Melbourne-based performer Bron Batten has brought her one hour theatre piece, Sweet Child of Mine – a blend of dance, film and stand-up comedy in which Batten and her 60 year-old parents discuss art, theatre and what Bron actually does for a living – to Perth for its Western Australian premiere as part of Fringe World.
Questioning the nature of art is the main theme of the show, which Batten explores through a semi-serious deconstructionist exploration of ‘creative dance’ and the nature of tertiary dance and drama courses. More powerful responses to the theme come from her parents, featured in projected footage filmed in situ on the family couch, as they respond to Batten’s quiet questioning about their impressions of her practice: ‘it’s interesting… well, it’s art… but especially contemporary art, it’s not meant to be understood. It’s got double meanings.’
The deliberate intimacy of the raw self (Bron hangs out in very daggy underwear for most of the show) is another theme of Sweet Child of Mine, and one which encourages the audience to question notions of overly constructed image and glossy packaging, though ironically, Batten doesn’t really seem to explore this idea in any depth.
These narrative threads are held together by Batten’s direct questioning of the audience and stand-up style observations about art, life, Facebook, old school reunions and whether one’s parents support one’s artistic endeavours. This aspect of the show felt contrived; the chummy comedic approach didn’t ring true when compared to the genuineness of the footage depicting her parent’s relationship and Batten’s home environment. Conversely, the show’s filmed elements – through which we learned about Bron’s early life, her siblings, and her parents’ contrasting but ultimately complementary verbal and non-verbal interaction – were exquisite.
The lustre brought to the show by these filmed vignettes had the audience wanting more, as if craving the closeness and intimate rawness of real people trying to come to terms with defining the intangible. The essential nature of art as seen through the eyes of this older Australian couple – ‘it should be beautiful’ or ‘oh, just not my cup of tea’ – was heartbreakingly familiar to anyone doing something conceptually different from the rest of their family. Batten also has some great moments of audience interaction via a clever technological device that emulate this parental relationship, which was also incredibly moving and entertaining.
As a show that won ‘Best Experimental Performance’ in the 2011 Melbourne Fringe, Sweet Child of Mine has a brilliant core, however more thought needs to go into developing the surrounding structure to ensure that its strengths really shine through.
Rating: 3 ½ stars out of 5
Sweet Child of Mine
Devised and performed by Bron Batten and her parents, Jim and Linda Batten
Outside Eye Direction: Gerard McCulloch
Sound Design: Edward Gould
Presented by the Blue Room Theatre and The Last Tuesday Society in association with PICA
Perth Institute of Contemporary Art
4 – 8 February
Fringe World 2013
www.fringeworld.com.au
25 January – 24 February
