Have you ever wondered about the politics of those living in the belly of a whale? Turns out they’re not too different from us… funny that! The Belly is an eccentric new play by young playwright Evan Rickman, presented by Curtin’s Theatre Arts and Hayman Theatre Company.
There’s a rare vote occurring for who should be mayor of the town that resides in the body of a whale, which is seemingly dying. A choice must be made between mediocrity and inaction versus fascism. It’s customary for the townsfolk to use only their right hand, never their left (sounds familiar, right?), but the mayoral candidate Broker wants to take things to the next level… removing the left hands of people entirely. Only one person, Tippy, dares to challenge the status quo.
Under the direction of Jeffrey Jay Fowler, the six-person cast delivers strong and engaging performances. They revel in the show’s meta characteristics and squeeze the most out of each comedic moment. Particular highlights include the exaggerated whale salute and a confessional scene that would highly concern the Catholic Church.
The Belly. Presented by Curtin Theatre Arts and Hayman Theatre Company.
Jeffrey has done a great job of working within the small confines of the Blue Room Theatre’s space while dedicating some of the stage to a curtain that lifts and lowers as an entryway. There’s a nice division of the space, ensuring that everything doesn’t feel like it’s happening in the same room or on top of itself. The confidence he has imparted to this cast of emerging theatre makers is satisfying to see, and it makes me excited for their future performances.
The cohesive design creates the feeling that we’re in another world. It is dark, grungy, and not too different from our own. Against the black and dark neutral colour palette, vibrant pops of red stand out and feel sinister, as intended by the script. I was very impressed by the layered curtain cornering off one side of the stage. It served many practical purposes while making us feel enclosed, like we were truly in the belly.
While the messages and themes in The Belly aren’t necessarily new, this political satire is refreshingly inventive with its quirky and off-kilter storyline and characters. Maybe I’m overly cynical, but I highly enjoyed the show’s ending, which sees everything descend into a dumpster fire! I swear I’m not rooting for the bad guys, but it felt novel to avoid an unrealistic kumbaya ending where the good guy wins and converts everyone to their ways. Sometimes that’s just too far-fetched.
The Belly is a well-constructed, fun play that doesn’t take itself too seriously and has once again left me very impressed by the talent emerging from Curtin’s Theatre Arts.
The Belly is on at The Blue Room Theatre from Feb 24-Mar 1.