Unit 4 – Seymour Centre

 Unit 4 is a physical theatre piece in the truest sense of the word. It uses dance, aerials, acrobatics and theatre to tell the story of a building about to be demolished.

 Presented by: Dislocate and The ReginaldVenue: Reginald Theatre – Seymour Centre Friday, 1 October, 2011 
Unit 4 is a physical theatre piece in the truest sense of the word. It uses dance, aerials, acrobatics and theatre to tell the story of a building about to be demolished. Someone sees something up there in unit four and the demolition is put on hold while the life and times of the unit is played out in front of us. From the colour of the seventies and the dance hall days of the nineteen forties the unit comes to life in between the removalists who shift the furniture and re-arrange each decade.
The piece is theatrical and energetic without losing character, a difficult feat in a small space. The performers don’t skimp on their movements or gesture and appear relaxed and completely focused and this makes it a compelling and entertaining hour. The piece is poignant and witty and tackles subjects as difficult as love, death and suicide yet somehow remains dignified.
The piece was created by DJ Garner, Geoff Dunstan, Kate Fryer and Alexandra Harrison, performed by the latter three, and Directed by Kate Fryer – so is very much a collaborative effort. There is a definite chemistry on stage between the three performers and moments of great humor. As dancers the technique is good, but more importantly, they can also act so embody the characters and don’t merely move as them. They all play multiple characters, from the slapstick of removalists through couples falling in love and losing each other, to a lone man trying to find the dignity in death and each moves between them with ease. 

Given more time, the characters and stories could have been fleshed out even further and with a through line more defined so the audience is there right from the start. This being said, when you find the rhythm of the piece it is a clever and funny journey full of humor and joy and the poignancy that comes when something is about to be demolished.  Until Sunday 15 October Wed – Fri 8pm; Sat 4pm & 8pm; Tue 6:30pmTickets: $27 full / $23 Conc Bookings: 02 9351 7940 or www.seymourcentre.com