The Man from Earth - Old Mill Theatre Review

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Fri 24 Nov 2023 - Sat 09 Dec 2023

The final season at the Old Mill Theatre, South Perth, is The Man from Earth by Jerome Bixby and Richard Schenkman directed by Virginia Moore Price. This stage production was adapted from the movie of the same name, released in 2007. Acclaimed science fiction writer Jerome Bixby, writer of the original Star Trek and The Twilight Zone, originally conceived this story back in the early 1960’s. It would come to be his last great work.

After history professor John Oldman unexpectedly resigns from the University, his startled colleagues impulsively invite themselves to his home, pressing him for an explanation. But they’re shocked to hear his reason for his premature retirement; John claims he must move on because he is immortal, and cannot stay in one place for more than ten years without his secret being discovered.



Tempers rise and emotions flow as John’s fellow professors attempt to poke holes in his story, but it soon becomes clear that his tale is as impossible to disprove as it is to verify. What starts out as a friendly gathering soon builds to an unexpected and shattering climax.

But is John telling the truth? Is he over 14000 years old, or is he just pulling all his friend’s legs to lighten the mood about his leaving? This production will keep audiences guessing until the very end.

This is the second ‘different’ production I’ve seen directed by Virginia Moore Price this year and yet again she doesn’t disappoint. She has assembled a great cast who seemed to be exactly what they portrayed on stage - a group of concerned friends. And while it can be easy for a play centred around a group of people sitting in a lounge talking to be boring, this show is anything but!

The show starts with most cast members reciting a poem about their character, scattered around the stage and the theatre itself, an idea conceived by Moore Price herself and while these poems may seam out of place to start, their reasoning becomes clear as the play progresses. Jacob Lane is captivating as John Oldman, and sitting in the audience even I had trouble trying to figure out the truth behind it all. The only person fully on John’s side from the start is Sandy (Amanda Watson) whom is also John’s love interest. It was easy to see the chemistry between them, as well as Sandy’s unwavering belief.



The rest of the cast is also great with their questioning and interjections on what John tells the group, switching from possibly believing to out and out not. Peter Neaves’ character Gruber is absent for the (short) first act, apart from the opening poem, but his appearance and presence are strong. Gruber (understandably as it turns out) starts out angry, accusing John of some nasty things, but as the show progresses he softens a little until the VERY dramatic and unexpected ending - all I’ll say to that is that the statement made by John is answered! The Man from Earth is captivating from start to finish.

Virginia Moore Price is to be highly complimented not only for her choices in show, cast and direction but also for her set, sound and lighting designs - as well as lighting and sound operation during production. It can be easy for one leg to be weaker than the others when wearing so many production hats, but this is not the case for Moore Price, all the legs stand as strong as the others. Moore Price is showing all her strengths and talent in this production and I look forward to seeing more of her works in the future.

If you haven’t booked your tickets yet, you’d better jump on it as by the time this review is published, there’ll be only three shows remaining, the 7th, 8th and 9th of December and limited seats. Book online here.

Photos were supplied by a cast member and taken by Matthew Lister.

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!date 24/11/2023 -- 09/12/2023
%wnperth