Reviews

The Bodybag is billed as a panto. Being of an age when I can remember vividly the pantos at the Tiv and other venues, with the great dames like Johnnie Lockwood, Jim Gerald, George Wallace and later Reg Livermore, I was looking forward to this panto. This time the dame is Trevor Ashley, and there is nothing like this dame. As clever and funny as the aforementioned dames with the required earthy humour, the difference is that Trevor can really sing, and does so with gusto.

At the heart of The Bleeding Tree is the question of why, as neighbours and friends, do we turn a blind eye to the perpetration of domestic violence.  It is an extraordinary work of ‘high art,’ with rich integrity.  Superb craftsmanship is skillfully fused together by Director Lee Lewis.

The Bleeding Treecommences with an abrupt change of atmosphere, brutally bringing the audience into the pitiless world of a desperate story.

I went to the box office of the Sydney Opera House with my wife – we were two Jews attempting to walk into the theatre – but the front of house lady could not see our name on the list. No matter how hard I tried she would not budge, so it was looking like two Jews walk out of the theatre.

Initially the play relates the disputes and power struggles that occurred in families at the best of times and the worst times, after deaths in the families. Thus Orlando is removed by his brother Oliver, Rosalind by her uncle Frederick and Duke Senior also by Frederick. That is just the start of the intrigue and the relationships that develop. Rosalind disguises herself as a boy (Ganymede) and travels with cousin Celia as Ganymede’s sister Aliena to the Forest of Arden where all the exiles have gathered.