VIVID WHITE
Vivid: (adjective) producing powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind. If only this was an apt description for this overly long and quite frankly arduous and boring study of the Australian dream of owning one’s home. Instead we are offered up a rancid piece of commentary that could barely entertain a new born, let alone the more discerning theatre goer. It borders on the offensive, and though this maybe its intent, the large portion of rich, white, middle-aged Australians in the audience laughing at the misfortune of a whole generation being locked out the housing market really does leave a bad taste in one’s mouth.
As a piece of musical theatre, there are some really great performances here, and the cast do what they can with such limited material. It is also a beautifully executed thing; it slips from the pre-show reality into thick blackness, and the performance begins a second or two before your brain catches on. A succession of different sets is revealed behind a sliding black screen. The lighting is adequate, and the monster – with a nod to Little Shop Of Horrors – is a nice touch. Each scene is beautifully colour-blocked. Production values are high but such is the luxury of a sizeable budget.
Some gags are humorous upon introduction, and to a degree, they add a little shine to this otherwise lackluster affair. But as they say, you can’t polish a turd; you can only roll it in glitter.
Used as crutches to help the wounded limp along, these moments of brief humour are drawn out in a way that makes them almost redundant. Shortening or removing these moments entirely is a sorely missed opportunity.” Humour can be a powerful tool used in presenting a message or inspiring a shift in perspective. Theatre is perhaps also a powerful tool, but what thought remains after the performance is how this is a great example of this medium and this performance style disastrously missing the mark. Instead of actually shedding light and opening up what is for young Australians a pressing issue, it makes a mockery of such things and truly no one is going to walk away from this performance wishing to talk about the subject matter at hand.
This performance should leave the audience cold, but with the standing ovation afforded on opening night by all but the critics, there are some serious questions that Melbourne audiences must answer surrounding personal taste and decency. No stars.
