THEATRE REVIEW: BLACKBIRD
Ray, an almost sixty general hand is confronted, almost tauntingly, by Una, a twenty something young woman whom he s_xually abused when she was just twelve. This is how Blackbird, directed by Cate Blanchett, begins and ends. And it is obvious to see why audiences will be confronted by the subject matter.
What makes the subject matter confronting for me is the claim in the play’s program that “you couldn’t say Blackbird was about p__dophilia”. If not about p__dophilia, then Blackbird is just a love story. And perhaps the only time I could comfortably accept a love story between a forty year old man and a twelve year old child is if it were set in Greece during the construction of the Parthenon.
Yet David Harrower, the playwright, recognises implicitly that this is not just a love story. Many years after the event of abuse (or love, depending on your point of view), Ray is still haunted by his past actions. He feels, not so much remorse, but rather regret that he ever gave into temptation. He is not the typical p__dophile that it is easy for modern society to despise – he doesn’t prey on children and use them for his selfish sexual pleasure. Peter Kowitz portrays Ray’s shame and fearfulness of his past misdeeds excellently. Wavering between anger and self-justification/delusion, it made me sympathise with Ray the individual even though the acts he committed are unspeakable.
Una is still affected, although she comes across as more heartbroken than damaged. Perhaps, in Una, they are the same thing. In Paula Arundell’s hands, Una’s anger, confusion and restlessness are palpable. A part of Una feels that Ray wronged her, not in the s_xual act, but in not holding up his end of the bargain in their “relationship”. Maybe this is the reason why she has never moved on – she has never forgiven Ray because a part of her believes that Ray, in pursuing a s_xual relationship with her, didn’t do anything wrong. And even if you buy the argument that this is indeed a love story, Una’s inability to move on from events many years ago surely highlights that the sin in maintaining a relationship with a child lies not necessarily in any s_xual violence, but rather in the exploitation of an immature and still developing heart (innocence, if you will).
The most confronting scene in the play occurred towards the end, and saw at least two fellow theatre-goers walk out. I won’t ruin the scene itself by describing what occurred, needless to say that it did not fit in with the narrative unless you view it as a flashback – a revisitation of the past where Ray’s weaknesses do not get the better of him. Arundell’s portrayal of Una, from the outraged adult to the immature juvenile, is masterful.
The grubby subject matter is reflected in the grubby set, and the characters use of this grubbiness highlights the shameful events which are the subject of this play (enough use of the word grubby for me). My only criticism is that the dialogue oscillates at times between serious explorations of the characters and mundane observations of the present. At times this felt out of place and awkward – even though this probably reflects how such an awkward conversation might occur in real life.
In the end, the play concludes as it begun. It would be fair to say that Blackbird is not plot-driven but actually a play about forgiveness and redemption, about love and temptation, about acknowledging your past misdeeds and carving away at a respectable future.
Where: Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay
When: To 16 February 2008
Principal Cast: Paula Arundell, Peter Kowitz and Danielle Catanzariti
One Man’s Rating (out of 5): 
