Review: THROWN, VAULT Festival

Thrown sees a child psychologist attempt to record her own childhood experiences and traumas in order to try to make sense of her past and who she has become. Written by Jodi Gray, the piece effectively exhibits the marvels of binaural technology but beats around the bush too much to result conclusive.

Performer Jill Rutland is passionate and inquisitive as the main character but the lack of a solid textual foundation prevents her from leaving her mark. She is refined in her delivery but doesn't manage to capture the attention of the audience as the script she's reciting is all over the place. She retells anecdotes and conveys sudden emotions that at times aren't coherent and only rely on showing off the audio aspect of the play.

The show sounds and looks terrific with its strings of lightbulbs and dark tones but it's substantially inadequate. The use of a personal soundscape created through headphones appears detached from the storyline and, though Rutland walks around the microphone shaped like a head to whisper or else, seems to be just a gimmick to demonstrate a cool trick.

Thrown runs at the Network Theatre as part of VAULT Festival until 10 March.

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