White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, the final instalment in Perth Theatre Company’s 2014 season, is not your average night at the theatre. Written by Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour, White Rabbit, Red Rabbit is more akin to performance art than traditional theatre. Each night a different unsuspecting performer takes up the challenge of acting out Soleimanpour’s script, a script which they are seeing for the first time when taking to the stage.
Like the evening’s performer, veteran actor and comedian Sam Longley, I went into the performance without any real knowledge of what was coming next. I’d purposefully tried avoiding any reviews or write-ups of previous performances of the piece. The sparse set, with only a stepladder, a desk with two water glasses and chair as adornment didn’t give too much away either.
Sam Longley gave a wonderful and charismatic performance. Despite not knowing what was coming next, Longley seemed comfortable on stage; interjecting with embellishments and responses to the Soleimanpour’s script, much to the amusement of the crowd. Arguably a lot of the performance’s humour came from Longley’s interpretation of the text.
We the audience, however are not allowed to be passive onlookers. Right from the outset we are involved in the performance, counting out attendance one by one (not as easy as task as it would seem). At other points, certain audience members are asked to take on different roles; rabbit, bear or note taker.
White Rabbit, Red Rabbit asks big questions of its audience, questions of morality and questions about freedom and conformity. For me it brought to mind to some degree the work of performance artist Marina Abramovic, especially during the final section of the play.
If you’re thinking this review doesn’t really tell you much about what happens in the play, it’s because it’s intentional, I believe if you’re going to see this play for the first time it’s best to go in blind and spoiler free. Though it’s safe to say that you won’t have seen another play quite like it. Of course Longley’s performance is just one possible interpretation of the Soleimanpour’s script; and a different performer and a different audience may completely alter the experience of the play.
White Rabbit, Red Rabbit is a thought-provoking and intriguing piece, one which is no doubt both challenging and rewarding for those tasked with performing it. White Rabbit, Red Rabbit is a fitting close to an excellent season of intelligent and engaging work from Perth Theatre Company, a season which may prove hard to top.
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White Rabbit, Red Rabbit is currently enjoying performances at Perth’s Studio Underground at the State Theatre Centre of WA – through to September 13th, 2014. For more details head to: http://www.perththeatre.com.au/show/white-rabbit-red-rabbit/
The reviewer attended the performance on September 2nd.
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