On Stage: Love and Information

Love and Information, playing at Melbourne’s Theatre Works, is one of those plays where a little research is probably useful before attending a performance.

If you are looking for a `traditional play’ with a continual storyline you may be disappointed. But if you were like the year 11 and 12 school students at the matinee performance we attended, you may love it.

Written by London playwright Caryl Churchill, the 107-minute play features over 50 short scenes and over 100 characters all apparently searching for meaning in their lives.

None of the scenes or the characters are connected. Some are extremely short, only a couple of lines, others a little longer.  Supposedly all have connection to the theme of Love and Information and ask such questions as what do we really know about each other and how much information can we hold while still remaining open to love?

Sometimes that connection is easy to see, sometimes it’s a little more challenging.

And it seems that every performance is different. According to the producers the play’s seven sections of re-orderable scenes and lines are rearranged and reallocated daily so no two performances are ever the same – making it practically impossible for audiences to experience the same show twice.

Some of the scenes featured in our performance were funny, others sad and some rather confusing.

The scene featuring an entitled couple looking at a piece of art was humorous, scenes featuring breakups sad while a scene featuring a man in love with an AI bot thought provoking.  Two men seemingly watching a snail fell into the confusing category.

While the scenes varied in appeal a constant was the work of the actors in the show – Charlie Morris, Chelsea Hawke, Emma Woods, Felix Star, Iopu Auva’a, Jack Francis West, Jane Edwina Seymour, Junghwi Jo and Sean Yuen Halle.

Given the number of different roles all were required to play and the quick swaps between scenes all did a great job presenting numerous characters experiencing a wide range of emotions.

There’s no doubt Love and Information confirms Churchill’s reputation for consistently and relentlessly pushing the boundaries of theatre. Like many of her plays whether you like them or not is very much personal taste.

Love and Information is playing at Theatre Works until June 14.  For more information and tickets visit the Theatre Works website

Jenny Burns attended a performance of Love and Information as a guest of the production company.

*Photo credit:  Steven Mitchell Wright