Elizabeth Surbey

ATYP : THE RESISTANCE : BREAKING DOWN THE FOURTH WALL

ATYP Te Resistance Clare Hawley
ATYP The Resistance Clare Hawley
ATYP The Resistance Pic Clare Hawley

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Here we are inside the ATYP Rebel Theatre and we are told to turn our phones to airplane mode. We enter the theatre that is somehow a warehouse of action – ready to manufacture the emboldened rally cries of the here and now. The screens and mic’d players take turns preparing us for the potential for interactivity. Stay safe in our seats – or join in to change the world! The time is now. We all feel encouraged by the promise that we are all serious stakeholders in the rise of The Resistance!

I wish I had attended a school’s audience, I feel the intention to choose to rise might have felt stronger. Nonetheless they did engage several ‘joiners’. And even in the safety of my central seat, I looked around at who would join that I might vicariously unite in their spirit.

Foretold in the press release, THE RESISTANCE is a giant protest rally exploring the power of friendship, the pain of ambition, and the close fit of a favourite pair of jeans. Set in the arena of the climate justice movement and its mobilisation on social media, interactive theatre maker Kip Chapman takes over The Rebel Theatre and immediately destroys the fourth wall, welcoming the audience on the stage and in on the action. 

THE RESISTANCE is exciting, challenging and interactive. Beyond all the enthusiasm of all the players and that included the invited interactive members from the audience, the play was an embracing fun machine. Emblazoned above the house – “YOLO” and “JUST HAVE FUN!” Although we all felt we were witness to the young people taking over the world, the stakes felt high and time was short. 

I commend the fine young performers shaping the stage interplay and guiding the purpose placed adult interface – Genevieve Lemon was on hand to guide the bit parts of the interacting audience players. Jack Walton was terrific in his interchangeable know-it-all adult – Journalist, interviewer, politician, police.

What if the young change maker – in this play ‘Eva Lorsen’ – (or Greta by another name)- was unable to lead the way and stand before the media to teach the world that the time for climate justice was here. Well our young heroes, and in particular Marlee, find that time has come. She is encouraged and pressed by her friend and peer Bungalun, a First Nations’ fighter, with a huge purpose of her own. Each of the young representatives have their own fight. Miro to read the tech and Pepper to fire the guns. It might very well be a fight to find their place in the bigger scheme of things as they lift their heads from their own media insta tik tok dive and jump in head first.

The play was a mash up of lives and tales – and it all felt very busy. Yet all our lives are busy and we are all wrapped up in ourselves. If only we can find the common ground. But as the target audience are the young people who populated the stage last night, I think they will keep up and follow along just fine.

THE RESISTANCE

Dates: 16 February – 11 March 2023

Times: Wednesday 6:30pm Thursday – Friday 7:30pm; Saturday 2pm & 7:30pm; Sunday 5pm

 

Published by Elizabeth Surbey

Elizabeth had a passion for theatre and performing from her youth and was a keen contributor to the joint school musicals- mostly the Gilbert and Sullivan romps. Once she headed to university this passion dominated with a 4 year stint at UNE in Armidale encompassing both performance and directing as major components of her Double Major in Drama and Major in English Literature. The year after graduation she found herself not only at the newly formed Actors' Centre but also teaching high school drama. She is still there, teaching, directing, writing for high school Drama and on the side across the years has performed in small season productions at Q theatre and directed several productions for the Short & Sweet program being a part of the inaugural group. Keenly she has represented other drama educators as committee member then President of Drama NSW also representing NSW on the National Committee at Drama Australia National Conferences. She completed her MA a century ago also with a focus on Drama & Theatre at UNSW. She is now a mum of two and recently directed her sixth Musical - perhaps now coming full circle in the scheme of things. She was contributing and consulting editor on a major Drama text for Cambridge Uni Press "Drama ReLoaded". More than anything she loves theatre and is very keen to share her experiences with this forum. Each year she directs secondary students in plays from Australia and across the globe, in productions large and small.