Left - Kym Vercoe and Jane Vaile. Cover - David
Williams and Kym Vercoe
The
space is a jumble of TV screens, large projection screens, and multiple
hanging bags of wheat. Version 1.0’s sets often resemble TV studios, and
this piece is no different. The space is populated by multiple screens
of various sizes, all showing different information. News tickers and
logos often appear on these screens, giving an air of authenticity – and
mediatisation – to the videos.
Deeply Offensive and Utterly Untrue
is a performative inquiry into the transcript of the 2006 Cole Inquiry
into the Oil for Food scandal. It teases apart the 8500 pages of
transcript, presenting select moments in capsulated form. On the
surface, a legal inquiry such as this may seem like a boring topic for a
theatre performance. But Version 1.0 attempt to liven it up by
introducing a medley of bizarre moments, chalk maps, filmic camera
angles, impersonations, and even remote-controlled cars. The
group highlight the hypocrisy of the scenario, distilling the paper
trail, the characters involved and the interviews themselves into snappy
segments.
The
cast is versatile, with Stephen Klinder and Kym Vercoe in particular
delivering strong performances. Klinder’s Alexander Downer, as they
cross live to him at the theatre’s bar outside, manages to bring new
comedy to a man who has already been mocked so much.
Overall,
however, the performance fails to move far enough beyond a complex
summary of a labyrinthine report, and meaning is lost in the complexity
of the sheer number of characters, circumstances and recollections. The
few moments it does step back and take a definitive stance on the issue
are the stand-outs, and are the moments when the most clarity is
offered. The performers occasionally directly address the audience, for
instance in Vercoe’s lament about the disparity between the lack of
punishment of the AWB and the reaction to Mohamed Haneef’s comparatively
trivial digression. Another effective moment is the
orchestral recitation of “highlights” of statements given by
interviewees – mainly consisting of “I don’t know” and “I can’t recall”
– which includes careful climaxes and humourous pauses.
David
Williams, the company manager of Version 1.0 and a performer in the
piece, says in the programme notes that they have attempted to clarify
the issue, presumably to avoid promoting the “strategic avoidance of
thinking” Williams believes Downer practices. However, they seem to have
gotten so involved with the unwieldy document that the performance
itself often lapses into being too complicated and unfocussed. A
performance concentrating on this one report is bound to get its
audience thinking more closely about the issue, but I’m afraid that for
me, these thoughts won’t linger far beyond the performance.
Version 1.0 presents
Deeply Offensive & Utterly Untrue
Venue: Performance Space @ CarriageWorks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh
Dates:
24-26 Aug – Fri-Sat 8pm Sun 5pm
29 Aug–8 Sep - Wed-Sat 8pm Sun 5pm
Tickets: $30 Full $25 Conc $20 (+ Booking Fee) Student Rush Wed + Thur All Tix $12
Artist Talk: Wednesday 29 AUG (after the show)
Bookings: moshtix.com.au , 02 9209 4614, moshtix outlets
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