more theatre like this and every comedy I see following this will have a very high bar to live up to.

*Quote: The Unspoken Word is ‘Joe’ by Zoey Dawson

**Quote: The Unspoken Word is ‘Joe’ by Zoey Dawson

***Quote: The Unspoken Word is ‘Joe’ by Zoey Dawson