Theatre / La Souris Blanche (The White Mouse), written by Christine Croyden, translated by Veronique Duche, directed by Louise Howlett. At The Street Theatre until February 20. Reviewed by JOE WOODWARD.

Walking into the theatre and becoming aware of the simple yet very effective set, one was filled with a sense of anticipation.

The opening moments saw the introduction of immersive imagery with effective use of projections. Ioanna Gagani’s opening monologue from the older Nancy Wake furthered this sense of something extraordinary. As the very talented cast were introduced, the production was clearly offering something different and potentially exciting.

However, the script and the shape of the production disappointed and didn’t quite live up to its initial promise.

Presented in French with subtitles projected on the set, the voices blended very well with each other. Each character had a distinctive quality that allowed for revelation of different perspectives of the story.

Nancy Wake was a very significant figure in the French Resistance; even though she was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia. Gagani imbued her with intelligent charm and a complex humanity. Natalia Nour as the young Nancy Wake was endearing and able to spin from empathy to sudden determined violence when necessary. Both actresses combined to fulfill a complex sense of personal vulnerability within the aura of heroism.

Jo Malta, Damien Kenny and Luca Romani played multiple roles with clarity and distinction. Each character had distinct behaviours that help to further the fascinating story.

Unfortunately, the rhythm of the piece was broken with long and unnecessary blackouts that jarred the flow of the story. The disconnect between the mostly short scenes meant the overall trajectory of the production was lost. More focus on the distinctive elements of the wartime exploits contrasted with the personal reflections of the character was needed to highlight the issues raised.

The weighting of the script seemed to gloss around the very personal obstacles faced by the character. The full dimensions of Wake’s resistance were unclear. While the actors worked hard to provide commentary and revelation, the material itself held back and blurred the potential dramas within the story.

This said, the innovative nature of the work and the use of language as a form of content should be applauded. The seeds of a powerful work just need to be further nurtured by this talented group.