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| Peter Cook as Dave in "Breaking the Castle" |
Written and
performed by Peter Cook
Directed by
Caroline Stacey – Dramaturgy by Shelley Hicks
Production
designed by Imogen Keen – Sound designed by Kimmo Vennonen
Lighting
designed by Gerry Corcoran
The Street
Theatre 29th February to 14th March 2020.
Reviewed by
Bill Stephens
Dave is a struggling
actor, prone to addiction, be it alcohol, drugs, women, gambling, or as he
tells us in his opening monologue, the high of acting in front of an audience. Such
is the pull of his addictions that he finds it difficult to maintain his
career, skipping auditions, and then haranguing his agent when he doesn’t get
the roles.
In his first
play, “Breaking the Castle” Peter Cook has created a searing glimpse into the mind
of an addict, in this case, an actor. In a stream-of-consciousness monologue,
he transports his audience into the chillingly surreal world of self-pleasure,
in which his character enthusiastically wallows, until two events bring about
his redemption.
An
accomplished actor, as well as playwright, Cook, in a tour de force performance,
offers an unflinching portrayal of his character, authenticated by his own life
experience. Often addressing the audience directly, his language is confronting
and appropriately coarse. His descriptive writing is impressive, particularly
during the sequence in which he describes the sensations experienced when using
the drug ice.
Throughout,
he deftly changes voice to indicate various characters, although often there is
not sufficient differentiation between the voices to recognise which character
is speaking. This was particularly noticeable in the rehab sequence in which
each of the patients appear to come from a different country. Norway, Germany,
America and India, he tells us, but none speak with an accent.
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| Peter Cook as Dave in Imogen Keen's set for "Breaking the Castle" |
Imogen Keen’s
stark sloping platform, surrounded by the detritus of Dave’s lifestyle, creates
a versatile and atmospheric environment, in which, drawing on her considerable
directorial skills, Caroline Stacey has employed
an imaginative lighting design by Gerry Corcoran, and a dreamlike soundscape of
voices and city sounds by Kimmo Vennonen, to create a seamless, progression through the series of locales essential
to Dave’s story, including Dave’s flat, a TAB, a casting agency, a street in
Kings Cross, a hospital and even a remote outback town.
“Breaking
the Castle” is not only an impressive first play from Peter Cook. In providing
a compelling insight into several scourges which inflict contemporary society, it
never flags during its entire 90 minute duration. It also provides a compelling
showcase for Cook’s not inconsiderable acting skills, and for both these reasons,
deserves your attention.
Following
its premiere season at The Street Theatre, “Breaking the Castle” will tour to
the Hothouse Theatre in Albury Wodonga.
This review also appears in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW. www.artsreview.com.au
