Brother Daniel

Never regret an adventurous yet ignoble life

Brother Daniel is a tense Orwellian moral tale of lost innocence and the corruption of a man’s ambition to release and reward his fellow man with his own vision of glorious revolution. In Brother Daniels’ story there are echoes of Danton, Trotsky and Che Guevara, who also failed in their attempts to lead a genuine revolution that would benefit their fellow man. All their lives ended with condemnation, failure, pain and death. As does Brother Daniel’s, a man driven by the fervour of the brotherhood of man, but who personally fails to live up to his own high ideals.

The play is set in a prison cell in some indeterminate time and place. The set is grim. Brother Daniel is being tortured and punished for crimes against the state (which could be anything). He is unrepentant and ready to die for his transgressions. Fervour, fighting and frustration have exhausted him and he is ready for the release of death.

The characters are clear cut, but the plot is somewhat convoluted. Other prisoners, lawyers, pregnant teens, land-ladies, gaolers and torturers come and go and Brother Daniel abides. The most chilling moment occurs when he explains to a fervent follower that it was his own terrible crime that led to one of his greatest reforms. Adam Hatzimanolis inhabits the dark soul of Brother Daniel very well and Richard Hilliar is particularly scary as his interrogator and torturer. But the shining moment of the play is the very simple and human conversation between Brother Daniel and his Guard, played superbly and subtlety by David Attrill. This moment exposes both their souls.

At its core this play provides much to reflect upon, but it is very full of words and characters, yet devoid of action. So it’s nearly two hours on stage does drag at times. It is a first outing and hopefully the author will see where some script and character editing is required and it will resurface again leaner and stronger.

Stephen Carnell

Director: Travis Green

Set Design: Rachel Scane

Lighting Designer: Larry Kelly

Operator/Stage Manager: Mark Banks

Cast: Vincent Andriano, David Attrill, Mel Dodge, Jeannie Gee, Adam Hatzimanolis, Errol Henderson, Richard Hilliar, Naomi Livingstone.

Photographer: Mark Banks