We are now living in a dystopian world of the named
and the unnamed. Where safety and comfort are a thing of the past
and children are now brought up in a society where the only games they
remember are guessing how many bombs are going to go off in the night. Adam
J.A. Cass' Fractured, explores
this frightening world through five "broken" souls.
Danelle Wynne is the standout of the cast as
Astrid, the almost feral child who is too afraid and suspicious of
anyone to let her guard down. Her animal like qualities and habits show how deeply she has been affected by her experiences and are a strong
contrast to the rest of the people around her, such as Suzi Loo played by Nicole
Morgan. Morgan is also strong in her character and her concluding scenes were completely and utterly engrossing. Rounding out the great cast were
Natalie-Lynne Pillar, Josh Vasilev and Amy Firth.
I particularly enjoyed the lighting design
with this show and the shadows that were inadvertently created within the
space. The scene of Rhodes (Firth) dragging in the screaming Astrid by the hair
was particularly effective in this and thus bringing a sense of
unease early on in the show.
Peta Hanrahan's direction gives the actors (and
their characters) plenty of opportunity to move and express themselves
whilst not being too overwhelming to each other and the audience. Considering Cass wrote this work specifically for the space at
Club Voltaire, the space is perfectly utilised
and the stage design, while minimal, captures the overall mood of the
show well.
However, there are a few scenes that confused me as to their purpose, especially in its attempts to be - as mentioned in the synopsis - immersive theatre. At one stage, members of the audience are handed sleeping pills only to have no real reason for this to occur and nor is it elaborated on or discussed again.
However, there are a few scenes that confused me as to their purpose, especially in its attempts to be - as mentioned in the synopsis - immersive theatre. At one stage, members of the audience are handed sleeping pills only to have no real reason for this to occur and nor is it elaborated on or discussed again.
Fractured explores the idea of having the courage to go on but also the need
for compassion and humanity for the people we don't know but still need to care
for and protect. The strongest, most effective moment of the show for me,
happened before the show even started and when you go to see it (as you should), you will
understand what I am referring to. What endures then, is a profound sense of responsibility we have to fellow
humans who are less fortunate than us purely because of luck.
Venue: Club Voltaire, 14 Raglan St, North Melbourne, 3051
Season: Until 20 September | 7.30pm
Tickets: $25 Full | $20 Conc
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival
* Original review appeared on Theatre Press on 18 September
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