Cabaret

Review: La Vie Broheme

Quirky cabaret celebrates bromance and musical theatre

By Narelle Wood

Josh Gavin and Dom Hennequin take to the stage and bring a range of musical numbers to life. The duo belt out songs from Dear Evan Hanson, Smash, Dream Girls, Frozen and Kinky Boots just to name a few.

The songs are loosely connected through stories of their bromance shaped by a range of musical theatre experiences aided by Mark Taylor’s direction and David Youings’ musical direction. The adoration the two performers have for each other is evident through their well-meaning banter and willingness to ad-lib throughout the show. The story moves from shared auditions, to moments performing in shows, to a missing father joke that perhaps because of the realism of the other stories felt more than a little uncomfortable. It did however provide a transition into a standout performance of I’m not my father’s son, which, along with the deliberately over performed You’re going to love me, were exceptional vocal performances.

Given the short run of this performance (only two shows) the thought put into lighting cues, set and the use of stage was really very good. My view of Gavin and Hennequin as well as the occasional appearance of Emma Russell was often impeded by the heads of those seated in front, especially when the action dropped below head height. This meant that many in the audience were struggling to see some of the fabulous interactions happening on the couch.

The show was sweet and provided a very indulgent foray into some musical theatre classics and some lesser known hits. While I and the musical theatre aficionados in the audience seemed to thoroughly enjoy the performance, there were a few in-jokes and audience participation requests that my friend and a few other audience members commented went over their heads. In saying that, it’s a lovely way to spend an afternoon, and hear some well performed show tunes.

La Vie Broheme is being performed at MC Showroom 11 and 18 November. Tickets can be purchased online.

Opera, Theatre

Review: The Rug

A satirical dissection of the angry white man

By Samuel Barson

An angry white man has a tantrum about how difficult it is being a white man. No, this is not parliamentary question time, this is Ben Grant’s electropera The Rug.

With a running time of just 45 minutes, The Rug is a feverish and hysterical satire on the so-called ‘plight’ of the modern white man.

Ben Grant, a white male himself, does a respectful job with the commentary he makes on his own demographic. He is self-aware and has clearly done much research on Australia’s current situation, as well as its history of racial prejudice. It took some time to get used to his performance style, but once comfortable with what he was doing, it was a solid and clever solo performance.

Herbz’s production design and Paul Lim’s lighting design were exuberant, unpredictable and strangely glamorous. The dramatic design complimented the over-dramatic white man who was whining and prancing around the stage.

Rah Creation’s set design was kindly simple, allowing the attention to be on Grant’s performance, while still serving his choreography when necessary.

The Rug is certainly not your typical piece of theatre, but rather a greatly refreshing one. It was exciting to see regularly visited themes like privilege tackled in such an irregular and entertaining way. A must see for lovers of the absurd.

The Rug is being performed at La Mama Courthouse 31 October – 11 November. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office on 03 9347 6142.

Photograph: Pier Carthew

 

Theatre

The War of the Worlds Anniversary Broadcast

Sci-fi classic entertains through the ages 

By Narelle Wood

The most infamous Halloween prank takes the stage as part re-creation of the original radio play, part ’70s rock opera and part exploration of behind the scenes.

There are multiple stories to tell here. The first is The War of the Worlds originally by H.G. Wells which sees Martians invade earth and obliterate every human in sight. The second, and perhaps more famous story is that of the 1938 Halloween performance of the radio adaptation which was directed by Orson Welles and resulted in widespread panic as listeners reportedly believed that Martians were in fact attacking America. Fast forward 40 years and Jeff Wayne launches his musical adaptation of The War of the Worlds, which has gone on to sell millions of copies worldwide.

In this iteration Rob Lloyd and David Innes of Innes Lloyd comedy duo bounce between snippets of the radio play, interesting facts, quotes from Wells and Welles’ only meeting and musical interludes from Wayne’s interpretation arranged for this performance by Caleb Garfinkel. In the process they dispel a few myths, clarifying what exactly ‘wide spread panic’ entailed. But the intrigue is only heightened by Innes Lloyd’s ability to recreate the eerie atmosphere of the 1938 radio broadcast.

