Chelsea Heaney, I Swear I’m Funny; Casey Lorae, La Folie After Dark; Dylan Murphy and Tom Henry Jones, In the Dark; Isabelle Carney, The Moment
CIRCUS
Casey Lorae | La Folie After Dark
Gasworks Theatre, until October 11
La Folie After Dark is at Gasworks Theater until October 11.Credit: All Emotions Photography
It begins with a warning: Prepare yourself for “swearing, BDSM, and assault.” As you stare at a hoop and chains hanging in a dark, misty room, it’s not entirely clear what you’re walking into. But when the first artist bends his body, uncertainty is replaced by sheer admiration. Meters in the air, he effortlessly lifts and twists his body, wrapping his limbs around the hoop as if they were liquid.
Whether on the hoop, trapeze, silks or straps, the strength of the human body is on full display. Performers are free-falling from ceiling height, making slits in the air and lifting other performers by their necks with their feet. It defies belief but still looks so hot and flawless.
Although each individual pulls off astounding moves, the production as a whole lacks cohesion. A startling attempt to link two performances using a prop cup interrupts your dazed reverie. La Folie It struggles to connect the dots, but it’s still a testament to the breathtaking power and seductiveness of the human form.
★★★
Reviewed by Nell Geraets
THEATRE
Dylan Murphy and Tom Henry Jones | In the dark
Trade Hall, until October 12
Somewhere in a secret bunker, five comedians are waiting for the electricity to drain from a dystopian wasteland to begin their modest radio show: The right-hand man of an authoritarian regime tries to calm the rebellion through silly arts, morality tales and theatricalized propaganda. Think of an Orwellian Orson Welles or The Hunger Games as an interwar publication. The rebels are out there, the disembodied voice of your big brother-like leader is waiting to deliver performance notes via firing squad, and there’s a piss bucket if you need it.
In the Dark will perform at Trades Hall until October 12.Credit: Dylan Murphy
It’s a great premise, and writers Dylan Murphy and Tom Henry Jones have assembled a fantastic cast to make it happen. Hannah Camilleri transforms into a crow with the flapping of a plastic tree’s wings and a mysterious squawking sound. Maria Angelico transitions easily from salacious milkmaid to doe-eyed lover. And Mark Mitchell’s deep voice is perfect for the veteran actor desperate to appeal to butter-churning women aged 16 to 25.
However, too much narration ties the scenario to a dead end. And the moments of foley artistry – often the most interesting part of theatricalized radio plays – are too underdeveloped to justify why the show was staged at all. Ultimately, this killer cast isn’t given enough to do, and this killer premise can’t find its feet.
★★
Reviewed by Guy Webster
