Wednesday 11 May 2022

The Shadow Whose Prey The Hunter Becomes, Back to Back Theatre, Playhouse, Canberra Theatre

 


A public meeting is held for three people to present themselves and their situation to us, and to introduce their challenges to us, interpreted by a constant computer readout on an overhead screen which the trio interact with as the show continues. There's frustrations, conflicts and disagreements along the way as the trio can't agree on a common way to describe themselves - are they intellectually disabled? Neurodiverse? Something else? And should they really need to be interpreted for the audience or should they be allowed to speak in their own voices? And how will this affect everybody in the future? 

"Back To Back" has been acclaimed internationally for previous productions and for this one - previously I've heard great things about "Ganesh versus the Third Reich", "Small Metal Objects" and "Food Court". Simon Laherty, Scott Price and Sarah Mainwaring, all longterm members of the company (Mainwaring and Price have been with it 15 years, Laherty 22 years) have an absolute trust and give and take between them, and present a show that is pure and stripped down to its basics - a couple of chairs, two trolleys, a ladder, a large chunk of foam and some gaffer tape is all that's required to engross an audience. Intriguing, intelligent and provocative. 

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