Charles Bukowski’s poem Bumming With Jane provides a rich source of inspiration for Tahli Corin’s play of the same name. The play examines the life of Patrick (Tahki Saul) and Jane (Sophie Cook), a Sydney couple who are months behind on the rent, living on a diet of canned beans and red wine and taking it in turns to hold down a job. Their creative adventures and optimism in the face of their impending eviction by landlady Bev (Gertraud Ingeborg) seamlessly expand upon the bohemian spirit of the poem.

The first act introduces us to the everyday world of Patrick and Jane. The characters find so much joy in simplicity that you can’t help but be allured by the freedom of their lifestyle. Saul and Cook’s characters have a surprisingly believable rapport. Unforced and natural, their quirky interactions showcase not just their acting, but Corin’s writing and Kellie Mackereth’s direction.

The second act, however, feels like a different show. It contains dramatic twists and turns of plot that seem inconsistent with the whimsical spirit of the first act, and an ending that is both disruptive to the established narrative flow and unsatisfying in its lack of resolution. The first act and the majority of the second take place in the couple’s apartment, making changes of location in the final two scenes feel messy and unnecessary.

Again, departing from the conventions established in the first act, the majority of the second is accompanied by a soundtrack. The composition is perhaps an attempt to heighten the dramatic shift in tone, but is instead baffling, at one point taking the form of an inner monologue about the colour green. These incongruous changes in style seem to be the result of Corin’s inexperience as a writer (this being her debut) and may have been more effective had the first act also been a collage of dramatic techniques and styles.

The sound scape of the production was similarly problematic. The poor quality of the pre-recorded offstage sound effects had a very jarring effect, constantly fracturing the reality of the world created. The partially used live offstage voices and sound effects were far more successful. Another unusual moment in the play was the sudden foray into music theatre that was the ‘Treasure’ song, which seemed to demonstrate that the actors could hold a tune, rather than add to the plot.

Despite the occasional jarring note, Bumming With Jane was a very enjoyable experience. Melanie Paul’s design made the show visually impressive. The shades of burnt orange and a light moss-green used consistently throughout the set, props and costumes intelligently reflected Patrick and Janes colourfully eclectic but impoverished lifestyle. Occasional props made from recycled trash worked brilliantly. I believe this would have been more effective had this theme been further extrapolated.

The show was a joyful exploration of an alternative lifestyle, which was, on the whole, a great piece of theatre. Despite the obvious importance of the character Jane, I felt the real focus was Tahki Saul, in his stand-out performance as Patrick.