​

“Come Again” is a masterwork in raw, palpable tension.

Playwright Alex Tutton has created a show that is equal parts

confronting and engaging, showcasing the ineffable strain that

guilt, trauma, or some twisted love child of the two can place

on our mental health and relationships. Sal (Angela Johnston)

is a retail worker living with a fairly average boyfriend. When she reports her boyfriend missing after a few days, her treatment at the hands of a police constable (John Michael Narres) leads to trauma that resonates with her well after the entire ordeal is over. That same trauma reveals fast-forming cracks in the relationship of her current partner, Noni (Gabrielle Bowen). This show thrives on the twists and turns it takes, jolting the audience into the unexpected with a steady, even-handed pace, never taking too long or skipping by something important. Johnston’s performance is the keystone of this show, her incredible humanity and empathetic take on character who all at once has to juggle light-heartedness with genuine affection and the aftereffects of a highly traumatic experience. Bowen displays similar humanity with a far cooler, far more composed Noni that showcases her incredible range as she undergoes virtually every position on the emotional spectrum. Narres’ portrayal of a constable for the NSW police is sublime, teetering on a knife’s edge of the ambivalent officer just doing his job and a brutal inquisitor, twisting words and intentions. Director Lu Bradshaw has taken this incredibly raw, emotional work and orchestrated something amazing, terrifying, and utterly unique. Be sure to check the content warnings before booking a ticket, but “Come Again” is a show you do not want to miss!

​

​