You don’t have to dig very far to discover the background facts that are littered throughout the show, but there were many oohs and ahs elicited from the large crowd.  What I found most fascinating though was how much the combination of widespread panic and essentially fake news are both still very relevant today; this was perhaps highlighted by the way in which Innes Lloyd moved between and entwined all the different stories. The movement between some of the segments is a little clunky and sometimes it was a little hard to remember who was who with so many character changes. However, this doesn’t distract from the clear passion that Innes Lloyd bring to these stories.

It would be a shame for The War of the Worlds Anniversary Broadcast not to be an annual event, as there is just so much to like about the original stories and this new retelling.

The War of the Worlds Anniversary Braodcast was performed 29 October at the Butterfly Club. See here for information about Innes Lloyd. 

Photograph: supplied

Musical Theatre

Review: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder

Diabolically funny

By Kim Edwards

2014 Tony Award Winner for Best Musical, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder is – pleasingly – both a love letter to traditional musical comedy, and a satirical assassination of much that the genre holds dear. Evoking operetta and music hall delights in its lively and sometimes lovely score by Steven Lutvak, Robert L. Freedman’s book and lyrics are then cheerfully ruthless and viciously hilarious, and this Melbourne season presented by the ever-admirable Production Company brings down full justice on all counts.

As this modern musical carves out its place in theatre history, the titular gentleman Montague Navarro (Chris Ryan) is also seeking fame and fortune by doing gleeful violence upon a formidable lineage. Upon discovering he is ninth in succession to the Earldom of the D’Ysquith family, Monty decides to bump off a few relatives standing between him and his ambition, and the musical follows his comic successes and downfalls as he targets eight unsuspecting D’Ysquith heirs. Ryan brings great charm, an appealing voice, and some sleek comic timing to the role, forming a sound counterpoint to the manic hilarity and exuberant character work of Mitchell Butel – who plays ALL eight of the potential victims. I particularly enjoyed Butel’s surprising sincerity and beautiful vocals as the noble Lord Asquith, though the opening night audience made real favourites of his affected Asquith Jr, camp Henry, and irrepressible Lady Hyacinth.

Alinta Chidzey and Genevieve Kingsford were both dazzling as Monty’s lover Sibella and fiancée Phoebe respectively – their joint performances made “I’ve Decided to Marry You” and “That Horrible Woman” the show’s musical highlights for me, only rivalled by the wonderful ensemble in “A Warning to the Audience” and “Why Are All the D’Ysquiths Dying”. The superb harmony and orchestral work (how I love having onstage musicians) is under the taut musical direction of Kellie Dickerson, and I adored how often Dana Jolly’s inventive choreography was actually the source of the comedy (the ice-skating scene is genius). Theatre royalty Nancye Hayes makes a satisfying appearance as Miss Shingle, and just wait for Johanna Allen’s simply stunning turn as Lady Eugenia in Act 2 – I could have watched her all night.

Nonetheless Roger Hodgman’s witty direction, Christina Smith’s quaint Victorian cardboard theatre set, Trent Whitmore’s marvelous wigs, and Isaac Lummis’ divine costuming are the ultimate showstoppers of A Gentleman’s Guide – especially the latter two with Butel’s extraordinary fast-changes between D’Ysquiths, and the former when impeccably-timed projections and special effects delivered some of the biggest belly laughs of the night.

Admittedly, I felt the show’s satire falls rather short for a modern audience at times (while acknowledging historical setting and style homage, it is disappointing key laughs in a 2014 musical should still be hung on old scaffolds of gender and race without more self-critique), but this is a concern with the show itself rather than this impressive production. A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder barrels along at a cutthroat pace, features a highly talented lineup of The Production Company’s usual suspects, has designs and effects to die for, and is often just criminally funny. The  verdict? – it would be hard not to fall prey to its merrily murderous charms.

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder is playing at Arts Centre Melbourne 27 October – 18 November. Tickets can be purchased online and by calling the box office on 1300 182 183.

Photograph: supplied

Musical Theatre

Review: Tinder Tales

New Australian musical impresses and woos 

By Samuel Barson

“Dick is dick” in Tinder Tales is the equivalent of Hamlet’s “to be or not to be”. It is equally as memorable, but perhaps slightly raunchier and a little more gratifying than Shakespeare’s work (in this circumstance at least). This line represents modern romance in all its paradoxical nature – symbolising the love lives of today’s youth as so much simpler than before, yet horrifyingly more complex.

