This is a Room

This real-life thriller was presented by Half Straddle as part of Perth Festival. The play is formed from the FBI transcript of the day that American translator Reality Winner (her real name) was surprised by the FBI and interrogated in the back room of her house.

Extreme verbatim theatre, the actors speak the actual words, including hesitations, ums and ahs and speaking over each other, as the re-enact the interrogation. Although the actual ’secret’ is bleeped out during the play, Winner was suspected of leaking evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential Election.

Set simply as designed by Parker Lutz, the show is nicely costumed by Enver Chokertash, Reality’s relaxed dress contrasting strongly with the official dress of her interrogators. Strong lighting choices from Thomas Dvan emphasise the conflict as does  clever composition from Sanae Yanada. 
The two FBI agents are played with contrast and power by Becca Blackwell and Will Cobbs, while lead interrogator, an unknown male, is portrayed with relaxed authority by Pete Simpson. 

Susannah Perkins is excellent as Reality, a person of great contrasts, whose passion for yoga, yellow Pokemon Converse sneakers and fostering rescue dogs, contrasts sharply with her military background and extensive gun collection. As played by Susannah, she is awkward, non-threatening and very likeable, and we find ourselves drawn to her cause.

Compelling theatre that has the audience rapt with attention, even though the outcome is revealed in the publicity and public record. Reality Winner eventually given the longest sentence ever imposed on a person for leaking classified information to the press. A sentence of 5 years and 3 months.
Seventy minutes of clever, inspired theatre that raises many questions and leaves its audience thinking.

Kimberley Shaw