Destroy, She Said review
04.03.22
Well 25A is back, an independent theatre space (downstairs at the infamous Belvoir St Theatre) that allows independent artists to create, design, produce and market a show all by themselves, with a budget limitation of $1,500. Sounds harsh but luckily for the team behind Destroy, She Said, presented by FERVOUR., the limit does not exist (see what I did there?). The production value was fantastic and it’s honestly hard to believe that this was achieved with such a small budget – but it happened. A checkered floor, incredible green velvet curtains, a grassy knoll, vintage lamps and an orange lawn chair set the stage up for this absurdist tale of loss, love and madness.
Elizabeth arrives at a hotel after the loss of her baby when the other guests become fascinated by her. Then Alissa rocks up and things get suuuuuper weird. They play croquette, there’s mention of the forest, and Alissa gets a haircut. If I’m totally honest I don’t really know what was happening. I figure that they’re commenting on grief and insanity and trauma etc. but I just felt confused by it all. Nonetheless, this could just be a me problem so I’m not gonna go on about it (but if you do see it and get it please let me know) I loved what they did here though, like a super cool set with awesome soundscape-y stuff to really pull you in. Especially in a small theatre I think it’s nice that they considered how to pull the audience in and use the space rather than work against it. They also did some cool lighting stuff, letting us catch glimpses of movement, blackouts which led to actors popping up out of nowhere which worked given the absurdity of it all. And the cast gave what needed to be given, they all played well into their roles and I loved the dynamic here, like the almost mind games, using words like pawns on a chessboard, playing with time etc. All in all, I did like this work despite not fully understanding it, and I think it’s a perfect example of what 25A is all about. Plus for $25 it’s such a good deal for theatre in Sydney so get out there, go support indie artists and enjoy a show.
Adam, 21 (he/him)
___________________________________________________________________________
Imagine watching an episode of The Twilight Zone, but live in 3D, with an all-consuming atmosphere, complete with sound effects and technicolour. Oh, and about 1000 times more questions. That is exactly what Destroy, She Said feels like. From the moment you step into the intimate downstairs theatre at Belvoir St Theatre, the room is filled with a homely ambience; vintage lamps flicker rapidly on either side of the stage, a retro plastic lounge chair is the focal point of the minimalistic yet enchanting set that is adorned with lots, and lots of plant-life. We patiently wait in the light haze of the fog machine, until the room goes pitch black and suddenly there is a woman, contorted upon the lounge chair, moaning and mumbling gibberish to the soundtrack of chirping birds and the morning breeze.
Destroy, She Said is part of the 2022 season of Belvoir’s 25A Program. Made with a budget of $1,500, the show is self-produced and marketed by the cast and crew, a team of independent and emerging artists. The team utilise the downstairs theatre for free and keep 100% of the box office sales from the season. It is truly amazing witnessing independent art and artists thrive, as each actor’s performance in Destroy, She Said was brilliant and captivating, bolstered only by the stunning set, lighting, music and choreography the show also delivered.
The story, based upon a novel of the same name by Marguerite Duras, provides contextual details very, very sparingly. Only in passing moments where there is a mention of a miscarriage, or a hotel, or a forest – are audiences able to piece together clues in their minds, slowly but surely attempting to decipher, just what is going on? in this alternate, absurdist reality. These dialogue-heavy moments, where characters seem to say so much, yet so little, are abruptly broken up by intense moments of flashing red, purple and blue hues, splattering lighting upon a disturbing silent movement piece: the characters fighting, becoming, and making love to, the set amongst them. The grass, weeds, and flowers engulf these characters somewhat violently and passionately. These small scenes read wonderfully as an analogy for the struggles of womanhood and fertility, mental illness and the constant references to the characters’ desire to enter ‘the forest’ (whatever that entails); and return to their roots.
I left Destroy, She Said picking my brain for any semblances of meaning or inspiration that I could force myself to take from the 75-minute show. However, I left with more questions than answers. And I still haven’t settled on whether I was highly entertained, or somewhat disturbed? I guess both are good outcomes. Because after all, it is art.
Indiana, 17 (she/her)
FERVOUR.’s Destroy, She Said plays at Belvoir’s Downstairs Theatre until 19 March. Book your tickets here.