OBSERVER: Dying: A Memoir
Does anyone really want to talk about death – let alone go to the theatre to see a whole show about it?
Probably not, and that may just be the point. To be honest, Dying: A Memoir wasn’t something I was exactly looking forward to.
So kudos to MTC for staging it, and to Benjamin Law for adapting the book for stage – because as it turns out, it’s a moving, powerful and thought-provoking piece of theatre.
As a close friend of Dying: A Memoir author Cory Taylor, it’s understandable that Law wanted to honour his friend’s experience with death.
Taylor died in 2016, just weeks after the book’s publication. While some have said it felt rushed, her account carries a raw potency and emotional depth that absolutely deserves to be revisited.
What’s remarkable is how this deeply personal story – presented as a one-woman show – transcends monologue.
In the hands of the accomplished Genevieve Morris, the piece comes alive through sharp humour and a compelling, deeply human performance.
Law has captured Taylor’s honesty and intellectual rigour in confronting her own mortality.
Particularly affecting are the scenes exploring voluntary assisted dying and Taylor’s advocacy for a more compassionate approach to death – alongside a clear-eyed acknowledgment of Western society’s discomfort and lack of language or rituals around dying, especially outside of religion.
Director Jean Tong masterfully brings Law’s script to life, meeting the challenges of his varied theatrical techniques—most notably breaking the fourth wall, which at times edges close to a lecture but ultimately remains engaging.
The minimal set design by James Lew – a collection of reconfigurable airport-lounge-style seats – serves the production well, allowing fluid shifts between settings.
Rachel Lee’s lighting and Darius Kedros’s sound design add atmosphere, though the drab costuming (there was only one outfit to work with) felt uninspired.
While the subject matter may be confronting for some, Morris’s nuanced and heartfelt performance makes Dying: A Memoir an unexpectedly compelling night at the theatre.
Venue: Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne
Season: Until November 29
Cost: $56-$112
Bookings:mtc.com.au/plays-and-tickets/whats-on/season-2025/dying-a-memoir/
Review by Beth Klein
Pictured: Genevieve Morris. Photo: Pia Johnson.