Feast

‘Feast’ was written and directed by Scott McArdle for Second Chance Theatre. The writer proclaims that so often at the theatre, the drama is modified to be so politically correct and acceptable to everyone, that the whole dramatic effect of a scene is often lost. Here, his team have decided to be bold and tackle the difficult subjects with courage.

The play is being performed at the Murdoch University Drama Workshop Theatre, next to car park 4, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch. The 40-minute performances start at 6.00 pm and 8.30 pm until Saturday 9^th February.

      A young girl (Chloe McGrath) in a short black evening dress is kneeling on the ground of a cellar. Blindfolded and with hands bound behind her back, she is whimpering. This girl has been plucked from the street by three weird women for their experiment.

      The first girl, in a blue dress (Rachel Doulton), who is bubbly and brainless with tattoos on her face, thinks that she has been given this pet woman to play with, instead of the puppy that she wanted.

      The other two girls arrive in the dungeon and explain the purpose of the captivity. One woman in a red dress (Kaitlyn Barry) is a sick bitch with a foul mouth. Her lesbian partner in the white dress (Sam Knox) is obviously the leader of the weird trio. Several short scenes are enacted to show what has happened to the group’s previous victims. They are scenes of torture, sexual abuse from the women and the two soldiers (Daley King, Rhys Hyatt). 

      The black dress is put on trial, will she be found innocent or guilty?

The good news before the bad. It is obvious that a great deal of work has gone into the concept and script development. As the director states, the theatre must face up to real life filled with sordid and nasty happenings.

The bad news. This play is a prime example of why a writer should not be the director of his own play. This writer / director is very competent in both tasks, but he has missed so many opportunities.

Described as bold - a trip to Northbridge at 11 pm is far more frightening. When the women were to be burned at the stake, they walked over and slotted their own hands into the leather straps whilst the two soldiers watched on. Oh come on, they would have been dragged kicking and screaming. The anger shown by the women was shouted in a shrill, gabbled voice, when a low, slow tone would have been more effective.

At no stage did I feel sympathy or shock. There were no frightening moments that made me cringe. The violence was nil. With threats being delivered by actors with arms at their sides – get nasty, get vicious and finish the show with torn clothes and a few real bruises. Bland violence is pathetic.

The lighting was hackneyed, with red lights coming on for an angry scene etc. although the strobe effect worked well.

The programme labels the girls by colours, but their dresses do not match their names.

Sorry but much of this was trite and I know that the whole group are capable of so very much better. Disappointing.