Review: ALPHA

Review: ALPHA

“Germaine [Greer] doing push ups in Beyoncé’s shorts,” now that’s a line from an original new piece Alpha that pushes the boundaries of sensibility.

A charming love poetry performance piece is showing late at the great venue Old Fitz Hotel, which has become a beacon for fresh and innovative works. The show is comprised of young dynamic male and female duo act Sebastian Robinson and Tamara Natt, with musical accompaniment provided by lead guitarist on electric Fender Strat – it’s 50 minutes of confident easy delivery or amusing ranting and rhyming with fluid dance/movement and pop.

Having come to the Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras festival program after successful sold out performances at the 2015 Melbourne Fringe Festival, Alpha instils gay pride through an exploration of the identity politics of love, aspiration and change, pulling the audience together with a sense of community as we laugh along to their black humour and clever wit. You don’t have to be gay to to enjoy the poetry in Alpha.

The work is a celebration of language and it revels in the wonder of the spoken word, as a way to entertain us, provoke us, and move us.

The co-creators and performers are making their way in the industry. Robinson’s appearing in Australian film Downriver that will open in March, and Natt interestingly has a background in archaeology and literature (that explains her wordsmanship).

Especially moving towards the end of the performance, Natt waxes lyrically about being dead and buried, soulfully accentuating a smouldering sensuality, whilst painted in gold – mesmerizing to watch. (MS)

Until Feb 20 (Tues-Sat 10.15pm, Sun 7.45pm). The Old Fitz Theatre, 129 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo. $25. Tickets & info: oldfitztheatre.com/alpha

 

BY MEL SOMERVILLE

 

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