Fiona’s Score: 3.5 Stars
Drugs, sex, violence, nihilism, fantasy, memory and story-telling make for an unforgettable night in Phillip Ridley’s seminal play Mercury Fur. It has been over a decade years since the Sydney premiere of this dark dystopian allegory and there is no better time to re-stage this incredible play.
Elliot and his brother Darren are preparing an abandoned flat in a housing estate for a party. There are cans of beer, pretzels, air freshener and a sense of foreboding. They are running out of time, running out of daylight and Darren has unwisely dropped a hallucinogenic butterfly that that alters his already spaced out mind. If their boss Spinx isn’t happy with the party set up then it is casually mentioned that things could happen involving eyelids and razors. It is this everyday language of violence, in a particular East London dialect with lashings of wry humour that illustrates the quintessential Ridley style. Capturing language of violence in commonplace scenarios is one of Ridley’s specialities and it is showcased in full in Mercury Fur.
The party set up proceeds. Into the apartment wasteland bounds unexpected neighbour Naz, a young man who desperately wants to please; ethereal Lola who has worked tirelessly on a costume for the party, the unconscious child Party Piece and finally the boss Spinx and his lady friend The Duchess. When the big, bold Party Guest arrives with high expectations of an evening of fantasy-come-true extreme sexual and physical torture the party can begin…
This production is assuredly directed by Kim Hardiwck , knowingly lit by Martin Kinnane and intimately designed by Ella Butler to presents the compressed world of Mercury Fur as up close and personal as possible. The company have created a small bleak world of lonely, frightened characters who can be very funny and very heart breaking. While some of the performances lack the menace or vocal qualities required of the text, the overall ensemble are excellent with everyone going to very dark places and given their moment to shine. In this violent male domain it is actually the females that give standout performances by embracing both the humour and physicality. Romy Bartz makes a glorious entrance as the delusional Duchess
and her fragility is balanced with her status. Meg Clark bounds into the role of Naz with gusto and urchin-like qualities. Janet Anderson gets it, her performance is outstanding for its venerability and complexity and she will definitely be one to see on Sydney stages in the near future.
There are numerous audience warnings in the program, in the foyer and on all of the promotional material but it feels like this is almost overstating what is a necessary mechanism to convey the message. The real warning comes from the understanding that if the apocalypse comes it is the spoiled rich twisted power brokers that will thrive and young people will be left to scramble about like hungry little animals to survive. In the face of the current political and environmental crises around the globe Ridley’s world view is not that far fetched. See Mercury Fur before it closes as it may not come back for another decade and it is as beautiful and terrifying now as it was at the turn of the millennia.
Photos by Jasmin Simmons
Fiona Hallenan-Barker – Theatre Now Sydney
Mercury Fur
Philip Ridley
24 May – 8 Jun 2019
Tue – Sat 7:30pm
Sun 5pm
Venue: Kings Cross Theatre
Theatre Company: Hasemann, Ball & Radda & white Box Theatre
Duration: N/A
Do you mind if I have a quiet sit-down and a cup of tea? I’ve just been to hell and back.
— The Telegraph
Set in a post-apocalyptic version of London’s East End where gang violence and drugs terrorise the community, the protagonists are a gang of youths surviving by holding parties for wealthy clients in which their wildest, most amoral fantasies are brought to life. As the wheels start to fall off their slick operation, the gang ultimately have to decide how far they’ll go to save the ones they love and preserve their humanity.
Philip Ridley’s controversial play MERCURY FUR is a violent premonition of a terror stricken world where only the faintest heartbeat of humanity remains.
CREATIVE TEAM
Director: Kim Hardwick
Produced by: HBR Creatives and White Box Theatre Set and Costume Designer: Ella Butler
Lighting Designer: Martin Kinnane Composer/Sound Design: Claire Hennessy Associate Director: Danielle Maas
Assistant Director: Jens Radda
Stage Manager: Caroline McAllister
CAST
Janet Anderson Danny Ball Romy Bartz Meg Clarke Lucia May Joshua McElroy Michael McStay Jack Walton
Ticket Prices
$20 – $35
