Australia
Suzanne is a freelance writer, blogger and author from Western Australia. Suzanne loves story in all it's forms and is fascinated by the way words shape the world around us.
It's not news that I love books. I love reading them. I love the way they look on my shelves, my bedside table, my desk, the kitchen bench, in my handbag, perched on the edge of the couch... you get the picture (book hoarder). Just having books around me makes me happy.
2021. A new year. A rushing sense of opportunity to start over without the weight of whatever dragged you down in 2020 and let's face it, it was a lot. The tickng over of the calender triggers soul searching and sparks renewed vigour in what the world has to offer.
Covid lockdown reminded me why dogs are so important in my life.
Written in response to Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge , PAPER DOLL is a play that explores the insidious and destructive impact of sexual abuse through its confrontation with the horrific consequences and ultimately lifelong tether between paedophile and victim.
The issues dealt with in this performanceare serious, and there are brief moments when the audience senses the weight and long-term impact of the problems facing women, both through the recognition of a common experience and the expertly delivered and highly personal shared stories of the cast.
The show begins with Esther Longhurst and Jessica Messenger plucking two people from the crowd to answer a series of questions-their responses then forming the basis of the duo's completely improvised tale. Longhurst and Messenger don various hats throughout the performance to transform themselves into the gamut of Austen-style characters, ranging from an Elizabeth Bennet to a Catherine de Burgh, and a Colonel Brandon.
These narrative interludes are skilfully toggled by Messenger with the direct action of the play through her quick shifts from actor to narrator, and are signalled by the surprisingly delightful use of a ukulele. The scenes themselves are segregated into titled chapters, acted entirely by Messenger who slips easily between multiple characters.
MC Mandy Knight had the audience laughing from the start with her quick one-liners and at times brutal interaction with the unfortunate souls in the front row. While some of her jokes were tired, a little outdated and cringingly politically incorrect-like that uncle at Christmas-Knight kept the audience engaged and laughing ready for the three performers.
The intimacy of the theatre engenders a connection to Grace's environmental and emotional anguish, offering a shared experience that is hilarious and disturbing in equal measure. Using humour to portray the innocence and naivety of childhood, GRACE at once draws out a protective response from the audience along with delighted laughter and recognition of her rivalries and schoolyard controversies.
Within the space of her dressing room, there are two women: the first, Melba the larger than life icon; the second, Nellie the woman. The struggle between these two identities is palpable as the actor shifts seamlessly between her two masks. The set perfectly reflects the two halves of MELBA's protagonist.