Any further details of the show will be spoilers, so if you like to approach works in the spirit intended, please avoid this and any other coverage of the production beforehand.
Commencing with a self-consciously static tableau, standing in a straight row and wearing matching shapeless red tracksuits and grins that were held a little too long, the cast of eight gave us our first taste of the embrace of awkwardness that featured through the work. The cast “workshopped” the concept of a play about Earth, after filling us in on the background of the theatre company, introducing the work of the director and then gradually distracting themselves with wilder and more far-fetched ideas.
The group then explore further some physical and conceptual theatre, returning to the ‘Earth’ concept each time they realise how far their imaginings have taken them off track.
The next part of the performance saw the uniforms removed, and performers outfitted for their monologues. Each of these saw the portrayal of part of the life of various personae as developed through blogs kept by the performers/devisers. As well as allowing individual actors to demonstrate their dramatic range, these pieces saw further tight ensemble work as the rest of the cast came into play as chorus or scenery as needed.
Within the monologues, cast members made the most of celebrating their lives and the lives of their personae, leaving a succession of descriptions of life in Perth at the present time. A few wordy sections revealed the pieces’ blogging genesis, but in the main they were presented with an exuberant good humour. An inspired piece of technical work had all cast members sitting in the dark, with their faces lit up by their smart phones, setting the scene for the next monologue.
Earthwas a constantly changing, but very appealing production. The cast bravely embraced the “youth” element of WAYTCO and made it a feature of the performance, self-parodying contemporary stereotypes of youth and youth theatre. The depth of talent and commitment of the cast to a well-developed script made this element a strength of the show rather than coming off as a jejune gimmick.
In the end, after many Gen Y-style digressions, we may have seen a play about “Earth”, but we have definitely been entertained and reassured that the future of the performing arts in the West is in capable hands.
Rating: 4 stars
WA Youth Theatre Company presents
Earth
Writer/Director: Jeffrey Jay Fowler
Assistant Director: Isabella Moore
Stage Manager and Production Manager: Emily Stokoe
Lighting Designer: Glyn McNamara
Performers/Devisers: Siobhan Crabb, Cody Fern, Liam Graham, Megan Hollier, Alex Malone, Iskandar R. Sharazuddin, Thomas James Vowles, Lauren Lloyd Williams
Blue Room Theatre, Northbridge
November 30–December 10, 2011
