Music by Jane Bodie at The Griffin

“To be honest mate, I wasn’t sure what to expect. You know, for all I know, you could have come to the door stark naked. Stark naked and with a meat axe.” - Gavin

Apparently there is more to Kings Cross than meets the eye. It is home to one of the most exciting developments to Australian theatre for a long while: The Griffin .

The play, of which led me to this wonderfully intimate venue is Music by Australian playwright Jane Bodie. Key elements of this play which distinguish it from others include the use of auditory and olfactory storytelling (soundtracks such as Woo Hoo by Blur are chosen to imply specific meaning to the narrative, and the smell of a real stir fry cooking amplifies the reality of the experience.)

In short, the synopsis of Bodie's play is as follows:

"Two actors (Gavin and Sarah) researching a theatre project befriend a seemingly quiet and ordinary man named Adam. In reality, Adam’s unexceptional existence is carefully calibrated - a precarious sideways tightrope-walk over his mental illness. Now, Adam’s new friends are at risk of throwing his life dangerously off balance. And there’s every chance they’ll go down with him.

Music offers a sharp critique of the way mental illness is perceived today, and examines the dangerous consequences of raiding people’s personal lives in the name of art. A surprising and surprisingly funny story of people connecting and colliding, as two actors blunder their way into Adam’s life, causing untold damage to him as a result." (excerpt from griffintheatre.com.au)

I'd highly recommend checking this play out before it ends on Saturday 26th April 2014. The tickets are very reasonable for a 100 minute play with no interval in Sydney, and goes towards supporting a "real" and "true" representation of mental illness within the arts.



Rating: 10/10

Where: 10 Nimrod Street, Kings Cross NSW 2011.
Why: To watch theatre which portrays a real issue such as mental health in a very authentic way.
Cost: Tickets can be booked online or purchased at the door an hour before the session. Adults - $35, Concession (Senior, Student, Pensioner, Under 30) - $28.
When: Runs til Saturday 26th April 7pm.

Good for kids: No - There is the use of herbal cigarettes, and the play contains adult content. 16 .

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