Caught in Between ~ A Cultural Dilemma ~Theatre Review

[Theatre, SA] CAUGHT IN BETWEEN - Danielle Lim Goodwood Theatre and Studios Fri 23 Aug, 2024 Caught in Between is an innovative approach to an enduring issue – the lot of migrants dealing with that twilight zone between two cultures; where they feel at home in both and yet don’t feel like they really belong in either. Danielle Lim came to Australia from Malaysia with her parents when she was 13. She sounds absolutely Australian but looks absolutely Asian. In this brave expose of her dilemma in between two cultures she uncovers layers of her being that are, paradoxically, both strengthened and threatened by her dual cultural allegiances. Projected images of her life form a stage set that has her alternating between Australia and Malaysia - the two realities that form the context of her world. The heavily accented unseen voice of her conscience/ cultural guide is a regular contributor to the conversation between Lim and her inner self, and the audience. Together with her guide, Lim invites us to help unravel her dilemma. Key objects from significant moments in her past are found among the audience and help create a better understanding of how she’s feeling. Lim is pretty sure that she’s adapted well to Australian life, she likes how she is, and she likes the way she looks. But her guide frequently derails this apparent confidence and has Lim questioning whether she’s as content as she makes out. And her doubts are real; her confusion palpable, and in these moments her performance feels risky and raw. But it makes for excellent theatre. Lim has an almost commanding stage presence. Despite the uncertainty around her cultural ambivalence she owns the stage and her delivery is perfectly timed. She’s an impressive performer that should be commended for daring to reveal confronting home truths about her life straddling different worlds. In the end it feels like Australia has allowed her to find her true self but she’s not from around here ….. 4 stars MIchael Coghlan This was the only performance of Caught in Between.