Review - Bock Kills her Father

La Mama

Presents

Bock Kills Her Father

By Adam Cass

Directed by Penny Harphem

Bock - Emma Annand

Taylor - Marissa O’Reily

D’Agostino - Emina Ashman

Chambers – Roby Hughes

Sarah – Annie Lumsden

Sound design and composition by Raya Slavin

Set and costume by Owen Philips

Lighting design by Jason Crick

Dramaturgy by Seanna Van Helton

La Mama Theatre – A part of Melbourne Fringe

September 16 - 27 2015

The title Bock Kills her Father with its suggestion of parricide immediately had me thinking of The Cenci by Percy Shelly a disturbing work about incest and murder that was lauded and directed by Antonin Artaud.  I wondered if this aspect of Theatre History inspired writer Adam Cass or perhaps it is the more current sensational stories of the sexual abuse of students by teachers that has informed his intense and weighty piece.

This polished production, in many ways reminiscent of the Neon production of Patricia Cornelious’s play Slut, is disquieting.  It is set on a murky yet translucent blue colored performance space (Owen Philips) that is nicely lit by Jason Crick.   And it is underscored with tortured sound, (Raya Slavin), that is grating and appropriately irritating and a far cry from the jaunty promising melodic music that opens the work.   This harsh sound could well be referencing Artaud and his ‘Theatre of Cruelty’.  For me it is the strongest component in the production.

As an ambitious undertaking Cass has produced a perplexing piece of writing that may well be difficult to wrangle.  It is a text that quite subtly reveals its truths bit by bit.  It is part naturalistic and part a kind of crazy subtext.  Initially individual rhythms and personalities impress but as the evening progresses, and possibly through a lack of playing clear intentions by the actors, characterization seems less clear.   However having said that this could be intended in the writing as all young protagonists seem to be ‘tarred by the same brush’ and, it would seem, are perpetually disenfranchised by their immediate community.  

There are a number of scenes that don’t feel real.  However the opening night performance inferred, that, if the actors garner speed, confidence and a more complete sense of their characters, particularly what drives and motivates their vindictive craziness, the whole should galvanize and make stronger sense of what the writer is trying to say.   

Owen Philips set is strong in its minimalism but his costuming is neither here nor there and seems to have a conservative edge.  It is too clean and pristine and middle class all round and makes little reference to the set.  It also adds to the sense of naturalism and therefore only partially serves the text.

As for what it is being suggested about the damaging and dividing of young woman by a (possibly) predatory male - this is not fully integrated in the whole and perhaps requires some stronger social references to give the whole more relevance and clout. 

This challenging and bemusing work although not fully satisfying, and way too nice, is thought provoking and has a great deal to offer.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)