Directed by Nadja Kostich
The Street Theatre 6th - 10th November
Review by Len Power
The world of photo-journalists in war zones is a good idea
for a play. We can find out who these
people are and why they do what they do often at great personal cost,
physically and mentally.
Mauri Lourey’s play, ‘Bare Witness’, is primarily the story
of one individual, Dannie, who struggles to make sense of her life through her
memories of experiences while working as a photojournalist. Recalling eleven of her photographs, which
are described but not actually shown, she relives those moments and events and
remembers others who were part of the story at the time. Those memories build a picture of the impact her
work has had on her, personally, and the insight she has gained about herself,
for better or worse.
Nadja Kostich, the director, has staged a visually clever
and very physical production. The set
design by Marg Horwell dispenses with the wings in the theatre, so there are
stark walls instead of curtains. The atmospheric
lighting design by Emma Valente is highly original with banks of neon tubes on
one side of the stage casting unusual lighting effects at various moments in
the play. This is complemented by portable
lights which are picked up and used by the actors in creative and interesting
ways. Video design by Michael Carmody is
quite haunting at times and in harmony with the other technical aspects.
Music was composed and played onstage by Kristin Rule on
cello. Her music was particularly
effective in underlining the action throughout the play, creating and
sustaining various moods.
As Danii, Daniela Farinacci gave a heartfelt and very
believable performance of a woman struggling to make sense of her past. Eugenia Fragos was also very effective as another
photojournalist, Violetta. The men in
the company, Adam McConvell, Todd MacDonald and Ray Chong Nee, gave strong
performances but their roles seemed not as sharply defined as those of the two
women. All cast members met the physical
and emotional demands of the production very well.
While the production is visually exciting with good
performances, the detail of the play was often obscure. It was hard to know at times where you were
and what was happening. Maybe this wasn’t
meant to be as important as the ideas the play was presenting, but it made it difficult
to feel any real concern for Danii’s mental turmoil. I wasn’t drawn into this play and I felt I
should be.
The world of photojournalism is a good subject for a play,
but in spite of a very original style of production and committed performances
by the cast, ‘Bare Witness’ was ultimately a cold and unmoving experience.
Originally broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 ‘Dress Circle’ program
on Sunday 11 November 2012
