The latest production from idiosyncratic independent company Stuck Pigs Squealing (founded in 2001 by Chris Kohn, and renowned for their early productions of works by playwright Lally Katz, including The Black Swan of Trespass and The Eisteddfod), Kit Brookman’s night maybe is a surreal performance exploring a brother-sister relationship, sexuality and gender preconceptions.
Sasha (Sarah Ogden) is abandoned by her brother Tom (Tom Conroy) on their way home. This, and subsequent events, take place in a suburban setting which transitions between parkland, an alleyway and a riverbank – even once to Siberia – with alternating character interactions performed by four actors.
The clever use of space, movement, lighting and sound make the transitions between settings seamless, and Mel Page’s production design successfully embodies the script’s powerful imagery. As the audience enter, heavy smoke hangs in the air, so thick that the front of the stage is hidden from view, until the lighting shifts to dimly illuminate the set. Bright green grass covers the entire floor; several dead trees stand like stark statues, and a slice of bright light bisects the midsection of the stage. These elements ground the production as everything else shifts and changes.
night maybe focuses upon Sarah’s journey to find her missing brother; however the performance’s motive is to examine her subconscious, questioning her relationships with her brother and the world. One of the production’s most interesting aspects is the way it allows the audience to experience the lead characters’ transitions of gender: Sasha begins to embody and exemplify male attributes, and Tom also demonstrates a feminine shift – actor Tom Conroy also plays Sally, a woman.
In saying that, the characters’ gender shifts can make the plot hard to follow. Many interpretations can be made in terms of how the characters can be viewed; however this is also what makes the play engaging and will keep audience members processing the performance long after it has finished.
This concept echoes earlier Stuck Pigs Squealing’s productions, such as 2007’s The Eisteddfod – which also explored a brother-sister relationship. Dark undertones, lyrically flowing dialogue and transformative characters are what Stuck Pigs Squealing are renowned for; clearly, theatrical explorations of human nature in a surreal and provocative way are close to the company’s heart.
Brookman, the writer of night maybe, is a recent addition to Stuck Pigs Squealing, a tight-knit group of regular collaborators. His writing is the backbone of the performance; the interweaving of his imaginative dialogue, with crescendos of sound and beautiful effects by the design team create powerful moments within the production.
Sarah Ogden successfully reveals the emotional interiority of leading character, Sarah, and Tom Conroy’s energetic performance of Sally is highly entertaining and amusing. The dialogue Brookman creates for his characters emphasises imaginative language – except for Sally’s brutally accurate dialogue – that can detract from the narrative; however the production’s visual strengths, and the questions it raises about masculine and feminine personas makes night maybe a must see.
Rating: 3½ stars out of 5
night maybe
a Stuck Pigs Squealing production
Written by Kit Brookman
Directed by Luke Mullins
Set and Costume Design: Mel Page
Lighting Design: Richard Vabre
Sound Design: James Brown
Performed by Tom Conroy, Brian Lipson, Marcus McKenzie and Sarah Ogden
Theatre Works, St Kilda
15 August – 1 September
(Pictured: Sarah Ogden in night maybe. Photo: Sarah Walker)
