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| Ethan Gibson (Craig Morrow) - Craig Alexander (Jasper Ferrier) in EXCLUSION |
Written and directed by David Atfield - Designed by Imogen Keen
Lighting designed by Hartley T.A. Kemp - Sound Design by James Tighe
The Street Theatre, Canberra, 9 – 17 November 2018
Performance on 15th November reviewed by
Bill Stephens
David Atfield’s 2014 play “Scandalous Boy” dealt with
political and sexual intrigue in ancient Rome. It starred Ethan Gibson as a
young man who used his physical beauty to advance his ambitions. Nudity was an integral
feature of the play, which was highly praised by critics and audiences alike,
but, surprisingly, not seen outside Canberra.
Four years on, “Exclusion”, again written and directed
by Atfield, also deals with political and sexual intrigue, but this time in the
political arena of contemporary Canberra, and again nudity is an integral
feature.
Ethan Gibson, having graduated from NIDA in the
interim, again stars, this time as Craig Morrow, a handsome young staffer in
love with his male employer, Jasper Ferrier, (Craig Alexander). Ferrier is a successful,
though amoral politician with Prime Ministerial ambitions. Ferrier’s wife, Jacinta (Fiona Victoria
Hopkins), aware of her husband’s attraction for Morrow, devises a scheme,
involving Morrow, to destroy Ferrier’s rival for the Prime Ministership, the
upright and respected, Michael Connor (Michael Sparks).
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| Fiona Victoria Hopkins (Jacinta Ferrier) - Ethan Gibson (Craig Morrow) - Craig Alexander (Jasper Ferrier) in EXCLUSION |
Through this intriguing premise Atfield has devised an
absorbing play which explores the evolving prism of the post marriage equality
political world. A world in which lives can be shattered and lifetime careers
annihilated in the flick of a computer key, with interesting characters forced
to address complications in their lives which previously would have gone
unspoken, or simply ignored.
Atfield has assembled a cracker of a cast with Gibson
outstanding as the charismatic young staffer, Morrow, struggling with issues of
integrity and honesty. As Ferrier, the venal politician, willing to jettison
everything in pursuit of the prize, Craig Alexander gives an arresting
performance, perfectly matched by Fiona Victoria Hopkins’ take-no-prisoners
lioness wife, Jacinta. Michael Sparks
and Tracy Bourne are beautifully paired as their rivals, Michael and Caroline
Connor, who both have their lives, if not their faith, shattered by the events which
engulf them.
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| Ethan Gibson (Craig Morrow) - Michael Sparks (Michael Connor) in EXCLUSION |
“Exclusion” is presented on a deceptively spare
setting devised by Imogen Keen and beautifully lit by Hartley T.A.Kemp. Two
double beds and some desks hint at the modern day political world in which
mobile politicians spend almost as much of their lives in hotel rooms as their
offices, with a chattering television visible through sheer curtaining, a
reminder of the endless scrutiny of public lives.
Atkins’ direction is as astute as his writing, maintaining
the tension and curiosity through the various twists and turns of his intelligent,
entertaining script. A pity though that a more theatrical solution could not
have been found for the scene changes to avoid the necessity for cast and crew
to dissipate the atmosphere by having to
make necessary between-scene adjustments
in the half-light.
Would this play have worked without the titillation of
the nudity, you ask? Of course it
would, but as presented here, with no-nonsense frankness; it becomes integral
to the authenticity and integrity of the characters, the situations and the
story telling.
A topical, entertaining and accessible play,
“Exclusion” embraces the world of modern politics to question the changing
world we live in, and how we live our lives. It’s an important and thoughtful
play which deserves to be seen well beyond the so-called “Canberra bubble”.
