The Herald Sun (Australia)
25/11/2000
BLEND OF CANVAS IN WORDS.
By KATE HERBERT.
Art and Soul Melbourne Theatre Company
Where and when: Fairfax Studio, until December 16
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
NEW work can be exciting and innovative or incomplete and confused. There is some of both in the MTC program of seven short plays, "Art and Soul", directed by Kate Cherry and Peter Houghton. Writers whose work has not been seen at the MTC were invited to write a play stimulated by Homage to Rembrandt, a recent painting by Garry Shead, winner of the 1993 Archibald Prize. By far the most successful is Matt Cameron's "Whispering Death", which takes less literally the pre-requisite "to reflect in some way the configuration of the painting". Kim Gyngell is delightful as Zed, a clerk made redundant. His dream like journey into weirdness is an alphabetical rhyme?fest. The writing is witty and ironic, clever and often hilarious.
Actors Louise Siversen, Genevieve Morris, Ben Rogan and Kate Kendall relish every moment and every wacko character. Joanna Murray-Smith's "Untitled" begins very well with Gyngell as a grieving widowed artist who is visited by a woman he thinks is a life model. She is surprised when he demands she take off her clothes. The dialogue is smart and funny, with broad references and lots of surprises. The payoff- that the woman is an angel come to end his grief, is a good idea but the resolution is not as successful as the beginning.
"At Last the Famous Artist is Dead" by Tom Wright is wildly funny and absurd. A bunch of peculiar characters wait drinking tea for the famous artist (Robert Essex) to die. Aidan Fennessy's "The Slaughterhouse", first on the bill, has merit but does not challenge the issues of the artist.
Melissa Reeves' "Ray's Painting" is given a jaunty ride by a naked, playful Louise Siversen.
Glenn Shea's "Masterpiece" and Tee O'Neill's "Homage to Rembrandt" are the least successful.
(C) 2000 Herald and Weekly Times Limited.