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Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
The Christian Brothers
Verdict: Powerful journey of the soul
A basic marketing principle is to identify the USP, unique selling point. To have your organisation directly founded by God, on a dedicated visit to earth, and run on a daily basis by God's terrestrial representative under the supervision of his spirit takes some beating. So, it appears do the lads brought up under the catholic church's Christian Brothers - at least in Australia in the middle of the last century.
AMDG, says the chalking on the blackboard - to the greater glory of God (in Latin), it's revealed. The stage has chair, desk, crucifix, statue of the Mother of God (frequently prayed to in the play), and one stocky Christian Brother.
It's a monologue lasting an hour. Jeremy Spriggs treats the audience as his class (without requiring interraction), and the chair on stage as if occupied by a difficult boy. The boy gets thrashed repeatedly, with increasingly horrific violence. The Brother intersperses physics and French with exhortations to maintain the faith. He's slightly extreme, but many who've been to catholic or other religious schools will recognise the type. He may lash boys to death but phew, thank God, he's not queer and he's not a paedophile.
Jeremy Spriggs's magnificent performance engages from the start, and holds attention with compulsion to the end. It's a strange journey, intense, powerful, that touches the soul.
Cast Credits: Jeremy Spriggs - Brother.
Company Credits: Writer - Ron Blair. Director - Rhonwen McCormack. Producer - Etcetera Theatre Company. Set & Costume Designer - Elizabeth Wright. Technical Operator - Sefton Booth. Lighting Designer - Max Lewendel. Press - Paul Sullivan. The Christian Brothers - founder - Edmund Ignatius Rice (1762-1844).
Venue Credits: Etcetera Theatre: Artistic Director - David Bidmead. Box Office Staff - Ayanna Witter-Johnson (tonight), Malcolm Keen . The Etcetera Theatre has been supported by the Foundation For Sport & The Arts, and by Camden Arts & Leisure.
END
John Park
reviewed Friday 24 January 04 / Etcetera Theatre
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
www.fringereport.com
