Presented by Robbie Greenwell
Reviewed 11th March 2017
In less than an hour, and with rudimentary facilities, Robbie Greenwell quotes Plath and Shakespeare while transitioning between five potentially different characters. Throughout this one-man show, a huge video screen remains behind him on the wall – sometimes in use, and at other times simply a big black mirror.
We’re ushered into a small conference room in an hotel, and a natty, business-suited Greenwell welcomes attendees. He introduces himself as Product Representative, reads (awkwardly) an Acknowledgement of Country from a card, then launches into an evangelical product presentation. It’s multi-level marketing territory (think Amway, Herbalife, Avon, Isagenix). His product – a talking mirror which tells you as much truth as you wish to hear, from praise to sugar-coated reality to brutal truth. The product strips the salesman of more than his self-possession.
Next comes a little boy whose invention of a time machine enables him to fly into the future and get back home before dinnertime so his parents don’t worry about him. After this, it’s an old man and his dog, sharing the gentle rhythm of their day-to-day routine. Signalled by a change of shirt, the next character leaps full-fledged from a meditation pose to become a pigeon-obsessed recording artist who has just been dropped by his label. His defiant pigeon rap is memorable. Finally, in black t-shirt and tights, Greenwell-as-actor auditions with Jacques’ “Seven ages of man” speech from “As You Like It”, then chats about the politics of casting, ending with a triumphant change of footgear to the tune of “Walk like a man”.
This small, thoughtful show, with its humble technologies and lack of artifice, showcases Greenwell as a fine emerging artist. His voice is in excellent shape, demonstrating careful management of both accent and timbre for each character. The writing of the show, by Greenwell and Cheryl Chin, is well on its way to crisp and workable. When Greenwell believes in each of his nutty creations as much as we want to, and allows their different physical characteristics to embody both the drama and the comedy, he will have a bankable piece of theatre. He’s on his way.
Reviewed by Pat. H. Wilson
Rating out of 5: 4
Venue: The Hub at Aperitif Bar, Ibis Adelaide
Season: 11th – 16th March 2017
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $10 – $25.00
Bookings: https://www.adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/mirror
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