Image: supplied
Six Feet starts off promising: two friends Lachlan (Mark Paguio) and Thomas (Haydyn Jones) bury the body of a man they have run over late one night on a country highway. While digging the grave, they encounter a hit woman and her brother who have a corpse to dispose of too. After a bargain between the two duos is struck, things quickly spiral out of control for the young Lachlan.
Writer, director and co-designer James O’Donoghue puts a great deal of effort in his attempt to make Six Feet a good play, especially in his writing. His script relies on fail-safe Shakespearean elements: supernatural appearances, a ‘twist of fate’, death, comic relief etc. O’Donoghue himself handpicked the cast and crew of Six Feet from Monash University Student Theatre (MUST) alumni, and there is a cosy feel among the cast. The audience that night, too, was mainly friends of MUST. It must be nice to put on a play with your friends to show your other friends, but will your friends be daring enough to criticise and point out the faults in your work?
Perhaps Six Feet has been cajoled and fawned by well-intentioned buddies, but the production does not feel audience-ready yet. While the play has a few comical moments, including an amusing quip where a ghost mockingly whispers ‘Shia Labeouf’, the writing comes across as rather dull. The plot trudges on, without any actual investment into the characters. The occasional exaggerated acting from the cast – which includes talking VERY LOUDLY to show emotions – does not help either. While O’Donoghue’s direction tries to make the best use of the intimate venue, Six Feet fails to properly engage, even dismissing the audience’s proximity to the action. In one instance, characters hold a significant conversation right at the theatre exit, leading to audience members craning their necks just to catch a glimpse.
While these young’uns undoubtedly have bucket-loads of potential, Six Feet comes across as a rushed start rather than a dedicated finish. Despite the team’s best efforts, the play lacks a formidable, emotional punch. Six Feet is anything but deep.
Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
Spring Heeled Jack present Six Feet
Starring: Ben Dowthwaite, Catherine Leigh, Haydyn Jones, Jordan Broadway, Lou Mapleston, Mark Paguio, and Tara Dowler
Director/Writer: James O’Donoghue
Designers: Alana Coventry and James O’Donoghue
Production Manager: Rebecca Neeson
Stage Manager: Zoe Dove
Graphic Design: Piper Huynh and Alana Coventry
Schoolhouse Studio, Collingwood
5 – 15 March, 2015