Tinder Tales shows audiences this paradox through the eyes of Abby (played beautifully by Eadie Testro-Girasole), as she navigates the use of Tinder, the modern dating app we have all come to know so well. She is after the perfect match. Who she finds soon enough, in Evan (played ever so charismatically by Tom New). But not soon after Abby and Evan’s first date we (and they) realise that they are perhaps not so perfect for each other after all. Abby quickly finds herself struggling with her own self-worth, as well as holding on to the idea of ‘the perfect match’ she has worked so tirelessly to find.

The entire cast present the highs, lows, laughs and tears of modern romance with gorgeous energy and humour. Anna Wilshire and Callum Warrender were particularly entertaining, both bringing a unique stage presence that made it hard to keep your eyes off them, even when they weren’t centre stage.

The music was sharp and succinct, with clever and relatable lyrics (props to writer Mattie Mcleod and composer and musical director Thomas Bradford). Perhaps so much so that scenes were at times disappointing when the cast weren’t singing and dancing. Rachael McLean’s design was homely and familiar, which worked terrifically well considering how familiar the characters inhabiting the space were themselves.

Tinder Tales is an impressive new Australian musical, with a myriad of characters and situations you will undoubtedly recognise, regardless of your dating app use or relationship status.

Tinder Tales is being performed 24 – 28 October at Chapel Off Chapel. Tickets can be purchased online and by calling the box office on 03 8290 7000.

Photograph: supplied

Festivals, Theatre

Review: Re-Member Me

A mammoth excavation of Hamlet’s legacy 

By Owen James

Lip-sync performer Dickie Beau has taken perhaps the most iconic play ever written (Hamlet) and broken down its legacy into a beautiful historical tapestry that acts as both an inquisition into tradition and memory, and a celebration of art and artists.

Dickie Beau alongside his collaborator and director Jan-willem van den Bosch have created a world that is inquisitive and daring, framed by two core questions prominently displayed in the programme: “why is this play so iconic? And why is it done over and over again?” Instead of simply accepting the great Hamlet’s legacy as given, Beau takes us on a journey narrated by some of the most famous artistic minds in history (including Sir Ian McKellen, Sir John Gielgud and Suzanne Bertish), to discover why Hamlet is so deeply steeped in tradition and honour.

Hours upon hours have gone into preparing this meticulously crafted sequence of interweaving voices and projections, devised from dozens of interviews both conducted by Dickie himself and obtained from mining theatrical archives. Beau has undertaken an extraordinary examination of detail in learning these interviews verbatim, proven as he perfectly lip-syncs every breath, every pause, and every stutter or stammer that occurs naturally in each interviewee’s speech. Imagine learning every subtle shift of a singer’s intonation across an entire album and that’s only a slither of what Beau has accomplished, for as he embodies the eight or more voices we hear, each characterisation is noticeably distinct and seems like a different person appears before us.

It’s more than simply lip-syncing – it’s a unique branch of theatrical art that mines comedy and detail in a way I certainly hadn’t seen let alone considered before. Beau is clearly an extremely passionate and detailed storyteller who is fascinated by history, and the transformation of that history into a modern setting.

For even the least Shakespearean-inclined person, Beau’s amalgamation of perspective and memory will still be captivating. It’s not a show about Hamlet, but about humanity. In asking why we return to see great actors give “their Hamlet” across decades and centuries, Beau taps into our sense of self, asking us to reflect on what we presume is iconic without usually questioning it.

This self-described “human Hamlet mixtape” is a journey into the past seen through a window of the future. It’s a mammoth undertaking for Beau and his team, and overall a joyful celebration of humanity’s obsession with repetition and heritage.

Re-Member Me was performed 17 – 21 October at the Arts Centre Melbourne as part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival. See here for more information.

Feature

Melbourne Festival: Lexicon

Director Firenza Guidi discusses discovering the arts and creating Lexicon

By Lois Maskiell

“Circus found me in a way,” Firenza Guidi says. “This was in the early ’90s, circus wasn’t even an art form in its own right in the United Kingdom.”

Since 1995, Milan-born director Firenza Guidi has created award-winning productions for NoFit State Circus. Beginning with Autogeddon followed by international tours of Immortal, Tabú and Bianco, Guidi has carved out a name for herself and her distinct performance-montage style.

Firenza Guidi. Photograph: Seventh Wave.

