Duck by Stella Feehily

Dive, dodge, evade, weave. Life is more than just a series of synonyms running a course of obstacles and hardships.


For Cat (Candy Bowers), cruelly nicknamed, Duck by her boyfriend, it seems as though that's her lot in life. Partying it up one instance and feeling the wraths of uncertain love the next. Making for a well of emotions and inner conflict that tastes like a funny salad. Intriguing, quirky and with a fair accent.

Mark (Ben Adam) explores his feelings and lack of respect toward Cat in more than just his pet name for Cat. A shocking scene in the latter half splashing around little doubt of this. Strangely enough, the actual set up for the scene lends itself to some laughs; intentional or otherwise just out of oddity.

Her best friend, Sophie (Holly Austin) is in a similar state of mind. Her situation of emotional avoidance slightly on another level to what's going on in Cat's. Along with the cold and frosty atmosphere of Sophie's mother's (Niki Owen) worry the best friends manage to stick out all the roughness.

Cutting fine with the comedy line, Stella Feehily's script has the characters riding an ever present undercurrent of despair. Their floundering apparent with each nuance and glance at each other. They're drowning and it's all apparent from the audience watching on that they're dipping their heads below the water's edge.

For those wary of seeing bare flesh moist with the mixed touch of bath water and gentle caresses, stay away. The warning notice never lies. Prudish thoughts perhaps. But in this case, there are just some things better left to play in another person's imagination.

Lighting moves in a way to nudge the mind into thinking in various shades. Stylistically, the attention draws itself toward the possible execution of a mental jump at multiple times in the performance. It's close to holding the narrative flow to an arrest.

Humorous and sharp, Duck is in parts, an abrasive production, with elements of hurt that leave this gasping sense of bewilderment.

:: Duck, presented by B Sharp and Siren Theatre Co., is playing at Downstairs, Belvoir St Theatre from 22nd June to 9th July, 2006.

Soon Van

Published June 2006 at The Program - NSW Stage reviews

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