THEATRE: CRESTFALL

Crestfall takes place in a nameless Irish town that stinks of moral decay. It’s a society that lives in the shadow of its chilling Bonelands, where horses are slaughtered for entertainment and sexual violence is the norm. It’s a man’s world, but we encounter it through the eyes of three women. Olive (Sarah Snook) is the town slut, a self-destructive woman who trades sex for social standing. Alison (Eliza Logan) is a frumpy housewife and mother, attempting to protect her son and salvage an unhappy marriage. Tilly (Georgina Symes) is a drug-addicted prostitute. Their monologues describe an eventful day that starts with infidelity and ends in bloodshed. Crestfall premiered at Dublin’s Gate Theatre in 2003 and playwright Mark O’Rowe’s dark and unrelenting vision caused controversy at the time. His most impressive achievement is the language, which brings to mind the dialogue created by David Milch for HBO’s Deadwood. It’s a perverse idiom that allows the characters to describe bestiality, sordid sex and brutality in seductive and beautiful prose. But rather than shock, his vision often feels a little clichéd and familiar. Bareboard’s solid production works best as a showcase for three excellent actors. Symes, Snook and Logan give intensely physical performances that never fail to convince.

Until Jan 30, SBW Stables Theatre, 10 Nimrod St, Kings Cross, $26-30, 8002 4772 or griffintheatre.com.au

BY ALEX BODMAN