Nofit State Circus’ latest work Lexicon brings Guidi to Melbourne for the International Arts Festival. In the Royal Botanic Gardens moments after a presenting a work in development to the public, Guidi reveals how she first discovered the arts. “When people say how did you start, I don’t even know because it’s not even in my family,” she tells TheatrePress.

Both Guidi’s parents were chefs who owned restaurants and thanks to a customer of theirs she frequented venues such as La Scala from a young age. “As a child, one of the daily customers who became a friend of the family belonged to what is called la claque.” The claque was group of people who received discounted tickets in exchange for starting the applause during and at the end of a show. “So, from the age of five, I saw ballet and opera and sometimes I would fall asleep, sometimes I would just watch the machinery of it, the spectacle of it,” she says.

Lexicon is indeed a spectacle. The performance is set inside a tent featuring purpose-built apparatus entirely operated by body weight. The concept began three years ago when Guidi decided to create a classroom with nine desks that elevate into the air. “When I first said that, everybody looked at me like I was mad,” she says.

Guidi’s direction takes a series of individual acts and places them in a larger whole each separated by clowning scenes. Her unique brand of physical comedy references past traditions like the Fratellini Brothers and commedia dell’arte by incorporating voice, acrobatics and carefully rehearsed errors that give the effect of spontaneous chaos.

Her sharp comic eye is no doubt influenced by her training with the crème de la crème of theatre, including Philippe Gaulier and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, Dario Fo. “Clowning is about accepting some parts of you, and all of you, that have to do with weaknesses and idiosyncratic things,” Guidi enthuses. “With clowning, you need to be kind of born every single time in the eyes of the audience,” she adds.

She comments that the audience might not realise how difficult it is to utilise both the ground and the air when directing for circus. “Sometimes it’s taken for granted when people see my shows, but I don’t mean in an arrogant way, it’s taken for granted that connection between floor and aerial,” she says. Guidi admits that developing the new equipment demanded a great deal of labour. “It took three to four years to create a rig whereby the trapeze elongates by wires and allows the performer to step out, as if it’s an ordinary motion,” she says.

As a freelance director, Guidi’s agenda is filled with projects well in advance. Lexicon tours next to Marseille, though this time she won’t join the company, “I will be going to Chicago to lead ten would-be directors into a process of creating shows for a site-specific location,” she says. On top of directing Guidi runs Elan Frantoio a creation centre in Tuscany. The centre houses an annual summer residency, now in its 27th year, for performers.

For Guidi, interrogation and research are essential parts of serious artistic pursuit. “Circus performers will not all go into Cirque du Soleil, they will not all go on cruise ships, some of them might want to create their own work,” she says. “And who is going to push the boundaries if we don’t research?”

NoFit State Circus’ Lexicon is being performed until 21 October as part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival. Tickets can be purchased online. 

Photograph: N.Cioni

Theatre

Review: Suddenly Last Summer

Steamy portrayal of decadence and corruption 

By Leeor Adar

 

Tennessee Williams, the Mississippi native and master playwright had a knack for unearthing the steamy splendour of human decay. In Suddenly Last Summer, Williams’ choice of name evokes the sense of a thrilling and romantic episode in the most carefree of seasons, but instead delivers a quiet horror that lurks in the shadows of memory.

In a gorgeous cultivated New Orleans garden, Mrs Violet Venable (Jennifer Vuletic), an older dame with a cane, flourishes on stage to seduce Dr “Sugar” (Charles Purcell) to lobotomise a young relation who knows the dark secret behind the death of her son, the unseen and ever-present Sebastian.

The staging is swathed in falling gardens and mist, and one cannot help but be intoxicated by the allure of wealth and the power it carries. Violet exerts her power upon those around her, and yet it entraps her. Her character is perfectly juxtaposed with the equally seducing but refreshingly volatile Catharine Holly (Kate Cole), the last person to see Violet’s son alive. In an attempt to understand what has happened to Sebastian, Dr Sugar administers drugs in the veins of Catharine to render her loose-lipped. After a kiss from her lips, Catharine seals Sebastian’s mysterious fate to the captive audience, including her desperate mother (Zoe Boesen) and brother (Harvey Zielinski).

