4 stars
Retaining a sense of, or capacity for, humour in the face of devastation is not easy. Yet that’s precisely what award-winning playwright Zachary Sheridan has done with his new show QUOKKA APOCALYPSE.
This is a work chock full of local references and unabashed silliness; it’s also a pointed and compelling modern fable.
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Our three main characters—Quokka, Possum, and Snipe—are determined to put an end to the source of the world’s problems (humans) and see their way to survival. They don’t need to convince us it’s a good idea. We know it is.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this production is the way in which it weaves dry-witted, even acerbic, humour with light-hearted flippancy.
It catches the audience by surprise throughout the piece to brilliant effect. Chuckles and guffaws ricochet while the sober reality is expertly detailed in an unmistakable call to action.
There’s not a moment of lull in this high-energy performance. Strong physical comedy supports the clever dialogue, with Possum’s movements being a particular highlight, and a deft use of lighting effects serves to amplify dramatic scenes.
In an unexpected twist, an extraterrestrial character raises the comedic stakes with a gloriously foolish smile and wide, vacant eyes.
QUOKKA APOCALYPSE is a fun, satirical, and thought provoking show that succeeds in depicting a much-needed, albeit fantastical, revolution. Cultural criticism at the heights of hilarity, it's an anthropomorphic joy to witness.
Tickets available from the FRINGE WORLD website.
JASMIN SEABROOK-BENSON