The Platypus

The platypus is a semiaquatic, venomous, egg-laying mammal whose first presentation to European scientists at the turn of the 19th century was judged to be several animals sewn together. It defied a clean categorisation and has its own genus – a genre, if you like, of the animal kingdom. Francis Greenslade’s first original play of the same name attempts to do the same in the performing arts kingdom, where a domestic drama spirals downwards across many, many genres stitched together.

There is a play-within-a-play, performing and dialogue styling from Mamet, Shakespeare, Wilde, Pinter and Beckett, as well as a handful of television and cinema genres – Cary Grant makes an appearance, as does a foul-mouthed ventriloquist’s dummy. It’s all very clever, but perhaps too much so, as if you are not a theatre aficionado, you’re not going to understand all of these – and if you’re relatively new to plays, you’re going to wonder what on earth you’re watching right from the opening scene.

Does it matter? If you strip away the styling from the story, you’re left with two exceptionally horrible people who for some inexplicable reason are still married to each other. They’re both so unlikeable that you don’t care what happens to them. Despite this, there is humour and genuine tension between the two excellent performers, Rebecca Bower and John Leary, who between them play all roles but one.

Bower particularly provides strong characterisations of the wife, the ex, the friend, so that along with small costume changes, we’re clear who is who. Leary has fewer points of difference across his two main personas, and the occasional confusion is intentional in showing how the other person may change, but the situation does not. Greenslade directs the couple well, the genre changes supported by re-positioning the performers around the subtle movement of the basic furniture that adorns the Holden Street stage.

It's a bold move in constantly reframing the slow unpacking of a long-dead marriage: this is a play that would work well as a study in drama school, but it’s not for an audience unfamiliar with theatre.

Review by Mark Wickett

Photographer: Mark Gambino

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