Dreamers is a beautiful exploration of romance between two marginalised characters in a nostalgic and bigoted Australian society. Although Magid migrated two years ago, as a Muslim immigrant in Australia, we see both the casual and overt bigotry and racism that impedes him, regardless of his eagerness for work and a better life. Anne is an aging seamstress, who lives mainly in isolation, seemingly only important to her daughter in her capacity as babysitter. Through their unlikely love affair, we see the other characters have to rationalise their discomfort, and the causes for such bigotry are explored within this play in a nuanced and interesting way.
Even in Adrienne Chisholm’s set design, Magid’s and Anne’s rooms are designed off to their respective sides, with pylons obscuring the view of Magid’s room, using fortyfivedownstairs’ space perfectly to show their marginalised position. The simple design is so effective, with the remainder of the cast occupying most of the set space with their pianola, and their 40s tunes and their nostalgic wishing for a world long gone.
This nostalgia, one where you know all of your neighbours, and you’re not scared to leave the house, is utilised beautifully by Keene to show how migrants have been used as the scapegoats for these fears, and how keenly and unrelenting the resulting hatred is.
These judgments and bigotry infiltrate everything and everywhere for Anne and Magid, and their battle against them is beautifully written, and beautifully acted with subtlety and elegance by Helen Morse and Yomal Rajasinghe.
There are surprising and welcome light-hearted moments, from the witty banter, to the sweetly choreographed short tap routines. This also endears the confused, hateful majority, who are shown to be more than their hypocrisy and bigotry. Whilst there is sympathy for these characters though, their cruel behaviour is highlighted and the damage played out deftly by a talented and experienced cast.
There weren’t clear comeuppances at the end, but for those marginalised, often the answer won’t be a grand uprising, like I would have loved to see, but simply carving out your own space in society, and weaving your way around daily racist land mines that don’t truly exist for the rest of us.
fortyfivedownstairs presents the Australian premiere of Dreamers written by Daniel Keene and directed by Ariette Taylor
Season: 6 – 30 November 2014
Times: Tue – Sat 8pm, Sun 4pm
Tickets: Full $45 / Seniors $42.50 / Concession $35
Venue: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Bookings: 03 9662 9966 or fortyfivedownstairs.com
Image credits: Jeff Busby
