Venue: New Theatre (Newtown NSW), Sep 20 – 30, 2023
Playwright: Van Badham
Director: Madeleine Withington
Cast: Matt Abotomey, Emelia Corlett, Sarah Greenwood, Kandice Joy, Gerry Mullaly
Images by Campbell Parsons

Theatre review
Ishtar has to take time out from her PhD in feminism, because she is completely broke, and misogynist podcaster Jake is offering huge amounts of money for her help in earning Danish librarian Anne’s affections. Van Badham’s 2019 play Banging Denmark has only increased in relevance, as incels and pickup artists continue to gain prominence in our consciousness, with their figureheads now becoming big-time celebrities, and with dominant cultural personalities legitimising their abhorrent values and beliefs.

Director Madeleine Withington finds in her production, the real heart of the matter, which relates to how we could solve a problem like bigotry. Before we reach that concluding epiphany however, Withington delivers a work determined to entertain, taking full advantage of the marvellous absurdity in Badham’s often outrageous comedy.

Leading lady Sarah Greenwood’s staggering intensity as Ishtar delivers for the show its electric propulsive charge. That energy renders for the role an extraordinary passion that is simultaneously theatrical, yet true to the strident archetype to which it refers. Matt Abotomey is similarly flamboyant in his humour, unabashed with the hyperbolic physicality he brings to Jake, in a show that is never short of verve.

Costumes by Ruby Jenkins offer accurate depictions of these comical characters, along with a set that offers sufficient versatility to help conjure the various scenic requirements of Banging Denmark. Lights by Luna Ng are colourful and dynamic, gallant in their efforts to introduce a sense of liveliness to the staging. Daniel Herten’s sound design too is stimulating, able to sustain interest with its quirky approach.

It seems a natural instinct to wish to alienate those we deem despicable, to disparage and humiliate those intent on languishing in their indignant dedication to prejudice. We know however, that cruelty does little to persuade anyone to reverse their course of action. There is a surprising kindness to Banging Denmark that can feel unsatisfying in our current climate of ravenous viciousness and inhumanity, but there is no denying the truth, that hate solves nothing, that social fracture is ultimately undesirable, except for the very few who profit from those divisions. There is a part of us that tends to relish in conflict and bloodletting, but the better parts of our humanity understand that delicious as they may feel, wars are never what we want.

www.newtheatre.org.au

Venue: New Theatre (Newtown NSW), Jun 6 – Jul 1, 2023
Playwright: Ben Weatherill
Director: Deborah Jones
Cast: Siobhan Lawless, Daniel Mackenzie, Audrey O’Connor, Joseph Tanti
Images by Bob Seary

Theatre review
When we first meet Kelly, she is 27 and never been kissed. Life with her mother Agnes is pleasant enough, both women humorous and partial to a day at the beach in Skegness, on the Lincolnshire Coast in England. When Neil enters the picture however, Agnes’ protective instincts kick into high gear, which is understandable for a caregiver of a daughter with Down syndrome; the idea of a neurotypical stranger dating Kelly, is a genuine cause for concern.

Ben Weatherill’s Jellyfish explores challenges faced by people with disabilities, especially in early adulthood, as they navigate matters of the heart and contemplate starting families. The comedy is delicately written, allowing us an opportunity to delve sensitively, into some serious subjects that are rarely broached in the mainstream.

Directed by Deborah Jones, the show is engrossing, with a generosity that proves touching in key moments. Set design by James Smithers evokes an English shoreline with whimsical charm, and costumes by Louise Fischer help us identify instinctively, the personality types we encounter. Lights and music by Michael Schell offer gentle support, to the meaningful story being told.

In the role of Kelly is Audrey O’Connor, who brings great panache, along with admirable focus, to have us invest heavily into an enlightening narrative of young womanhood. Siobhan Lawless delivers for Agnes a valuable spiritedness, effectively depicting the strength required of single parents everywhere. As Neil, Joseph Tanti is compelling, and a likeable presence who earns our trust. Also delightful is Daniel Mackenzie who performs with an enjoyable idiosyncrasy, the part of Dominic, a thoughtful young man with Asperger’s syndrome.

Jellyfish brings attention to those who are routinely under-represented, and in the process initiates discussions on autonomy. Where there is discrimination, there often is ignorance; a lack of understanding not only generates hate, it may even deprive individuals of rights. Our capacity to dehumanise one another seems to be a perennial trait, but art is a force that prevails, and with it, our hearts learn to be bigger.

www.newtheatre.org.au

Venue: New Theatre (Newtown NSW), Feb 7 – Mar 4, 2023
Playwright: Tom Wells
Director: Alice Livingstone
Cast: Isaac Broadbent, Nick Curnow, Emma Louise, Sam Martin, Jared Stephenson
Images by Bob Seary

Theatre review
Somewhere in the North of England, a tiny amateur league of five-a-side footballers compete, in teams comprised mainly of members from the local queer population. Tom Wells’ Jumpers for Goalposts is, more than anything else, about community. Its characters are not without their serious sides, but there is a distinct lack of gravity in the play, and although resolutely comedic, it is arguable if much of it is funny at all.

Director Alice Livingstone is fortunately adept at providing for her staging, ample doses of energy, for a production that feels consistently buoyant. Even though the laughs may not be plentiful, the show manages to hold our focus, for all of its two-hour duration. We may not really find ourselves ever caring too much about the five characters in Jumpers for Goalposts but the performers are certainly strong enough, with an unmistakeable earnestness that sustains us throughout the piece.

Emma Louise takes on the role of coach Viv, and like the indefatigable lesbian sporting leader, Louise’s determination to keep her players unified and spirited, forms the lynchpin of these proceedings. Her brother-in-law Joe is inhabited by Nick Curnow, who brings much needed emotional nuance, to a show that could easily be presented without any attempt at subtlety. Jared Stephenson’s exuberance and vigour as the bohemian Beardy, delivers oodles of charm, for a personality as amusing as he is amiable. Isaac Broadbent and Sam Martin tell a story of puppy love, as Danny and Luke respectively, with an admirable conviction that affords an air of dignity to their young lives.

Set design by Tom Bannerman is extraordinarily well constructed, and highly believable as a well-worn changing room, if slightly constricting with the space being demarcated for physical action. The warmth of Mehran Mortezaei’s lights are effective at helping persuade and remind us, of the humanity on display. Bella Rose Saltearn’s costumes are rigorously considered, finished with a level of detail that never fails to impress.

For many queer people, sport represents a realm of persecution and terror. It is for many of us, one of the earliest indications of not really belonging. The many exclusionary constructs pertaining to things like acceptable identities and permissible behaviour, rear their ugly heads most emphatically, in these traditionally patriarchal arenas. We can proceed then, to radically reject these pervasive dominions, through forms of counter-culture that we can assert as being equally valid, or we can attempt to reclaim conventional spaces, trying to convert denial into acceptance. There are many ways for progression to take place, and we do not have to make everything the same.

www.newtheatre.org.au