The Laramie Project: A Review

Directed by Adam Mitchell, Presented by Hayman Theatre Company and Curtin Theatre Arts

As the audience resoundly applauded, whistled, and wooed the cast off stage, on what was a sold out Saturday night show, we all remained seated. As we would for moments after. We remained seated not because the performance didn’t deserve an ovation, but because we were digesting the complex importance of what we just witnessed.

This Verbatim play tells the story of a small American town and the death of a gay man at the hands of fellow townsfolk. The labyrinthine piece delves into the convoluted true story of Matthew Shepard’s brutal demise, showing the confliction of individuals and societies at large. It unashamedly, subtly and not so, shames derogatory attacks and micro-aggressions, while presenting insights into various differing views.

The cast members were tasked with maintaining not only strong American accents, but multiple different personas too. Bluntly, two-thirds of them did so effectively. It took about a sixth of the first part to understand what was happening, who all these people were, and why this play was worth spending hours of my life on. However, with the assistance of seamless costume design and changes, and the scripted character announcements, the play became accessible and I became emotionally invested. Although some of the sound design was questionable, the cast becoming a chorus, and the unique individual hummings were moving, leading the audience into emotions and giving us permission to feel alongside those onstage.

Special mention must go to Samuel Ireland who was, in this critics humble opinion, the sparkling light of the show. A truly outstanding, impeccable, and entertaining performance, supported by stellar performances by: Oliver Charlton, who convincingly moved from boisterous roles to more pensive ones, Alex Hutchings, who tugged at heartstrings in his portrayal of the victim’s father, and Tiahna McBride, who captivated all with her impeccable accent and eccentric mannerisms.

In summary, 3.5/5, I would see it again. The Laramie Project was undoubtedly worth every minute of the 110 minute run time; no wonder it is one of the most performed plays of the last decade. It is a vital literary piece that needs to be seen everywhere, and if it were this cast and crew to share it every time…well, they’d do it right.