Love, history, philosophy, morality, entitlement and The Ramones all meet in a Berlin apartment during the early morning hours. What first seems like a passionate night between two young lovers, quickly turns bitter as decades of resentment bring different emotions to the boil.
Charlotte (Georgia Latchford) is a German bartender serving drinks in her homeland. She is a published writer and a poet full of love for life. Tom (Lachlan Hamill) is a Jewish Australian tourist travelling the world after dropping his medical degree. Well-read and educated, he has a golden tongue but a somewhat bitter view of the world. After meeting at Charlotte‘s bar, the pair hit it off and retire to her apartment to continue the drinks, the laughter and the inevitable. A power play results in a battle of wits back and forth, over the nature of the world and humanity, but at least one of our two players has a secret.
Everything seems to have gone incredibly well and the two look like they may have a true connection worthy of exploring, but can we as a species escape the ghosts of our past as we look to the future? You see, we are in Berlin, Charlotte is German and Tom is Jewish. Maybe you haven’t heard, but these two groups have had something of a history over the last 75 years or so.
Joanna Murray-Smith‘s two-person story of past midnight seduction, betrayal and generational angst returns to Melbourne once more! In 2023, independent theatre company Little Life Productions chose this work as their ambitious first outing to show the world what they were made of. Now, 2 years later, director Erica Chestnut as well as stars Latchford and Hamill are revisiting Berlin. Their return trip allows them to take everything they have learnt, to see if they can make a bigger, bolder and even more ambitious exploration of Murray-Smith‘s masterpiece.
The story of Berlin is one of basic human conflict. Put two people in a room together and after enough subjects are discussed, they will eventually be at each other’s throats. Murray-Smith‘s incredibly well written script sees over the course of 80 minutes, two strangers believably fall in love, only for their inevitable dramas to tear them apart. Secrets and deception collide with intolerance and selfishness. While Berlin is a story about a young German woman and a young Jewish man, it could just as easily be about the descendants of any number of historical enemies who refuse to find peace.
Georgia Latchford and Lachlan Hamill each give terrific performances. There is a trust between the actors which allows them to delve deep into the play’s themes of exploitation and heartbreak.
Latchford, as the almost childlike Charlotte, is simply bursting with energy. A thick German accent, a lust for life and a desire to live life to its fullest is seen in every smile. Only for that smile to fade as the play takes a much darker turn. While Hamill is slick with the confidence of handsome youth, wishing to see “the real Berlin”, and chatting up a local beauty he not once capitulates. He knows what he wants and while he disagrees with Charlotte on many things, he is drawn to her regardless. If only things remained so simple.
This production of Berlin is presented at Meat Market, Stables and the setup allows for ambitious technical presentation. The stage designed by costume and set designer Leah Downey goes all out on creating Charlotte‘s living space. The room we will be seeing these characters inhabit for 80 minutes is fully fleshed out. As the game of seduction and the afterglow play out, the actors walk freely around the 20-something’s abode. Mind you, that looks like an awfully uncomfortable couch but what do I know of German interiors!
The lighting design by Jason Bovaid is an elaborate work which dynamically changes as the morning rolls on. While simple lights on and off would have been enough, rather as the story moves in more dramatic, traumatic or nondiplomatic directions, the lighting follows. Bovaid creates an ambience which enhances the retelling of a character’s past horrors. Or following someone with a spotlight making an already creepy confrontation even more disturbing!
Berlin as a script is already a brilliant piece of work. Joanna Murray-Smith is deserving of every piece of acclaim she has earned for her deep character driven work and intelligent dialogue. Little Life Productions take on Berlin is a stunningly acted and emotional thrill ride. Its cast keep the audience on the edge of their seats and leave us shaken.
You may walk into Berlin with preconceived notions, only to find them completely challenged. Thus is the power of Murray-Smith’s writing combined with the impact of Georgia Latchford and Lachlan Hamill’s impressive dynamic performances.
Little Life Productions‘ Berlin is currently playing at Meat Market, Stables in Melbourne until March 8th.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://www.berlinplay.com.au
https://meatmarket.org.au/event/berlin/2025-02-28
Photography by Matthew Chen.
