Left - Olivia Stambouliah and Stephen Multari. Cover - iOTA. Photos - Alex CraigGabriela (Olivia Stamboulaih) lives with her cat in the Californian desert. Her life is on hold while she waits for her husband, Benito, (Stephen Multari) to return from war. But when he finally returns the red sands of the desert invade the house, the bed, Gabriela’s mind... is he the man she imagines him to be?
I’m not going to lie, it was the title of the play that sucked me in. References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot infused my consciousness with surrealism and smut, neither of which are lacking in this production. Thankfully, due to talent behind Arts Radar and Griffin Independent’s latest production of the play, the play is elevated beyond these concepts and invites the audience into Gabriela’s dreaming.
Writer José Rivera was mentored under Gabriel Garcia Marquez and many consider References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot to be a magical realist text. The Cat (Taryn Brine) and Coyote (iOTA) flirt and fornicate while the Moon (Lani John Tupu) philosophies his own existence, whispers sweet nothings and bemoans Shakespeare. To me however it was more Gabriela’s recurring dreams, with subtle changes each night as she tosses and turns over the desires outside of the prison of her waking life. And then on the outside looking in is the ripe young Martin (Arka Das), bursting with enthusiasm to please his celestial gazing neighbour.
The foundation here: the script, is top notch but I would say quite challenging. Rivera’s poetic dialogue is almost a collection of monologues which director Anthony Skuse masterfully sews together with his exceptional cast and inspired musical direction by Juan Carlos Rios. Music is used extensively throughout the play, as demanded by the script, but it is the use of on stage percussion to build and diminish the climaxes that ingeniously complements the dream like sequences.
The entire cast give one hundred percent and are each more than capable, this in turn complemented by Carmen Lysiak’s dialect coaching. The design comes across as simple but is awkward enough to leave the audience uneasy as to what could be real. If the production was a meal you would leave so satisfied that you wouldn’t even think of dessert.
The only criticism I can think of is that the transitions between scenes could have been a little more inspired. I only bring this up because the final scene change was done so well... see how petty is that? This is one of the best productions I’ve seen in some time, get out there and support independent theatre.
A Griffin Independent Production
References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot
by José Rivera
Director Anthony Skuse
Venue: SBW Stables Theatre | 10 Nimrod St, Kings Cross
Dates: September 23 - October 17
Times: All sessions start @ 7pm
Bookings: http://www.griffintheatre.com.au
