REVIEW: Jawbone

In his one man show, Alex Lykos returns to what is a common theme, in both his plays and his films, male mental health slowly coming askew when confronted with the everyday complexities of other people’s expectations.

Beginning with a road rage incident in which he gets into a verbal fight with another driver, moving onto cultural conflict with his mother and then onto his complicated relationship with an ex wife who seems to delight in piling on the guilt, the middle aged man syndrome becomes all too familiar in Lykos capable hands.

The trouble is that this one act play is a little too much of a take on the, ‘Me Too,’ movement. This was more of a, ‘Him Too,’ scenario. The point is, during this time of giant upheaval all over the world, do we really care about the declining mental health of a white, middle aged, middle class man, questioning himself on why he does not yet own one house, let alone three? Well actually we should care because the ripple effect mental health has on society in general, no matter who is losing it, is paramount to our well being.

Lykos takes on a mammoth task once more, in creating that fine line between the fourth wall between actor and audience, and still managing to come off as real. Music and sound affects aside, it is extremely hard to play opposite and next to yourself in the same space. The Factory Theatre is probably not the best venue for this show as Lykos needs an intimate one on one relationship with the audience in order to connect.

Jun 3-13. Factory Theatre, 105 Victoria Rd, Marrickville. $15-$20.50+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.factorytheatre.com.au

Reviewed by Renee Lou Dallow.