Truth

Nowadays the word truth has become a loaded term given the rise of fake news, misinformation and disinformation and a scepticism towards the very notion of truth. Patricia Cornelius addresses this head on in her new play which covers the main events around controversial figures of Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, and Chelsea Manning.

WikiLeaks has come under severe attack for revealing harsh truths and has made such figures political and social pariahs. However, for many they represent a heroic effort to preserve some sense of truth. Cornelius separates the individual personas from their agenda which is portrayed as a determined and perilous crusade to expose the extraordinary levels of deceit that often prop up democratic systems of government. Five performers (Emily Havea, Tomáš Kantor, James O'Connell, Eva Rees, Eva Seymour) narrate and animate the story of these key figures, beautifully capturing the raw and sometimes naïve bravado of their efforts.

The text portrays them as youthful, highly intelligent flawed human beings who are driven by a desire to reveal the truth at whatever cost. The ensemble cast effectively shows how Assange spearheaded a vast global movement of geeky teenagers who were capable of making a mockery of some of the world’s supposedly most impenetrable IT security systems. This is effectively portrayed via the costume and set design (Matilda Woodroofe) which configures the characters as Banksy style resistance fighters who embarrass world leaders and expose the inevitable shadiness of global politics. The casual suits, the sombre lighting (Paul Jackson), the steely set, the use of video screens suspended above the action (Meri Blazevski), the stylised choreography and movement, and the pulsating dramatic use of sound and music (Kelly Ryall) all work together to produce an incredibly powerful show.

The text covers a great deal of information and often bears similarity to investigative journalism or reportage. The words are cleverly emphasised in the excellent and perfectly timed delivery but also via their visibility on the screens. This allows the audience to really savour the richness of Cornelius’s language and the density of the information the play offers. This is a show that has extraordinary rhythm, slowing down for its more poignant moments without losing its exciting and thrilling pace. 

Cornelius does not glorify these individuals but makes a genuine effort to dissect the complexities of their stories or trajectories and demonstrates just how convoluted and complex the notion of truth has become.

Patricia Di Risio 

Photographer: Pia Johnson