Global famine, an energy crisis, environmental devastation.

It’s somewhere in the future and the plague of humanity plods on. There’s the 1% and there’s everyone else, the middle class is no longer. People scrape, scrap and scramble to survive. Meet the Famished Future Feeders: a sample of the population going about their daily lives.

There’s Leo, the over-privileged brother of Lynx. Lynx is the rebellious partner of Byte. Byte is the practical friend of Doe. Doe is the traumatised spouse of Dove. Dove is the pragmatic niece of Fuge. Fuge is a radical, and he’s about to be eaten like a piece of ham. Ham is the hungry partner of Iggy. Iggy is simple and will eat anyone without prejudice. Cannibalism is legal here, as meat is scarce, and food in the form of seeds is rationed annually.

Famished Future Feeders is a brand-new work and the first full-length play by local playwright Jules Broun. Described as ‘a fatalistic spectacle blending acerbic humour with emotional drama,’ Famished Future Feeders is provocative and entertaining in equal measure.

Co-directed and produced by Anatoly Frusin and Lisa O’Neill, the play is the latest offering behind Robert the Cat, a theatre collective providing further opportunities for the graduates of the Acting program at TAFE Queensland with the support of Metro Arts.

The future may be bleak, but the styling was anything but, with neon rainbow coloured lighting by Matilda Award winner Geoff Squires, alongside super cool costuming reminiscent of 90s rave streetwear in shimmering silvers, glow-in-the-dark greens and bright, baggy pieces. A pumping, original soundtrack by Joe Glynn and Drew Crawford aided the scene transitions, while set construction and design by Hamish Chappell included items on wheels that evoked living spaces but could be moved about as required.

Peta Kishawi as Doe and Georgina Sawyer as Dove.

Broun serves as the writer and was also a member of the ensemble cast of eight, alongside fellow alum Milan Bjelajac, John Ford, Peter Hatton, Peta Kishawi, Lachlan Orton, Georgina Sawyer and Aaron Whitney. Standouts at the performance I attended included Bjelajac as the dismembered prisoner Fuge, and Kishawi as the tormented Doe.

Famished Future Feeders depicts an outrageous yet strangely recognisable future and poses questions such as: does contentment exist when you have it all? Is there more to give when there’s nothing left?

Famished Future Feeders is running until 13th July at New Benner Theatre, West Village, West End. Fans of locally produced independent theatre should not miss it.

Tickets: https://www.metroarts.com.au/event/famished-future-feeders/

Further info: https://www.facebook.com/robertthecattheatre

 

Photo credits: Jasmine Prasser. Instagram: @catsout.creative