The daring Stephen Nicolazzo (Merciless Gods, Salome, Psycho Beach Party, sex.violence.blood.gore), manages to direct a subtle and intensely entrancing production of Suddenly Last Summer. The performance of Vuletic is an initial standout as the neurotic Violet. Her striking embodiment of old-world glamour and kookiness makes her a centrepiece for the play. Wheeled about on whim by her faithful servant Miss Foxhill (Chanella Macri), Violet lives between cocktails and memories. The sickening Oedipal elements of Violet’s relationship with Sebastian pervade the play, and it is no surprise that Sebastian in his one moment of freedom abroad loses all control of his life. The punishment for his companion Catharine, are the memories of a life touched by privilege and violence. Cole is wonderful as Catharine, showcasing the character’s incredible vitality and fragility. Her final recollection of events is so moving and realistic, that I am transfixed upon the powerful imagery she creates and the tears that roll down her face.

Suddenly Last Summer is an ode to marvellous storytelling; enriched with symbolism and elegance, Williams’ writing comes alive in this play. Sebastian sees God, and God in turn like the cloud of birds upon the shore, upends Sebastian’s good fortune in one fell swoop. The only force greater than nature and establishment appears to be truth, and Catharine delivers it even to the non-believers.


Suddenly Last Summer is being performed until 4 November at Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre. Tickets can be purchased online and by calling the box office on 03 9533 8083.

Photograph: Jodie Hutchinson

Musical Theatre

NINE – The Musical

Romance and writer’s block: musical adaptation of Guido Contini’s life

By Owen James

 

StageArt present yet another rarely performed musical masterpiece with Nine: The Musical which explores the dozens of exhausted mental catacombs belonging to the arrogant, tortured and “genius” filmmaker Guido Contini. As he endures a mid-life crisis approaching his fortieth birthday, his emotional and sexual frustrations obstruct his usual creative liberty.

At first, it is difficult to understand what relevancy Nine has in 2018 – it is a show revolving around a man worshipped by women and who in turn often objectifies and mistreats them. Lines such as “there are only two kinds of women in the world – wives and whores” could easily be taken with offence in today’s socio-political climate, which must be considered when re-mounting any piece of art from the past. But despite Guido’s ego, it is ultimately his mental health that is explored in Nine, making a welcome contribution to the all-too silent public conversation surrounding this. And any production that can display the talents of sixteen women as strong as those in Nine must be welcomed to the stage.

And if there are two elements to surely praise in this production, one is unquestionably the talented female cast and the second is the music of Maury Yeston. In the opening song, Guido is literally swallowed by a sea of long hair and elegant cocktail dresses: jaw-dropping for the sheer number of powerful women who command both our and Guido’s attention. It’s a hypnotic effect, and their constant presence throughout the rest of the show builds to an overwhelmingly beautiful cacophony in key moments.

Clear standouts from this incredibly strong ensemble are Rachel Bronca as seductress Carla, the phenomenal Bronte Florian as Saraghina (who truly shines in her scene with young Guido and in Be Italian), and Stephanie John as fast-talking, intimidating Stephanie. All three deliver sensational, captivating performances.

Anthony Scundi delivers a strong performance as Guido Contini, but noticeably struggles with his vocals – perhaps reflecting a strained voice following weeks of intensive rehearsals. Scundi’s stage presence successfully delivers Guido’s delusion as he dips between fantasy and the real world and his increasing madness in indecision – creatively, emotionally and sexually.

Director and choreographer Michael Ralph ensures this madness manifests at every opportunity. He has created a world where the lines between fantasy and reality are skilfully blurred, exacerbating Guido’s confusion and descent into mania. Ralph’s choreography is sublime, ranging from angelic obsession in Overture Delle Donne, to disrupted delicacy in The Grand Canal, and to dirty, sharp, cathartic movement in showstopper Be Italian. The open, transformable set by Ralph and Tom Willis accompanied by gorgeous lighting from Willis breed an inviting atmosphere where anything is possible, and indeed at any point we could be inside Guido’s daydream, nightmare, or real-life torment. Dazzling costuming from Meredith Cooney complete this unbridled visual nirvana of dreams and possibility.

Alana Tranter as loyal, dependable wife Luisa evokes our pity but warms our hearts in Be on Your Own, and a special mention must be given to Kershawn Theodore as Young Guido (alternated by Brierley Smith) who hits every move and note with sharp precision – he has a bright theatre career ahead of him.

