Sydney Theatre Company’s The River is one of those rare theatrical experiences that lingers not because it hands you answers, but because it refuses to. Jez Butterworth’s elusive and atmospheric play unfolds in a remote fishing cabin, where a man brings a woman away for what appears to be an intimate evening of romance, ritual and trout fishing. Yet as the night deepens and another woman enters the current of the story, the play begins to blur time, memory and perspective. It is less about plot revelation and more about emotional unease, and I found myself genuinely enjoying the vagueness of it all.
What stayed with me most was the way the play invites interpretation. The trout analogy feels impossible to ignore. Are the women themselves foreshadowed by the fish he so obsessively pursues? Does The Man long for perfection in relationships the same way he longs for the perfect catch — always chasing the thrill of possibility, but perhaps never able to truly hold onto it? The text never confirms any one reading, and that restraint is what makes it so compelling. My Plus One and I walked out and spent a good hour talking through what we thought it all meant, debating intention, symbolism and whether the ambiguity itself was the point. I always enjoy theatre that leaves enough space for the audience to bring their own meaning, and The River does that beautifully.
Margaret Thanos’ direction keeps the work grounded in something deeply real and honest, even while the play itself slips into something more abstract. She resists over-explaining the mystery, instead letting silences, rhythms and repeated actions do the storytelling. That naturalism makes the more unsettling turns feel all the more effective.
Anna Tregloan’s design is extraordinary in its simplicity. Without ever giving us a literal cabin wall or a single tree, the space still evokes an eerie cabin-in-the-woods atmosphere. The skeletal framework of the set feels simultaneously intimate and exposed, as though memory itself has been left visible. Damien Cooper’s lighting deepens that sense of unease, shifting the mood with remarkable precision. At the same time, Sam Cheng’s music and sound design quietly underscore the tension like the river running beneath the action. Together, the design elements create a world that feels both grounded and dreamlike.
The small but mighty cast is sublime throughout. Ewen Leslie gives The Man a gritty honesty that makes him magnetic even when he remains emotionally slippery. Miranda Otto brings warmth and vulnerability to The Woman, allowing the intimacy of the early scenes to land with genuine tenderness. Andrea Demetriades, as The Other Woman, brings a sharp intelligence and restless energy that subtly reshapes the evening’s tension.
This is theatre as a conversation starter — eerie, elegant and impossible to shake once you leave the auditorium. The best kind of river leaves you changed after stepping in.
– The other Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig is an international performer and has established himself as a trusted theatre specialist on the Sydney Arts Scene. While he understands the technical side of theatre, Dan writes for the everyday theatregoer (unlike some of those more prominent publications). When not in the audience, he loves to travel the world and try new gins.
The River runs for 80 minutes (no interval) and plays at Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House through 16 May 2026. Tickets are available through Sydney Theatre Company.
Disclosure: The Plus Ones were guests of Sydney Theatre Company
Image credit: Daniel Boud
