Liberty Equality Fraternity - Review

Liberty Equality Fraternity

by Geoffrey Atherden

Ensemble Theatre

Director: Shannon Murphy

Designer: Michael Hankin

Lighting / AV Designer: Verity Hampson

Sound / AV Designer: Stephen Toulmin

Cast 

Helmut Bakaitas

Caroline Brazier

Andrew Ryan 

http://ensemble.com.au

Reviewed by Benjamin Oxley 

Power. Privacy. Profiling. 

Without humour, the subject of interrogation fills us with fear, our every move tracked on close circuit video and trace audio. Here, Atherden's work brings it into brittle focus: building frustration between the sexes, his trainee secret operative versus her libertarian housewife. Gen Y Nerd asking questions of a nominal activist. 

According to a UK Independent from 2005, "Suspects can be held for four hours, which can be increased to 24 hours on application to a magistrate. After that period, suspects are charged or released. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation can hold suspects for up to 14 days under a warrant issued by a federal judge". It can happen. It does and will continue to be a factor in our lives.

Strip away the situation, and you have the playwright's mastery of comic structure. Perhaps the greatest achievement is that our interest is maintained for the length of a movie. Without ads, or breaks. Carefully placed interludes help us to digest the drama. Subtle lighting and sound design create clever relief from the awkward encounter.

Two central characters have several conversations at once, arriving at different conclusions. For us in the audience, we can see, or should I say hear the 'accident' approaching. How much equality is there in the tacit reading of the two protagonists of each other? Even music tells us their difference. 

Orlagh (Caroline Brazier) holds this interview room duel together with careful changes of emotion and reflection. Her timing secures a remarkable platform for 'Archi', played by Andrew Ryan. He handles the difficult moments well, but gives way to Brazier in the climaxes. It is a battle of wits, binary logic against bourgeois brains. Bland v bright. 

'Dr Voldemort' is the more acceptable face of covert operations. Helmut Bakaitas measures his lines and actions as he deftly pours coffee. It is a study in calculated bureaucracy. The strength of the final sequence is the swift direction to the endgame: how to resolve the tension?

The final ploy is at once hilarious and chilling. I really enjoyed this intimate piece. On reflection, I'm not sure I will "like" much on Facebook again. You will be very cautious using the internet after seeing this play. 

Great Falls - Review

" Great Falls" by Lee Blessing, directed by Anna Crawford, is playing at the Ensemble Theatre in Kirribilli from the 2nd of February.

This two character play of 90 minutes with no interval is an intense experience. There was brief plot required semi nudity and also, some shocking revelations revealed sexual content. I sat amidst a mostly middle-aged audience on a sparkler of a Sydney summer afternoon. The question for me when I watch emotionally challenging and disquieting plays is always, 'Did I care about these characters? Did I care about what happened to them when I peered briefly into their world from my comfortable seat?' The answer in this case is yes. I was transported by them.

Bitch, played by Erica Lovell, was very much the 'headphones on, block all attempts of warmth and connections' older teen, who was very trying on one's patience. Monkey-Man, Bitch's ex-stepfather played by Christopher Stollery, is initially a man looking for connection with his birth family in his revisit to his past, as well as connection with his now ex-family whom he betrayed.

Both characters need redemption, to confess and find a way to move on to the next chapter in their lives. This play is a road journey and there is no going back the same way. The journey is circular and is thus resolved for both characters with hope for the future.

We are immersed into this road trip through excellent staging brought to us by Verity Hampson's lighting and AV design, by Stephen Toulmin's sound design as well as the flexible and inventive set by Michael Hankin. The seamless transition from from car to motel, to National Park was what enabled me to suspend my reality and connect with the difficult and confronting dilemmas that both characters faced.

This play is not easy to sit with but Anna Crawford's direction put me in an emotional space where I could safely see, without harsh judgement, how complex life can be when reaction to personal histories dictate current decisions.

By Marie Su

Great Expectations

Reviewed by Regina Su

I had great expectations for Great Expectations and by jove, they were exceeded. From the 31^st of October until the 17^th of November, the bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company works in conjunction with ATYP Under The Wharf to bring a classic Dickensian tale to life.

