The Pride

Using director Zoe Pepper’s fascination with lions and the disconcerting similarities she found between “the structure and brutality of their social patterns” and human behaviour, this devised piece of theatre is basically about “falling in and out of love and the lengths people go to rationalise behaviour that is basically about survival”.

Just in case audiences aren’t able to understand the parallels, the characters are dressed in lion suits, but the way they behave is basically human … of the very ‘bogan’ variety. I guess this sort of equates with the basic competition for prey and a mate in the lion kingdom, but any remaining dignity – of man or beast – is not evident in this production.

Apparently, their original brainstorming led the director and cast to “more surreal and irreverent directions”. Many in the audience on opening night did seem to be amused by the “irreverence” – such things as the animalistic gobbling of food, pathetic whining, over-the-top preening and boasting and grovelling – and some blatant over acting and very unprofessional playing for laughs. But it certainly isn’t “surreal”! There is nothing dreamlike or even subtle in this production, including the some of the obvious symbols which are used to underline the parallels in behaviour.

There are several things that almost save this production. John Pepper’s touring set is effective as is William Ratcliff’s lighting. Brendan Ewing and Adriane Duff (who play Bruce and Linda, the ‘old’ lion and his mate) do work well together in the first scene, and Duff manages to sustain some of the dignity of the lioness. Russell Leonard is effective as James, the ‘young buck’, feeling his way into the ‘pride’ by flattery and competence. His choreography for the production is creative, especially his own symbolic dance of victory over the deflated and failed Bruce.

And all three must get some ‘cred’ for working for 90 minutes in silly, hairy suits.

Carol Wimmer

Photographer: Skye Sobejko