Where and when: Beckett Theatre
until August 12, 2000
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
"They want love," says
Enid. "I can't give it to them," replies Pedro.
In Matt
Cameron's latest play, The Eskimo, Pedro (Peter Houghton) is a pedlar of
emotions. He travels over the ice and snow to villages near the northern polar
icecap, with his hawker's case filled with medicinal bottles filled with
emotions, performing and selling the A to Z of emotion.
"I
bottle up emotions," he says. However, love is not one of them. It is the
only sentiment he is unable to store or perform for his audience in the
streets.
The eskimo
of the title is actually a breath-takingly beautiful catalogue model (Anne Browning) who, like a
siren, lures delivery men to her polar home, seduces them then literally takes
their breath away, cutting their throats.
But it is
Pedro, the cheerful, naive pedlar, who is the real emotional eskimo. He cares
for Enid (Christen O'Leary) but cannot feel it or even demonstrate it. He is drawn
to the model only to try to break the spell of his lack of real sentiment.
The play,
like Cameron's previous works, is non-naturalistic with an absurdist edge. His
sketch comedy writing skills are apparent throughout. The dialogue is swift and
funny, although the pace and wit sometimes undercut the emotional layering of
the narrative and disallow the characters being fully developed.
Enid, the
'widow' of one of the delivery men who disappeared, (Ian Scott) is the
repository of real emotion. She suffers grief, love, pain and loss. The others
are cool, remote and untouchable, particularly the photographer. (David
Tredinnick)
The male
gaze on the female is focal. Men lust after the catalogue model as if her photo
is pornography for their titillation.
The
performances are strong in this production directed by Aidan Fennessy. Houghton's
pedlar is a fine study in clown. His comic business and delivery are detailed
and hilarious.
The design
is stark, (Christina Smith) with only a hole in the ice and a fridge in the
space. The horizon features a tiny landscape of houses and the whole is lit
with an evocative and striking design by Philip Lethlean.
This is a
witty piece by Cameron's new company, Neonheart. What it lacks in depth it
makes up in comedy.
By Kate
Herbert
No comments:
Post a Comment