Construction of the Human Heart by Ross Mueller
BSharp & Keep Breathing Productions
18th October 2007
Full-text version of review published in The Daily Telegraph.
What’s going on in Melbourne at the moment? What are they feeding into the theatrical water trough that is producing all of this daring and intense work?
In just over a month, this reviewer has had the pleasure of seeing three independent theatre productions come up the Hume Hwy and in different and unique ways push theatrical boundaries that Sydney groups just don’t seem to be pushing.
It seems that where Sydney seems to be falling behind is in experimenting with theatrical form, that is, the way that material is presented. Construction of the Human Heart, by Ross Mueller is in so many ways the apex of what is being investigated on Melbourne stages with a form that challenges not only theatrical but audience expectations as well.
As the house lights are up, two actors introduced as Him and Her (Todd MacDonald and Maria Theodorakis) walk onto a stage that contains nothing but two chairs and two bottles of water. With scripts in hand they acknowledge the audience, take their seats and begin reading. It seems as though we are at a public reading that could be in any hall or room in the city.
It appears they are reading from a script she has written as some fantasy child’s tale. But then, Him, drops the script, pages go flying and without a beat the script continues. The play takes on another play. Are we hearing a play that both of them have written? Or is it a play that is merely about them, the two writers? The troubles they encounter, the feelings between each other and the lost tenderness are all being exposed.
At the same time the lights on the audience gradually grow darker as the overlapping plays start to fill up the imagination of the audience. Then a blaring voiceover announces the stage directions. The fantasy tale is blending with the reality of the two characters lives and the consciousness that this is theatre.
The power of Mueller’s play and the imagery it evokes is a stunning theatrical work (the story of the angels encountering a small boy in the forest is a devastating image). Coupled with the stark simplicity of Brett Adam’s direction and Rob Irwin’s lighting as well as the intricate performances of the two performers, this theatrical piece daringly asks audiences to fill in the gaps, to make up their own minds and to engage. This is beautiful theatre.
Till 28 October
25 Belvoir Street, Surry Hills
(02) 9699 3444
www.belvoir.com.au $23-29
Friday, 26 October 2007
Review: Construction of the Human Heart
Posted by Nicholas Pickard at 2:55 pm
Labels: Directing, Independent Theatre, Playwriting, Review
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2 comments:
I agree that this show was lovely stuff. But as for what they are putting in the theatrical water?...
At the risk of grossly generalising, I would suggest that a spirit of exploration characterises the theatre scene in Melbs - especially the fringe scene (not so much the MTC) - seeing rehearsal & performance as process over product. Whereas Sydney priveleges the product more.
As I said a generalisation, but an important one to me - this is what I appreciated first hand being a Sydney boy who went to VCA drama.
We have our Performance Space and other process-driven companies, but then Sydney has this performance/theatre distinction hang-up thingy - i.e. either you're a 'performance' person or a 'text/theatre' person. Melbourne doesn't have this hang-up, it's a bit more open, accepting, open to change and failure. And often that honesty pays off.
Spot on Gaz.
Melbourne has always got something up her sleeve. Sydney doesn't wear sleeves.
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