Three Blind Mice

Shaz (Ruby Johnston) suffers from agoraphobia, the fear of open or public places, and hasn’t left her house in five years. Her contact with the outside world is limited to what she sees on television, what is expounded by politically domineering neighbour Lorraine (Izabella Yena), and delivered by the worldly and desirable postie Johnno (Benjamin Nichol).

Using this domestic platform, Three Blind Mice covertly explores what happens when a nation suffers from agoraphobia, or fear of the big wide world. When Shaz’s house is infested by mice (Nichol and Yena), parallels are drawn with Australia’s immigration and asylum seeker policy, with reference to well known identities and well-worn slogans.

Fear and ignorance are nurtured and Shaz’s shrinking perspective is mirrored, to her delight, by a reduction in physical size. Ultimately matters come to a head, a carving knife is produced, and Shaz must choose one side of the fence, or the other.

Three Blind Mice is a well-paced, energetic, satirical comedy, devised and delivered by three self-assured and confident actors who variously strum our heartstrings, prod our consciences, and tickle our funny bones. Laughs are a plenty, physical comedy is memorable, and there is plenty to think about.

Pre-show audience interaction is cleverly incorporated in the later narrative, the set and props are quaintly effective, and audio design makes an essential contribution.  

Three Blind Mice is presented as part ofFrisk, a festival cocooned within the Fringe Festival showcasing new performance works by theatre and production students of the VCA.

Lucy Graham

Photographer: Drew Echberg.