Crapbox review | Theatre Works

Death and grief take many forms, from the quiet sadness of losing a loved one to the complicated emotions that surface when having to live without them. In Crapbox, playwright Kevin Nemeth explores these experiences through four short stories that examine loss, memory and the relationships that shape our lives. While each one approaches its subject in its own way, they come together to form a poignant reflection on what remains after someone is gone.

Opening with Early Morning, a couple wake up early one morning and become overwhelmed by their anxieties as they lie in bed. This is the most difficult piece to engage with, largely due to the writing style Nemeth has chosen. The husband and wife (Peter Houghton and Ann Browning) narrate their own actions and reactions as though reading stage directions, with lines such as “he pauses for a moment” and “she’s surprised”. While the actors do a great job of conveying the emotions behind their words, the approach feels somewhat unnatural, creating a distance between the audience and the characters.

The titular story, Crapbox, centres on a man still grieving the death of his wife, while also convinced that the "crapbox" house he bought is haunted. Tom Gutteridge gives a gentle, nuanced performance as a man learning to live with his loss. His grief may have subsided, but the sadness lingers, and Gutteridge captures this with considerable sensitivity.

The Letter, follows a son discovering a lost letter between him and his deceased mother. Having no actor on stage and relying solely on a voice heard offstage is a risky choice for theatre, but the execution is smartly handled, as we watch the son’s mother getting ready to go out. It’s a beautiful reminder of the life she led and the memories she has left behind.

The final work, The Good Daughter, shifts away from the more introspective nature of the earlier pieces to explore the ethical and moral dilemmas of a daughter helping her mother end her life amid dementia and illness. Where The Letter is sentimental and tender, The Good Daughter is rawer and angrier, without being any less loving or affected by the pain of losing a mother. Browning deliver a highly impressive performance as a child whose love for her mother places her in an agonising position.

Harrie Hogan’s visual design is exceptional, allowing the stories to transition seamlessly from one to the other. The way the bed is repurposed throughout is especially striking, taking on new meaning as the narratives unfold. What begins as an ordinary domestic setting becomes a place of intimacy, vulnerability and heartache, with the bed serving as a moving symbol of the relationships at the heart of the production. Her lighting design is equally effective, introducing moments that heighten the emotional connection, and draw us further into the lives, and deaths, of the characters.

The four pieces in Crapbox address mourning and the enduring impact of death from different perspectives, yet feel interconnected, as though they could almost be talking about the same person. Nemeth establishes character quickly and confidently, presenting vivid portraits of people who are no longer present through the way others speak about them and recall their relationships. What makes Crapbox particularly affecting is its exploration of death and its aftermath without resorting to melodrama, instead finding insight in the complexities of grief, memory and that moving forward after someone dies is not always that straightforward.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: Theatre Works Explosive Factory, Rear Laneway, 67 Inkerman Street, St Kilda
Season: until 7 November | Wed - Sat 7:30pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $48 Full | $38 Conc
Bookings: Theatre Works

Images credit: Daniel Rabin