Red Stitch: NSFW

NSFW is a thought-provoking play by English writer Lucy Kirkwood, who, at 29, has already received a string of awards for her writing. First presented at the Royal Court Theatre in London last year, Red Stitch were quick of the mark to present it in Melbourne.

NSFW (not being in touch with today’s surfeit of acronyms, I discovered it means “not safe for work”) starts at the fictional men’s magazine Doghouse, where the editor charges his young journalists to find new page-three girl.

“Not safe for work” is the perfect choice to portray the unacceptable behaviour of some people involved in the production and content of these magazines. I won’t spoil the fun by telling you exactly why and how, but suffice to say it took me back more than half a century to the days when one had to ask for a copy of Sons and Lovers to be brought out from under the counter in a paper bag and when men hid Playboy in the cover of a work document.

Yet this thoughtful expose is far more than pointing at hypocritical and unscrupulous behaviour. What is also questionable is that we still have mens and womens magazines as separate entities and that this brilliant young playwright has made the head of the mens magazine a man and of the womens magazine, a woman. Certainly, Kirkwood deftly gets her needle-sharp points across in both aspects of the play (the second half is set at a womens magazine), but I can’t help but wonder if she could have thrown a bit more wood on the fire.

Directed by Tanya Dickson, the cast’s delivery is insightful and their timing is at times electrifying. Highlights include Ben Prendergast and James Wardlaw, who allow the shallowness of the magazine editor and outraged father to surface, and Matthew Whitt’s magnificently delivered monologue. However, Mark Casamento could recognise the pathos of the situation rather than letting his character be laughed at.

NSWF is a disturbing play in many respects but for that very reason Red Stitch has chosen a winner to end their 2013 season. Its depth and dark sides will have people thinking about its messages for a long time, especially over the festive season when hypocrisy can be at its highest and many struggle for real sincerity and understanding.