Last Cab to Darwin
Last Cab To Darwin is a new Australian play based on the true story of Max Bell, a taxi driver from Broken Hill. This three-hour epic was performed at the Octagon Theatre in Perth by Pork Chop Productions. I entered the theatre without prior expectations of the performance, although I was a little puzzled when we walked in and a half-naked body was spread on the floor in what seemed like a very uncomfortable position. Questions regarding the subject matter and issues addressed in the play yet to unfold arose as a result, as well as wondering whether this astonishingly motionless body was even alive. However by the end of the play, I believe the whole audience comprised of a variety of people from teenagers like us to the elderly, was left contented yet taken aback by the colourful and entertaining experience. Last Cab To Darwin is centered around Max, who has spent his life driving taxis in Broken Hill. Max decides to drive his taxi to Darwin to take advantage of the soon-to-be-passed euthanasia laws after being diagnosed with cancer. We follow him on his journey through the outback, the heart of Australia, where he encounters an intriguing collection of unforgettable characters who turn his journey into a comic odyssey. As a
result, Last Cab To Darwin tends to focus less on the debatable issue of euthanasia and more on the vanishing Australia, the uncertainty and doom of isolated outback communities and a land abundant with mythology. The director, Jeremy Sims, speaks of the production about the reality of old Australia in which they “hope to entertain Australians with a play about us”. Sims appears to have clear views on our evolving national identity, which he believes “won’t take kindly to manipulation”. Subsequently, this play is developed so as to express the true reality of Australia through the instinctively recognizable landscape produced on stage and the eccentric Aussie characters. It is a voyage against all odds and offers hearty portions of comedy, whimsy, compassion, adventure and peril that makes it a truly wonderful and enjoyable experience. At the heart of the performance is veteran actor Barry Otto as the dying cabbie Max. Otto skillfully captures the essence of an old Aussie battler who has accepted his life, a life spent in Broken Hill driving taxis. His performance begins small but through a series of maddening twists and turns, gains such expressiveness, power and dignity that is nothing short of inspiring. It was amazing to find that he actually seemed to be gradually physically deteriorating on stage as he neared the end of his journey. Alt
Some topics in this essay:
Andrew Raymond’s,
Federal Hotel,
Jeremy Sims,
Chop Productions,
Broken Hill,
Cab Darwin,
Hill Darwin,
Hill Max,
Kirsty Hillhouse,
Episodic Musical,
cab darwin,
broken hill,
octagon theatre,
veteran actor,
driving taxis,
reality australia,
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Approximate Word count = 920
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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