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DIRT Company: Queensland Theatre Company Venue: Cremorne Theatre, QPAC Dates: Read our interviews with Michael Gow and Angela Betzien
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Wash those Shorts!
The experiment seems to have worked, with this eclectic mix of the contemporary and the nostalgic, the frenzied and the unhurried working together remarkably well. The
evening began with Maryanne Lynch's Shoe Biz; a tale of relationships
- good and bad - told through the eyes of a woman Next up was Drown, by Stephen Davis. Davis recently broke through to the silver screen with his script for City Loop, and his experience appears have had some influence, as Drown is a very cinematic work. The blokey but insightful story sees three male friends at the beach; where some dark deeds unfold and old wounds are reopened. >>>
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It was a trip down memory lane for the older audience members after interval with Sven Swenson's In Lieu of Flowers. The setting is a farm sometime around the time television was first introduced into Australia. Two daughters (Rebecca Dale and Butel again) are discussing their options; but their daydreams are shattered by the arrival of their father (Peter Marshall). Finally,
Angela Betzien's Playboy of the Working Class focuses on a gambler One of the main reasons Dirt does work as well as it does is the outstanding set design by QTC staffers, who create four different worlds with a minimum of fuss and a great deal of ingenuity. The cast is uniformly good. Butel's performance(s) have already been mentioned, and Rebecca Dale's Grace in 'In Lieu of Flowers' is particularly strong, but the remaining cast members are all fine in their respective roles - even if there are moments of incongruity, as the actors play characters considerably older or younger than themselves. Dirt is a showcase of the best writing, acting and production talent Queensland has to offer - all skilfully guided by Gow. It's gritty stuff - but really, a bit of Dirt never hurt anyone. David Edwards Send us your feedback on this article or anything else in The Blurb |
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The
short play is curious creature. Like short films, they tend to be marginalised;
performed in "fringe" or amateur settings and generally thought of as
something less worthy than a full length production. But Queensland Theatre
Company artistic director Michael Gow has made a brave decision to showcase
the form through four new works by emerging local playwrights; dubbed
Dirt. 
obsessed
with buying shoes. The nameless woman is played by Melinda Butel, who
puts in a powerhouse performance. Indeed, she was the pick of the six
person ensemble who perform various roles through the suite. 
(Paul Denny) and his struggles to break free of his addiction. Betzien's
work was arguably the most exciting and original of all those on display,
with flashes of inventiveness and humour peppering a challenging script.