Set in a world similar to ours, WAYTCo’s production of Another Twin sees people looking for love, hoping for the future, trying to maintain order in their own petty realms, seeking a profit, sending texts, posting to Facebook and compulsively recording daily moments. In an inspired piece of lateral thinking, playwright Lally Katz explores what such a world would be like if God and the Internet went to war, with humans and our daily lives caught in the middle.
A confusing first half sets up a multiplicity of surreal story lines and concepts, all tightly tangled together. Close attention is rewarded with a sense of ‘nearly got it’ by the interval, before an action-packed second half which does not provide all the answers, but sets up some interesting take-home concepts. Any further description of the narrative risks both spoilers and getting caught up in one of the many threads of plot at the cost of providing a useful overview.
The problem with any WAYTCo production is that their large ensemble works rarely carry any passengers. Between thoughtful script selection and an embarrassment of talent in the cast roll call, mentioning particular acting highlights will unfairly neglect the great work done elsewhere. With that in mind, Olivia Finlay and Kaycee Graham as Martha and Angela were a tidy double act, making their bizarre dual lives as prophet and acolyte/patient and nurse, surprisingly clear. Campbell Greenock’s James drifted around the stage with his eternal video recording, a lost soul in search of a mate, and waiting for an amorphous future – even in Katz’s dystopian alternative reality, he played a role that rang familiar bells in each of his scenes.
The conceit of Aishling (Charlotte Westrip) singing the thoughts of people around her worked well in some places, the other-worldly warbling moving the story along and Westrip’s fine vocals suiting the slightly creepy moments. However, at other times it seemed to serve only to repeat what had just been said, not adding anything new to the piece. Furthermore, not all the actors or their characters employed the same vocal control, making some of the duets (possibly purposely) quite jarring. However, some of the massed sung moments were quite moving in their own rights, contributing another dimension to the performance.
The simple set allowed rapid changes between scenes, with large translucent screens used effectively in a variety of ways. Projections on the screens set scenes and moods without taking over the storytelling, and the unlit screens provided visual depth as well as clear physical blocking points.
Another Twin raises more questions than it answers, but by considering our own responses we may find that this world turns out to have more to offer us than we originally expected. As for the future of theatre in Western Australia, that looks promisingly bright, too.
Rating: 4 stars
Another Twin
Written by Lally Katz
Directed by Kirsty Hillhouse
A WAYTCo Presentation
Set & Costume Design: Lauren Ross
Sound Design, Music Composition & Direction: Late Night Shopping (Nikki Jones & Shaun Salmon)
Lighting Design: Joe Lui
Audio Visual Design: Mia Halton
Performed by Charlotte Westrip, Violette Ayad, Rachel Chamberlain, Lucy Clements, Verity Softly, Catherine Bonny, Keiran Wych, Jodee Anderson, Olivia Finlay, Murphy Voight, Kaycee Graham, Emily David, Madelaine Page, Daley King, Nic Doig, Campbell Greenock and Matt Young
Dolphin Theatre, University of Western Australia
28 June – 6 July
