The Motion Of Light In Water

The Motion Of Light In Water is at once a touching biography, a politically charged discussion on compassion and humanity and a science fiction epic. It fuses the true story of writer Samuel Delany’s struggle for acceptance as a young black science fiction writer in the ‘60s with a stage adaptation of one of his major works. Both stories were simultaneously and impeccably told with such skill that I was thoroughly engaged every single moment.

Elbow Room has been creating work in Melbourne for a while, but this is the first opportunity I’ve had to see them. What a mistake to take this long. One of the strongest of Melbourne’s independent performance companies, the creative team headed by writer/director Marcel Dorney is definitely one that will be on my “see no matter what” list from now on. Yes, because of this play. I’m not a particular fan of sci-fi but loved every moment of this genre piece. Such finesse in design, style and content creation was married with an absolutely flawless script. Add to this one of the best ensemble casts I’ve seen in a long time engaging with a gentle yet in-depth exploration of cultural and personal struggles (struggles that are just as problematic in 2014 Melbourne as they were in 1960s USA) and you have my top theatre pick of 2014 so far.

Theatre Works to 27 Jul