Written
by Joshua Conkel, Directed by Melita Rowston
The
New Theatre – 542 King St Newtown
From
5th February to 2nd March
Reviewed
by Lana Hilton
Hilarious.
Thought-provoking. Talking animals.
MilkMilkLemonade
is not – despite its name referring to a dirty children’s rhyme – a play
suitable for children. Although it is set on a farmyard, focuses on the lives
of two 11-year old boys and one of the main characters is a talking chicken in
a Brooklyn/American accent, the themes covered are definitely not for the young
and innocent.
Emory
is an effeminate 5th grader whose dream is to win the singing and
dancing competition ‘Reach for the Stars’. He knows he is different from other
boys his age and doesn’t need his chain-smoking, cancer-riddled Nanna pointing
it out every chance she gets. He knows that playing with a Barbie named
Starlene and having deep and meaningful conversations with a fat chicken named
Linda probably isn’t normal. But the thing about Emory is that he doesn’t care.
Playwright
Joshua Conkel has combined child-like imagination and fantasy with the
struggles of identity and sexuality. When scenes of verbal and physical abuse
become too much to bear there is a talking chicken, a talking spider,musical
outbursts and a parasitic evil twin to lighten the mood.
All
five actors in this play deserve special mention. Their commitment to accents,
line-dancing, singing, intimate moments and portraying important themes in
ridiculous situations is what makes this play enjoyable. The emcee/chicken
translator/creepy spider/human embodiment of Starlene/evil parasitic twin known
as ‘Lady in a Leotard’ played by Leah Donovan, is everybody’s favourite. What a
brilliant and unusual character to play and Leah nails it. Of course Mark
Dessaix (Emory), Kieran Foster (Elliot), Pete Nettell (Nanna) and Sarah
Easterman (Linda the Chicken) make you feel as if you have dropped down the
rabbit hole and are playing alongside them. You love the whole crazy family.
The
cast and writing draws you in and makes you feel that although you are facing
serious concepts and are sometimes put-off by what the children get up to, you
are vastly entertained while you comprehend it all. While I am still a bit
bewildered by the chicken’s role in the story of a child growing up gay in Middle
America, I am recommending this play to everyone.
Challenge yourself and your views by using your imagination and taking a trip back to your childhood…what did you want to be when you were young?
