Bug

‘Bug’ is a sinister thriller by Tracy Letts. It is produced by Spotty Fellow Productions and is showing nightly, at 8.00, in the main auditorium of the Subiaco Theatre Arts Centre until 18^th August.

The action takes place in a squalid, downtown Oklahoma motel unit. The room is dank and the walls have patches of dark green mould growing on them. Playing in the background is a blue grass track. This is the temporary dwelling of distraught Agnes (Helen Doig) who is trying to escape from the psychological and physical abuse of her husband Goss (Ian Toyne). Her good friend R.C. (Jo Wyndham) wants to cheer her up by going to a party and has brought along a partner for her. He is Peter (Dan McAskil), a quiet and somewhat insecure, withdrawn character. Agnes and Peter decide to stay at the motel. They enjoy each others company and Agnes lets him stay the night in her bug infested bed.

Next day, Peter is obviously stressed by the helicopter that is constantly hovering over the unit and when Dr Sweet (Igor Sas), a character from his past turns up, Peter has real problems.

Tracy Letts proved a decade ago, in the very powerful ‘Killer Joe’, how well he can develop characters and move the audience from fear to sympathy and generally through all the emotions smoothly. Once again in this creepy thriller he succeeds splendidly.

My greatest fear about seeing this show was, that just as in such dire ‘B’ films as ‘The wasp lady’ and the ‘Day of the ants’, that some diabolical remote controlled models of bugs would wander across the stage to the merriment of the audience and kill the desired effect. This was not so, the climax of the play was much more subtle than this. Under the well-observed and thoughtful direction of Jo Marsh the atmosphere of this carefully crafted script came alive.

A brilliant team of techies. Steve Warren’s lighting of the dismal motel set – superbly designed by Brad Reid - was atmospheric and spot-on. Steve Hearne’s sound design was his best yet, the required sounds were very demanding. Stereo effect of the helicopter, and the complex sounds for the final scene. Stephany Wood’s make-up made the audience gasp.

The whole cast couldn’t have performed better, but special congratulations must go to Helen Doig and Dan McAskil for making us all feel genuinely uncomfortable in our seats.

The old expression ‘Night, night, sleep tight, mind the bed bugs don’t bite’ will ring in your ears for years to come. This is not a silly, gimmicky horror play, with unconvincing props but a well written night of creepy entertainment. Try and see it.