FRINGE: Theatre – Of Dysentery and Madness: A Trapper’s Tale – Tuxedo Cat – 4K

The Trapper (Luke Lennox) is lonely. Something has happened to the rest of his party, Vic (Wil Greenway) and Jemima (Kellie Tori), and the cold nights by himself in Antarctica are getting to him. In between bouts of unconsciousness, he is visited by a range of interesting friends, including Caryn the sardonic penguin (Kathryn Langshaw), as he tries to come to grips with the situation in which he finds himself.

Building on the writing of Greenway, this small ensemble company from Melbourne has created a delightfully absurd but sorrowfully moving piece. There is a lot of silliness in it and a certain degree of puerility, but at the same time, the dialogue is delivered very naturally, the characters resonate with truth and the story itself has a beautifully melancholic quality. This feeling is added to by the inclusion of haunting, yet funny, folk songs throughout. The actors each give excellent performances, under the direction of Tori, and work off one another with great skill and timing.   

The unusual mix of intense drama and ridiculous folly works, and works wonderfully, because of the precariousness of the Trapper’s sanity and the talent of the four actors in bringing the tale to life.

Kryztoff rating: 4K

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