Reviewed by Caroline Stafford
Unnatural, written by Holland Brooks and directed by Andrew Sutherland, presents an interwoven tangle of six deliciously gothic queer stories that cover themes of metamorphosis and change in a series of moving monologues, each more bizarre than the next. From two-headed goats to humans giving birth to screaming squids, and even the rebirth of a very different kind of Jesus (a sexy kind), these stories might seem abstract or bizarre, but they provide a moment for us to reflect on the development and growth of our own queerness and how that is presented in society. Brooks presents these twisting narratives at times to shock, and others to pluck at the heartstrings, while always maintaining an overly Australian gothic tone.
Part of the engaging emotion comes from the delicate construction of the plots, but a large proportion comes from the poignant performances of the three actors Gabriel Critti-Schnaars, Jacinta Larcombe and Marli Jupiter. Marli Jupiter was a last-minute replacement for original cast member Jess Nyanda Moyle, but they were still able to bring their two characters to life vividly despite their vast differences. First, they are a child grieving the death of their father, or rather a life in which he never acknowledged them, and then they are a trainee priest who gets a little too close to the ‘body’ of Christ. Larcombe is particularly compelling as a mother who gives birth to a squid, who tries valiantly to love and support her unique offspring until her marriage breaks down. She gives a portrayal of the pain that many new mothers process, as their child is not quite what they expected them to be, however in this case it is a cephalopod. Perhaps the strongest performance is from Critti-Schnaars. He plays two teenage boys who could not be more different - one gets rich by selling recordings of his brother’s irregular heartbeat while his family crumbles around him, and the other embodies a lake in an effort to wrangle with the vastness of the feelings inside him. The juxtaposition of these two parts allows Critti-Schnaars to demonstrate his impressive range and to entrance audiences with both.
The world of Unnatural was really created by the immersive set design. Modular, without looking like it, the set changed and adapted to echo the brooding intimate nature of the overall piece but also create individual vignettes for each monologue. The crowning moment of Cherish Marrington’s set design was the transformation of one piece into a pool. The rough-hewn style of each individual set piece reflects the unruly and complex emotions that link each monologue to the other. This deep introspection is matched by a unique lighting design by Jasmine Lifford - warm pools of light in the darkness serve to highlight each individual speaker but keep the tone poetic and pensive. Finally, this is all wrapped up by an immersive sound design by Abi Russell that at times sows harmony, that is juxtaposed with unique and vulnerable moments of discord.
Unnatural, while not for everyone, pushes the envelope of modern contemporary theatre, and if you take a peek inside you might find truly tender and intimate work. Sutherland’s strength lies in the minute details that draw in audiences without them even realising - it might be the damp hair of the squid’s mother, carelessly splashed as she tries to calm her aquatic baby or the tender caress of a two-headed baby goat plush. The eeriness of the set design and stories is offset by a unique tenderness that will keep you enthralled throughout both acts. It’s not straightforward, it’s not simple, but it is definitely worth seeing.
Reviewer Note: Tickets for this review were provided by the theatre company.
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