When the Rain Stops Falling

In Andrew Bovell’s When the Rain Stops Falling, a cathartic shriek, a fish descending from the heavens and a stench of the sea trigger an intricate series of events spanning lifetimes and opposite sides of the globe. Giving a lesson in generational trauma, the epic story traces love, abandonment, betrayal, secrets, destruction and death through the lives of Gabriel York and his paternal and maternal ancestors.

When the Rain Stops Falling ambitiously explores the question of whether we, as individuals, are in control of our destiny or are we beholden to a set of circumstances out of our control. The story also conveys the effects of climate change, with several characters referencing significant natural disasters in history, and what the world may look like this century.

The show opens in a changed Alice Springs in 2039, where Gabriel York (Francis Greenslade) fusses over his apartment, painting it off-white – not white as it’s too stark like a hospital – in preparation for reuniting with his son Andrew Price (Darcy Kent), who he abandoned as a child. Gabriel tries to fix a nice lunch but laments that there is a lack of sourcing food. That is until a fish lands at his feet, which happens to smell like the sea.

Several threads spawn from this scene, revealing the true extent of emotional damage that is carried from one generation to the next. We are taken to London in 1959 with Gabriel’s paternal grandparents Henry Law (also played by Francis Greenslade) and Elizabeth Perry (Esther Van Doornum) – whose marriage implodes when Henry’s secrets come to light. We then see Elizabeth many years later (this time played by Margaret Mills). She is weathered by the burden of keeping secrets, has a dependency on alcohol and struggles to connect with her son Gabriel Law (also played by Darcy Kent). Gabriel sets off to Australia and meets Gabrielle York (Lucy Chaix), a young woman who manages an off-the-road motel. Their budding romance is cut short when a car accident claims Gabriel’s life and Gabrielle is saved by Joe Ryan (Chris Connelly), who cares for her and her son by Gabriel, named Gabriel York. We also see an older Gabrielle York (Heather Bolton) struggle with dementia and memories of Gabriel Law. Do you need a family tree? I think so.

Directed by Briony Dunn, When the Rain Stops Falling is masterful and moving. In short, it’s the type of play that even makes fish soup appetising. Lantana’s Andrew Bovell is no stranger to crafting an interwoven story that illustrates the human condition and depicts the nuance of grief and loss. The cast was excellent, with each performer having the chops to pull off their emotional monologues. Heather Bolton and Chris Connelly moved me to tears when pent-up frustration and the ghosts of their past come to a head in an explosive argument. Lucy Chaix was perfect playing the younger Gabrielle York. Esther Van Doornum and Margaret Mills were seamless in showcasing the tragedy of Elizabeth Law’s life. Darcy Kent was deft in his depiction of Gabriel York, a man in search of truth and love. Well-known actor and performer Francis Greenslade commanded the stage playing Henry Law, a man whose crimes caught up to him, and Gabriel York, a man whose past shaped his flaws.

On stage at Theatre Works until Saturday 18 March, When the Rain Stops Falling is an unforgettable and a superb piece of theatre.

When the Rain Stops Falling
Theatre Works, 14 Acland Street, St Kilda, 3182
On stage until Saturday 18 March 2023