By Duncan Graham. The Tuxedo Cat – The Perske Pavilion. 14 Feb 2016
Following a stream of successful productions in past festivals, Duncan Graham brings Red Ink to the Tuxedo Cat’s Perske Pavilion as one of two shows being presented in the 2016 Adelaide Fringe Festival. The other being Ollie and the Minotaur.
Red Ink is a Rashomon-style retelling of a single dramatic event from four very different points of view. Narrated by three of the four characters they provide witness statements to an unseen, unheard interrogator – the audience. Each has some responsibility to the chaotic incident and its tragic outcome, but portrays themselves as a victim of circumstance and the actions of others.
As the story unfolds, they reveal hints to the stereotypes and unconscious bias that prejudice their recollections, and ones loyalties realign from one flawed character to another and back again. The central theme revolves around police violence, and the associated accountabilities thereof.
The performances are all strong, with Matthew Gregan admirably mastering the challenging character of the Man, an individual plagued by mental illness, and Tiffany Lyndall-Knight, Sophia Simmons and Sarah-Jayde Tracey equally robust as the Shopper, the Police Officer and the Checkout Assistant respectively. With no actual interaction between the characters on stage, the players do well to keep us engaged as they play out the tension and sense of foreboding.
Whilst the story is enjoyable, there are flaws. Most intrusive is the lack of continuity between the recounting of the Police Officer’s experience and that of the Shopper and the Checkout Assistant, which do not always seem to marry up. This is distracting and at times confusing.
The possible connection between the Man and Shopper feels as though it should be much more central to the piece; however it is only hinted at in the final moments, and is also left under explored. One feels the sadness of the Man's plight and the lack of societal understanding and acceptance around mental illness. Red Ink is a moving piece, with further opportunity for development.
Nicole Russo
When: 12 to 23 Feb
Where: Tuxedo Cat, Perske Pavillion
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
