This play was the winner of the 2005 Griffin Award for New Writing. It is the first production of this play in Sydney after an initial presentation at the New Theatre as part of its New Directions season in August.

The CARNIVORES. One would expect with a title like that the resonances of “an animal that feeds on flesh” would be reflected in the play. In the publicity description we are told

“Thom and Graham are small players in the ethical murkiness of global capitalism, both up-market and black-market. As they grapple with family loyalty, rapacious multinationals, sexual opportunism and drug deals, they must also confront a wider world in the grip of political turmoil.”

“Ethical Murkiness”!!!! “up-market and black market”!!!!!, “rapacious multinationals”!!!!! “political turmoil”!!!!!!! Unfortunately this production under the direction of Luke Rogers has neither the bite or the clarity of the publicity statement. The play for all of the muscularity generated from the title has the clout of the social and political observations in Channel 7’s PACKED TO THE RAFTERS.

The lighting, set and sound design are flat and do not add any vibrancy to the storytelling. The acting tends to presenting representations of the words on the page rather than real people. It is very two dimensional. The function of the characters and the theatrical ploys of the writing are what is generally communicated.

If the Play deserved the accolades of the 2005 Griffin Award for New Writing then on this viewing I have to take it on trust. This production does not elucidate this possibility.

This is a CO-OP production.