Above: Ensemble members (l to r, standing): Jemima Hartley, Aisling Delahunt, Cypriana Singh, May Tran, (lto r, on floor) Clay Crighton, Cara Whitehouse deliver energetic and well-characterised performances as a group as well as individuals. Featured image: May Tran and Aisling Delahunt with cast in the version of John Lyly’s Galatea Photos: Justin Clarke Creative.
Currently playing at Qtopia Sydney’s brilliantly renovated venue The Substation is Love and Faith (And Something Unholy). This is a new production for Acoustic Theatre Troupe. The very watchable theatre event is an entertaining modernisation and queernisation of plays by sixteenth and seventeenth century playwrights John Lyly and William Shakespeare.
This night includes the unique spoken rhythms of historic English, precise lip syncing to modern music, live vocals and a spot show at interval.
Using The Substation space brilliantly as well as using suggestive, expressive movement with well-timed comic visual effects, these tales from centuries ago unfold in new accent before us. The hard-working, chameleon cast present thoughts on the themes of virtue, temptation, love, confidence and the perilous path for virgins targeted for the benefit of others.
The six players outlining the stories benefit from slick direction as they bring the queer-sensitive summaries of Galatea (Lyly) and Measure for Measure (Shakespeare) to exciting life.
All cast members portray multiple roles with ease, with quick sideline entries then exits and swift outfit adjustments also. They present at all times with a physicality that impresses consistently throughout.
The opening night crowd I was part of responded strongly to the titillating and true tone of these two edgy updates.
The dramaturgy and creativity behind this double bill’s lofty and peculiar predicaments were successful as the old storylines were communicated and catapulted engagingly into our now.
The transformation of Lyly’s Galatea, a mythological minefield, begins this event. It brings us the tale of virgins striving to be fairest, tied to a tree in sacrifice mode to be ravaged by the god Neptune’s monster and save their town from destruction.
Sobering stuff indeed, but in the hands and talents of this band of performers the twisted tale is imbued with humours, song, sensuality and colourful, well-timed exchange.
May Tran and Aisling Delahunt tear up the floor of the woods/substation/god-fearing society with some cross-dressed courting (complete with ‘StrBoy’ caps) featuring believable, bold chemistry.
Enter mischievous Cupid (played with unapologetic, cheeky glee by Clay Crighton) and the story really gets going.
This player’s portrayal features a myriad of facial expressions, lovely, nonchalant powers and a backpack-plus-wings accessory to die for (or at least be seized in capture).
Cupid’s exchanges with the confident outdoor goddess Diana (in a strong characterisation by Cypriana Singh) are dynamic and when Cupid’s mother steps in the defensive slay is real.
Diana’s nymph (the fiesty and loyal woods character played energetically by Jemima Hartley) interacts well with Crighton’s Cupid. Hartley morphs into maiden-sacrifice hopeful Hebe part-way through the melee with melodrama and grinning blonde ambition. This brief characterisation was a memorable contribution.
Above: (l-r) Cypriana Singh, May Tran and Jemima Hartley in the Shakespeare update. Photo credit: Justin Clarke Creative.
This first play’s tapestry of societal superstition, violence, binding love, power play and family holds colourful court on The Substation floor. Its veneer is sassy and strident. The chance to hear live music comes thanks to queer cabaret sensation Cara Whitehouse (as Venus) being on board.
Miriam Slater’s movement contribution is a game changer for pacing of this story, as it is in the Shakespeare trope. The movement, especially in group formation, is key in supplying a break from the tone of the spoken historic English. It provides essential momentum as sequences cut through the scripts of both plays with bold, modern swathes.
The second half of this offering shifts colourful, vibrant love and faith from busy mythology to the murky predatorial dukedom for a Measure for Measure-with-more.
The intermission spot show from the inimitable Icky, twixt the two plays, is a real palate-cleanser, complete with dramatic condiment. This morceaux of performance art with ice-breaking audience participation refreshes all attendees.
The Acoustic Theatre Troupe cast switch up to drastically different, still dramatically successful roles for Shakespeare’s tale, Measure for Measure, here seen in effective edit. Here the pure Isabella is a nun, targeted by a dubiously honourable duke and deputy.
The play also sees Cara Whitehouse shift gears from the riotous Venus in the first presentation to the Duke in disguise, coldly manipulating the virgin nun Isabella.
Clay Crighton commands the stage with cool cruelty in a contrasting role to Cupid, now as Angelo the predatorial deputy Duke. Angelo’s foil, the jilted Mariana, is played with nice brooding darkness by Jemima Hartley.
Throughout the machinations of this streamlined version of Shakespeare’s work about love and faith, are some brief but liberatingly bold sequences with flirting nuns, powerful parody of old-world institutions, and more penetrating live vocal breaks.
In something of a sudden but enjoyable link back to the first play, a denouement for the second play and the first is joyously appended to the renovated Measure for Measure.
The youthful maidens in the habit of boys from the first play Galatea, who were true to themselves (the beautifully inseparable Galatea and Phillida) are referred to once more. Isabella, a true, fair maiden-much wronged but not averse to looking at other raunchy nuns-sacrificially saves the day to appease the sacrifice-hungry Neptune.
In this way the impact of the contrasts within the double bill is brought to a unified close. Ovations at this solid opening night were wild and well-deserved.
The energy of this polished cast and choice of this pair of newly cross-dressed plays ensure these romps reach the crowd in endearing, elevated and exquisitely queer style. This is one busy, theatrically en pointe retrospective in delicious renovation that is not to be missed.
Love and faith (And Something Unholy) place at Qtopia Sydney’s The Substation in Oxford St until August 31
