Review: A Female Footballer In A Man's World, FIERCE Exposes The Misogyny and Hypocrisy Of An Outdated World That Unfortunately Still Exists.

Sunday 31st March 2019, 5pm, Old Fitz Theatre

Exposing male toxicity in the world of Australian Rules Football, FIERCE contemplates what would happen if a female were drafted to an Australian Football League (AFL) team in the 21st century. Janine Watson (Director/Producer) brings the smell of dencorub and the intensity of elite sport to the Old Fitz theatre with the Sydney premiere of Jane e Thompson's 75 minute play.

Whilst many will be familiar with the battle women have faced when entering male dominated fields, FIERCE focuses on what would happen if the fictional 22-year-old Suzie Flack (Lauren Richardson) wanted a place on a men's team with the AFL. Flack, who has played football since she was three, coached by her father Ray (Martin Jacobs), a famous player in his heyday, doesn't want to play with the women's league, considering the Women's league as tempered compared to the men's league (though potentially not the case in real life). She is recruited by star coach Corey Anderson (Martin Jacobs) but it definitely isn't smooth sailing, coming up against resistance which often shifts into the misogynistic and dangerous from her new team mates, the media, society and even Anderson who refuses to allow Flack to be adequately challenged, opting to have her stick to an avoidance strategy indicating it is possibly a publicity stunt on Anderson's part.

Much of the men's behavior that Thompson includes is unsurprising to even those that don't follow sport given the amount of times footballers end up in the headlines for bad behavior. Loutish behavior, disrespect of women, alcohol and drug abuse are all expressed. For anyone that has worked in a male dominated environment, it isn't necessarily surprising that the obnoxious masculine behavior does not change with the presence of a woman and at times it actually gets worse as they try to out do each other in how much offence they can cause or who can first spark a reaction. What makes FIERCE different from other stories of breaking into 'non-traditional' roles is how human Thompson chooses to present Flack. Instead of staying quiet, she retaliates in the only way the men understand, with the same aggression that they use. She also refuses to be complicit in their behavior, protecting their wives and girlfriends when she realizes that her team mates do not have good intentions. The devotion to her training and her ailing father also manifests itself in a degree of social ineptitude but the double standards of society is presented in her team mate's reaction to how she finds companionship as they fail to remember their own actions.

Melanie Liertz's staging allows for space for the physicality of the work, including a punching bag, locker room benches and mirrors and little else. Her costume design is relatively simple as the story transitions from practice days to game days, gala events, nightclub parties and relaxing at home. Ben Pierpoint's sound design helps reinforce the magnitude of the games with grandstand noises in the distance, potentially above the lockerrooms, and heavy nightclub music that almost completely obscures the conversation which is thankfully projected onto the mirror panels. Genevieve Muratore's Audio Visual design sees the lengthy medical statistics, social media insults and other information projected around the stage.

Richardson captures Flack's social awkwardness which range from a stilted conversation with idol Anderson and no knowing how to react to team mate's wife Melanie Arrowsmith (Chantelle Jamieson). She shows vulnerability in Flack's interactions with her father as his dementia increases to a final horror when he has been tricked into participating in an insulting television show, modelled on a show known for its bad taste and sexist behavior. Her physicality throughout is also incredibly dedicated as she lays into the punching bag with considerable force for extended periods.

Jamieson, as the glamourous wife, (think the stereotypical WAGS that hang off footballers at the Brownlow Medals) helps give a human side to the seemingly superficial arm candy. Andrew Shaw, as teammate Vance Arrowsmith presents a strong but more balanced male figure whilst the others descend into vile boasting. Stacey Duckworth, as the journalist that interviews Flack following her recruitment captures the opportunistic woman who seems to have no regard for supporting other women but rather ready to help perpetuate the vilification and oppression of women wanting to be given the opportunity to be recognized for their ability not their gender.

Whilst much of FIERCE can be confronting in the challenges that Flack faces, particularly as it is compressed into 75 minutes, the reality is that, regardless of which industry or field a woman may enter, if it has been traditionally male dominated, they will probably faces similar experiences, on some level, to those in the story. Hopefully works like Fierce may help raise awareness that these behaviors and attitudes need to change and that in the 21st century, these should have been changed decades ago.

https://www.redlineproductions.com.au/fierce

Photos: Clare Hawley

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