Review - Bounty

MKA:  Bounty

Written by Eric Gardiner

Directed by Tom Gutteridge

Designed by Steve Hendy

Costume by Erin Duyndam

Sound Design by Eric Gardiner

Sound Production by Jordan Dempster

Cast: Connor Gallacher, Matilda Reed, Zia Zantis-Vinycomb and Artemis Ioannides.

Fringe Festival - Northcote Town Hall - 16 - 26 September 2015

It is always a refreshing adventure to catch an MKA offering.  Bounty is as described in the Darebin Fringe Festival booklet ‘(an) absurd collision between modern Queensland and ancient Rome’, absurd being the operative word here.

This wild, somewhat messy work, a little on the thin side as far as content, is slickly directed by Tom Gutteridge and performed with energy and aplomb by Conor Gallacher, Matilda Reed, Zia Zantis-Vinycomb and Artemis Ioannides.

Gallacher as Campbell Newman, and other inferred archetypal leaders, amply serves the role of manipulative patriarch and egocentric leader.  Reed a beautiful lithe young actor manages to fit the bill as Newman’s determined, supportive and often very serious wife Lisa Campbell.  Zantis-Vinycomb works well as with the rest of the ensemble to emulate there role of one of Newman’s daughters but it is Ioannides who excels as daughter Sarah Newman who she plays with strong focused centred energy and commitment. 

Initially set around the family dining table this work speaks of the power and control of the family patriarch as well as the community leader/slimy politician and is ridiculously timely in the current political climate.

It is a hilarious romp written and directed from a male perspective and contains a truly messy physical bitch fight, (the second I had seen in this weeks theatre).  Costumes (Erin Duyndam) come off and go back on and things get chaotic.

Worryingly no matter how good the sound producer Jordan Dempster is the speakers in Studio 1 at Northcote Town Hall have seen/heard better days and really need to be replaced to honor best Theatre practice.

An adventurous and energetic show – fun to catch.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)