Lane Cove Theatre Company: If/Then - Review by Kimberlea Smith
- danielconway0
- Mar 26
- 3 min read
If/Then is a Sliding Doors-esque musical that examines how the choices we make - or don’t make - shape our lives. The show follows Elizabeth down two paths over five years - one as Beth, a logical and pragmatic city planner who is career-focused, and the other as Liz, a hopeless romantic who leaves things to fate. Lane Cove Theatre Company’s production, directed by Lochie Beh and musical directed by Stephen Dula assisted by Lindford Gilmour, is an enjoyable, bright and poignant production with a strong cast that makes the most of uneven material.
Performing in their new home - the newly built Performance Space in Pottery Lane - there is a lovely intimacy to the space that lends itself well to If/Then. The performers are accompanied by a four-piece band - Stephen Dula on keyboard, Bonita Cynthia Silva on violin, Tom McCracken on drums and Dom Parker - who are nestled in a space side-of-stage. Beh notes that ‘a simple set, unobtrusive to the story’ was prioritised in order to make the characters the focal point of the show. Backdrop projections, designed by Michael Dalton and Mira Pararajasingham, do most of the heavy lifting in this regard, with ‘Liz’ or ‘Beth’ appearing in the top corner. Given that the bifurcated plot can sometimes be a little hard to follow, this does help remind the audience which timeline they are in. Lighting design by Jeremy Cardew is simple but effective.
Daisy Cousens is phenomenal as Elizabeth. Elizabeth is a demanding role that is onstage almost the entire show, requiring the actor to chart two emotional journeys across the course of the show. Cousens has a powerhouse voice with a lovely vibrato. She also possesses a strong stage presence, making distinctions between Beth and Liz as the show shifts from one storyline to the other. Cousens’ rendition of ‘You Learn to Live Without’ is a highlight of the show.
Belinda Korner is a standout as Elizabeth’s friend Kate. Korner is simply delightful, with terrific comedic timing and her take on Kate is warm, effervescent, and charismatic. Trent Gardiner is excellent as Lucas, Elizabeth’s friend from college, showing great emotional range. Cousens, Korner, and Gardiner all have wonderful chemistry with one another and their moments together are a delight to watch. Isaac Downey is gentle and compassionate as Josh. Downey is excellent at communicating with just his face or body language, giving a performance that feels lived in. He is a grounding presence onstage and his performance of ‘Hey Kid’ is another highlight of the show.
The supporting actors - Luke Derrick as Josh’s friend David, Lindford Gilmour as Elizabeth’s boss Stephen, Jacqui Greenfield as Kate’s partner Anne, and Genevieve Skye as Beth’s colleague Elena - are well cast. The cast is rounded out by Amy Fowler, Zach Godsmark, Euan Howells, Natalie Hughes and Mike Kulikov in the ensemble. The ensemble creates the hustle and bustle of New York City and their harmonies are stunning.
Playing until 30 March, Lane Cove Theatre Company’s If/Then is an enjoyable production with a pitch perfect cast. The many moving parts of this show have been well-executed, overcoming the shortcomings of the script. Beh and his team have done a wonderful job of bringing out the nuances and subtleties in the material to create dynamic, engaging characters.
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