Reviewed by: Fringefeed
Review by Nicki Ranger | 30 January 2022

In Rewrite, the new play by Cat Morawiec, art becomes life as Samantha (Monique Nelson) and Niamh (Maggie Cope-Thomas), with a little help from their friend Andrew (Aaron O'Neil), find themselves meeting the characters in a romance story they are writing.

The pair are determined to win a competition with their story, but Samantha’s writing one ending while illustrator Niamh visualises something different.

In the opening scenes, Lincoln (Calen Simpson), Tiana (Clara Lee) and Jordan (Oscar Sheil) fill the minimalist stage with their presence as the three story characters who must stop, start and replay their actions as their creators struggle to finish the scene. All three actors display impeccable timing as they rewind and freeze frame waiting for the next lines of their story to be written.

It’s not long before the two scenes become one and so begins a merry-go-round of hilarious moments as the writers attempt to get the characters back on the page.

Cat Morawiec has cleverly defined the characters of Lincoln, Tiana and Jordan so that they can only behave within the narrow dimensions of their romance genre character profiles, bound by the stereotypes of dashing bad boy, confused pretty girl and clueless rich boy caught up in a classic love triangle. The whole cast skilfully allow the audience to maintain the perception that three of them are truly human while the others are still ultimately under Samantha and Niamh’s creative control.

A bit of soul-searching goes on as the characters try to find their motivations and occasionally the action could move a little quicker, but these moments are soon moved forward by playful interruptions from other characters, most notably Lincoln, who steals the show with his obsessive hair-combing.

An all-round special mention has to go to Calen Simpson for his fabulous, too cool for school portrayal of Lincoln.

With a brilliant cast featuring some of Perth’s finest up-and-coming young actors, Rewrite is a great theatrical addition to this year’s FRINGE WORLD festival.