Poles Apart: 5 short plays
At La Mama until March 3, 1996
Reviewer: Kate Hebert on around 4 Feb 1996
Of the five short plays in Poles Apart the first, Trapped, is the best.
is the best by a long stretch. Not the least of its assets is a crisp, smart script by Trudy Hellier, known from Frontline TV comedy, with a terrific central idea.
Two women live in a house next to Pentridge. two cell mates fall in love with one each of the women and take turns to lit each other to girl-viewing level to peer through the bars.
Matt Cameron's direction is rapid and earthy. The two men particularly are realised beautifully in the pithy, realistic writing and in exceptional performances by Patrick Moffatt and Marcus Eyre. The women are a little less clearly drawn in character and action but Hellier, who performs in this and several other plays, and Anita Cerdic, do a sound job. The twist at the end does not quite come off but it is a terrific first play.
Familiarity Breeds, the final piece, is an absurdist trip into existential crisis. Shane Luther's writing has its moments.
The other three pieces are unremarkable.
Acqua Lupus (James Benedick) is a wordy sea-faring tale in a pseudo-Victorian ballad form. The Skipping Girl, a first play for Charles Lane leaves its intention and relationship unclear and Petronella's Mark (Johann McIntyre) is relatively unsuccessful poetic grunge.
But I must tell you, it is really worth the visit to see Trapped.
No comments:
Post a Comment