Talk is a sadistically smooth satire of the interwoven lives of nine characters and they way they communicate. Chloe (Lee Smith-Gibbons) is a fashion conscious gossip who talks ceaselessly and vacuously. Her sister Ginnie (Lara Fischel-Chisholm) is a very sincere political activist and a bit of a wallflower in social situations. Ginnie detects a kindred spirit in Pepper (Florence Noble), a punk poet who writes about hating humanity and saving whales, but when it comes down to it doesn’t have the guts to turn her words into action.

Their friend Leah (Isla Adamson) hosts a late night radio sex chat line, taking calls from sometimes sinister listeners. Ava (Renee Lyons) is a speech therapist whose stuttering patient (Ash Jones) of six months is ruining her unblemished success rate. She’s too wrapped up in her relationship problems to be of much use to him. Her boyfriend Dylan (Dwayne Cameron) doesn’t talk to her. He has a secret life.

Goff (Andrew Hedley) is a medical student who is frequently lost for words. His friend Sam (Todd Emerson) temporarily acquires the unwelcome ability to hear people’s thoughts.

Talk is the theme of the play – how words shape the world and the interactions that make up our lives. True to form, Thomas Sainsbury’s script playfully ridicules the blatant self-interest and petty-mindedness of its characters, dancing a fine line between cynicism and levity.

One of Sainsbury’s most notable strengths is his keen sense of dialogue, and Talk is no exception. The sharp, realistic script is wincingly funny and, as director, he gleans finely-tuned, naturalistic performances from a consistently skilled cast. Affectionately exposing the characters’ varied brands of foolishness, this sort of unflattering portrayal of everyday life caters to the voyeur in me.

Despite the controversial tone of Sainsbury’s plays, people keep coming back for more. Opening night was completely sold out, and though I can’t recommend Talk to those with old-fashioned sensibilities or a preoccupation with political correctness, everyone else should go and see it. Talk is a cohesive, linguistically satisfying and wickedly fun evening’s entertainment.

I have one slight quibble: the scene in which Chloe has lost her voice and is writing notes to her sister leaves an unanswered question. Ginnie reads the note and reacts strongly but we never find out what it says. Perhaps it is not as important as the fact that her attitude towards her sister changes markedly at this point from one of resentment to kindness and understanding. Still, it feels like an awkward omission in an otherwise tightly crafted script. 
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