Melbourne Reviews

An in the round set comprised of circular benches and a big void in the centre except for a sack hanging ominously from the roof. Lights up, a RUNT is spawned. Now it is the audiences turn to be hooked to the rafters for 60 minutes of theatrical prowess from Dee, Cornelius and Wilks.

For anyone who enjoys a peek into the underbelly of dark human phycology along the lines of Angus Cerini’s Resplendence then this work is for you.

Nicci Wilks delivers both physically and vocally filling the large fortyfivedownstairs warehouse space with ease in this one woman show. When she cries you listen. The story of a petite lonely sole who has been discarded to the bottom of the pile. Tiny but hungry as a nation. The RUNT navigates the gauntlets of life including relationships with the other sex. Every moment a constant struggle for love and acceptance. When it is finally achieved though, is it really enough? Strong conditioned tendencies to seek more for ones survival don’t seem to have an off switch. More intonation could have been used for delivery of the text but perhaps the consistent tone was a choice inline with the theme of an ignored voice. 

Patricia Cornelius’s text and Susie Dee’s direction create another world where the black sheep have the spotlight. The play is well balanced from beginning to middle and there is rhythm and rhyme throughout. The ending was not as clear as it could have been but you do leave the theatre with a full stomach and plenty to ponder.

Any fan of these artists would surely regret missing this production. So if you want to see the paradox of a RUNT engulfing an entire theatre then get along.

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