Presented by the Australian branch of Fledgling Theatre Company, Modern Jesus keeps up the form you would expect at The Depot. It is a production comprising equal measure of edginess, realism and dramatic creative licence.
Traversing a variety of themes and ideas, Modern Jesus is quite ambitious. At first it seems just to be an exploration of the disillusion of youth. Yes, this is a major driving premise, however, surprisingly patriotism, ego and the danger of affirmations are also thrown into the mix along with job dissatisfaction, the rise of the bored, educated, underemployed youth, injustice, anarchy, radicalism, the evils of capitalism and revolutionary acts. All these subjects are investigated as we follow the consequences of a moment where frustrations about the somewhat hopeless situation faced by the main protagonist, Charlie, turn into an violent reaction.
Told in the language of today's youth, the play resonates and sends a powerful message to all that things are not quite right. You can't help but be sympathetic as Charlie's story is told. You know, just as she knows, that the beating she gave the charity collector is the culmination of knock-on events that have panned out in her life. She bemoans the way her relationship has turned out, the worthlessness of her double degree in today's world of overeducated checkout chicks, and the feeling of helplessness and despair that sits not far from the surface of her consciousness. By the end of the play you will be fully aware that bored, educated youth are a dangerous force waiting to go off.
A range of acting tools are employed along the way. The opening scenes are a mixed simulation of the drudgery of city life. We see the discomfort of overcrowded transport, the boredom of a mindless dead-end job and the bitterness that costs all interactions. The ensemble cast bounce off each other, adding dimension to their performances, the ensuing connections sizzle.
Overall, the production is an impressive vehicle to showcase the abundant skills of physicality and musicality that each actor possesses. It perfectly tells a story where actions spin out of control into a tragic mess and to a point of no return. We see all too plainly the very real scenario and that society needs to discuss solutions to change the status quo if the depicted situation is to be avoided. Go see for yourself the unfolding of events for Charlie and her gang in this hard hitting cautionary tale.
Modern Jesus is running until Saturday September 2nd at Marrickville's Depot Theatre. See the Sydney Scoop calendar for details.