The Mermaid’s Table is a non-linear descent through a dystopian world where we focus on the subjugation of women, reminiscent of Handmaid’s Tale.
The ensemble of four terrifically give us a range of perspectives, a grieving mother, the secret revolutionary, diplomatic peacekeeper, and a defiant rebel. They take us through glimpses of pre dystopia where their lives begin to unravel. We then jump to a cell where the four must denounce any rebellion or attachment to their previous lives to survive in the seemingly patriarchal dictatorship. The main conflict comes from Karo – played by Hayley Perrin, who insists on the existence of Mermaids despite the Big Brother type government insisting against it. It puts them at odds and strikes them against each other. Despite the four not being blood related there is a clear familial relationship, love but with aggression, care but with brutal honesty, the four performances are brilliant in bringing this relationship to life.
Vivienne Glance, who plays Flos, the grandmotherly presence, is phenomenal. She has a great comedic presence with fantastic physicality. Greta, played by Asha Cornelia Cluer, playing our strong motherly character, has a clear objective of self-preservation but is at odds with her need to look after who she sees as her daughters. Asha plays this excellently and hits this contradiction constantly. Andy, played by Ramiah Alcantara, has a strong comedic style and a fantastic ability to jump between emotional vulnerability and cartoonish villain.
The Mermaid’s Table is a terrific style hopping emotional journey in a dystopia where the characters take centre stage. It’s an epic of a story brought into a 60-minute presentation for the Blue Room, and while it can sometimes get lost in its own ambition there is some strong world building with very clear characters that have great depth.
The Mermaid’s Table is on at The Blue Room Theatre until Feb 10.