Review: THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISSOCIA at Little Theatre, University Of Adelaide

Reviewed by Ewart Shaw, Saturday 6th May 2023.

So what's the world of Dissocia about, and why is it wonderful? This production of The Wonderful World of Dissocia, by the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild, directed by Thomas Filsell, sits comfortably in a venue that has seen so many examples of important stories wrapped in energetic undergraduate humour.

There are two clues on the front page of the program. Dissocia points to Dissociative Disorder and, under Thomas Filsell's name, is the name of Nadia Talotta, who plays Lisa. Among the other roles taken by the talented eight others in the cast are such things as Oathtaker, Biffer, Guards 1 and 2, and Goat.

Lisa is a little out of sorts with the world, which concerns her partner Vince, Paul Pacillo. She learns that on a flight from New York, she lost an hour and needs to get it back. Where is it? It's in Dissocia. The kingdom is under attack from the Black Dog King and the Queen has gone to a place of safety, and all traces of her have been deleted. Then Lisa is discovered to be the missing Queen.

The second act makes it clear that Lisa is having a mental crisis and her visit to Dissocia is an engaging and very funny exposition of what is going on in her head. Scottish playwright, Anthony Nielson, is accustomed to writing difficult and confronting plays. Stitching, his play set in Auschwitz concentration camp, was banned in Malta. Director, Thomas Filsell, in his lengthy program piece, talks of his identification with the issues in the story. Filsell, as actor and director, is a name and a face to look out for.

The cast is an excellent blend of the highly experienced and the new to the stage. Nick Launchbury and Chris Gun are red-clad guards, so they are relatively easy to identify, but Jessica Carroll, Chelsea Fernandez, Callum Hill, and Marni Rosso are in and out, in so many guises, I decided not to keep track and just go with the entertaining flow.

The youthful company, the red car, and the polar bear carry the whimsy along. There are wonderful puns, and the fight in the café which only serves those long pink sausages in bread rolls, is a joy, and I'm glad I'm not the Stage Manager and the ASM.