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)
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