Intersection 2019: Arrival
INTERSECTION 20—19: ARRIVAL, is the manifestation of the ATYP Summer Program that has worked with a group of young writers of the 2018 National Studio, to develop some short plays dealing with the seminal arrival at the age of 17, and rehearsing the outcome with a group of young actors. It is an annual event.
The writers for 2019 were: Grace Chapple – SOMEDAY; Meg Goodfellow – DEAD THINGS; Emma Skalicky – PANOPTICON; Jasper Lee – THE ICEBURG; Joshua Allen – TWO HOURS AHEAD; Georgie Adamson – REAL DRY; Brooke Murray – PINK SOAP; Flynn Hall – FISH FINGERS; Sasha Dyer – GOOD BOY, PRETTY GIRL; Hannah Cockroft – A LITTLE DEATH.
The actors were: Teodora Avramovic, Marvin Adler, Salem Barrett, BeBe Bettencourt, Toby Blome, Ryan Hodson, Aspara Lindeman, Kelly Nguyen, Grace Stamnas, Sophie Strykowski, Harry Winsome and Emma Wright.
They play multiple roles and are part of the ‘machinery’ that shift the portable elements of the Set Design by Tyler Ray Hawkins, who, also has created the contemporary Costumes, facilitating quick changes with elan. The show is briskly moved along with the staging by Director, Sophie Kelly and is aided by an especially useful and detailed Lighting Design, by Martin Kinnane, aurally projected with the Sound Design of Chrysoulla Markouli.
In reference to past years, the texts deal with the usual dilemmas of ‘gender exploration and race identity, female sexuality, family expectations, love, fantasy, death, grief, and loss.’ Some of the writing took engaging entry points and exuded more humour than usual – there were some very clever ‘belly laughs’. The actors were well prepared by Ms Kelly, their experience varied across the board, with relatively confident presence and skill from Toby Blome and Ryan Hodson (saw them both in different projects at the Old 505 last year) and particularly charming work from Teodora Avramovic and Sophie Strykowski.
This work is always entertaining, though it does have the feel of a student graduating outing. Too many scenes and repetition of content within the project. (0 minutes without interval.
For family and friends, especially.