Men

The first 30 minutes of Brendan Cowell’s Men is painful. Jules (Sean Hawkins) struts around like the sun shines out of his backside, as if humans were placed on earth to marvel at his greatness. Bob (Ben O’Toole) peacocks around like the million dollar package down his pants is God’s gift to women. Guy (Jamie Timony) mopes around trying to kill himself because he feels the weight of the world’s injustices firmly on his shoulders. Three stereotypical strands of the same man? I think so, but that’s not entirely the point. The point is that these men are locked in a holding space with a looming countdown. For what? We don’t know yet.

None of the characters are likable. They are all irritating in their own selfish ways. No one listens to anyone; they simply tolerate each other with shutter-like obnoxiousness. The degrading way they talk about and objectify women is squeamish, but then, 30 minutes into the piece, the irony of it all comes rushing out. These men talk shit because inside they have very little grip on their own self worth. They’re the scarred ones. Men is an existential comedy about Aussie blokes who are their own worst nightmares. Cowell’s ability to self-reflect and analyse complex, existential ideas through the loud, foul mouths of identifiable men is to be applauded. Cowell is a bright playwright with keen insight into the human experience, and the play is uncomfortably an articulate portrait of the people we work with, are friends with, and – heaven forbid - date.

Jessica Tuckwell’s direction is on-point as she pushes the audience between seeing the truth of the words and their implicit irony. We go from being disgusted by these boys to actually developing pathos for their struggle. Ben O’Toole and Jamie Timony’s brash and dedicated performances shine the strongest. Tess Dorman’s simplistic cave men meets futuristic holding cell set design, Jed Silver’s understated sound design and Alexander Berlage’s realistic lighting design all work well.

And the ending… hilarious.

Red Line Productions have put yet another great play on at the Old Fitz Theatre stage. Men is a well-revived Aussie play that still very much speaks to our times.

Maryann Wright

Photographer: Marnya Rothe