Cost of Living

by Martyna Majok

Melbourne Theatre Company

Through the lives of four mismatched souls striving for connection, Majok’s Pulitzer Prize-winning script lays bare the exquisite tenderness and cost of being human.

Reviews

“Anthea Williams’ transcendent production mainstreams the subversion, inviting you to cast aside whatever you believe you know about disability, privilege and inequality, and much besides. It considers what it means to be human, framing what’s always already a social question at the intimate, precise yet mysterious level of being…it also accentuated Williams’ magisterial sense of time, in a world-class production that will leave theatregoers humbled at its power.”

5 Stars

The Age

“Directed by Anthea Williams, Cost of Living masterfully balances humour and tragedy, with the pacing allowing the audience to truly invest in each character’s journey. The emotional weight of the play is lightened by moments of sharp wit, and the seamless transitions between laughter and tears make this production both entertaining and profoundly moving…Don’t miss this deeply moving production that will leave you thinking long after the curtain falls.”

5 Stars

Melbourneiseme

“This is a wonderful show that celebrates the joy and gentle beauty of life for all those who are just ‘getting through’ it, and ruminates on the tougher moments, giving them the room to breathe.”

Scenestr

“This play is ostensibly about disability, and as such is a notable and welcome theatrical landmark. However, its explorations of the human need for connection, including through this production’s intimacy and quiet, is what makes Cost of Livng so much more.”

LimeLight

“It’s a credit to Majok and director Anthea Williams that Cost of Living does not shy away from depicting the actual physical demands that require daily assistance: the showering, shaving, bathing and getting dressed. The vulnerability, tenderness and awkwardness on show are so intimate it’s hard for the audience to look – but look we must…Though it teases out power imbalances in various forms, ultimately, what’s important about this play is how it treats humans as wholes greater than the sums of their parts, so that disability becomes almost incidental.”

ArtsHub