The Bull, The Moon & the Coronet of Stars

What happens when a woman unleashes her unbridled sexuality on a seemingly sympatico target – who turns out to be a dud choice? Wrong-footed romance leaves you feeling like Ariadne of Greek myth fame, abandoned on the beach at Naxos by Theseus – but with a glimmer of hope that Dionysus – the Greek God of wine and ecstasy –  will come along for a final rescue. In The Bull, the Moon & the Coronet of Stars, Van Badham takes this myth and weaves a magical, mystical tale of lust, love and destiny. In her quirky love story, Badham mashes up the ancient Greek with a rom-com office romance, as museum artist-in-residence, Marion (Sarah Ogden) plays a flirtatious game with her chosen target, publications officer, Michael (Rob Pensalfini). As mysterious events occur to threaten the museum’s antiquities, Marion and Michael volunteer to share a locked-in nightshift to discover the truth. The night takes a funny yet seriously sexy turn as they unleash the beast of their office-bound lust that manifests as Theseus’s old adversary, the Minotaur, stalking the corridors and shaking the display cabinets. If you thought Bridget Jones’s take on Jane Austen was funny, then Badham’s canny fusion will be a pure delight in this bright and entertaining theatrical experience. There’s even a splash of Ovid’s amorous intrigue in the way the play is constructed as a series of monologues spoken direct to the audience. It has the effect of directly involving you in the action, privy to the inner-most thoughts of both characters. Cleverly, there is no contact between the characters, so no ‘scenes of an intimate nature’ to embarrass performers and audience alike. And yet, the sensual scenes work because of the humour and the power of words. Badham’s script is a joy to listen to as her characters create momentum and tension – including a seriously erotic but hilarious sex scene that takes place with the actors fully clothed and metres apart!

With the focus on words, is it a coincidence that performer Rob Pensalfini (Michael/Mark) is also Artistic Director of the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble and a lecturer in linguistics and drama at University of Queensland? With a love of language, this seems to be the perfect vehicle for his dramatic and comedic talents. He creates two equally compelling roles as Michael, the intrepid publications officer, and Mark, the swarthy Aussie sommelier stuck in an off-season Welsh holiday resort. Sarah Ogden absolutely shines in her role – she is bright and brave, vulnerable and sexy, and very funny. She has created two distinct personas for Marion – the bubbly, sensual artist-in-residence who schemes to help her ‘Theseus’ escape the Minotaur’s clutches – but then the shattered empty shell, her former self forever splayed on that beach in Naxos while she hides away in wintery Wales… as far away from herself as she can possibly get. This pair of performers are a treat to watch, and Director Heidi Manché has drawn out so many sides of their talents – there’s an underlying sadness and loneliness, brash sensuality, and mostly warm and witty humour. Manché studied in Italy and worked with Dario Fo, including translating and performing his work across Italy. Her interest in Fo’s beloved Commedia style suits this play – it feels free and unconstrained. You get the impression that this series of monologues could be performed anywhere, in any space. With designer Sarah Winter’s simple series of plinths creating the museum and the Welsh hotel, the settings are mostly painted by your own inner thoughts and imagination – including Greek beaches and wind-swept Welsh countryside. Sound effects and music are provided live on stage by the multi-talented Shenzo Gregorio and his fetching electric violin, keyboards and cajon.

The Hive Collective is a new independent theatre collective. Alongside Manché, other featured directors are Heather Fairbairn and Kate Wild. This is the collective’s first foray into showcasing the works of contemporary Australian female writers. If this is what their unleashing of female creativity looks like, Brisbane audiences will be delighted and highly entertained.

Beth Keehn

Photographer: Stephen Henry