The Art of Disruption. Directed
by Sammy Moynihan and Melissa Gryglewski. Lighting design Jen Wright. Costume
design Miranda Young. Captions Chipz Jin. Photographer Andrew Sikorski Auslan
Interpretation Brett Olzen. Audio Description Liz Lea Previous creative
contributors Frank Molnar and Nikki Watts.` Rebus Theatre. ACT HUB. At Causeway
Hall Kingston. May 30-June 1. 2024.
Bookings: rebustheatre.com
Reviewed by Peter Wilkins
On the way to a rehearsal of a
new play, Windows on our Community
Lisa (Simone Bartram) and Jade (Leanne Schutt) are caught in a traffic jam, caused by the building of a new precinct by
huge corporation Megacorp. Jade remarks that everyone is in the same situation..
It could well be a mantra for Canberra’s leading inclusive theatre
company. Rebus Theatre has earned an
award winning reputation for the opportunities it provides its diverse
community of theatre artists to create productions that reflect the skills of
their community of performers with lived experience of disability and mental health challenges in an
inclusive and supportive environment. The result is work that is enlightening and
theatrically engaging. Their current production. The Art of Disruprion is such a show. Blending the fantasy of
children’s theatre with the social commentary on modern society, Rebus Theatre
under the direction of Sammy Moynihan and Melissa Gryglewski has produced a
work that is funny, heart-warming, satirical and ultimately a moral fable on
the true nature of community.
The play opens with
Lisa and Kym (Kimberley Adams) wandering
through a projected landscape of flowers, mushrooms and butterflies when they
are confronted by
a fiery dragon (Shutt
and Nicki Maher). Courtenay (Melissa Gryglewski standing in for Lucy Raffaele)
intervenes to vanquish the dragon as director (Moynihan) calls out cut and
sends everyone home until the morning . When morning comes, Sammy is nowhere to
be seen and Roger Stevenson (Josh Rose) Megacorp’s CEO who
is sponsoring the promotional film is forced
to take on the direction and spruik the virtues of the great corporation. He
faces resistance from Sammy’s loyal cast who rebel against Stevenson’s inept
direction and his corporate message. When Lisa explains the resilience of the orangutan
to Roger and the cast defend him against the videoed haranguing of the city
Mayor ( Janet Preston), Roger experiences the epiphany that awakens him to the
true nature of an inclusive community free of the disruptions
that divide and marginalize communities.,
expressed in the impersonal recording of Megacorp’s Middle Connect.
Rebus Theatre’s The Art of Disruption is an endearing
work with a subtle and powerful social message. In a final scene of Windows on our Community, actors and
dragons unite in communal harmony. Like every fable, the moral opens the way
for social change, and The Art of
Disruption does this with warmth charm and laughter. There is an excellent
lighting design by Jen Wright and sound and video designs, uncredited in the
programme, deserve special mention. The performances are committed and lively
with some excellent clowning by Nicki Maher. Schutt effectively portrays a
variety of roles and Gryglewski lends a birth scene a touch of fine physical
comedy supported by other members of the cast. All in all Rebus has produced a
thoroughly entertaining one hour of theatre that is both original and
instructive. Rebus Theatre occupies an important place in Canberra’s theatrical
landscape, and if the season is too short for you to catch this excellent
example of Rebus’s work, then do not miss the next opportunity.
