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Influence.
 Every time I see John Laws on TV proffering bottled machismo I cringe and wonder if he will ever get his comeuppance. Personally I doubt it, there are enough bigotry infested individuals out there who apparently need a spokesman, and so I think he will go on jockeying upon a steed of shock until the big race caller in the sky says the race is run.
However, perhaps the next best thing to a comeuppance will grace the floor of The Playhouse later this month: David Williamson's final offering to the stage - 'Influence' - offers the public a vantage point onto the world of the shock jock and wraps the fiendishly manipulative central character, Ziggi Blasco (played by the talented John Waters), in a witty tale of power and manipulation.
It is this power that radio personalities can hold on people, as the public accepts the opinions or lies of celebrities as fact, that is the central theme of the play. Another theme explored is family relationships and family dynamics. The story also makes light-hearted social commentary on the hypocrisy of shock jock rhetoric, by situating the character Zehra (played by Zoe Carides), the hardworking Turkish housekeeper of the radio personality, who is struggling to provide for her family, opposite Ziggi who spouts that there is no working poor.
Indeed what is said by many critics to be one of the highlights of 'Influence' is a brilliant performance of Zoe Carides as the housekeeper Zehra. Carides is said to have completely mastered the role, succeeding in portraying the character's outward good nature and inner-turmoil all at once. Having never played a Turkish or Muslim character before, Carides researched the role within Sydney's suburbs.
"I went out to a place called Auburn in Sydney which has a very large Turkish population.There's a mosque there as well, and I spoke to the women who work there and they gave me a tour of the place; the ladies who worked there gave me their time and spoke to me about... just about their lives really." Carides also sought the aid of another Turkish woman, who gave advice, and whose accent Carides adopts for the play.
A Turkish single-mother/housekeeper is not the only interesting character to be found within this play. A parade of intriguing subjects such as: the bipolar daughter; the failed ballet dancing trophy wife; the migrant secret keeping father of Ziggi; and Ziggi's caring sister, will no doubt captivate audiences.
In recent years David Williamson's works have been met with strong criticism by reviewers; this play however (both the play itself and the production) seems only to have found positive feedback from audiences and critics alike. What's been said about 'Influence' (the title is an obvious tip, really) is that it has successfully managed to present a difficultly balanced - tragic comedy.
One good indication for Adelaide audiences that this final work of Williamson is going to be something worth getting out and seeing is the great reception that the play has had in Sydney. Influence is expected to make a return season in Sydney due to demand, suggests Carides.
"The whole thing will be as enjoyable for Adelaide audiences I hope as it has been for Sydney. I think everyone can enjoy having a bit of a go at the shallow callous Sydney types that they'll have in there - I know Melbourne will have fun with that."
As has been said, after 'Influence' Williamson is said to be retiring from writing for the stage which will no doubt sadden the multitude of fans of his work that he's built up over many years as a playwright.
"It is certainly something I think that people will miss," says Carides. "I mean, people flock to see his work every year. Basically there's one out every year and I think that they will miss it if he doesn't produce another one. For him as a writer I don't think he will be able to stop writing."
If this is indeed Williamson's last hurrah with theatre, then at least he ends his illustrious stage writing career with a work that audiences can easily enjoy and appreciate - even if you're John Laws or one of the other shock-jocks who grace our airwaves.
Emema Sifa
 | 'Influence' opens at The Playhouse on Wed 18 May
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