Never Have I Ever review

Faced with shutting down their restaurant and an inevitable bankruptcy claim looming, Jacq and Kas invite their friends / investors Tobin and Adaego, for dinner to break the news to them, and potentially seek a second lifeline. But in Never Have I Ever, things don't go according to plan and soon enough the four are drunk and high, and conversations and challenges around sexism, racism, misogyny and classism begin to rear their ugly heads.

Chika Ikogwe is utterly brilliant as Adaego, who as well as being an upper class black journalist is also a self proclaimed activist for women in business. Ikogwe is paired up perfectly with Simon Gleeson as her exceptionally wealthy and pompous husband Tobin who despite being thinly written, is given adequate layers by Gleeson's performance that keep him interesting. The highlights of the show are when these two are going at each other, with both finding the comedy and the truth of their characters in an extremely convincing way.

Katie Robertson is also a standout as Jacq, who must grapple with a very enticing offer by Tobin that could change her life, but to what extent. Sunny S Walia rounds out the cast as Jacq's partner Kas, and while he tries to do him justice, Kas is even more underdeveloped than Tobin and there isn't much for Walia to do.

Deborah Frances-White's script has some pointed comments to make about the world in which we live in, but it precariously toes the line between engaging discourse and a moralising lecture. When Kas is given his moment to shine via a "TedTalk", his revelations are supposed to profoundly affect us, but it comes across as another tick for topics to cover. Similarly, Adaego's closing speech to Tobin and Jacq is overkill and borders on indulgence. The production is still entertaining and provides genuine moments that cause you to think, but there are instances when you feel certain interactions have been echoed earlier and ultimately lose their impact.

Zoe Rouse has clearly put in a lot of effort with her stylish restaurant set, but the way it is used by Director Tasnim Hossain leads to awkward staging, with characters having chats in tight corners like the wine cellar and the upstairs entrance, partially obscured by the lattice enclosures. It feels unnecessarily claustrophobic when such a large open area of the restaurant is unused. Otherwise Hossain's use of the space successfully represents the structures being explored from a societal perspective as well as between the four friends, and she manages to deliver great comedic scenes from her cast.

There are challenging issues raised in Never Have I Ever, including themes of identity, cultural and class expectations, and the complexities of navigating the pressures of modern life. While the show doesn’t always hit the mark in fully realising its goals, it offers plenty of thought-provoking and nuanced reflections to consider.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne
Season: until 22 March | Mon - Tues 6:30pm, Wed - Fri 7:30pm, Sat 2:00pm & 7:30pm
Duration: 140 mins inc. interval
Tickets: $69 Full | $60 Conc
Bookings: Melbourne Theatre Company

Image credit: Sarah Walker