'Picnic at Hanging Rock' // Javeenbah Theatre Company

‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ was unsettling.

Adapted by Tom Wright, from Joan Lindsay’s novel of the same name, ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ reimagines the horror story of four girls who go missing at Hanging Rock, and the upsetting events that transpired afterwards, told from the perspective of five modern-day schoolgirls.

A horrific retelling of the myth that haunts Australia’s history, taunting us with the unknowing of whether this tale is true or just pure fiction. This show will leave you with goosebumps all along your arms, and the only way to watch it is at Javeenbah Theatre in Nerang, Gold Coast.

Directed by Hunter Wall, ‘Picnic At Hanging Rock’ is performed by five talented women, who take on numerous roles throughout the show. Each creates a different and distinguishable personality with every character change they make, and it was easy to follow along with what was happening because of it.

While the story has both female and male roles, even with no men, these women did a fantastic job of acting in the male characters. The actors, Hayley Stein, Tyler Molloy, Isabella Whitehead-Nagy, Emma Neilson and Jessica White, worked superbly together to create a tense and creepy dynamic on stage, with the aid of the lighting and sound. Designed by Ben Vlasich and Hunter Wall respectively, were every bit as spooky as the action taking place on the stage. Between the flashing lights and haunting sound effects, it certainly kept the audience alert and on the edge of their seats.

The set design by Jeff Butterworth and Hunter Wall was admittedly an interesting choice. While the first quarter of the play takes place on Hanging Rock, the stage was surrounded by chalkboard panels, which was confusing at first. However, as the show went on, the characters would write on the chalkboard panels unnerving news report headlines, which added to the overall uneasy tone. Further, the panels allowed the actors to disappear in the darkness, and it was very impressive how silent the panels were, which made it even creepier when the girls just vanished into what seemed like thin air! Very cool and very spooky! Special kudos to stage manager Stephanie Starre and stage crew Kiki Tierney and Chloe Smith for aiding in those transitions and running the show so well from behind the scenes.

Costume design was very authentic to what an Australian school girl would wear, and it was interesting to see as the play went on, and the actors became more and more immersed in the story of ‘Picnic At Hanging Rock’, the costumes changed from modern day to authentic 1900s garb. Compliments to designers Christine McLachlan, Jessica White and Gillian Crow, as well as Merrimac State High School, for creating such incredible attire for the characters. The only confusing thing was why Albert wore a skirt rather than pants. Either way, the costumes were beautiful and suited the story very well.

An unmissable show that tackles the tale of ‘Picnic At Hanging Rock’ in such a creative way, this performance was a joy to watch. Congratulations to all involved in putting on such a fantastic show, its a testament to how great the team is that came together. This show is a wonderful tribute to Joan Lindsay’s
novel, and proof that adaptations of books can be effectively brought to the stage.

‘Picnic At Hanging Rock’ performs until Saturday 29 June 2024 at Javeenbah Theatre. For more information, visit their website.