That’s One Damn Sexy Ape

The director Gavin Roach has chosen an approach which caricatures the zoo personel (Perri Cummings, Rupert Bevan) and the PR company’s two workers (Dax Carnay, Asher Griffith-Jones). There is sudden, incomprehensible shouting, hardly believable motivations and an awful lot of overt sexualised behaviour which would lead to instant stand downs in any workplace. Unfortunately, while being somewhat funny, and perhaps wanting to draw a parallel to animals, this approach undercuts the very real issues being addressed.

There is a strong theme examining the use humans make of animals including for company, amusement and being the focus of their sexual fantasies. The rights of animals are given some airing, but this is a very human centric exploration, and it is the human’s projections onto Bubo which get most attention.

The star of the show is Bubo, the zoo’s prized ape, played and danced by Christopher Trimarchi. His every move evokes an animal who is doing animal things, and he has an honest relationship with humans which is based on the supply of food. His breakout dance based on human fantasies displays professionally honed dance skills.

The sound (Anthony Jacobsen) and lighting design (Ashleigh Shearman) make a very solid contribution to the action. The stage design (Fernando Ulloa) is simple and effective.

This play deserves further development and a more subtle approach because underneath the shouting and sex this play holds up a mirror to a tawdry aspect of human behaviour.

Ruth Richter

Buy the Play Script.

Photographer: Darren Gill