 Left - Peta Sergeant and Jim Daly. Photo - Pia Johnson
For
some, they will need to be informed that Radovan Karadzic was captured in Belgrade last week. His arrest
made national headlines in Australia for what seemed only a day or two,
as seemingly more current world events attracted our newspapers and
attention. And so alas, our thoughts of war torn Serbia slipped back to
what they have been for years now, distant memories.
For
the lives of Serbs all over the world however, this news would not have
slipped so easily from their minds. And as I found myself watching Ride
On’s Fake Porno, the effect this news could bring, suddenly became much more comprehensible.
Bojana Novakovic’s translation, adaptation and direction of Serbian text, Fake Porno
is the latest work from Ride On theatre, a company steered by the
artistic vision of Tanya Goldberg and Novakovic herself. Committed to
producing pioneering performances, Ride On educates, enlightens,
challenges and to me, succeeds in everything theatre should be.
This is no exception in Fake Porno,
performed in Lupa Art, an art space committed to exploring ideas in the
environment as a whole. I have entered Northcote’s Lupa Art on a number
of occasions however this was the first time I entered to find a
Belgrade café/nightclub complete with homemade Serbian cakes and strong
European spirits being served. Eurovision was blasting on the
television screen and we were enlightened through Serbian news programs
about current weather updates. Kitschy turbo folk created a smooth
ambience and the outside sounds of Westgarth St moulded into the sounds
I soon identified as Belgrade nightlife.
As
I settled into my new environment, the local generation of Belgrade
began to enter the space. Threaded together by the secret video
recordings of a local Taxi Driver (played superbly by Jim Daly), these
everyday Belgrade characters were from all walks of life. Through his
eyes, they soon emerged to be the underbelly of Serbia, all on their
own personal search for intimacy. Each had a need for understanding,
each a longing for forgiveness, and each was hungry for love whether
their justifications were moral or not. With exceptional standout
performances from Daniel Frederiksen, Tomek Koman, Louise Quill, Hallie
Shellam, Peta Sergent and Wazzadeeno Wharton-Thomas, these characters
become a force of their own. What was created was an engaging and
insightful view of a younger generation, whose only life experiences
come from a war-torn country. Set in Belgrade, these were not sob
stories but an emotive and moving glance at the barriers one creates to
force distance from the truth. These are a lost generation and we
are ashamedly forced to realise, the world has forgotten about them.
What
made this piece so compelling was the talent of Novakovic. Born in
Serbia, she translated these stories with a fierce patriotic passion,
bringing pride as well as awareness back to her homeland. She directed
the show in an equally superb manner and never was there a hint of a
dull moment, a wandering gaze or pause for breath. This interactive
performance played out in every possible inch of performance space and
her intention to create audience heckling, almost thankfully, due to
the constant flow of action and high energy performances didn’t ensue.
I simply would have screamed had there been interruptions and the same
anxiety of missing any part of the performance seemed bestowed on the
rest of the audience.
Novakovic
injected a fear in me during this performance, however never a negative
one. It was an exhilarating fear of not knowing where to look but not
knowing where not to look. It was that fear of being too
involved in a performance, of being requested to dance, of being asked
to make a contribution, and yet when not asked, scared of missing out.
It was that fear of being transformed into a confusing and unfamiliar
world without control, however feeling total admiration at the people
who were taking me there.
It’s
the challenging of ideas and creation of such strong emotions in both
audience and performers alike that makes Ride On an electrifying
theatre company. With Novakovic and Goldberg at the reigns, I’m sitting
quietly in fear for the next trip I am to be taken on and can only hope
that more people continue to open their eyes, take the plunge and join
the ride.
Ride On Theatre present
FAKE PORNO
Where: Lupa – The Red Rollerdoor | Rear 55 High Street, Cnr Westgarth & High Streets, Northcote Melbourne
Season: 28 July – 10 August 2008
Times: Mon – Sat at 8pm
Tickets: $15
Bookings: 9513 5084
Contact:
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