JAMI BRANDLI’S ‘TECHNICOLOUR LIFE’ @ THE DEPOT THEATRE, MARRICKVILLE

 

Production photos – Katy Green Loughrey

The award winning US play TECHNICOLOR LIFE by Jami Brandli, is now having its Australian premiere as part of The Depot Theatre’s 2017 Season.

Grandmother, mother and two daughters, explore divorce, adolescence, war-wounded, cancer, remission, euthanasia, and  much more. Billie (Tasha O’Brien) a young and love-struck Iraq War soldier, loses her left hand and is sent home, with PTSD, damaged and angry.

Billie’s fourteen year old sister, Maxine (Nyssa Hamilton) is the  narrator of this story, and she attempts to help her now alcoholic wounded sister, by enlisting her new imaginary friends – Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw from the movie “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”.

The unravelling of inter-generational female relationships are brilliantly explored. The right to die movement, friendly fire, women in the military on the front line in Iraq, hiding sexual assault on military women.                                                 

This play presents the best possible arguments against military women serving in all combat roles.

The production features a wonderful ensemble cast including Amy-Victoria Brooks, Nyssa Hamilton, Michael Harrs, James Martin, Tasha O’Brien, Cherilyn Price, Emily Sulzberger and Cherrie Whalen-David.

Tasha O’Brien is especially believable as Billie, plays her part with great sensitivity, taking us deep into her life of ugliness rage regret and loss, building our empathy for her plight both in Iraq and at home.

Nyssa Hamilton as Maxine, is a natural talent delivering a high energy performance bursting with fresh vitality and has a high-pitched squeaky voice and manner that easily ingratiates herself with the audience.

Director Julie Baz has a gift for realism and has visualised an almost perfect mise-en-scène for each scene of this play, where the combination of choosing the perfect cast for each role, and every element of the set design and costumes and music soundtrack, have joined together to create a unique theatrical experience.

We journey back to the war in Iraq to discover Billie’s secrets. Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw singing and dancing their way into Maxine’s life and providing her with important life lessons.

TECHNICOLOUR LIFE is playing at the Depot Theatre, 142 Addison Road, Marrickville until the 12th August. The Depot Theatre is located within the Addison Road community complex and there is plenty of  on site free parking.

Running time – 135 minutes including one interval.

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Production Stills Katy Green Loughrey