Lynn Belvedere

MODERN JESUS by Christopher Neels @ The Depot Theatre in Marrickville

 

 

“Steal a little and they throw you in jail, Steal a lot and they make you king” – Bob Dylan.

First performed in Southwark, London during April 2014, this realistically written, message piece has been successfully localised for a Sydney audience. This confronting new work about the absolute freedom of the individual, cleverly tells the story of disaffected youth and their struggles with their every day Sydney life, and this drama  follows the activism path from idealism until extremism.

Charlie is a checkout girl, and Luke her ex-soldier boyfriend, came back from Afghanistan in a wheelchair. This is Charlie’s story, often funny and definitely quirky, and fully exposes her overt controlling influence over her friends.

Charlie, for an unprovoked act of violence, is sacked from her menial job at Woolworths, and that event begins her manic journey on her downward spiral, that becomes a need for anarchy and complete rebellion against societal expectations. Stealing shopping trolleys from Woolworths and hiding identities behind silly masks.

What begins as victimless and relatively harmless criminal activity, quickly seems much more like terrorism against strangers. Even in these unusual circumstances, normal people would not be willing to accept Charlie’s intellectually empty philosophies.                                   

Dialogue intensive and performed with energy, the ensemble cast work well together, and the characters frequently use informative song lyrics to drive the story forward. The cast provide live music interludes, complete with their quality singing voices providing cosy songs that tell us exactly where the narrative is going.

The career choices of former pop princess Billie Piper (Doctor Who) are used as a point of comparison, showcasing the many inequalities that exist to prevent talented women with magnificent voices, becoming famous singers.

Australian premiere of MODERN JESUS by Christopher Neels, is presented by Fledgling Theatre Company.

Running from 23rd August until 2nd September 2017 at The Depot Theatre, 142 Addison Road, Marrickville, with on-site free car parking. Running time 120 minutes including one interval.

http://thedepottheatre.com/modern-jesus
https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=248101
https://www.facebook.com/thedepottheatre/
http://www.fledglingtheatre.com/
https://www.facebook.com/fledglingtheatre/

Photography by Liam O’Keefe.

 

 

 

Published by Lynn Belvedere

Once we were old enough, my parents took the whole family to the Sydney CBD cinemas every week. Thus began a lifetime interest, in going to the cinema every week, and became a passionate cinephile by watching all those very heavily edited ''Australian Film Censorship Board'' true cinéaste versions of brand new release ''Cinematograph Films''. Greater Union always gave my father (who worked in Cinema Distribution Exhibition) guest double movie passes, to every first-night ''red carpet Opening Night'' at The State Theatre Cinema at 49 Market Street. Up until his death, my dad always received ''two house seats'' for every Opening Night performance events at the Theatre Royal SYDNEY and at Her Majesty's Theatre SYDNEY. As a child, when mum choose not to go, I often went with him, to those live performance events. As a young child, I remember being taken for each new show, at both The New Theatre at 60 Sussex Street, and the Phillip Street Theatre when located at 150 Elizabeth Street, and for classical music concerts at Sydney Town Hall. = = = ★★★★★ = = = Being happy is a choice, and I have always viewed my life, as material ready be made into a series of amazing tentpole movies. My New Years Resolution is kept every year: ''Get to see/review five new live theatre shows each week, and get to see/review six new cinema movies each week'', plus is one of the Australian Cinema Pioneers, and apparently have seen far too much already, but always wanting to experience more and more each year. I am also able to do almost everything that I enjoy doing. Yes, I do have a great daytime job in I.T. as ''Software Design Project Manager'', PLUS each evening until quite late - - - Australian Cinematograph Films historical censorship consultant - product-placement consultant - mystery-shopper consultant - playwright, writer, author, director, producer, photographer, cinematographer, color-grader, subtitles proofreader - arts/ drama/ music/ film critic and judge, journalist, member FIPRESCI & FCCA & AFCA, member AACTA accredited film reviewer-critic-writer, accredited IMDB.COM critic-reviewer-author, projectionist, plus an innovative iconoclast - - - ★★★★★ LYNN BELVEDERE ★★★★★ - - - [usr 5] - - -