You’ve heard about one show with one point of view, but what about two? In Rats, written and directed by Chris Huntly-Turner from Fledgling Theatre Company, a complicated story is split into two plays.
These stories take place during WWII, following a group of Australian men fighting in Tobruk, North Africa, and the women they left behind in a country town.
The women’s and men’s stories play interchangeably over the season, they can be enjoyed independently or together.
Huntly-Turner explained: “The whole reason for doing two shows under the one production is that if it speaks to you, you have another opportunity to explore the world and the characters a bit more. So pick one, watch it, and if you like it, watch the other.”
The idea for this story is based off real events with the uniting of the Australian, Indian and British army against the Germans. However, Huntly-Turner found the women’s point of view fascinating.
“During the development of the show we found that we kept on coming back to the female war experience, and very much wanted to explore a new spin on the classic tale of being ‘left behind’,” he said.
Huntly-Turner has always been interested in war, but more specifically the concept of what can make people take a human life. As a writer he found the fact the ‘bad guys’ were obvious a perfect tool for storytelling.
“[In WWII] there was a clear and present evil, it needed to be stopped and thankfully it was. That is an exciting concept as a storyteller as it is very rare in this world that we have that sort of clarity.” (AMal)
Oct 25–Nov 5, Tues-Sat 8pm. Old 505 Theatre, 5 Eliza St, Newtown. $25-$30. Tickets & info: www.old505theatre.com
BY ATHINA MALLIS
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