Zany study in play

Press, 4 September 1982, Page 6

Zany study in play

“Gutp and' Goo” by Howard Brenton, directed by Nic Farra for the University Drama Society. Ngaio Marsh Theatre. September 1, 3 and 4. Running time: 8 p.m. to 8.4 D p.m. Reviewed by Gerrit Bahlman. “Gum and Goo" is a zany, comic strip, one-act study of .. the macabre imagination of a young girl and her pre-adolescent playmates. It evokes concernabout the impact of violence and social degeneracy upon the ; development of the . young. The production is short and '■ punchy, using comic . strip slides, heavy rock.

music, and weird lighting to i emphasise the impact of an adult world. Gum and Goo < are two quasi-imaginary i playmates who slip from i parents, to dirty old men, to 1 policeman with a disturbing j lack of definition which de- i velops the sense of isola- 5 tion of the' .young girl, t Mary. Mary, played by Faith i Oxenbridge, enters the stage < from the audience having '. i : already attracted attention 1 as someone who is obviouslyl upset. Her two wacky play-- .( mates, Rod Dunbar and Mur- s ray Keane, immediately pro- 1 ceed to establish’ her differ- i ence and strange- i

ness. iThe three performers achieved a convincing vitality. Their energy and volatility, coupled with dynamic lighting and sound effects, presented the audience with an interpretation of this play which must be considered unusual. The play lasts only 40 minutes, . but it would be difficult to imagine the performers maintaining the frenetic pace for much longer. Described as “poor theatre” by the director, this should be interpreted in a financial sense for the promising talent displayed makes it well worth attending.