In 1964 the brilliant American psychiatrist Eric Berne wrote his seminal work, THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY, his ground breaking study of human relationships, viewed in terms of transactional analysis.
There are major league mind games being played in Sam Atwell’s THE INTERVIEW, a contemporary adaptation of the late Danish filmmaker Theo Van Gogh’s film of the same name.
Political correspondents are, as a rule, a dour, serious and cynical bunch. Pretty much what you would expect from people who have to work with politicians every day! They don’t tend to have much interest in the social pages, celebrity gossip and the like.
Pierre Peters is very pissed off when he learns assignment is to interview B-list actress Katja at her sumptuous beachside apartment. Katja’s career is better known for her many affairs than for any memorable performances.
Katja starts off the interview very flirtatiously which gets Pierre’s back up even more, and as the interview proceeds both parties threaten, at different times, to storm out. When Katja decides to turn the tables and starts interviewing Pierre things become even more complicated. What comes across, most of all, is that there’s a big power struggle is under way , with each desperate to win the upper hand and undermine the other.
THE INTERVIEW made for great psychodrama but I’m not so sure that it was great theatre. Yes it was engaging and it was entertaining, and at times very funny, and the narrative did come together in the end, but I’m not so sure that I cared all that much for these two particular game players.
Performances by Kip Gamblin as the cynical journo Pierre and Alison McGirr as the manipulative Katja were excellent. Veteran set designer Tom Bannerman’s detailed, multi-dimensional set was simply stunning
More clever than warm, the Tamarama Rock Surfers Theatre Company production, in association with Dreamhouse Artists, of THE INTERVIEW, directed by the playwright, opened at the Bondi Pavilion on Saturday 3rd November and runs until Friday 23rd November , 2012.
(c) David Kary
16th November, 2012
Tags: Sydney Theatre Reviews- THE INTERVIEW, Tamarama Rock Surfers, Bondi Pavilion Theatre, Sam Atwell, Theo Van Gogh, Kip Gamblin, Alison McGirr, Tom Bannerman, Sydney Arts Guide, David Kary