Presented by: Red Phoenix Theatre
Reviewed: Thursday 19, October
David Ireland is a brilliant writer. With a keen eye and a sharp pen he dissects the surface glaze of decency that has descended over Ireland since the Catholics and Protestants came to a superficial truce.
Ireland’s vicious wit and razor-sharp writing give the actors and the audience the job of coping with the many vastly entertaining moments Ireland creates that stretch the audience and the actors to the limits of their availability and, as in any good David Ireland play, you find yourself laughing and silently admonishing yourself for the indulgence, as it feels so inappropriate.
Brant Eustice heads up director Nick Fagan’s cast and his performance is one of artful genius. Eustice can turn his hand to almost any character and have the audience eating out of his hand. This performance is one that any theatre-goer who has the chance to witness it will probably hold as a benchmark in characterisation. Eustice gives a tour de force of a performance that would credit any stage in the world of theatre. It is caring, vicious, deranged and full of brilliance.
Any performance that requires an actor to work at the level Eustice does in this show demands a supporting cast who can hold their own whilst aiding and abetting the story with their own personal contribution to the work. The sure and stable energy with which Rhoda Sylvester imbued her clinical psychologist provided the platform for the deep dive into the mental health problems that can take hold of anyone. Sylvester’s calm, assured presence lulled everyone into a false sense of security every time she brought the play back to the present.
Lyn Wilson is, as always, right on the money as Eric’s (Brant Eustice) long suffering wife. She can turn in a right royal harridan of an Irish wife. Emily Currie’s Bridget was rock solid. Her attention to character detail was outstanding and she can hold her own against Eustice; this elevated the drama of the journey in the work.
Matching Eustice in brilliance was Brendan Cooney’s Slim. It takes a very solid actor to be able to achieve some of the hilarious and frightening moments of this intense and confronting piece of work. Cooney gave Eustice endless opportunities to show manipulative brilliance which also gave him the opportunity to play and manipulate with the cheeky Irish humour he relishes in.
The Red Phoenix team, brilliantly led by Nick Fagan, have produced another work of great worth. Fagan’s simple, stark set design juxtaposed on the walls with scenic artist Mark Rogers’ simple chalk-drawn graffiti, allowed the work the space to expand its harrowing journey. Heather Jones heads up the backstage crew, Carmel Boffa and herself managing props and actors. Richard Parkhill’s lights are, as always, complementary to the mood and the journey of the work. Viki Burkett’s costumes are spot- on, Anne-Louise Smith’s hairstyles just right. Lights and sound are managed beautifully in the hands of Ruby Faith and Sean Smith. Libby Drake as the new Artistic Director and Michael Eustice as Production Manager continue Red Phoenix’s tradition of brilliant theatre never before staged in South Australia.
You can always rely on a Red Phoenix play to entertain. This one doesn’t just entertain, it shocks, it challenges, it draws peals of laughter from an unsuspecting audience that ends up silenced in horror by the outcomes of Eric’s (Brant Eustice) journey, after seeing an uncanny resemblance to Gerry Adams in his new-born granddaughter. It is truly a black comedy not to be missed. If you loved Ulster/American you’ll adore this. Don’t miss it!
Reviewed by Adrian Barnes
Image: supplied
Content: Violence and extreme coarse language (recommended for ages 15+)
Venue: The Studio, Holden Street Theatre
Season: October 19th – 28th 2023
Duration: 2 hours including interval
Bookings: https://holdenstreettheatres.online.red61.com.au/event/890:9/
More News
