Written by Emily Steel (2021’s outstanding Euphoria), the world premiere of Housework is touted as, “A whip smart, gaspingly funny and incisive deep dive into the corridors of power”.

So our expectations are sky high as we enter the chamber … and encounter a cleaner with an unrecognisable fervour, aggressively vacuuming to Muzak.

State Theatre South Australia’s Housework. Photo © Matt Byrne

Director Shannon Rush drives a large ensemble of incredibly unlikeable and self-serving characters. Opportunities for masterful manipulations abound and the setup of a fangirl, the team’s collective addiction to adrenaline, an unexpected illness and a history of character transgressions, promises much.

Initially, the relationship between brilliant, micro-managing Anna (Emily Taheny) and naïve and unassertive Kelly (Franca Lafosse), takes many leaps of logic and this comes at the expense of credibility. The weight of the exchanges slows the setup to a glacial pace from which we fear there is no return. Some problematic script decisions concerning employees sharing accommodation and a distracting busyness, all lead us inexorably towards a pedestrian romp, light on the promised political intrigue.