A surprisingly comedic whirlwind recap of a community coming together in the aftermath of disaster.
Ambitious but under-appreciated journalist Genie Chance felt wasted on fluff pieces at the KENI radio station in Anchorage, Alaska, when an unprecedented disaster shot her into the national eye. This action-packed show imagines what was happening behind the scenes as Chance ran an emergency broadcast live after the 1964 Alaskan earthquake for almost 24 continuous hours. Writer Ellie Jay Cooper also plays the title role, and both she and co-star Matthew Staite flit between an impressive number of characters to bring 1960’s Anchorage to life.
In the suitably historic Stanley Arts Centre, audiences entered to a selection of mid-century radio hits, before being plunged into darkness which was punctuated only by two roving flashlight beams as Cooper and Staite took the stage. Cooper’s portrayal of Chance is earnest and energetic; she battles stalwartly to be taken seriously as a journalist while juggling demands from her husband and children to spend more time at home. Staite glides easily between the endearingly scattered upstart journalist Dom, the terse yet ultimately kind-hearted General Whitaker, and a vast array of other roles with charisma and poise.
A true highlight was the deft handling of dozens of characters by the two actors, sometimes swapping roles at a breakneck pace and sometimes even sharing a character to present a three-way conversation. Though Staite seems to have joined the show relatively recently, he and Cooper operated like a well-oiled machine. Each character is marked clearly out in the classic manner with an identifiable hat or coat or scarf, but Staite especially manages to imbue each character with a memorable voice and physicality, keeping them immediately recognisable throughout the action.
One of the most compelling undercurrents of the show is the delicate working relationship that springs up between Chance and General Whitaker. Chance manages to break through Whitaker’s initial dismissal to carve out a role for herself in the emergency response, yet their bond is shaky at best and is repeatedly tested as their egos clash. However, in some instances, the show’s speedy transitions and time skips gloss over some emotional moments that could have landed more fully with slightly more breathing room. One of the central conflicts of the show involves Chance deciding whether to share a potentially crucial piece of information with the military and with the public, though this conflict almost takes a backseat to the character comedy taking place in the surrounding scenes. The final standoff and resolution between Whitaker and Chance felt slightly rushed after how engaging their earlier tussles had been; the tension that’s built up between these two characters could easily carry a bit more in-depth exploration of Chance’s decision.
The sound and lighting design offers some beautifully immersive moments, such as the opening image of flashlight beams in darkness, or the bright flashbulbs as Chance documents the moments immediately after the earthquake hits. One or two moments perhaps could be clarified, as the delivery of the earthquake scene in total darkness and ensuing camera flashes piercing what appeared to be a dark night seemed at first to be portraying an earthquake after sundown, which was somewhat at odds with the following discussions of which rescue operations needed to be completed by nightfall. Similarly, the costuming and props offer a rich tactile world which spins easily between offices, homes, and broadcasting stations, though the costumes read as slightly more 1940’s than 1960’s. These are very small snags, however, which hardly detract from the show’s momentum.
Overall, this is a thoroughly enjoyable hour of theatre which brings well-deserved attention to a remarkable woman from Alaskan history. Down to Chance is a surprisingly cheerful story of incredible bravery and community spirit in the face of disaster—well worth a watch.
Performed on 9 October at the Stanley Arts Centre in South Norwood, and will be touring various UK cities until 25 October.