Murray Lambert’s new Australian play, My Father’s Left Testicle, is a triumph. Funny, thought-provoking, challenging and engaging – this is independent theatre (and thinking) at its best.
My Father’s Left Testicle is a play about travellers from a land across the sea. Persecuted for their beliefs, they seek refuge in a ‘lucky’ country, where they can live in peace and prosperity. Instead, they are escorted to a camp, treated as aliens and given an indefinite prison sentence. My Father’s Left Testicle is also a comedy.
Hard to believe, but Lambert has managed to bring hilarity and a significant dose of slapstick to the plight of refugees. It is, however, done with tongue firmly in cheek. Lambert’s true feelings about Australia’s treatment of refugees are an ever-present undercurrent throughout the 90 minute run time. This may be a comedy, but it is most definitely black.
Lambert has applied genuine sensitivity in his writing, choosing to turn traditional stereotypes on their head. The refugees are just like us, it is the camp staff who are strange and unintelligible. Ordinary names are made to sound foreign and the English language fails its native speakers. The message is communicated subtly, over time; almost imperceptibly the audience is taken from laughter to tears. Lambert’s script is a real gem.
The writer has also elected to direct this premier season, and in doing so has been able to draw much from the unwritten text. His actors give very physical performances, and there are several scenes in which the action has been choreographed for maximum laughs. There is something of the theatre of the absurd about this production. The style is set-up perfectly in the opening scene, in which we are introduced to the members of a nameless country’s cabinet. They sing their titles, enacting their purpose through simple but pointed gestures, layering their voices upon one another to build an overture that portends pomp, ceremony and a fair amount of silliness.
To ensure the actors have sufficient room to move (and shine), the set is minimal. Drawing inspiration from the play’s title, Set Designer and Builder, John Sullivan, has sculpted a large, planetary sphere, covered in textural layers and seams which hint at the mechanical. As the show progresses, the orb is spun around, flipped, dismantled and rebuilt, to create distinct performance spaces. Props are limited, and stored within the ball, withdrawn and replaced by the actors as the scenes require. It is inspired design which is complemented by equally intelligent lighting and smoke effects, courtesy of Mehran Mortezaei. There is also a great soundscape running behind the action, which helps to locate the characters and to illustrate their mood.
Which is not to say that the actors need any help conveying this story; every member of this five-person cast is brilliant. In a play which demands its actors continually switch between roles, sometimes with just seconds between scenes, you are never left guessing as to which character you’re seeing. All the actors (Robert Carne, Matt Lausch, Emily McGowan, Nick O’Regan and Kristelle Zibara) have a genuine knack for comedy, and demonstrate a real commitment to the work. When good actors are cast together, they can have an elevating effect on one another’s performance, and this is certainly the case here. You can feel the rapport radiating from the stage.
No matter your view on our country’s refugee policy, you cannot help but feel empathy for these characters. Lambert has taken this difficult, divisive issue and crafted a laugh-out loud theatrical delight that transforms into something quite profound. This play holds a mirror up to society, and you probably won’t like what you see, but you will be inspired to probe your own thoughts on the issue, and that is the power of great theatre.
And if you’re wondering about the title, just ask yourself: ‘Where did I come from?’
My Father’s Left Testicle is playing at The Depot Theatre in Marrickville until 12th November. For tickets, go here: http://www.thedepottheatre.com/
The reviewer attended opening night on Friday 4th November.
Photo credit Clare Hawley
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