the big meal

In a typical restaurant, on a typical night, the extraordinary story of an ordinary family.

production details

Season dates: 18 Oct-4 Nov, 2017 - The Depot Theatre
Playwright: Dan LeFranc
Director: Julie Baz
Cast: Cormac Costello, Emily Dreyer, Angus Evans, Suzann James, David Jeffrey, Tasha O’Brien, Brendan Paul and Kaitlyn Thor
Stage Manager: Cherilyn Price
Lighting Designer: Mehran Mortezaei
Sound Designer: Thomas E. Moore
Set Designer: David Jeffrey

synopsis

Somewhere in America, in a typical suburban restaurant on a typical night, Sam and Nicole first meet. Sparks fly. And so begins an expansive tale that traverses five generations of a modern family, from first kiss to final goodbye. The Big Meal is a stunning, big-hearted play that spans nearly eighty years in roughly ninety minutes.

the whole cast, as individuals and in their entirety, faultlessly step through each moment, and each year, delivering consecutively both heart touching and heart wrenching drama ★★★★½ Sydney Scoop

O'Brien's ability to make subtle changes to each character she plays is impressive, and while there are obvious costume and hair changes, her craft shines through in each new scene…Her ability to communicate such an overwhelming heartbreak is moving Weekend Notes

O’Brien, of all, handled the rapid jump between characters, the differentiation between them and (especially in the opening scenes) the rapid fire dialogue the best. She never overplayed the characters or the comedy Theatre Now

everyone in the production is great, particularly Dave Jeffrey and Tasha O’Brien who bring a deliberate quirk to their roles that enhances our interest in the characters Lisa Thatcher

very cleverly designed and very fluid, its brilliantly paced staging quickly becomes exactly what is needed to suit the mood of each scene Sydney Arts Guide

the play demands a certain likeness to be carried across the generations and the actors Baz has chosen definitely have this, but it has also been achieved without compromising on talent The AU Review

Production photos: Katy Green Loughrey