melbourne theatre

Slutnik 2: Planet of the Incels

Flick’s “SLUTNIK 2: Planet of the Incels” was a dazzling space age adventure. 

It is the extravagant and anticipated continuation of the SLUTNIK™ franchise, following the success of its fabulous predecessor, SLUTNIK™ 1. The enthusiastic opening night audience for SLUTNIK™ 2, comprised of numerous fans of the first installment, is a testament to its popularity and widespread appeal.

For those unfamiliar with the backstory, SLUTNIK™ 1 chronicles the journey of a renowned group of lesbian space cannibals, accompanied by their trusty robot MOTHERBOARD, who departed Earth a century ago in search of liberation from patriarchal oppression.

The plot centres on Andromeda (Sara Reed) and MOTHERBOARD (Matilda Gibbs), rediscovering and reliving the secreted data of when the “sluts” had been compelled to make an emergency landing of their malfunctioning spacecraft on an unfamiliar planet. To their dismay, they discover the very thing they sought to escape from.

However, these men are not ordinary men, but rather, they are Incels who have been incarcerated within a dome by supposedly wicked lesbians. In addition to their desire for compliant women, these Incels also seek to escape, and believe in exploiting the visitors to achieve their sinister goals.

Matilda Gibbs is an exceptional MOTHERBOARD, and such a highlight of the show. Sara Reed portrays the conflicted Andromeda. She is truly enjoyable in her portrayal of an earnest explorer, being confronted with an entirely new experience – the Incel Men. The men, namely Ben Ashby, Ethan Morse, Michael Cooper, William Strom, and Benji Smith, are all recognizable as man-boy types and together, create a comical and perplexing chorus.

The Incels are easily ridiculed, yet they manage to captivate audiences with their provocative dance numbers, choreographed by Mia Tuco. Their interactions, and manipulations form the crux of the show, providing a platform to explore themes such as power, masculinity, and autonomy. 

The Incels’ dialogue is also used in matrix-style set dressing, which creates interesting contrast with the flamboyant flourishes of MOTHERBOARD’s retelling. Read: in real life, toxic masculinity forces men such as these characters to present themselves in bland uniformity, but Costume Designer Emily Busch has made them into glittering cowboys.

The language they use was apparently taken verbatim from Incel websites, documentaries, etc. Jon, played by Benji Smith, is a sinister, charismatic leader of the Incels, exuding an air of authority and menace. “Nice guy” Elliot, portrayed by Ben Ashby, attempts to win over Andromeda with his charm. The other three men, played by Michael Cooper, William Strom and Ethan Morse, while initially rude and boorish, ultimately prove to be more redeemable, revealing deeper layers of humanity, despite being so unsympathetic.

Juxtaposed to the incels, Motherboard and Andromeda’s exchanges are a fascinating exploration of what it means to retell truthful and challenging stories – especially the burden of lived experience and trauma. 

I applaud Flick and the whole production for their camp, sci-fi, musical spectacular. The story was a stunning and tactful interrogation of the dumpster-fire world we navigate today. Contemplating the end of the show, I walked away fired up by the pathos and soothed by the glamourous flourishes in sound and design.

I look forward to seeing SLUTNIK 3!”, but in the meantime, be sure to see this show before it closes on 16th September at Theatre Works.

This review also appears at It’s On the House.

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Grave Issues – An Examination of a Life’s Worth

In 24 Carrot Productions’ outstanding and profound “Grave Issues,” we are immersed in deep examination of a life’s worth. 

The audience enters the Bluestone Church Arts Space in Footscray to find themselves at a funeral for an unnamed woman. Upon sitting, we learn that a “procedure” will be performed, where an empirical determination of a person’s inner workings will be revealed. 

The play opened on “Senior” and “Junior” (Kate Ball and Karli Riesen, respectively) performing a sort of autopsy of personal qualities in front of an audience of funerary mourners. The findings were such that “Colleague,” “Friend,” and “Lover” were driven to challenge the method by adding their own experience. 

