Animal
Tue, 18 June 2013, 09:30 amGordon the Optom3 posts in thread
Animal
Tue, 18 June 2013, 09:30 am‘Animal’ is the 2003 sinister, black comedy by British playwright Kay Adshead. Adshead has written a round 15 very successful and memorable plays, along with award winning performance poetry. As co-founder of the woman-led Mama Quilla Theatre Company (named after the Inca moon goddess), which spotlights human rights issues not surprisingly her topics are often fearlessly confronting in tackling the world’s problems. Kay is also a well-known UK actor, and has appeared in a huge variety of parts and genres, from Catherine Earnshaw in ‘Wuthering Heights’ to the frivolity of ‘One Foot in the Grave’.
Presented by Upstart Theatre Company, this Australian premier is part of their ‘All's Fair’ season; it can be seen at the Pakenham Street Art Space, 22 Pakenham Street, Fremantle nightly until Saturday 29th June. The revelation starts at 7.30 pm.
Sitting on a bench, listening to the brass band in a London park is a dishevelled old man, Peter, known to his friends as Pongo (Kingsley Judd). Pongo is a patient in the old folks’ home in the same park. With him on the seat is Dr. Lee (Sally Bruce), a young psychiatrist, who appears to be showing Pongo great compassion, but in reality this woman has an ice-cold heart of steel and Pongo knows it.
As they are sitting there, the crowd within the park starts to build. There is a major protest building up. In amongst the masses is Elmo (Patrick Downes), a psychiatric nurse, who is belligerently far left in his politics, but has a wonderfully caring attitude to the patients.
One day, when he is feeling a little low, Pongo tells Dr Lee that he is fed up, only to be told in no uncertain terms that he should be grateful to the large drug company, Pharmaceutics, for their generosity in funding the Home and his keep. This statement sets Pongo wondering what this multinational company would want in return for their apparent generosity.
This enthralling story is cleverly understated. The director (Garreth Bradshaw) perceptively handles the alarmingly evil and menacing undertones. The result is a frightening and lucid image of an old age care unit of the near future.
Desiree Crossing’s set comprises stark clinical white walls, with a few framed drawings of birds and an array of red panic lights. Stage manager, Emma Caitlin-Brown, operates a complex, but extremely effective lighting design by Aaron Stirk, along with a follow spot – rarely used these days - being accurately controlled by Anna Lindstedt. Music and sound design by ‘The Men from another Place’ (David Richardson and Steve McCall) helped hone the surreal and exasperating image.
This could, in the wrong hands, have been a boringly heavy piece of theatre; however, director Garreth Bradshaw has kept the pace moving quickly giving us a gripping tale. With a truly brilliant cast, he has produced a recognisable set of characters that really get the emotions aroused. Sally Bruce’s character has all the warmth of Rosa Klebb from James Bond. At times you wonder if she is simply a misunderstood carer, only to rapidly wake up to reality. Patrick Downes clearly shows the warmth he has for Pongo and the frustration that he has with the authorities. Then there is Kingsley Judd, who without failure produces a masterpiece of acting EVERY show that he is in. Kingsley must be one of WA’s best actors, regularly nominated for awards. Someone please give this man a break, he is a star waiting to be born. As Pongo, Kingsley conveys love, misery, fear, a sharp brain and confusion - superb.
This play is harrowing in places, but there is some light relief. The acting is special, so rap up in warm clothes and go to Pakenham Street for a play to remember.
‘Animal’ is the 2003 sinister, black comedy by British playwright Kay Adshead. Adshead has written a round 15 very successful and memorable plays, along with award winning performance poetry. As co-founder of the woman-led Mama Quilla Theatre Company (named after the Inca moon goddess), which spotlights human rights issues not surprisingly her topics are often fearlessly confronting in tackling the world’s problems. Kay is also a well-known UK actor, and has appeared in a huge variety of parts and genres, from Catherine Earnshaw in ‘Wuthering Heights’ to the frivolity of ‘One Foot in the Grave’.
Presented by Upstart Theatre Company, this Australian premier is part of their ‘All's Fair’ season; it can be seen at the Pakenham Street Art Space, 22 Pakenham Street, Fremantle nightly until Saturday 29th June. The revelation starts at 7.30 pm.
Sitting on a bench, listening to the brass band in a London park is a dishevelled old man, Peter, known to his friends as Pongo (Kingsley Judd). Pongo is a patient in the old folks’ home in the same park. With him on the seat is Dr. Lee (Sally Bruce), a young psychiatrist, who appears to be showing Pongo great compassion, but in reality this woman has an ice-cold heart of steel and Pongo knows it.
As they are sitting there, the crowd within the park starts to build. There is a major protest building up. In amongst the masses is Elmo (Patrick Downes), a psychiatric nurse, who is belligerently far left in his politics, but has a wonderfully caring attitude to the patients.
One day, when he is feeling a little low, Pongo tells Dr Lee that he is fed up, only to be told in no uncertain terms that he should be grateful to the large drug company, Pharmaceutics, for their generosity in funding the Home and his keep. This statement sets Pongo wondering what this multinational company would want in return for their apparent generosity.
This enthralling story is cleverly understated. The director (Garreth Bradshaw) perceptively handles the alarmingly evil and menacing undertones. The result is a frightening and lucid image of an old age care unit of the near future.
Desiree Crossing’s set comprises stark clinical white walls, with a few framed drawings of birds and an array of red panic lights. Stage manager, Emma Caitlin-Brown, operates a complex, but extremely effective lighting design by Aaron Stirk, along with a follow spot – rarely used these days - being accurately controlled by Anna Lindstedt. Music and sound design by ‘The Men from another Place’ (David Richardson and Steve McCall) helped hone the surreal and exasperating image.
This could, in the wrong hands, have been a boringly heavy piece of theatre; however, director Garreth Bradshaw has kept the pace moving quickly giving us a gripping tale. With a truly brilliant cast, he has produced a recognisable set of characters that really get the emotions aroused. Sally Bruce’s character has all the warmth of Rosa Klebb from James Bond. At times you wonder if she is simply a misunderstood carer, only to rapidly wake up to reality. Patrick Downes clearly shows the warmth he has for Pongo and the frustration that he has with the authorities. Then there is Kingsley Judd, who without failure produces a masterpiece of acting EVERY show that he is in. Kingsley must be one of WA’s best actors, regularly nominated for awards. Someone please give this man a break, he is a star waiting to be born. As Pongo, Kingsley conveys love, misery, fear, a sharp brain and confusion - superb.
This play is harrowing in places, but there is some light relief. The acting is special, so rap up in warm clothes and go to Pakenham Street for a play to remember.
A Small Edit
Exceptional