Review: Kym Vaitiekus Shares His Thoughts on MULTIPLE BAD THINGS

Kym Vaitiekus shares his thoughts on MULTIPLE BAD THINGS

Wednesday January 8th 7PM 2025, Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House

MUTIPLE BAD THINGS becomes one piece of pure theatre.

Back to Back Theatre bring their latest wok to the Sydney Festival at the Sydney Opera House.

Directors Tamara Searle and Ingrid Voorendt in collaboration with Bron Batten, Breanna Deleo, Natasha Jynel, Simon Laherty, Sarah Mainwaring, Ben Oakes and Scott Peck have created a theatre experience where existentialism is personified.

The evening opens with a content warning presented by the demure and earnest Simon Laherty. The preamble decries the usual suspects along with some comic side adjunctions.

Is this warning for the audience as perceived by the devisors of this work or is it a general release. On this night there is amusement from the audience, is this a reflection of their uncomfortableness or of their generosity. I wondered if they were laughing with or at the statement. The intent of this warning is unclear yet curiously compelling. I was totally engrossed.

The night unfolds through a series of vignettes depicting a workplace-like environment, where individuals are brought together to complete tasks, without any obligation to be congenial, unlike the dynamics usually occurring in a friend or family settings. It can be easier to confront others when the mutual ties are essential ones over emotional ones.

While working on an obscure golden tube structure, relaxing on a blow-up flamingo and playing solitaire the characters interact.

Through their dialogue personal wants, ideologies, politics come to the fore.

Perspectives on gender, sexism, diversity, ability, entitlement and needs clash and are explored in this extraordinary work.

The cast, Siomon Laherty, Sarah Mainwaring, Scott Price and Bron Batten perfectly hold the balance between heightened drama and eloquent moments of stillness.

The ensemble has created an existential atmosphere. The tone and demeanour is captivating, this night is enhanced by the extraordinary soundscape created by Zoe Barry.

The set design by Anna Cordingley is inventive and sublime with an ending that cements: a home is connections.

In the program, Searl and Voorendt discuss how a collaborative work develops through the contributions of the performers and the process of exploring with and through them.

The result is true theatre.

We see, feel, experience and are encased in the reality of the content and its intention.

As the night declares that “inequality is not equal” and that there are more fake flamingos in the world than real ones, we discover an exemplary performance of how the obvious traits of our daily lives, in reality are complex.

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