The space is authentically designed to resemble a basketball court with
bleachers on each side and the school flag and mottos emblazoned on the walls.
A dancing animal mascot is rallying the crowd, popcorn is handed out and loud
music is playing that would have even the grumpiest
and sullen of attendees find
themselves surrendering to the spirit of the game.
What follows is a story that's been told countless times around heroic
athletes, perky cheerleaders, first love, following your dreams and the ultimate
crash of reality. Creators, writers and performers, Gemma Paintin and James
Stenhouse, capture these moments honestly but with dramatic embellishment with
co-performer and devisor Laura Dannequin ensuring they always stay in line and
follow the ‘rules’ as a referee watching intently from the sidelines.
There are some finely crafted moments in Hoke’s Bluff including a
scene of t-shirts being fired into the crowd with a cannon launcher. While this
is happening, there is a sound of gunfire that drowns the room as Stenhouse momentarily
uses his launcher as a machine gun that attacks the crowd, a harsh reminder of
the all American nightmare of gun violence in schools.
However, the ending comes across as sudden and abrupt, and while this
could have been the intention, imbuing some darker moments into the innocence
portrayed, as mentioned above, might have had the build up to the finale be
more dramatic. While Hoke’s Bluff is full of high hopes and cheers it
doesn’t fully satisfy, it’s as if we are going for an amazing lay-up
but never quite reaching the slam dunk.
Venue: Arts House, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne
Season: Until 27 May | Fri - Sat 7:30pm
Tickets: $40 Full | $35 Conc | $30 Student
Bookings: Arts House
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