Expect the unexpected and experience the theatre of the absurd where the choices in life are shown to often be irrational, meaningless and out of the box.
Two friends demonstrated the frustrations and bond that occurs over years with layers of history and tolerance. Both actors showed their flair for the theatrics of theatre and the desire to be in the spotlight playing off each other. One living life through a disorganised chaos and the other living life through chaotic order. Both ignoring what they don’t want or need to see in each other or themselves and opening up to the ebb and flow of friendship that requires dedication and tenacity.
In the gritty space of the Old Fitzroy Theatre below the hotel bar, the audience witnessed close at hand, the clash of chaos and order between two different approaches to life. The basic set and lights put a spotlight on the two characters and clothes and music were the costumes of the play. It all added to the nitty, gritty of day to day life that has gone through the normal life stages that each character has experienced and endured.
As with all relationships, the comments were funny, cruel and often elicited uncomfortable laughter from the audience. At times, the humour was slapstick and visual and other times it was odd and illogical as we stepped in to the minds of the individual friends. Both actors interacted with audience members drawing them in to the day to day emotions blurring the lines between separation and involvement. Each character provided an odd view of their life but also a focus on each other’s choices and mistakes. There was a sense of the unpredictable as they acted face to face with audience members adding to the zany and sense of anything could happen and it did and this was their way of getting through it all.
Using different media, they showed off, sang, emoted and went from woe to glee over the stupidity of it all. A particularly funny piece was miming to a woman’s desire for a more interesting job adding to the zany and illogical choices people take along the way and leaving us wondering why?
Although the comedic pace was at times uneven, the audience appeared to leave having explored the desire and need of two people determined to retain the friendship in spite of their differences and interpretations on how life has impacted upon each other.
To book tickets to Look At The State Of The Carpet, please visit https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/look-at-the-state-of-the-carpet-1.
