The lives of well-known sporting heroes are often emulated through various media after they have become famous.  

The current early evening play at Bats Theatre, Taking The High Ground by Jan Bolwell, however, takes a fascinating look at a pair of equally famous female mountaineers whose achievements have gone almost unnoticed over the years.

The fact that both are female, and controversy surrounded their sporting prowess, may also be a factor in their lack of recognition.

The success in their mountain climbing is separated by almost 90 years, yet the structure of Bolwell’s play is such that the interweaving and juxtaposition of their lives and the obstacles they had to overcome to achieve success are not too dissimilar. [More] 

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By interweaving the particular stories of two mountain climbers – Freda du Faur, an Australian who was the first woman to scale Aoraki/Mount Cook in 1910, and New Zealander Lydia Bradey, who was the first woman to scale Mount Everest solo and without oxygen in 1988 – playwright Jan Bolwell has created a lively metaphor for the changing nature and status of women over the 20^th century. 

With Taking the High Ground (her sixth play, by my count)* Bolwell has literally taken her craft to another level by bringing these two women together across time, and by having young Freda confront her 52 year-old self. On Lisa Maule’s scaffolding and white-slab set punctuated with trans-generational furniture, director Annie Ruth, choreographer Sacha Copland and the five actors combine to elevate the action and interactions with a focus and energy that dynamically shares Freda and Lydia’s experiences. That is, the play – which is about much more than climbing – is driven by Lydia’s enquiry into Freda’s life, although Lydia does also evoke her Everest climb for the edification of the long-dead Freda.

The silent fascination with which the constrained and bulkily brown-clad Young Freda observes physically liberated Lydia in colourful lycra establishes the theatrical conceit from the outset. It quickly becomes apparent that the desire to climb is the only thing they have in common: Freda is privileged with an independent income and a professional guide to support her passion while Lydia was brought up by a solo mum and has made it to multiple heights on her own – including, literally, her Everest feat which remains controversial on a number of levels.

Isobel MacKinnon captures beautifully Young Freda’s determination to break through the constraints of Edwardian conventions, the excitement climbing gives her, her relationships with her father Ecceleston du Faur and her hired guide Peter Graham, and her ‘special’ relationship with gymnasium trainer Muriel Cadogan.

Emily Regtien is loud, stroppy and physically impressive as Lydia Bradey, and much more complex as the initially confident then progressively troubled Muriel Cadogan. The range of psychological states and emotions she has to navigate over both roles is as exacting as the terrain she gets to traverse as Lydia, and Regtien rises to the challenges with compelling skill.

As ‘Old Freda’ (I suppose 52 seemed ‘old’ in 1935) Jan Bolwell brings a more grounded perspective to Freda’s story and Lydia’s enquiry, raising intriguing questions – which the play does answer – as to why her personality has changed so much. And Bolwell’s Mrs Fitzpatrick joins Elizabeth Harris’s Mrs Harris at The Hermitage (Mt Cook) to give horrified voice to Freda’s lack of ladylike modesty and decorum. Harris also delivers a cameo as an early 20^th century Tourist Guide.

All the male roles are deftly sketched in by Simon Paenga. Freda’s father, art enthusiast and patron Ecceleston du Faur, is putty in her hands. Professional Kiwi mountain guide Peter Graham supports and challenges Freda and gives her the respect she deserves. Aussie gymnasium owner Charles DuPain happily espouses the prevailing notion that women are fragile emotionally and too much strenuous exercise will endanger their primary child-bearing role. Dr Morton diagnoses Muriel and Freda’s lesbianism as ‘inverted hedonistic persuasion’ and treats them accordingly (you’ll have to see the play to discover the outcome). And Dougal Stevenson delivers the news of Lydia’s Everest escapade.

The catalytic effect of bringing Freda and Lydia together is a dramatic dynamism that injects great energy into the production while the chemistry between Freda and Muriel is ever-changing. There are surprises in the way things turn out and it’s a great credit to all involved that the way the play resolves is as compelling, in a different way, as all that’s gone before.

Composer and sound designer David Downes, lighting designer and operator Zoë Higgins add excellent value to a production that deserves to be seen well beyond this initial 5-day season (6 performances).
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*Jan Bolwell’s previous plays include Standing on my Hands, Here’s Hilda!, Double Portrait: Finding Frances Hodgkins, Dancing in the Wake and Bill Massey’s Tourists.
Full disclosure: I was in Dancing in the Wake. 

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