Presented by Creative Absence
Reviewed 1 March 2015
ego-less-ego-ist, produced by Adelaide writers Alex Petkova and Bodhi Shribman, is quite a heavy play to lay on people in the middle of the Fringe, a time when you’re meant to love Adelaide and its offerings. It is a deep, exploratory quest into the feelings of some Gen Y Adelaidians who feel stuck in a cycle of work, nightclub outings and a whirlpool of personal, ego-fueled drama.
One such girl (played by Suzannah Kennet Lister) realises that her time to add some spice to city life has come when she finds a gun in a club toilet stall. Upset, and perhaps a little tipsy, she pulls the weapon on another girl (Louie Dempsey) thus sparking a game of emotional “hide-and-seek.”
Suzannah and Louie are both fantastic actors, as is the third member of the small ensemble, Emma Kew. They are absolutely spot on in their impressions of young, frustrated Adelaidians, more than likely drawing from the very real feelings in themselves. They work well as a team, bouncing energy off of each other to create an effective atmosphere.
While the dialogue is well written and the premise entirely interesting, I do feel the play is much too disjointed for its own good. It is never made abundantly clear who the characters are, which ultimately threw me off the narrative. This really is one of those pieces that simply resonates a certain energy, and you either pick up on that or you don’t. As a young Adelaidian myself I can definitely understand some of the feelings expressed by the characters in this play, but I fear it may go over the heads of many others.
Regardless, everyone involved in this piece shows a lot of promise. I’m definitely impressed with the courage and insight of the writers and performers who have presented a stirring interpretation of our little South Aussie world.
Reviewed by James Rudd
Rating out of 5: 2
Venue: The Crown and Anchor Hotel, 196 Grenfell St, Adelaide
Season: 1 – 7 March 2015
Duration: 45 minutes
Tickets: $15 – $18
Bookings: Book through FringeTix online or at a FringeTix box office (booking fees apply)
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