[THEATRE ~ SA]
Holden Street Theatres, Thu 26 May
FESTEN is an adaptation by David Eldridge of a Danish screenplay originally written for film. It has a reputation for leaving audiences shocked and stunned. It certainly isn’t light entertainment. Billed as an expose of a taboo that is rarely talked about, the sexual exploitation of children inside families, FESTEN charts the rapid fall of a well-to-do family into moral chaos as they suddenly become aware of deep dark secrets that have been kept under wraps for decades. What is meant to be a joyous celebration of a father’s 70th birthday becomes a gruelling and cathartic journey into a family’s darkest places.
Christian, one of the twins of the family patriarch, is clearly on edge from the moment he appears out of the darkness. His badly behaved Bogan brother Michael shows another disturbing side of the family. Christian also seems to have more than just a cordial relationship with the maid. Early on a clever scene involving multiple bedrooms – each with a hint of dysfunction – occurs on stage simultaneously so before the party proper gets started we know in advance that there are significant family fault lines. But nothing could prepare the family for the bombshells that were coming.
Nevertheless, the traditions and veneers of civilised society attempt to restore things to normal with much birthday merriment – lots of jolly singing and free flowing alcohol keep the façade of family and friends intact for a while, but a letter left behind by Christian’s dead twin sister is the last straw and the celebration rapidly descends into a conga line of lunacy.
Red Phoenix Theatre has once again assembled a large cast that is exceptional. The whole of cast dinner and party scenes were complicated, high energy and virtually flawless. The long awkward silences were also beautifully choreographed.
Brant Eustice’s Christian was wonderful as the harrowed twin sitting on a volcano of emotion who knows he can no longer keep silent. Nigel Tripodi was truly menacing as Michael, the family’s unpredictable loose cannon. The presence of the young granddaughter was a source of tension throughout and served as a constant reminder of the innocence of childhood. Ironically Sienna Fagan’s studied performance in this role was one of great maturity. Occasional welcome moments of nervous tragicomic relief were deftly handled by Geoff Revell as a family friend, and Joh Hartog as the kindly, demented grandfather.
Not exactly a fun night out, but a night well spent. FESTEN intends to shock and it does. It is also intends to inform. It puts a bright spotlight on a curse that has damaged 1.4 million adult Australians. But it is also hugely entertaining. In a demonstration of the power of live theatre FESTEN delivers messages that are hard to hear: it reveals the long-term trauma caused by familial sexual abuse, and how families (and society) will try as hard as they can to gloss over it and pretend it’s not happening. To turn such a sorry tale into palatable entertainment you need a plausible story that is well written, a committed and talented cast, and canny direction. Daniel Eldridge, Red Phoenix Theatre, and director Nick Fagan tick all those boxes with this production.
4.5 stars
Michael Coghlan
FESTEN continues at Holden Street Theatres at various times until Sat 4 June.
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The Clothesline Rating...
Michael Coghlan
A night well spent.
