Danen Young stars as Joseph K in this new production based on the classic novel The Trial by Franz Kafka. Performances will be at The Limelight on Oxford, a venue which stages some of the very best in independent theatre.
The play which boasts a fresh cast of nine, surrounds Joseph K, a bank executive who finds himself arrested for a crime which is not revealed to the audience.
“I would describe it as a political absurdist farce drama. It is a comedy though, it is riddled in comedy,” enthuses Young. “Joseph finds himself in this massive bureaucratic loop trying to figure out how to clear his name and everything just starts to get a little bit surreal in his life.”
Upon reading the premise of the play readers may initially perceive this as solely a mystery/drama – but does it work well as a comedy? “Yes, definitely! There’s a couple of good gags in there, but the comedy just comes from the absurdity of the situation. It is mysterious and what we have been doing in rehearsals is trying not to play it as a comedy and look for the underlying drama, but when we have done that and played it authentically the comedy has just been there. We’ve just found it in rehearsals. We may have been running a scene and then suddenly everybody is just pissing themselves laughing!”
When asked what the resounding themes in this play are, Young pondered momentarily, “It conveys that the level of control which we think we have in this world isn’t anywhere near what we actually have and that we’re all helpless and stuck in this capitalist dystopian bully left wing side society.”
Audiences never learn of the crime which Joseph K is arrested and prosecuted for. Does this tarnish the enjoyment of the play? “No, not at all. It keeps that thread of mystery and intrigue throughout the whole play. There are so many questions that come up and there are just no answers. I don’t believe that the crime is important to the story. I really think that if you found out what Joseph’s crime was that would actually tarnish the play.”
Young explained that anyone who wants to have a good laugh at the daily grind should enjoy this play. “Joseph K is definitely written as the ‘everyman’ so he does have this universal appeal – there’s much of him which audiences can relate to. I would say anybody who has experienced the real world should come along and watch this play – that’s pretty much everyone who is over 18 years of age and has left school! (MMo)
Until May 18. Limelight On Oxford, 231 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. $30-$40+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.limelightonoxford.com.au