Great Expectations follows the life journey of protagonist, Pip, as he falls in love, discovers both fortune and misfortune, and learns the value of connections and acquaintances.

The show is an absolute treat to all members, I guarantee it. I, myself, am a fan of the quick wit and linguistic ironies of Master Dickens, however, my partner is not so inclined, yet I can safely say, we both had a blast watching this period English tale take the stage. I’d not known of the storyline of Great Expectations previously, but the adaptation flowed se seamlessly, I was able to follow with ease, commendations to the production team. It has been said that a Dickens work is often long and dry but on the contrary, I was captivated, engaged and enchanted for the duration of this long performance. It’s fast-paced choreography sports a collective ensemble acting as the protagonist’s consciousness and although it took me a while to become attuned to this style, it was extremely effecting in moving the plot along. Costuming, staging, lighting and a subtle soundscape just complemented the outstanding performances by passionate actors. A thoroughly enjoyable night out and, as a matter of fact, an inspirational piece of theatre for any upcoming playwright to learn from.

My Private Parts

 My Private Parts

Written by Deborah Thomson and Performed by Deborah Thomson and Lucy Miller

Where: The Seymour Centre, Chippendale

When: 31^st October – 17^th November

Tickets: $32 Adult, $27 Concession

www.seymourecentre.com

Reviewed by Lana Hilton

You know you are in for an unusual treat when you hear over the PA system “This evening’s performance of My Private Parts will commence in 15 minutes”. Even before you have sat down you are already enjoying the performance.

Deborah Thomson tells of her incredibly bumpy journey riding the IVF fertility treatment train. This true story is written, performed, narrated and sung by Deborah herself in what is an incredibly hilarious, heartbreaking and entertaining expedition to get a bun in her oven. She is joined by Lucy Miller who is equally extravagant and both ladies have a chemistry meant for raucous amusement.

The oven in question is a microwave oven and it is one of the major props used in the performance. It has been strategically placed and built into the feature wall which is a nude picture of a glamorous lady posing provocatively, and the microwave is her crutch. This one is definitely not for the kids!

As Deborah is poked, prodded, given drugs, stuck with needles and told when to have and not have sex, we are introduced to the less romantic option of conceiving a child – IVF. My Private Parts satires the ‘unnatural’ baby-making process using original songs sung to a live band and numerous props which make you laugh and blush! Whipped cream, vacuum cleaners, real eggs and jelly babies are used in ways I will never forget; even the microwave oven gets a workout!

There are sex scenes and very dirty adult language to uplift the underlying heartbreaking voyage couples go through. Deborah has lived through it all and her memories of robotic doctors, nosey nurses, early morning injections, depressing phone calls and failing procedures are brutally brought to the surface and performed with bravery and commitment. You learn a lot about IVF and although it is in a light-hearted manner; the rejection and failure that couples are faced with is always simmering below the surface.

This uproarious production is a must-see piece within the 2012 Reginald Season and you would be doing yourself a great disservice if you pass it by.

A Picasso Review

Reviewed by Regina Su

From September the 15^th until October the 20^th, The Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli presents A Picasso, a powerful performance based on the famous artist Pablo Picasso. The play is very well constructed, a solid hour and a half of fluid ideas which are, not necessarily predictable, rather take the audience on a manageable flow of history, information and ideas. This journey twists and turns through Picasso’s life, context and motives for painting and is in turn, a very memorable history lesson. For audience members with a limited knowledge of the artist, A Picasso fills in the gaps and teaches assuming no prior knowledge. Even so, due to the nature of this famous artist and his works, there is a certain level of relativity as the audience can easily connect to such a familiar subject. The target audience seems to be those of an older generation due to the content matter and context of WWII and associated socio-political climates. Furthermore, two actors hold our attention and command the stage for the entire performance with dynamic moments of humour and tense drama. These actors execute their roles with such a natural flair and a powerful passion. This is an absolute must see, teaching us about history and the nature of art as a human expression.

For further information, please see: http://ensemble.com.au/whats-on/play/a-picasso/