The Black Cat

One of the delights of Adelaide Fringe, if you dare venture from the big names that pepper The Guide with full page ads, is seeing very fine theatre, dance, or other artforms from artists on small budgets, with (sadly) often smaller audiences.  For a number of years there has been ongoing discussion among the artistic rank and file about how to address problems of commercial shows and corporate interests making Fringe a difficult gig for independently-produced shows.  Case in point: Mark Penzak (Victoria) has brought a tight, professional show to town for its SA premiere and two nights in, the audience numbers were alarmingly low.

American writer Edgar Allan Poe’s The Black Cat was first published in the August 1843 edition of The Saturday Evening Post - only six years prior to his death.  The macabre short story is told in the first person by an unnamed narrator awaiting execution.  Penzak perfectly commands Poe’s flowery, verbose prose with all its detailed imagery, symbolism, and simile.  He also skilfully renders the rhythmic alliteration and cadence of the writing while maintaining the guise of this disturbed character who, influenced by alcohol addiction (like Poe himself), carries out gruesome acts.  Be warned, there are references to harming both animals and humans in this Gothic horror ballad.

Another aspect of Penzak’s performance is his astute use of props to portray different situations and other characters: a coat becomes a dance partner, a chair back denotes a wall.  The use of a small, central platform allows for level changes, as does the actor’s excellent physicality and use of the space.  Small, delicate but detailed gestures also serve to focus the audience on aspects of the text where our narrator has an action to perform, like lifting a cat from its resting place.  Penzak also has a marvellously resonant voice, although just a few times, the ends of phrases were lost.

From the first mysterious processional entrance, music and sound from Glendon Blazely is integral to the narrative with repeated musical and vocal motifs and some fascinating sound effects.  Blazely is dressed head to toe in black with classic furred top hat from whence extra-long, wispy, pale grey hair and sideburns emerge.  This hovering character looms like the apocryphal ‘devil on your shoulder’ singing temptation into your ear, or the ubiquitous black feline ‘Pluto’ with mythic underworld significance.  The ebb and flow of music, vocals, and volume changes was a fitting accompaniment to the text however on some occasions the sound overwhelmed the actor’s words.

These two masterful artists have created an excellent, memorable theatre work that deserves to be experienced by many. 

Lisa Lanzi

Photographer: Leonie Van Eyk.

To check out our round-up of Adelaide Fringe reviews, click here.