On Stage: Between The Lines – The James Joyce/Groucho Marx Letters

An imaginative and believable story line together with some great acting ensures Bloomsday in Melbourne’s latest production Between The Lines – The James Joyce/Groucho Marx Letters offers an entertaining night at the theatre.

Established in 1994, Bloomsday in Melbourne is an Australian literary and theatrical group dedicated to celebrating the life and works of James Joyce, particularly his landmark novel Ulysses.

Between The Lines – The James Joyce/Groucho Marx Letters, which is playing at fortyfivedownstairs, is the group’s 2026 offering.

The 85-minute play is set in two distinct worlds – 1937 and 1987.  It tells of young academic Pandora Friedan (Seon Williams) who, as a result of her PhD research in the 1980s, believes she has found letters exchanged between James Joyce and comedy legend Groucho Marx in 1937. In the academic world the discovery of such letters is huge.

However, to publish those letters she needs the help of a recognised male academic Murray Dalton (Shannon Wollard) as it seems in the cut-throat Joyce industry credit rarely goes to a woman.

But can she trust the arrogant, pompous Dalton?  A conversation between Pandora and her mother Mary (Christina Costigan) suggests not.  But the ethical Pandora is no fool as we see in the final scene as Murray is interviewed on the BBC by radio presenter Jill Snow (also played by Christina Costigan).

While the conversations between Pandora and Mary and Pandora and Murray provide much of the play’s drama, the reading of the supposed letters between James Joyce (Tref Gare) and Groucho Marx (Scott Middleton) often provide the show’s comic relief.

Both men do a wonderful job in presenting their letters which cover topics including their artistic processes.   The challenges Joyce found in publishing  Ulysses and his daughter’s illness and Marx’s relationship with his audience, his relationship with his family and his dislike of the American tax system are also covered.

Middleton’s timing and interaction with the audience is a highlight while Gare brings to life Joyce’s often frustrated and at times despondent feelings.

According to the play’s writer Steve Carey exploring what would happen when the high priest of modernism exchanges letters with the king of one-liners was interesting.

“But the play is about more than that, it’s an exploration of their attitudes towards women in the 1930s, compared with what’s happening in the play during the 1980s – as seen from our viewpoint, some 40 years later. We want the show to entertain but also provoke great conversation on the way home from the theatre.”

Reaction from the audience suggests he was successful ensuring Between The Lines – The James Joyce/Groucho Marx Letters is a welcome addition to the company’s three decades long archive of shows that have honoured Joyce in style.

Between The Lines – The James Joyce/Groucho Marx Letters is playing at fortyfivedownstairs until June 21.  For more information and tickets visit the fortyfivedownstairs website.

Jenny Burns attended a June 18 performance of the play as a guest of the production company.

*Photo credit: Jody Jane Stitt