Lazarus has been in bed wearing his pyjamas for 3 days and refuses to get up. His housemate, Panda, makes repeated attempts to lure him from his bedroom without success. But Lazarus is depressed and will not budge. In the security of his bedroom, Lazarus can escape the harsh realities of his life and enter a fantasy world. In this fantasy world, Lazarus is Luke Skywalker (but Hans Solo when it comes to Princess Leia), he is Harry Potter, he is Arwen, he enters the world of the Matrix and he is irresistible to women. In his real world, Lazarus cannot sexually satisfy his girlfriend, MacKenzie, but does succeed in getting her pregnant. Three days ago, their relationship ended when Mackenzie aborted their child without telling him. But Lazarus is not entirely innocent. Unbeknown to Mackenzie, he was having sex with his male therapist throughout their relationship. Lazarus is in denial about this liaison and is also haunted by unresolved issues from his childhood. A man named Syd, wearing the same pyjamas as Lazarus, appears from under his bed. He is a constant presence throughout the play encouraging Lazarus to return from his fantasy world and deal with the reality of his life. Syd can only be seen by Lazarus.
Playwright, Dave Burton and Director, Travis Dowling, have successfully collaborated to achieve the right balance of humour and sensitivity in this production. A serious message about youth depression is delivered in a creative and refreshing way. Set Designer, Josh McIntosh, has created a simple yet effective stage. Lazarus’ bed dominates with symbols of pop culture including Indiana Jones, Star Wars and Mad Max hanging from the walls. Every inch of the intimate space is utilised with actors even making entrances from underneath Lazarus’ bed. Lighting Designer, Jason Glenwright and Composer, Kylie Morris, have successfully used light and sound to delineate Lazarus' real and fantastical worlds. AV Designer, Craig Wilkinson, has created scenes from Lazarus’s head on projections on a wall behind his bed. There, the audience see the vivid landscape of Lazarus’ mind. Costume Designer, Ange Pointing, achieves a consistent wardrobe for the cast which works well for both the real and the fantasy worlds of the play. The talented cast of four – Sam Clark (Lazarus), Andy Barclay (Syd), Lauren Dillon (MacKenzie) and Shideh Faramand (Pandah) - all gradates of USQ, and are a delight.
This play will appeal to the younger generations who communicate through popular culture. If you are a gen Y (or even a gen X), do yourself a favour and buy a ticket to see Lazarus. The play is showing at the Sue Brenner Theatre until 31 October 2009.
Image used with the Permission of Metro Arts.
Image used with the Permission of Metro Arts.
