The Judas Kiss - Playlovers

Hey everyone!

As I am leaving in only two short months I have made it a mission to see as many shows as I can before I go. I managed to catch the latest at Playlovers out in Floreat the other night.

Overall I thought the production was pretty decent. The first thing that catches your eye (obviously) is the front of house. And boy have you guys pulled your socks up. The whole foyer was beautifully decked out and it was also great to see what you've done with the green room.

On walking into the theatre, again it is hard to avoid looking at the set. It was simply beautiful. On such a limited stage, you guys always manage to bring out the best. The decor was consistent with the feel of the English Hotel room, the colours bright, the detail was fantastic. Perhaps a little too much as I found my eyes wandering sometimes to have a look at something I had missed earlier.

Second act had a much simpler set, but just as detailed when considering the context, showing the wear on the walls, the choice of colours to location. Well done.

Now onto the show itself. In involving story, I can see why Mr Hough Nelson has wanted and waited so long for the right to direct the piece.
I won't give away too much of the story I hope.

I am also not going to comment on individual nudity as I find in most reviews of plays that contain nudity it always tends to fall on the dirty side of whether he was well hung or not or how big her breasts are. I will say that the inclusion of nudity was an interesting choice, not 100% essential in my view but a good shocking technique, entertainment piece and crowd puller. You simply had to listen to the audience to know they enjoyed it.

To start with the biggest part. Always the best way to go. An admirable job. I feel Peter Clark was one of the few characters that allowed himself to get involved in his character. His highs, his lows were well portrayed and explored. I must say if that was what he was like, I wouldn't much like Oscar Wilde in person, but that's just me. His handle on the witicisms of Wilde were well handled and the timing was good. Peter was able to create a well rounded and consistent characterisation. He looked very comfortable in Oscar's skin.

I do feel that remaining seated for the bows is not a good choice. You can all feel free to disagree but I feel as an actor it is a sign of respect and appreciation to stand when taking your bows. If you can run off as the lights go down, you can certainly stand. If it is because the actor is so overcome with the work, this would be the first time I have seen the actor so incapacitated and I speak from personal experience as some of you may recall Carpe Diem a few years back, when I say I don't think there is any level of emotional incapacitation that restricts you from giving the audience your sign of appreciation and respect for their applause. Whether it was a director's choice, or actor's I don't know.

Both Benjamin Russell and George McCabe also gave clean, yet levelled performances. Each had different relationships with Oscar Wilde and different reactions to what was going on and these views were clearly displayed for the audience. There was also a fine amount of detail put into their characterisation as well as that of Tara Khin in regards to their status, their duties and how they behaved for their guests. The making obeisance to each member of Wilde's party, or when entering or exiting the room. Very well performed. Even the miming as they prepared the lobster was fine tuned and entertaining to watch.

Michael Balmer's Robbie started off slightly unsteady. Throughout the play he strengthened and found his centre. I don't think this was altogether part of the character's development rather than a slight uncertainty of the character himself. There seemed to be the odd line quibble but the meaning and the purpose of the character was well shown. Again, I feel Michael entered the role more effectively in the second act. As the character was more confident, so was Michael.

The weakest link, not that I am saying he did a bad job, but I feel he didn't quite grasp the emotional centre or depth of the role was Josh Crane as Bosie, Oscar's lover. For all the yelling and affectation, there wasn't the real spirit behind it. This is a man who is in love with Wilde at the beginning of the play. But there was no bond between the two men. There were too many airs and graces for anyone to perceive him as a lover. Josh did managed to embody a lord. The problem was he managed to portray it even when he was naked or semi naked and in an emotional conversation with Oscar. He talks of being a rebel, we know he has been sleeping around with men and living a rather debaucheous life. I feel his character would have relaxed a lot more over the two years between acts at least, or when he is naked in his own home, not be so contrite. Definitely in the moments he is saying he is returning to his old life and giving up his life of sin, he can show the affectations, but they just didn't sit right through the beginning of Act Two or in the privacy of the hotel room.

Nick Arcaro as Galileo was suitably cast. His language skills are evident, he also understood his character and his position in the scene.

The only other problem I had with the play was the blocking and upstaging. So often was Oscar placed upstage that all the other characters had to turn their backs to the audience we lost any emotional connection with them. There are some effective back actors, but in this sort of play it doesn't work. This could have been rectified in two ways. Firstly, stop moving Oscar so far back or have the other actors move back too. Or secondly, and probably the method I would prefer, stop making the conversations between Bosie and Oscar or Robbie and Oscar being face to face. A lot of the lines in the dialogue could have been delivered to the audience from Bosie and Robbie, or at least facing slightly more toward the front but not looking directly at Oscar. This would have added levels to the final argument between Bosie and Oscar for one, showing Bosie's new found or at least faux independance from Oscar. Yet all these conversations seemed to be trapped in a face to the side of Oscar's face stand off. A good example of what I mean is in the second act when Oscar is sitting by the fireplace, Bosie is by the window upstage and Galileo is on the couch. Oscar spoke to both men whilst only looking at one or even whilst he was looking out at the audience. It's a theatrical convention we all know of and needs to be explored more in this show.

The audience thoroughly enjoyed the performance the night I went, as did I. It's great to see some new work being explored and performed well in Perth. The piece was entertaining, emotional and intellectual all at once, which is a hard thing to balance sometimes. But definitely well worth a look.

Thanks Y'all

Anthony