The Thinning Complex by Brettcardie Ingram
The
Storeroom, Feb 27 to March 1, 2003
Reviewer: Kate
Herbert
There is nothing cheerful
about The Thinning Complex by Brettcardie Ingram. It is a relentlessly
dark and angry piece about a man with a gambling problem and the woman who
tries to love him. Carl (Hugh Sexton ) calls himself a poet. He
is one of the inner city pseudo-artists with limited talent, no money or job.
He indulges in
cynical attacks on the middle class and other easy targets despite having no
social conscience. By the time we see
him, he writes little and gambles all his dole money every second Friday. His girlfriend,
Michelle, (Devon Taylor) totally supports him financially and is
ready to relinquish this unwanted role. Carl drives her to
distraction and rage - and us. He is maddeningly unreasonable, selfish, cruel
and deceitful.
There are some
interesting elements in The Thinning Complex. Ingram writes from personal
experience as a problem gambler that gives the character authenticity.
Carl's confusion,
anger and deception are totally believable. Carl suffers side
effects of the gambling. He is impotent. Michelle takes this as a personal affront because she is ignorant
of his addiction and the causes of his impotence. It puzzles outsiders
why a woman would suffer such a dysfunctional man.
The play is too
wordy. It needs action, emotional or physical, to relieve the demand on the
audience to listen. The two long monologues are too much.
Taylor, as Michelle,
plays the unceasing grief but manages to engage audience sympathy. Sexton, as Carl, is
best which he drunkenly abuses Michelle's friends. At other times, he
plays so down beat and introspective that he is almost inaudible.
Director, Julian
Firminger confines the actors in a
cluttered space emphasising their disconnection. This restricts the space too
much for the actors.
His use of video
monitors draws the eye but most of the images are cryptic to say the least:
leaves, ferns, pegs, abstract lines. The poker machine
video makes an effective backdrop to Carl's rave about gambling but he is
placed so awkwardly we cannot see both him and the images.
If you are after a
night of laughs, this is not the play for you.
By Kate Herbert