Sydney Reviews

Straight hate.

It strikes at the heart of steve j. spears’ The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin.

Despite decriminalisation and an apparent advancement in social tolerance, the topical and emotional impact of The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin is not diminished in this splendid production starring Simon Burke, directed by Declan Greene.

Half a century on from its premier production and with all the progress and pride, the LGBTQ community is still met with the snide, the straights won’t let it slide, let it ride. The persecution of deviation and non conformity prevails, straight hate targets transgression.

Simon Burke’s transcendent performance as Robert O’Brien, Double Bay speech therapist, drama queen and Mick Jagger fetishist is warm, bitchy, histrionic, tender, pathetic, passionate and compassionate.

From his startling entrance, he rolls his arse and rolls his Rs in flagrant, flamboyant fashion, a flash of dick and with perfect diction delivers the zing and zap of verbal virtuosity that pervades this landmark play.

In invisible ventriloquism, he turns monologue into veritable dialogue, conjuring other characters through conversational sleight of hand. Trippingly from the tongue we are introduced to clients, a cross dressing companion and  his latest star pupil, twelve year old Benjamin Franklin.

Young Ben is a precocious Lolito provocateur, seductive student and pernicious pivot in Robert’s life, earning him the tabloid, talk back double barrelled alliterative appellation, Transvestite Terror of Double Bay.

Isabel Hudson’s exquisitely detailed and functional set and costume design, Brockman’s lighting and David Bergman’s sound design further elevate this transformative show.

The inclusion of Horror Movie by Skyhooks sets both the time and gives a sly wink to it’s contemporary classic, The Rocky Horror Show and a nod to the coming catastrophe.

Erudite, engaging, hilarious, and utterly outrageous, The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin may leave you speechless. See it before it strikes camp.