Wil Anderson's Wilosophy. Stand-up comedy, with Justin Hamilton, at The Playhouse, October 29-31.
It's hard to put your finger on Wil Anderson's G-spot. He claims that God has hidden it. As a warm-up (I suppose you could say foreplay) Justin Hamilton is good, yet he doesn't have Anderson's touch. Just as well. You wouldn't want the intro to outshine the main act. But Hamilton deserves credit for a professional act as well as an award for bravery.
It's the risk-taking that makes Anderson stand out. Not just by saying out loud words that confront even audience members less than half my age. Not only by satirising politicians, religious ideologues, and office workers probably like most people in the Canberra audience. Not even by accompanying his words with quite extraordinary physical actions and facial expressions.
What's exciting is how he interacts with his audience, often leading him into potential black holes which he amazingly escapes from, like a kind of mentally gymnastic Houdini. He is more than a skilled stand-up comic. He has enough art to play with the artform.
Then, in addition, there is a carefully constructed plan to each of the items of social criticism which constitute his "Wilosophy". Issues of the day are exposed as arguments, presented by characters we know from television and the press, including himself. The core of the humour is not from the occasional slapstick interjection, but from showing up public figures' lack of logic.
And, finally, Anderson brings a quality of human kindness into this critical mass, in his warm story of a Down Syndrome children's concert. If you missed him in Canberra last week, or in Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Edinburgh during the last year, you can fly down south to Wrest Point Entertainment Centre in Hobart on Friday October 6 for a one-night stand. Why not?
©Frank McKone, Canberra
Friday, 30 October 2009
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
2009: The Christian Brothers by Ron Blair
The Christian Brothers by Ron Blair. Performed by Bill Boyd, directed by Geoffrey Borny. Presented by Tuggeranong Arts Centre, Thursdays to Saturdays October 15-24, 8pm. Matinees: Friday 16th, Thursday 22nd, Friday 23rd at 10am. Bookings: 6293 1443.
At its first production, 34 years ago, The Christian Brothers could easily be seen as an indictment of the Catholic Church. Today, the play remains a classic because Blair's writing reveals far more. The original message is not lost, as ex-Catholic school men in the audience showed by their reactions at the special preview last Wednesday. But the theme as we see it now is not about the Catholic faith, nor about a particular religious faith, not even about religious faith at all.
Geoffrey Borny had the good sense, as we would expect from someone of his professional standing and experience, to allow Bill Boyd time to let Blair's words seem to slip out of the mouth of The Brother, as if by accident rather than deliberate intention. Even though Boyd is not a great actor – I found myself imagining Geoffrey Rush in the role – the effect is powerful as we, being addressed as if in his class, gradually realise that this teacher is at breaking point. It is both frightening and sad.
The Brother's breakdown turns on the same issue we all face in the modern world, and indeed in times past as well as presumably in the future. How could it be, for example, that reconciliation with indigenous people was pushed aside in political power play in 2000 and still struggles to revive 10 years later? How could it be that people invented completely unsustainable forms of financial investment for their immediate gain but inevitably for longer term collapse? What has happened to moral integrity in a world replete with intellectual knowledge and technical capacity? As Borny notes, The Brother asks the question "What does it profit my pupils to pass exams in such subjects as Mathematics, English or History, if they suffer the loss of their immortal souls?"
At the end, as he paints a representation of bars of a tiny prison cell, we know that The Brother's loss of religious faith represents the bigger loss in us all of sincerity and ethical purpose. It's a credit to Tuggeranong Arts Centre that they offer strong theatre of this kind. Take the opportunity to see it.
©Frank McKone, Canberra
At its first production, 34 years ago, The Christian Brothers could easily be seen as an indictment of the Catholic Church. Today, the play remains a classic because Blair's writing reveals far more. The original message is not lost, as ex-Catholic school men in the audience showed by their reactions at the special preview last Wednesday. But the theme as we see it now is not about the Catholic faith, nor about a particular religious faith, not even about religious faith at all.
Geoffrey Borny had the good sense, as we would expect from someone of his professional standing and experience, to allow Bill Boyd time to let Blair's words seem to slip out of the mouth of The Brother, as if by accident rather than deliberate intention. Even though Boyd is not a great actor – I found myself imagining Geoffrey Rush in the role – the effect is powerful as we, being addressed as if in his class, gradually realise that this teacher is at breaking point. It is both frightening and sad.
The Brother's breakdown turns on the same issue we all face in the modern world, and indeed in times past as well as presumably in the future. How could it be, for example, that reconciliation with indigenous people was pushed aside in political power play in 2000 and still struggles to revive 10 years later? How could it be that people invented completely unsustainable forms of financial investment for their immediate gain but inevitably for longer term collapse? What has happened to moral integrity in a world replete with intellectual knowledge and technical capacity? As Borny notes, The Brother asks the question "What does it profit my pupils to pass exams in such subjects as Mathematics, English or History, if they suffer the loss of their immortal souls?"
At the end, as he paints a representation of bars of a tiny prison cell, we know that The Brother's loss of religious faith represents the bigger loss in us all of sincerity and ethical purpose. It's a credit to Tuggeranong Arts Centre that they offer strong theatre of this kind. Take the opportunity to see it.
©Frank McKone, Canberra
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