Querencia Calling - Spoiler Free Review

8 stars out of 10 - shows this weekend, and next!

Tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/DAVIB

Querencia: A place where one feels safe, at home, and draws strength—a place where you can be your most authentic self. – A beautiful word to describe the second home of every thespian.

Everyone carries an invisible backpack. Filled with past experiences, emotions, dreams, pain, challenges and successes. Some days it feels too heavy to bear. On those days, who will you ask to help carry the load?” Querencia Calling explores the role of friendship in shaping not only who we are, but who we want to be. Relationships inevitably change over time, and this play introduces us to 5 friends whose connection spans from their university days to their current “mid-life” and examines the bonds that can remain strong even after life and distance get in the way. 

Querencia Calling marks Sharyn Henderson’s first venture into writing a full-length play. While the script is strong, there are moments that could benefit from further reflection and editing to polish the work to its full potential. The production suffers slightly as a result, but the Opening Night audience still thoroughly enjoyed it, responding with enthusiastic whoops as the cast took their bows in the intimate theatre space.

Director Geoff Brittain, together with a talented cast of five, brought this story to life and vividly portrayed the journey of the friends: Emma, Belinda, Simon, Meredith, and Clare. Brittain, known for his work across the Adelaide scene, demonstrates his storytelling prowess here. His naturalistic staging and the emotional generosity he draws from his actors tug at the audience’s heartstrings.

The standout performance comes from Georgia Stockham as Belinda, the middle-aged best friend of Emma (around whom the story revolves), who never quite knows when to keep quiet. Stockham’s characterisation is a joy to watch, and the emotional work she and the rest of the cast deliver is convincing and heartfelt. The Act 1 closer and, together with Cheryl Douglas, the Act 2 opener are particularly powerful, thanks in large part to their performances.

Emma, portrayed by Cheryl Douglas, is the friend who’s always there for others but never asks for help herself—a figure many of us would recognise. Douglas’s talent is evident from the opening scene, where she conveys so much even in stillness. However, it’s in the Act 2 opener that her acting truly shines, moving many in the audience. Her relationships with each of the other characters are clearly explored, making it all the more heartwarming when she finally seeks help and her friends rally around her.

As an audience member, I found myself drawn to Simon’s perspective, brought to life by Luke Foale. Simon is the supportive friend who dislikes conflict and acts as the mediator to bring the group back together. Although Foale’s background is primarily in improv, their mannerisms and acting choices suggest a natural talent for drama. They do an excellent job of embodying Simon’s role within the group.

While Querencia Calling doesn’t have minor characters, Meredith’s impact on the audience isn’t as strong as that of the other four friends. This isn’t due to Perrin Abbas’s performance, which is excellent, but rather to the opportunities the script provides for her character. Abbas’s portrayal is enjoyable and her character’s motivations are similar to Simon’s, but something about the connection between Meredith and the audience doesn’t quite land.

Alicia Zorkovic’s program bio highlights her experience in film, theatre, and teaching, so it was no surprise that her character Clare was the first I connected with in the opening bar scene. As the story unfolds, Clare remains a steady presence, with a well-developed subplot involving her return from abroad when Emma begins behaving oddly.

The set consists of a table and two benches on stage right, and a lounge, chair, table, and a well-stocked side bar on stage left, with window blinds hung upstage. This arrangement quickly makes the space feel crowded, especially once the characters are on stage. There are moments when actors brush against the wing curtains as they move past and distract from the action happening in the story. While the stage’s size is a clear obstacle, I wonder if alternative set pieces could have alleviated the congestion.

The music throughout the play evokes the ultimate Millennial’s Spotify playlist: Spice Girls, Shania Twain, Phil Collins, Pharrell Williams and Los del Rio, to name a few. I was curious about the lack of music credits in the program, which I would expect be a condition of the APRA AMCOS license agreement. Perhaps the Producer or Production Manager is more across this than I am, and I’m mistaken. Regardless, it’s a fantastic playlist—I’d recommend the play for the music alone!

Without giving away the plot, I understand the context of the excessive drinking and partying in the first two scenes of Act One, but as an audience member, there comes a point where it feels overdone. I believe that point is reached in this production.

The decision to present Querencia Calling as a two-act play results in Act One running 45 minutes and Act Two 30 minutes, for a total of 75 minutes. Personally, I would have preferred to watch the entire 75 minutes in one sitting. While I understand the placement of the intermission—both for narrative reasons and to maximise concession sales—a 20-minute break felt excessive.

I include my criticisms to provide a holistic view, rather than just highlighting the positives—chief among them the cast’s acting abilities—so audiences know what to expect, without spoilers. Go and see Querencia Calling; there is truly some great Adelaide talent on display, and if PitchWhite Productions remains strong, I will be back for their next play later in the year.

And if you get the chance, give the latest episode of the For the Love of Theatre podcast a listen!