| Loco Maricon Amor | The Danger Ensemble |
| Written by Lauren Sherritt |
| Tuesday, 21 August 2012 11:30 |
 Loco Maricon Amor (a title which Google translates to "Fagot Crazy Love") explores the heady relationship between Salvador Dalí and poet Frederico García Lorca, and by turn Dalí's wife Gala. Starting with this seeming love-triangle and the decision to delve into surrealism, director Steven Mitchell Wright and his cast and crew have created a theatrical experience unlike anything else on stage at the moment. The Danger Ensemble do not aim to make you believe in this show, they want to make you feel, and this they do superbly. As an audience member, you feel the heartbreak of Gala as she discovers the unchangeable truth within her marriage to Dalí. You experience the innocent giddiness of Lorca and the simplicity of his joy in surrounding himself in the wonder he sees as Dalí. With Dalí himself, you get a throbbing sense of the pain, the fear, of disappointing these people who love him so dearly, while the struggle to remain true to himself overrides all other needs. The surreal styling of the play allows The Danger Ensemble to explore these intricate few moments in the lives of the three with depth and care. After it is emphasised through the text time and again that we are not to confuse the characters with the actors and slip into any kind of suspended belief, the play becomes almost a tribute to the incomparable spirit of the trio, and a fitting one at that. Loco Maricon Amor is a remarkable looking show. A stark white set begs for some colour, and gets its wish with bold lighting states and splashes of neon paint. A chorus of three (life, death, love) clad in black leather and lace control each scene, as well as providing many of the needed comic pauses which jolt the audience constantly into reality. The performances of the entire cast are outstanding. The portrayals of Dalí, Lorca and Gala by Chris Beckey, Caroline Dunphy and Thomas Hutchins, as well as Peta Ward as the Moon, stand out with maturity and strength. The unison of the chorus was occasionally off on opening night, something which should improve as the season progresses, and was made up for by the energy with which they leapt into their roles. Loco Maricon Amor is not the typical kind of theatre being shown around town, and that is a fantastic thing. There is no realism and no set story-line, the characters are fluid and the energy changes dramatically moment to moment. Audiences should flock in for a welcome experience of a company trying something new, and delight in it being done very well. Metro Arts presents Loco Maricon Amor Co-Presented with The Danger Ensemble Venue: Metro Arts, 109 Edward Street Brisbane QLD 4000 Dates: 17 August - 1 September, 2012 Tickets: $20 – $16 Bookings: www.metroarts.com.au Comments (0)Subscribe to this comment's feedWrite commentYou must be logged in to post a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet.
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