In a slightly different world, Holly and Violette are housemates. They treasure their special friendship, their very different personalities complementing and supporting each other in their respective five year plans. As seen in her emotional reactions to the death of their pet rabbit, Rabbithead, Violette is soft-hearted, if not practical, and Holly uses tough love to keep her on track to achieve her life goals. However, on the night that Violette determines to dump her cockroach of a boyfriend, Holly gets picked up in a bar and everything changes.
Literally the sweetest set the Blue Room Theatre has ever seen, the stage is a multi-tiered confection of fairy floss. A charming opening scene with a rabbit puppet gambolling in the cloud-like swirls of spun sugar is ends abruptly with the arrival of a human hand grasping its neck and squeezing – an introduction to the darkness that underlies the whimsy of this shaggy dog/rabbit tale. The set’s versatility finds the floss hiding not only the actors but also changes of costume and various props. Clumps of fairy floss are themselves used to stand in for a range of items.
Using the actors’ own names for the main characters is an intriguing device: Violette is played by Violette Ayad and Holly by Holly Garvey, emphasising the ever-so-slightly off-kilter nature of the Rabbithead world to our own. Ayad is appealingly drippy in her main role as Violette, but also emanates creepy smarm when playing the older business-type who seduces Holly. Garvey as Holly is brusquely idealistic, cherishing her friendship with Violette and dreaming of a stellar career in fracking. Garvey also plays the role of Rob the cockroach boyfriend, perfectly embodying the loser in his dead-end job, with no thought of the future. Garvey’s mannerisms when switching between roles, and as Holly goes through major life changes, are a joy to watch, demonstrating total facial control and a gift for physical comedy. Both actors radiate an infectious delight as they work with the stage full of fairy floss, working closely with the original soundtrack by Cat Lips and the weighty narration of Humphrey Bower.
Rabbithead is in the early stages of its development and at the start of the season — and it shows. The acting is skilful and assured, the set is amazing and the sound design is outstanding. The narrative itself, however, lacks the compelling hook that little y theatre company productions have so often delivered. The tale is interesting but not engaging, and there is no sense of real development or satisfaction in the characters. Despite major changes, true confessions and betrayals, this seemingly substantial material is not entirely satisfying. It will be interesting to see how this develops through the current run and in potential future outings.
Well worth a look, for the acting and music as much as the fantastic set, Rabbithead celebrates local imagination, talent and innovation.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Rabbithead
Presented by The Blue Room Theatre, little y theatre co and WhatSheSaid
Director: Ian Sinclair
Creative Producer: Georgia King
Deviser and co-producers: Holly Garvey and Violette Ayad
Narrator: Humphrey Bower
Lighting Design: Chris Donnelly
Set + Costume Design: Tessa Darcey
Sound Design: Cat Lips
Stage Manager: Elisabeth Strohmeier
Movement: Tarryn Runkel
Performed by Holly Garvey and Violette Ayad
The Blue Room Theatre, Perth Cultural Centre
www.blueroom.org.au
27 May – 14 June