The score by Maury Yeston is rich, sophisticated and powerful. In every song, the orchestra, led by musical director Nathan Firmin with AMD Peter Pham Nguyen, is utterly stellar, capturing every emotion from the original 26-piece orchestration with only eight staggeringly talented musicians – but you’d think it was many more from the full and textured sound they produce. Near perfection in sound design from Marcello Lo Ricco delivers crisp and clean vocals with a beautifully balanced band.

Based on Fellini’s semi-autobiographical film 8 ½, Nine is best described as Company meets Follies meets Loving Repeating, with a dash of Passion and Cabaret – and notably won the Tony Awards for Best Musical and Best Original Score for the original 1982 Broadway production. If you’ve seen the 2009 film adaptation, you absolutely haven’t seen the stage show – they are barely cousins let alone siblings (the stage show is far superior).

Nine delivers fast-paced, dark material with an extremely talented cast, addressing creative pressure and the power of female influence. As with all StageArt presentations, Nine is not a show you’re likely to see again anytime soon in Melbourne – and certainly not in such an intimate, intricate production.

NINE The Musical is being performed 12 October -13 November at Chapel Off Chapel. Tickets can be purchased online and by calling the box office on 03 8290 7000.

Photograph: supplied 

Theatre

Review: Gruesome Playground Injuries

A dark and unbound comedy

By Owen James

For Doug and Kayleen, physical pain is the cornerstone of their fragmented but lifelong relationship, always bringing them together and pushing them apart. New York playwright Rajiv Joseph has deconstructed this powerful and torturous obsession in Gruesome Playground Injuries, a dark comedy that presents segmented and unordered glimpses of these characters’ relationship between the ages of seven and thirty-seven.

Director Jessica Dick has masterfully constructed each vignette, connecting the puzzle pieces of Joseph’s script with heart and affection. Dick has ensured that as we see this relationship evolve, our understanding of them as both individuals and as a shared entity deepens. Their meetings and injuries are sometimes coincidental and sometimes quite decisively premeditated, but they would be lost without each other.

Each sequence is connected with precisely choreographed movement as the characters drift between years and locations. These moments are beautifully designed and allow space for audience reflection on each scene before. Combined with stunning compositions from sound designer Joshua Bliss, each transition is treated to a Lynchian paradise that makes these shifts between age and tone interesting and engaging.

Both Christian Charisiou and Laura McIntosh are highly capable of presenting these two unbalanced and traumatised characters. They find great humour in each scene – especially when playing young children – and reflect truth in two characters that could quite easily be simple and comical. Charisiou (also the producer) has crafted a chilling character in hostile, self-destructive Doug. His presumptuous and cocky attitude is what ultimately perpetuates the narrative, demonstrating his strength and propulsive power as an actor.

Laura McIntosh’s defensive Kayleen struggles to comprehend anarchic Doug, but yet is fascinated and soothed by him. McIntosh delivers mesmerising monologues and embraces Kayleen’s turbulent journey with vigour and warmth. Together, McIntosh and Charisiou construct an unlikely though believable pair, delivering detailed performances that well and truly sustain this two-hander.

The transformative properties of the versatile Loft Theatre at Chapel Off Chapel never cease to amaze me. I’ve seen over a dozen shows in this space, with each production delivering a totally unique design, making you feel like you are in a different space each time. Production designer Ella Butler has created a unique and imaginative set that reminds me initially of an Operation game board, with dozens of resourceful and reusable props scattered throughout the space atop a flat white base.

Special effects by Courtney Clarke are startlingly realistic and highly effective, with macabre wounds and scars applied by the actors themselves onstage. Sound design by Joshua Bliss as mentioned earlier is extremely powerful, cinematic and reflective. Faint background noise in different scenes cements the constantly shifting location and creates realistic environments.

This nonlinear “jumbled chronology” of events leaves us to ponder destiny and coincidence: were these two fated to magnetise together even from the first scene of untainted childhood innocence? Did they resist a cosmic force or simply drift apart? By choice, or by chance?

As they are impaled on various objects, they are also impaled on each other’s psyches. Between firework mishaps, self-harm and romantic infection, the play draws us into this united lifetime of disaster and tells the story of how two people simply came to understand the other’s pain, and why they so deeply need it to survive. It’s a moving and extremely successful production that will stay with you long after it ends.

Gruesome Playground Injuries being performed 10 – 20 October at Chapel Off Chapel. Tickets can be purchased online and by calling the box office on 03 8290 7000.

Photograph: Sanjeev Singh