Body Rights
WA Youth Theatre Company presents four short new works about young people, power, their bodies and their rights. The collection showcases the work of 42 young performers as well as emerging creatives including directors, a composer, lighting designer and stage manager.
Outside the Girls School, the audience is divided onto two groups, who will see the evening’s performances in different orders. My group went to the Cookery Room first, so that is the order I will describe. Your experience may differ.
The first work, Will, was created by director James Berlyn, assistant director Amelia Burke and cast. In a work centred around an unseen boy soprano, gifted with Insta-Fame, the all male cast explore who owns a young person’s body if they are not yet 18. Two alternating casts perform alternate nights, and the young men I saw (Owain Bundock, Rory Bundock, Dylan Chua-Limargarna, Jack Connor and Callum Coull I believe) work well together to tell the story. AV work from Steve Berrick is a subtle reminder of text technology, its pressures and effects.
Boxed in has an all female cast, and was created by these young women with director Phoebe Sullivan and assistant director Rebecca Riggs-Bennett (who also designed the effective sound). An exploration of the strength required to be a young woman, it is set in a boxing for fitness class. Strong ensemble work yet again from a cast that includes Stella Finn, Keely Lynch, Amy Moylett, Ella Peeters and Isobel Seton-Browne. Maia Harlap’s monologue was particularly touching and the final moments of the play, in the hands of Rachael Abelha, were especially strong.
The two audience groups then swap spaces.
Adrian’s Soul is an immersive, interactive piece that begins outside the space, and was created by the directing team James Berlyn and Georgia Ivers, with the large cast. A look at the public intimacy of strangers, it pays homage to British artist Adrian Howells. Designed so that everyone’s experience is different, this warm and touching work is different, very connective and a joy to experience. I particularly enjoyed the time with the two young ladies who were my ‘companions’, Xarna Rappold and Dayle Waddingham.
The final work centres on WAYTCo member Adam Kelly, who describes himself as a “gentleman with autism”. Directed by James Berlyn, assisted by Hannah Davidson, this almost solo work, is supported by a Human Lighting Rig of fellow Waytco performers - who do an awesome job. Adam is a funny, heart-warming, honest and loveable performer, who allows the audience a glimpse into his life and steers a moving journey of a show. The highlight of this show takes place on the third floor balcony of the Girls School and you may be lucky enough to witness this moment even if you do not go to see Body Rights.
Body Rights is a moving and enjoyable evening of diverse pieces, that have a strong impact on their audience. Well worth the experience.
Kimberley Shaw
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