It should be fairly well known by now that Long Cloud Youth Theatre, under the direction of Willem Wassenaar, is not in the habit of shying away from challenges or difficult projects. Their production of The Laramie Project, jointly directed by Wassenaar and Daniel Williams (and tutored by Sophie Roberts and Kate McGill) is no exception.

Three hours in length and drawn from interviews with a cross-section of residents in Laramie, Wyoming after a brutal murder, the play demands much from its cast but can, in the right hands, be a work of great beauty. 

Staged in the old hall at Wesley Methodist Church, the audience are seated in a large rectangle, lining all four sides of the room. A number of chairs are reserved for use by the cast, marked out by tape in the shape of a cross. Wassenaar and Williams make use of the entire space, placing their actors on stage, in chairs, behind chairs, and in and out of various doors in an epic feat of choreography that nonetheless flows smoothly and never appears to detract from the action, or clutter the space.

Given the nature of the staging, it is inevitable that the actors will always be facing away from a section of the audience, a problem exacerbated by the terrible acoustics of the location. However, the actors do an admirable job of projecting their lines clearly and, despite the occasional need to strain to hear, surprisingly little dialogue is lost in the echo. The directors also eschew any lighting or sound not already extant at the location, leaving a stark and open performance space and placing the weight of the play solely on the shoulders of their cast.

The first act is the least successful. The performances appear too broad, the comedy slightly forced, and there is a general unevenness in tone and pace. Entertaining enough, but it does not bode well for what is to come. Then, as the play begins to confront the unseen event – the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard that silently underlies every line of dialogue – the whole thing shifts. Sudden contrasts appear within characters as well as between them, the tone becomes more consistent, and the reasoning behind previous choices becomes plainly visible. It takes a while, but once the production shifts into gear it only goes from strength to strength. 

The seventeen-strong ensemble cast, most of them playing multiple roles, are uniformly excellent. What initially looks like over-playing is soon revealed as a deliberate stylisation, helping actors to clearly define their separate characters and distinguishing between any that may otherwise appear too similar. The switches between characters are handled cleanly and skilfully.

While the American accents are occasionally shaky, the stylised nature of the performances prevents any alienation from occurring when a few distinctly Kiwi syllables slip through. The cast is also acutely aware of how the emotional moments need to be played, pacing themselves carefully and never allowing self-indulgence when the opportunity appears.

The entire ensemble succeeds in one of the most crucial elements of the text: granting each character’s emotions the respect they demand, regardless of the views or opinions that character espouses. It is the most consistent work I have seen from an ensemble in a long time.

The greatest problem with the text itself is the way in which its authors insert themselves into the material as a framing device. This can (depending on how charitable you feel) appear anything from wholly redundant to unbearably sycophantic. Thankfully, having the actors play multiple roles allows them to mostly fade into the background. When those characters do force themselves to the fore, they are portrayed with a genuine warmth that diminishes the sense of intrusion they demonstrate on the page.

Ultimately, the greatest achievement made by the company lies in their portrayal of Matthew Shepard. The storm of attention surrounding his murder, the various forms of media invoked to examine it, and the eventual legislation pushed through in its wake all serve, despite their intentions, to diminish him to a name. A symbol. A cipher. The ensemble, through their performances, sketch out an image of a human being. A man who lived and died. It is a remarkable achievement. And one that firmly establishes this production as great theatre. 

(Disclosure: Hayden Frost is a former member of Long Cloud Youth Theatre.)
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