Sitomania. Odd Productions at the Currong Contemporary Arts Theatre, Gorman House. May 22 - 24, 1997, at 8.00 pm with late shows on Friday and Saturday at 10.30 pm.
On the one hand "this show is inspired by the 21st Century", but on the other "this project is made from completely recycled and borrowed materials."
I think these program notes define the parameters of this humorous study of the seven deadly sins - so much so that all die except Pride, who is clearly clinically paranoid. Maybe self-serving obsessiveness with "brilopads (sic), nailbrushes, disinfectants and detergents" is what the 21st Century promises. "My life is steeped in meaning. I know what's going on, I watch the news everyday."
The cynicism which makes us laugh as we walk around this little theatre watching Lust (Tim Wood), Greed (Rebecca Rutter), Sloth (Anne-Marie Sinclair, also the director), Gluttony (Remo Vallance), Anger (Rohini Sharma) and Envy (Kelly Ryall) act out the story told, more or less, by Pride (Estelle Muspratt) is probably the new element in this drama. There is lots of social criticism but no sense of social purpose. I suppose it's a kind of black farce.
Oddly enough, though, the theatrical style of Sitomania seems to me almost old-fashioned in the mid-1990's. The audience is not seated - not comfortable and relaxed. You can expect to participate in twisted versions of The Price is Right or Ballroom Dancing. Yet none of this is done with as much flair or challenge as The Open Theatre did in the 1960's. Maybe only explicit penile representations and real bare bums push the old limits a little.
Even the idea of mediaeval morality belongs to The Seventh Seal or to myriad teenage drama creations. However, the use of mixed-media and much of the acting was well done. The set is engaging in its detail. Pride's Windex even gets up your nose as she cleans her cigarettes before drawing back the tar.
It's a bit like being inside a living Roald Dahl story. So don't go if you are old and staid, but if you like standing up for an hour, being bombarded by images and taken on a twisted fairy-story journey, you won't be bored.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
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