Perch

A woman puts an ad in the paper for someone to watch over her while she sleeps. Ironically and bizarrely, she does this in order to feel secure.

Fundamentally, Perch is about security and what people do in order to feel safe. As part of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras theatre offerings, Perch is a black, dark comedy – twisted because it occupies the sleep world and explores various realities – set in a down-market sort of boarding house, a slightly odd place that supports the idea of a dream space.

Perch looks at how fragile people are when they’re discovering their sexuality, their adult persona, about being vulnerable, naïve and really struggling for a place in the world. At that time it’s really important to have support, as the quest for identity can be fraught with dangers and disappointments.

Perch explores the lies young men are forced to tell so they can explore their sexuality. It’s an ambiguous play with two entirely possible scenarios. Mardi Gras audiences in particular will connect with it on a deeper level because it may speak to their own journeys.

Perch is part of a new evolution of ‘gay theatre’,” explained sole performer and co-director Brian Carbee. “Now that ‘gay theatre’ has done its job, pushing issues into the political realm, there’s a lot more scope to look at other issues and get more microscopic about the human condition, [to] exist in a more pure theatre sense and not feel it has a job to do for the community and to be so much of an agent for social change.”

Carbee is originally from the United States, but has lived and worked in Sydney for the past 20 or so years.

“We performed Perch in New York and Boston but this is the first time we’ll perform it a gay [and LBTI] festival. It may sound heavy but people will be surprised at how much fun it is,” added Carbee. (MS)

Feb 9–21. Downstairs Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, 25 Belvoir Street, Surry Hills. $25-$40. Tickets & info: belvoir.com.au/events/perch/ or 02 9699 3444

 

BY MEL SOMERVILLE

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