Manus

Manus by the Verbatim Theatre Group from Iran is a harrowing but extremely important work of ‘political theatre’.

Manus relates the stories of 8 Iranian refugees, detailing their journey from Iran to respective Australian detention centres in Nauru, Manus Island, and Papua New Guinea. It is told in Persian with subtitles projected on the back of the stage, as well on a beam in the ceiling for those sitting at the back of the auditorium.

Manus is about these 8 characters’ isolation, anger, despair and disillusionment with the ‘dream’ of finding sanctuary in Australia. Subsequently, for Australian audiences, this is a very confronting and provocative experience. However, if you allow it to be, it is also ultimately an extremely moving and powerful piece of theatre.

Director Nazanin Sahamizadeh states in her program notes, “For several years now, Australia has been the land of dreams to many refugees and asylum seekers; yet Australian governments decide to punish those who approach their shores, not because of ‘Why’ but ‘How’ they reach there”. The detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru are the epitome of a highly questionable process of ‘marginalisation’ in which you are ‘seen as a criminal’ and subsequently ‘deserve to be detained’.

This exceptionally powerful ensemble on a bare, wet stage, with only a number of vibrant red large steel water containers operating as various ‘sets’ and ‘props’, release the full range of their respective rage and despair. As one character states, “we are living in limbo”; or rather, as this production emphasises, a living hell, for which we Australians are responsible. It is extremely confronting, and I for one, applaud and respect the sheer bravery of presenting this work to Australian audiences.

If experiencing this confronting, but only 75 minutes-long production seems problematic, then consider what it may be like to live in such isolation and treated like a criminal 24/7 for 3 to 5 to 10 years. No wonder they are angry and damning – not of the Australian people but of the respective Australian governments that endorse and inflict this brutal inhumane ‘Pacific solution’ on refugees.

This production only touches on a part of this living hell. Unapologetically, it is not balanced with any counter argument or perspective. Admittedly, this may be problematic for some, with accusations of ‘queue jumping’ etc, but ultimately this is irrelevant. This is their perspective, powerfully and emotionally expressed, and subsequently it is inappropriate and disrespectful to take a ‘should have-could have’ position of judgment. The message is loud and clear – that no one should be treated in such a manner.

This play is raw, bold, stunningly and powerfully performed, and deliberately disturbing theatre. It is intended to shock as well as enlighten.

Some of the tales are truly harrowing; such as the ‘massacre’ of 300 people in a detention centre in Papua New Guinea. Due to the Australian governments gag on the status of refugees in the various detention centres we have no way of verifying whether or not such an incident is really true; again – irrelevant. In this production it is true and is accepted as such.

The dreadful sense of isolation is driven home again and again. In one story a young Iranian woman talks about her despair about being cut off from her children - for several years. Another talks about her beloved father and how she found out about his death – six months after it happened.

The final story and image is of a man, a poet, standing on the piled up red steel water containers that are like a small island in the middle of nowhere, or rather, ‘limbo’. He is suicidal, yet dreams of the sublime aspects of the shared experience of being human represented by works of Mozart and Beethoven.

This is followed by real film footage of children in a detention centre on Manus Island playing in the rain and re-enacting their experience as ‘boat-people’ in a sinking ship crying out for ‘Help’. This truly devastating scene produced open crying from this opening night audience, including this reviewer.

I was fortunate to be sitting next to Neil Armfield, co-Artistic Director of the Adelaide Festival, who is an old colleague. At the end of this show all I could do was pathetically tap Neil on the shoulder, and meekly bleat “thank you” as we joined in with the rest of the audience in giving this company a rousing and fully deserved standing ovation.

Whatever you may think of this production, what is undeniable is the brilliant and radiant passion, commitment and bravery of this powerful group of Iranian actors.

The final word, however, should go to director Nazarin Sahamizadeh, who states, “We will not try to ‘sell’ the performance-by pretending that it is an exhilarating, exciting (or similar adjective) piece of entertainment. But these eight brave stories from largely forgotten souls enmeshed in the ‘Pacific solution’ cannot be ignored. ‘Exhilarating’? Perhaps not, but ultimately we believe you will find them uplifting.” And this Adelaide Festival production is!

Tony Knight

Photographer: Mohammad Sadeq Zarjouyan

Read more Adelaide Festival 2019 reviews