BWW Reviews: The Blue and The Grey Come Down To Earth In George Brant's GROUNDED

Thursday 7 May 2015, Reginald Theatre, Seymour Centre

Kirsten Von Bibra (Director) and Kate Cole (Pilot) have interpreted George Brant's GROUNDED to create a moving work that explores the life of a female former F16 Fighter Pilot as she is forced to give up 'The Blue' at 80,000ft in exchange for domesticity and 'The Grey' of the 'Chairforce', going to war, half a world away from the combat zone.

** BWW Interview with Kirsten Von Bibra***

Matthew Adey(visual Design) has created a simple grey concrete box with curved walls that forms the space from which the Pilot tells her story. Paired with the lighting and Elizabeth Drake's composition the solo performance is told to an audience that is considered a confidant. Colors and spotlights and sounds help to focus the viewer's imagination as Cole paints images with Brant's words in the 90 minute monologue.

Cole captures the Pilots energy and enthusiasm as she remembers her days with "Tiger", as she flew solo into war zones and the heady days of young love as she finds a reason to fight, the bold Eric that loves that she is a fighter pilot. She utilizes the space to show progression of time and changes of location as well as the changes in emotions. The lighting assists in providing bold visual images as shadows or spotlights help focus attention. The pace and tone is varied to create tension, excitement and suspense and the Midwestern confident, almost masculine voice of someone used to drinking with the boys after a days flying is maintained throughout.

The Pilot's rationalization of the changes to her life are balanced and presented with a beautiful emotion as she realizes that she can still 'fly' and feel the hunt whilst being able to come home to a husband and child. The changes in understanding and the comprehension of what she is doing as she becomes a pilot at a desk, guiding a drone on the other side of the world raises the question of the constant surveillance that we are subjected to daily. The performance challenges the idea that whilst her side may see someone as 'guilty', they would have the same view of her, and her family and realization that she can see the aftermath of the weapons she drops triggers responses she has not felt before as when she was flying "Tiger" she never stayed around to see the effect of her actions.

This is a powerful work that challenges the ideas of modern warfare and touches on the changing mental challenges those serving are facing. Whilst no longer in danger, sat in the safety of control rooms far removed from war zones, they must deal with the horrors of war with potential more exposure as the technology allows them to see the destruction better than before.

This is well worth seeing for both the sole performance where Cole delivers an emotional, well-paced, powerful monologue and the insight into the issues around war in an era where technology has become so advanced that cameras can determine if a target is a 'military age male'.

GROUNDED

Reginald Theatre, Seymour Centre

Cnr City Road and Cleveland St, Chippendale NSW

1 - 16 May 2015

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