Judy Davis gives a singularly vivid performance in The Spare Room – but the play falls short

Brett Boardman/Belvoir

In The Spare Room, Judy Davis lights up the stage with a singularly vivid performance.

Adapted by Eamon Flack from Helen Garner’s 2008 novel of the same name, Davis plays sharp-tongued Helen (or Hel) to the irrational Nicola (Elizabeth Alexander), who visits seeking alternative treatments for her cancer-ridden body.