Review: DROPPED Is A Thought Provoking Look at Women On The Frontline Of Modern Warfare.

Thursday 10th December 2015, 7:30pm, Old Fitz Theatre, Woolloomooloo

Katy Warner's DROPPED is a complex and comic two hander that contemplates the position of women on the frontline of contemporary war. Written as a response to the historic decision in 2011 to remove bans stopping women for applying for front line roles in the Australian Defense Forces, the work remains as relevant now as the inclusion of women in roles that were previously gender restricted still remains very low and the military still in the process of changing years of entrenched views about women and combat.

Under the direction of Anthony Skuse, Olivia Rose and Deborah Galanos present the two unnamed soldiers that must figure out how to survive after being left to guard a base in the middle of a war zone. Lisa Mimmocchi has designed a compact set that captures the modern red desert theatres of war and allows the women to interact with their environment in a variety of ways. This centered space is further highlighted as a small space in the middle of a vast desert by Verity Hampson's lighting design that moves between harsh bright days to the blackest night.

Rose and Galanos present the mental challenges that the women face with a combination of memories, stories, 'facts' and 'fiction' as they have appeared to have lost track of time and in many cases reality in an effort to cope. At times the dialogue could be a couple of women chatting over a coffee in suburbia, other times, the stark reality of war is clear. There is a delirium as the conversations go in circles and don't seem to make much sense as the reality and dreams blur. There are times of bold confidence that leads to animated conversation and moments of hesitation and reserve as insecurity and fear sets in. There are moments of whimsy and hope and then realization of their situation as the 'snow' doesn't melt.

As with stereotypes of males in combat zones, we see that these women have bonded and have camaraderie as they jostle each other and share running jokes. There is however a sensitivity that is not viewed as typical of the archetypal male soldier as the women cherish the lives of the children caught in raids yet a pragmatism as they plan their escape as they fear they have been forgotten at the base.

Warner has infused a distinctly Australian levity into the seriousness of the setting with parallels to Samuel Beckett's WAITING FOR GODOT from the weary feet to the remembering of a song as the pair wait for their troop to return to rescue them. The humor is used as a coping method and also ensures that the work keeps moving. As with WAITING FOR GODOT, there is little back story to the women, instead they can be anyone, anywhere, and the 'present' is the focus. There are modern cultural references such as the question that career women face regarding values and goals which draws comparisons with the entrenched views on women in combat zones. Skuse has ensured that Warner's text has been treated with honesty and the women have not been turned into caricatures but feel real and plausible given the limitations on having real front line female forces to study. It is also refreshing to see a portrayal of women as friends, colleagues, and 'mates' with no undertones of competition for attention, maternal dominance or anti-male agenda.

DROPPED is a detailed work that doesn't seek to give answers but opens up the conversation on women on the front line. It doesn't seek to judge but rather presents a view of how women may operate in the field when faced with death, hunger, sleep deprivation, isolation, heat and lots of sand.

DROPPED

Old Fitz Theatre, 129 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo

8 December - 20 December 2015

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