The Roof is Caving In

Emily Lynch

Year 10 

As part of my work experience placement, I wrote a review of the La Mama production, The Roof is Caving In. This show is one of the shows on the VCE Drama Playlist.

The Roof is Caving Inat the La Mama Courthouse is an incredible experience, utilising elements of Australian gothic to create an insight into the minds of young people moving out of home for the first time. 

The show is based around a completely monochrome set, with supporting actors dressed in the same blue colour to match the house. These actors, who also provide live music for the performance, add to the unfamiliarity of the space. This creates a distinct contrast for the main characters Bronwyn and Hester, who are dressed in completely purple and orange, respectively. These colours are opposite on the colour wheel, which reflects their personalities - complete opposites. By utilising lighting, the set can be turned either purple or orange, to emphasise which of the pair is dominating the space. 

The incredible writing of Matilda Gibbs gives these characters both detailed complexity. It is obvious to the viewer that neither of them believe they are the bad guy, both blaming issues on the other person. Simultaneously they strive to avoid confrontation, so often make compromises that neither of them are happy with. 

The music, written by Jack Burmeister, sets a mood for each scene. The quartet of performers pop out of places in the house, with one of them even hiding inside of the fridge! The songs create an atmosphere in the play, making each scene exciting to watch. 

Each musician doubles as a small character in the show, coming in for their specific scenes before blending back into the space. 

The character of the landlord appears multiple times throughout the show, however more often shown is the email communications between her and the tenants. These progress over the course of the play from being forced, polite and very long to becoming outright threats as more things fall apart. 

Paired with relatable moments, this show features some scenes that can only be viewed in slight horror. Insights into the mind of Hester reveal her extreme obsession with true crime, paired with intense sound and lighting, and some slightly gory visuals. These appear alongside moments with Bronwyn as they attend therapy sessions that don’t seem to be helping. As they open up more and more, their sessions begin to become more skewed and intense. This is paired with the tense energy rising between Bronwyn and Hester as they prepare for a party that neither of them really want to have. The only attendees at this party are the supporting actors, playing the characters of the landlord, maintenance worker, neighbour, therapist and love interest. This makes for an unnatural event as the characters complete a dance sequence that eventually falls apart as Bronwyn and Hester climb towards the peak of their disagreement. 

The only downfall I would find in this show is the middle of the performance. There was a lull at about halfway through that left me wondering how they were going to finish it up, and if it would be anytime soon. However it soon picked up again and the rest of the show was incredibly entertaining. The Roof is Caving In has many hilarious moments which are expertly written alongside meaningful insights into the complexity of an individual and the difficulties that come with moving out of home. 

Overall I would highly recommend this production of The Roof is Caving Into anyone. Any viewer of any age is sure to relate to some aspect of this show, laugh at its jokes and have a great time.

VisitThe Roof is Caving In to book your tickets now!