Thursday, November 30, 2017

TRISTAN: A SONG FOR THE SUPERIOR MAN

Raoul Craemer 
Photo: Andrew Sikorski


Written and Directed by Chenoeh Miller
C-written and performed by Chris Endrey, Nick Delatovic, Oliver Levi-Malouf, 
Raoul Craemer and Erica Field.
Composition and Sound Design by Dane Alexander
Dance Choreography by Alison Plevey
Technical Design and Operation by Ben Atkinson
Presented by Ainslie and Gorman Arts Centres and Little Dove Theatre art
Ralph Wilson Theatre, 28th November to 3rd December

Reviewed by Bill Stephens

Oliver Levi-Malouf and Raoul Craemer 
Photo: Andrew Sikorski


Presented as the final work in the 2017 Ralph Indie season, “Tristan: A Song for the Superior Man” is an experimental ensemble work, performed by four men and one woman, which sets out to explore the notion of what it takes to be a good man. Combining physical theatre, story, song, dance with strong butoh elements, Miller, and her collaborators,  have taken a series of stories, some the experiences of her cast, others from various sources, and used them for the basis of a clever work laden with arresting images.

Excellent sound and lighting, a minimalist design, and a quintet of committed, talented actors, has resulted in an intriguing production which puzzles and fascinates, while challenging its audience to ponder the issues it raises.

It begins with a half-naked man furiously exercising himself to exhaustion, before slowly dressing and joining four others dressed in blue business suits. A mirror ball flashes as a drag-queen belts out “I Need a Hero”, while the suited quartet perform a unison routine, their faces contorted by desperately fixed smiles.

Slowly they begin to undress the drag queen, then, one by one, share stories commenting on their experiences of maleness. One, compellingly narrated by Chris Endrey, tells of a gentle musician driven to violence by a wife who is herself infuriated by his insistence on being a “good man”.

The episodes are executed slowly and deliberately, butoh style, which sometimes invites boredom. One long voice-over monologue, in which an addled female tortured herself trying to rationalise gender issues, would certainly benefit from judicious editing. However the direction is so artful, and the individual performances so skilful, that the very slowness itself becomes mesmeric, allowing the observer to study every move, and wonder what the next might be.

Because the intention behind many of the episodes is not always clear, each audience member will have their own interpretation according to their individual experience. However, as an experimental production, “Tristan: A Song for the Superior” certainly justifies the Ralph Indie imprimatur in its embrace of innovation and experimentation. For those willing to embrace the experience, it provides a challenging, unusual, meticulously crafted and surprisingly entertaining theatrical experience.


This review also appears in Australian Arts Review. www.artsreview.com.au