Presented by La Boite and QUT Creative Industries is the World Premier of Lysa and the Freeborn Dames, written by Claire Christian and inspired by Lysistrata by Aristophanes.
Upon opening, the history and characters of a typical Australian country town are introduced via three cloaked women (the Freeborn Dames). Celebrating and winning the annual War Weekender footy game, against surrounding rural towns, is the event of the year. The four-day longstanding tradition, celebrated every January with copious amounts of alcohol, is rife with patriarchal rules and protocols that the women have accepted over its nearly 100-year run.
On the eve of the 2017 celebration Lysa (Tania Vukicevic) returns home. After her first year of University, she has transformed into a feminist AF woman ready be a catalyst for hometown change. Confused and embarrassed by her appearance and politics, her father Malcolm (Hugh Parker) urges her to stop her nonsense but Lysa is stubborn and steadfast. Nevertheless, if this story were solely about gender politics, it would not be as interesting. Lysa’s alternative motivation for returning is spurred by her hope to reunite with the lover she left behind.
Lysa’s Pussy Power flag dangled from the revered footy club’s flagpole seems a fairly benign protest, but to the aggressively macho star football player Grant (Jackson Bannister) its sacrilegious. During an altercation between them, we are not privy to the comment he whispers in her ear, only Lysa’s swift reaction. Locking Grant in the club’s old bomb shelter, she hides the key then texts her friends Myra (Samantha Lush), Esme (Tatum Mottim) and ex-lover Peta (Clementine Anderson) to join her in protest. Armed with a list of demands; including safer street lighting, women on the football team, and pay parity; Lysa refuses to release Grant, even when local cop Ken (Morgan Francis) arrives.
Woven into the action, The Freeborn Dames (Barbara Lowing, Roxanne McDonald and Hsiao-Ling Tang) represented the Chorus of Old Women in Aristophanes original play. Their guidance offered the audience background information, thematic commentary, character insights, and often voiced what the audience was feeling. All three had a heartfelt but hilarious monologue that explored the experiences and legacy of the older generation of women. Lowing’s story of a 57-year-old woman who chooses one 40-degree Christmas Day lunch to forgo the expected pork roast with crackling, instead serving her unappreciative family a cold lunch, was delivered honestly and respectfully.
Several key scenes are repeated with the first presentation being the desired outcome, the second showing the reality. A clever and useful device for humour, but also as a means of creating anticipation. Lysa and the Freeborn Dames conveys its message with humour and doesn’t become too preachy. We all laughed a lot.
The six young QUT Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) students held their own against seasoned performers. Vukicevic’s angsty Lysa evolved over the 90 minutes and by the end she found the humanity in her character. Lush’s tomboy Myra was an audience favourite, her delivery and physicality were professional and grounded. Mottim’s naïve Esme allowed for light comic relief and her character’s childish comments were made funnier by her perfect timing.
Anderson gave a vocal strength and conviction to Peta that made for a solid performance. Francis nearly stole the show with his dancing and his multi-faceted Ken was considered and believable. Whilst Bannister’s Grant wasn’t on stage for much of the show, when he was he was suitably menacing even from the back row. Sanja Simić has done a fantastic job of directing this intergenerational piece.
Ultimately Christian’s dramedy retains Aristophanes political themes of female empowerment and sexuality, ethics, and reconciliation; whilst remaining entertaining and thought provoking. To find out what Glen whispered in Lysa’s ear head to La Boite before August 11th.
I’ll leave you with a quote from Julie Garwood, “One whisper, added to a thousand others, becomes a roar of discontent.”
La Boite Theatre Company, The Roundhouse Theatre
21st July - 11th August, 2018
Review: Lisa Bingham
Photo Credit: Dylan Evans