Eden has grown up and is stuck living in a seaside town, lured to the beach and AirBNBs by surfers, and stoners but mostly driven by the siren song of Grindr. He has an okay relationship with his parents, who he still lives with, while he works several jobs around town. Occasionally, he and his mum sing songs together at church and it’s in music that Eden can escape the grind of his existence.
Writer and
performer Benjamin Nichol has crafted a stunning portrait of a complicated
young man, multi-faceted and real. His evocations of the small beach side
community are stunning and the various townsfolk – and Eden’s parents, are beautifully
realised. The physicality in Nichol’s performance/s makes watching him both viscerally
and visually captivating.
Liv
Satchell’s direction brings out the best in her performer, while also enriching
the text with very specific tableaux – etching some moments clear into the
memory. Lighting Designer Harrie Hogan’s work illuminates Eden’s story in the best
way.
I have
minor quibbles about where the story heads – after the beautifully
specific story of Eden’s life in the small town unfolds, the climax felt like it
was treading water and the final moment, while honestly performed, felt just a
tad indulgent.
Sirens is full of heart and warmth without shying away from some difficult subject matter. The play is a kind of post-coming out story; Eden has dived in but having had no support growing up, he is more likely to sink than swim. This is a beautiful character study and Nichol's performance is wonderful.
- Keith Gow, Theatre First
Sirens sings until October 23rd
as part of Melbourne Fringe
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