BWW Reviews: An Hour In The Life of Three MEN Examines What Makes Them Tick And What Brings Them Undone.

Thursday 2 July 2015, The Old Fitz, Woolloomooloo

Brendan Cowell's hilarious one act play MEN joins three men as they wait out time in a small room, discovering their deeper selves as the hour counts down. A tortured sensitive artist, a confident narcissist, and a nymphomaniac work together to help and destroy each other as the sole female plays on these personalities to get what she wants out of them.

Set in the intimate space of The Old Fitz, a mirror disk lies in the middle of the floor, also adorned with a treadmill, chest freezer, makeshift bar shelf, and stool. Designer Tess Dorman has dressed the grey walls with large round industrial lamps with filament bulbs, connected by exposed copper piping and a dirty intercom phone hangs near the corner.

We first meet Guy (Jamie Timony), a skinny guy in black pants and fitted t-shirt, exposing his midriff and casual cardigan jacket. The purpose of the mirror becomes evident and the first hilariously cringe worthy moments occurs as he decides what to do with the rest of the cocaine he has missed before re-hanging the mirror and wishing himself a "Happy Birthday". Given his early openness, the audience expects the shaking, as the sharply dressed Jules (Sean Hawkins) arrives, to be something more risqué but instead open up some of Jules' character as being into expensive labels and image and the latest trend. Amusingly Jules, in button down shirt, chinos and lace up shoes sets up to practice yoga. Crazy Bob (Ben O'Toole) rounds out the trio with a brash personality claims to be god's gift to women as he spouts on about his sexual prowess.

The men's interactions expose their differences, their care for each other and their destructive behavior, of both themselves and each other. Haizel (Cheree Cassidy), who we first hear counting down the hour over the intercom and talking to the boys over the phone, appears to be the stable member of the relationship and the one that understands each of their personalities, so much so that she knows which buttons to press to get them to do what she wants and then finally, be ready for the moment that the hour has been counting down to.

The performance is filled with humor, both in Cowell's text and the physicality. Some is bizarre, such as the various exercises the men undertake from running on the treadmill, practicing yoga and lifting weights, all whilst the dialogue continues. Others are disgustingly funny, as the audience is transfixed in the shock so they can't look away from the explicitness of the events unfolding. The language is clever and displays each character well. Jules needs to feel like he's popular and powerful, Guy's whimsical creative side comes out with bizarre comments and Bob is obnoxiously overconfident in his sexuality. As the men's true nature is unearthed and their destruction of each other and themselves becomes clear the action changes from confident to unsure including an ungainly fight between the men

Director Jessica Tuckwell has created an amusing work that explores these three men and the power a woman can have over them with the right level of light and shade, evoking compassion and revulsion from the audience. Sound Designer Jed Silver uses the soundscape to build excitement whilst ensuring that the ultimate goal of the story is not given away.

Timony creates a likable character as Guy's sensitivity shows beneath his addiction. Hawkins has created Jules as someone that at first seems helpful and caring but turns out to not be the ideal friend as he taunts Guy with his relationship with the unseen Naomi and is focused on himself the majority of the time, primping and preening and self motivating. O'Toole's Crazy Bob is grotesque and obnoxious until his secret is revealed. Cassidy gives Haizel a power and cunning as she manipulates the men in turn and appeals to each of their varied natures to achieve her goals.

MEN is an entertaining work that has audiences laughing as they cringe at the lives and personalities of the three men and one woman unfold and their highs and lows are shared with open honesty.

MEN

Old Fitz Theatre

Woolloomooloo

30 June - 25th July 2015

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