Bleached

From theatre company Wit Incorporated comes Bleached, the latest work by young playwright Laura Collins.  This play follows the journeys of Australian tourists experiencing the world for possibly the last time as global lockdowns loom in the wake of the climate crisis. Rather than really addressing the climate crisis directly, Bleached delves into the interpersonal and existential crises created in humanity as the world is dying. At least I think that’s what it does. Sometimes the abstraction of the theatre is so beautifully woven that you will think about it long after it’s finished. Sometimes it’s so poorly woven that you walk away with only a vague idea of what was intended no matter how good the execution.  Unfortunately, Bleached seems to fall into the latter category. The characters were poorly drawn stereotypes – and unlikable stereotypes at that. The ensemble cast was skilled in their performances but the material they had to work with was weak.

We open on Hen, who has decided to leave her lover and her baby to go ‘lockdown leaping’. It seems like Hen is suffering post-natal depression – or is just insufferable.  Actor Madeline McGee Carr gives Hen moments of warmth but the performance is unfortunately way too over the top from the outset for this character to actually have anywhere to go as the play progresses. Hen’s partner Santa is left with the baby (a freakishly good baby’s cry is added by Lansy Feng) whilst Hen parties in a Berlin Nightclub.  It’s here she meets Bohdi. Both Santa and Bohdi are exceptionally performed by actor Eva Rees, who shows depth and real pathos as both characters. Unfortunately, the casting of Rees to play both roles seems a little trite – yes Hen has left her home to end up with someone exactly like the partner she has left. Regardless Rees sells these two characters as separate if not the different, to the best of their ability, despite some clunky direction seeing Rees changing only by tying up their hair and putting on a red dress.  Eva Rees is a gripping member of this cast and a young actor to watch in the future.

The other main storyline is the end of Gab and Anika’s relationship. Once again, it’s just a little trite in the writing. As they face the ‘end of the world’ Anika realises that Gab isn’t the one for her. She wants to ride out their final weeks of freedom by a pool, he wants to save the rivers. Megan Mitchell gives Anika some real sass and there are glimpses of heart there too. Gab’s sister Nima (played by Lansy Feng) is crippled by fear. Fear of the now. Fear of the coming closures. Fear of the loss of colours from the bleaching. Feng Is mesmerizing as she recites the days of country closures or the colours that have disappeared. She helps the audiences feel the fear which we are to assume is under all the characters actions. 

Wit Incorporated have now spent nearly a decade providing a space for artists in Melbourne’s west and they should be applauded for this.  They certainly are able to bring in the talent – see Eva Rees and Artistic Director Lansy Feng. What they need now is great play to sink their teeth into and unfortunately Bleached isn’t it.

Liza Bermingham

Photographer: Sarah Clarke.