For many people, besides their parents, teachers might be the only adults that get to spend the most time with them during childhood. Countdown explores the path of a young woman trying to make her mark in the teaching career, and exposes the dark side of education while the story unravels.
Countdown, written by Calvin Goh and Morven Hawthorne, is a profound piece. Goh and Hawthorne’s skillful writing, accompanied by the real experience they collected from their teachers, makes this piece powerful and striking. The entire play is structured in a fast-paced episodic manner, exhibiting the protagonist’s teaching life in a linear way. At times, however, some of the scenes are slightly fragmented and disconnected to the main storyline.
The decision of Hawthorne (also the director) to focus on the difficulties of women in a high pressure workplace is gentle yet powerful. The choice of blocking actors on stage before and during the show at certain scenes is immersive, coming out impactful and impressive visually. By putting us in the protagonist’s uncomfortable and suffocating shoes, we empathise with them immediately.
Esther Presslie handles Evie’s character with care and has a strong grasp of her emotional core, especially in her gradual transformation from a young, passionate university graduate first stepping a foot in teaching, to a tired, disappointed educator.
Overall, Countdown is a great piece, handling the balance between reality and theatricality well. Hopefully, there won’t be any more stressful countdowns for the Evies out there in the future, but only promising count-ups.
Countdown has finished its Fringe run.
Image provided to The Student as press material.
