Specials! Development Screening: Arts House (VIC)

Written by Kath Duncan. Directed by Tansy Gorman

The bare bones of a production that could in future become an exemplary piece of theatre

Reviewed by Rachael Vassallo

Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall

Reviewed 12th October, 2024

Specials! is a theatrical performance still in development. It focuses on the lived experience of attending specialist schools, a topic I have lived familiarity with. Upon completion it will be a two hour narrative performance with non-naturalistic interludes. We were treated to thirty minutes of working scenes, including the finale followed by a panel discussion with the cast and crew before being able to chat individually.

What I experienced was a thorough overview of the creation of Kath Duncan, who attended a specialist school in the sixties and seventies before completing her education in a mainstream setting. Duncan used her lived experience, and the experience of others to write this piece. Specials! is graphic and heart-wrenching but also humorous and nostalgic. It is certainly on its way to being a brilliant piece of theatre and I am keenly waiting for its final product.

The question arises, is the work only for a disabled organisation or should it have universal appeal? Both sides of this debate are rife with controversy. Specials! challenges this debate in an interesting manner. In some parts, it can only be fully appreciated by those with the lived experiences it depicts, alongside having an overall message which could be understood by all. Not only drawing on her own experience, Duncan interviewed people who attended different schools in different time periods to offer a thorough perspective with true universal appeal.

Specials! raises awareness through several examples of clear discrimination experienced by disabled people. Examples include disability enterprises where disabled people are paid cents to complete menial work with no chance of promotion. Other included tasks which in a non-disabled setting would be a safeguarding concern as well as being denied education opportunities and given classwork well below their skill level.

Specials! will be an exemplary piece of theatre.

Our introduction to the main character, played by Nicole Smith, is through her verbal argument on the phone with a taxi company. This is a common occurrence faced by people who do not drive and are unfortunately required to rely on our notoriously difficult public transport system. Whilst the character’s frustrations are valid, as an opening I found this character framed in a confusing manner. I was not sure if I should join in with the anger or if I should dislike her.

Over the progression of the performance, the lead role and her relationship with former classmate and later co-conspirator Anthony Julian (portrayed by Simon West) evolves, we see her as the hero of the production. The final scene, where she airs her grievances with her former headmistress (Sonia Marcon), we experience a cathartic rush shared by all victims of ableist violence.

Specials! employs instances where characters speak directly to the audience in monologue. These fourth wall breaks include examples of standup and slapstick comedy. The inclusion of PE teacher Ginger (Sarah Houbolt) provided a brilliant comedic interlude adored by the audience, and the discussions of the school headmistress (Sonia Marcon) set the era of attitudes towards disabled people. Directing a script which shifts between dialogue heavy delivery methods is challenging, and I feel that director Tansy Gorman has faced this challenge head-on.

Instead of physical sets, scrims with imagery (Rhian Hinkley) projected onto them were employed which complimented the spaces brilliantly. I found them eerily atmospheric, capturing the sterile nature of specialist schools. The designs depicted wide, sparse open spaces for classrooms, and in one instance, the ghosts of former students were seen floating across the scrim, emphasising the fear and entrapment students experienced. I am supportive of the fact that the design did not capitalise on media depicting the tropes associated with the horror genre that depict asylums aimed at a non-disabled audience and instead drew upon the experience of those who lived it themselves.

The short scenes presented the bones of an excellent emerging piece of theatre. I feel that if the characters and themes of this performance are further developed and evolved, Specials! will be an exemplary piece of theatre.

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CAST & CREATIVES

Writer & Director: Kath Duncan

Producer: Veronica Pardo

Performers: Jack Brady, Anthony Julian, Sonia Marcon, Nicole Smith.

Mentor – Director: Tansy Gorman

Videographer and video editor: Angel Leggas 3 Fates Media

Digital Designer: Rhian Hinkley

2D/3D Designer: Billie Parsons

Mentor - Dramaturg online: Julie McNamara