Review: BLACKBIRD is Dark, Deep and Compelling at Off Broadway, Sydney Fringe

The beauty of Fringe festival is an opportunity for emerging talent to be revealed amidst an energy of mystery and excitement about which fresh face might be a rising star in the diverse and strong community of local artists. Blackbird definitely fit the bill for such discovery, featuring at the tucked-away Off Broaday venue in Annandale. There in amongst the contemporary pop art outside, and the trashy cafeteria set inside, was woven a dark and devious tale of a reunion between a man seeking a new future, and the young woman who holds all the keys to redemption of them both. Fifteen years prior to her showing up at his workplace, Una was Ray's pre-teen lover whom he abandoned during a romantic getaway. For him, a swift prison stint followed by a new life and lifetime of secrecy, but for her, the scorn and scandal in her hometown that appears to have left her in bitter ruin. Together they will unravel their relationship and leave audiences next to breathless.

Presented by Throwing Shade Theatre Company, Blackbird is a Scottish play written by David Harrower just over ten years ago to great critical acclaim and many revivals for its gripping drama and controversial subject matter. In this production, the choice to maintain Scottish accents lent itself to a protective sense of other for the audience and almost created entertainment in moments that would otherwise halt and horrify. Eleanor Ryan as Una is magnetic to the eye and empathy, serving strong vocal work and an intense prowess upon which much of the play's tension and uncertainty straddles the shoulders of. William Jordan as Ray wavered in such a way that although at first one would think it fractures of character, over the course of the show keeps such consistency you cannot ever pin down whether Ray's love was genuine or not, a very clever and compelling decision. The premiere performance of Grace Truman can't be gone into too deeply without spoiling the plot, but she demonstrated sincerely precocious and solid acting chops. Andrew Langcake's direction was dynamic, showing mastery of the dense text to keep momentum and nerves taut.

Oleanna meets American Beauty meets Macbeth, and Eleanor Ryan definitely one to watch.