This cleverly-paced performance combines big emotion with perspective and tact. Sharmini Kumar’s darkly humorous writing was like a welcoming lighthouse in a sea of shallow themes. 

Karli Riesen was captivating in her portrayal of a high-achieving student up to her neck in the challenges of death, life and worthiness. The co-worker chemistry between Karli and Kate Ball was both hilarious and very tender, and I couldn’t look away. In Kate’s performance, I saw a wise and discerning professional with care equal to her ambition, and writing this now, I suspect this is also a close reflection of her work as an actor. 

Ocean Trimboli’s “Colleague” was intense and nuanced. She found amazing balance in her character’s pendulous emotions, the like of which are only too relevant to any discussion of death. 

In “Friend,” I saw Bianca Conry deliver an exquisitely flawed human with impeccable comic timing. Even the rhythm of her shoes on the stage’s steps served to build the play’s entrancing reality. 

As “Lover,” Sasha Leong was poignant and serene. I found myself simultaneously moved to tears by her performance while also calmed by her voice and dignified stillness. 

Front-of-house people were wearing a floral emblem which also adorned notebooks, water bottles, and other props. It had a wonderful unity. 

The main performance area contained a coffin, a stage and a small medical implement space at the rear, near a long, black, velvet curtain. The subtle lighting highlighted small moments of transition in the absurdist piece. 

The deliberate setup created an atmosphere of sterile efficiency while still being in the grip of a funeral. It was a clever way to contrast humans’ need for emotionless facts while still needing creations such as identity, both fleeting and timeless. 

Sharmini Kumar has written a witty, hilarious and profoundly moving examination of how we see and judge ourselves and how our loved ones challenge that. I urge everyone to see this play’s limited run.

Performances of Grave Issues are running until the 9th of September at the Bluestone Church Arts Space.

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Monument – A Play to Remember

Red Stitch’s production of Monument, penned by Emily Sheehan and directed by Ella Caldwell, is a masterful work that intricately balances humour and poignancy.  It’s hard to find any fault in this production, especially in Sheehan’s writing; as soon as the show ended, I was lining up at the box office to purchase a copy of this hilarious yet profound script.

The story of Monument takes place in real time over ninety minutes. It focuses on the dynamic relationship between two very different women: Edith Aldridge, the youngest woman ever to be elected leader of her country, and Rosie, a twenty-year-old makeup artist who works at David Jones.  Sheehan has referred to Monument as a “Trojan horse of a play,” a fitting description for a deeply profound narrative packaged up in a seemingly uncomplicated premise. This is also an apt reflection on one of the main topics of this play: makeup and beauty.

Before the actors took the stage and the house lights dimmed, we admired the astonishing set design by Sophie Woodward. Bold, vivid, and elegant, Woodward’s circular stage design could not have been more perfect for this story.  Woodward created an intimate, glamorous, and a little bit intimidating space, a perfect reflection of the presidential hotel suite that is Monument’s setting.

The lighting and sound design, orchestrated by Amelia Lever-Davidson and Danni Esposito, respectively, enhance the production’s emotional impact. The subtle changes in lighting and well-timed sound cues seamlessly guide the audience through the shifts in tone.

Sarah Sutherland and Julia Hanna are both nothing short of captivating in their respective roles as Edith and Rosie.  As you watch Sutherland and Hanna breathe life into Sheehan’s brilliantly written characters, you can tell they are experts in their craft.  As solo artists, they both gave mesmerising performances that radiated authenticity, but their synergy and harmony are truly remarkable as a duo.  I couldn’t look away for even one second. 

It’s not an easy task for a play to evoke hilarity, introspection, and empathy all at once, but the team behind Monument has accomplished this flawlessly.  If you want an evening of guaranteed laughs as well as a heartfelt and emotional story, then this is a show you do not want to miss.

Performances of Monument are running until the 3rd of September at Red Stitch Actor’s Theatre.

This review also appears on It’s On The House.

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