Our Seventh String review | The Motley Bauhaus

In Our Seventh String, six friends and former housemates reunite at their Melbourne sharehouse after seven years apart. Over the course of the evening, long-held rivalries, love confessions, heartbreaks, and old resentments are reopened as the group contends with the changes they have all undergone in the intervening years, and what happens when the people you have spent so much of your life with are no longer the people with whom you should spend the rest of it.

Paperfolk Theatre is a new independent theatre company with emphasis on folk-inspired work, so it is no surprise that music plays a significant role in Our Seventh String. With music and lyrics by Emily Napolitano, Henry Smith and Lauren Green, the production features some moving and heartfelt songs, with well-crafted melodies and a variety of instruments that complement the various voices. With seven performers, there is a great range of vocal styles, but it is the duet with Frances (Miriam Ellins) and Thea (Harper Elwyn) that stands out as a particular highlight.

However, there's a need to ensure that everyone is mic'd accordingly, or else sing considerably louder. Even in the intimate setting of The Motley Bauhaus, it was often challenging to hear the lyrics over the piano, guitars, shakers, drums and triangle. At times, when they were singing different lyrics simultaneously, the words became almost impossible to make out.

The book, also by Green, centres on the complicated relationships between these seven friends, but it feels slightly overstuffed. Giving each character a voice and delving into their individual experiences results in conversations frequently just getting started when they are cut short to move on to a song or the next thread. Reducing the characters to five would allow for a more thorough exploration of the remaining characters and give the personal ties at the heart of the story room to deepen.

Rowan (Andrew Vassett) is the outsider to the circle, and in some ways, the audience surrogate. Dating one of the friends, he can recognise the dysfunction within the group while navigating the tensions of his own relationship. Vassett brings excellent comedic timing and an endearing awkwardness to the role.

The rest of the ensemble is solid, although the limitations of the book mean that some characters are not given enough opportunity to establish distinct identities. With so many dynamics and histories to present, a few of the characters feel somewhat underdeveloped, making it difficult to leave a lasting impression. Even so, the opening scene effectively defines who these characters are and where they have come from.

Our Seventh String is an ambitious debut with a confident musical sound and memorable songs. There is clear potential in the company's folk-inspired approach and its relatable themes, but the production would benefit from further focus in its storytelling and its characters. With a smaller ensemble to provide space for its central relationships to breathe, this could evolve into a more emotionally resonant and compelling work about friendship and the ways people grow apart.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: The Motley Bauhaus, 118 Elgin St, Carlton
Season: until 25 July | Sat 8:30pm

Duration: 50 minutes
Tickets: $32.50 Full | $27.50 Conc
Bookings: The Motley Bauhaus