How Big's Yours. Group devised theatre of spectacle, directed by Scott Wright for Canberra Youth Theatre. Riggers and performance consultants: Karen Yaldren and Russell Wright, courtesy of Spinifex Circus. Civic Youth Centre and surrounds, April 5-7.
Self-expression for young men - outside the traditional framework of sport - is problematic. For many, options like theatre and dance are "effeminate", despite the physical nature of stage performance. Scott Wright, from erth in Sydney, offers a blend of real physical risk with performing in roles, devised by the 14 young men of CYT to make statements about their experiences of "What makes a man a man?"
I'm going to trust the riggers and performance consultants about the safety of the acts, though I had my doubts about the belaying used for the most spectacular piece, a race up a 9-storey wall, using rope work similar to that at the Sydney Opera House at New Year 2000. It was also reported to me that the racing go-karts were close to being run down by the rapidly reversing 4 wheel drive in the first scene at the skate park on opening night.
I would not normally take a critical stance towards a young people's workshop theatre piece, but the very large-scale public nature of How Big's Yours gives it exposure. I found the emphasis on young men in battle and simple physical competition, which provided the opportunity for much firestick twirling, fire breathing and acrobatic rope-and-harness activity, left me wondering about the rest of young men's experiences. Is there really no sensitivity in a youth's life apart from the skill of physical dominance?
Apart from the opening songs, only Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" backed by fire breathing, touched, though obliquely, on deeper issues like youth suicide. But, by merely representing young men's behaviour, too many scenes ended up apparently condoning the excitement of violence and risk taking rather than commenting critically on what has been a problem for most societies.
So despite the spectacular bits, How Big's Yours needed focus and a clearer message before I could say it was big enough.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
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