Dear Reader,
I’ve recently read BU21 by Stuart Slade, at the request of Nathan Schulz, our very own Drama Merchant, who has been working hard with his cast and crew to bring this play to life.
As the blogger of Dear Reader, I wanted to read it before seeing it, and tell you all about it. I mean, not all about it. I will try and be as vague as possible to avoid spoilers, so you will still be able to enjoy the play without knowing what comes next.
Also, my brain has been running wildly these past few months - because… I guess, life? - so be ready for a bizarre ride as I make various connections which make sense to me but might not to anybody else.
I apologize in advance. Here goes:
There were many questions that were raised as I read the script: how does tragedy affect us? How do we cope and how does it change the path that we were on before? How does that one moment of our lives dictate our behavior, personality, views on life?
It also raises even darker themes, such as how people are drawn towards tragedy. The macabre obsession we have, as general members of society, to the shock value, the scoop, the Big Bad Ugly. The media (social-media is of course counted here) loves to deliver on that, oftentimes forgoing investigative reporting.
We feed on the pain, we relate to it. Why is that?
Sometimes, I feel like being exposed to the global horrors covered by the news, the only-too-real videos posted on social media, etc is making me, us the public, desensitized and numb. It almost feels like we are watching fiction, a movie which finishes at the end of the credits rolling and we can go about our merry lives. Or, sometimes, it hits us like a ton of bricks and anxiety freezes us. But what is it like to actually be part of the events?
BU21 explores that, and many other things as we witness a support group getting together and opening up about their traumas after a terrorist attack. We hear from them about gruesome scenes, and we hear them shedding their fears and pains until they become raw and naked. It destroys some, heals others, binds them in their misery, and separates them from the rest of society.
In BU21, we also see a character who suffers from “Imposter Syndrome” because she is related to a victim, but not a victim herself and she feels like she doesn’t belong in the survivor group because she was not physically harmed in the attack. But to the rest of the survivors, she is as much a victim as the rest of them. Not only did her mother die, but she saw her corpse, mutilated and bloodied, lying in the street right after it happened.
Her trauma is as deep and as real as theirs. But she is struggling with the trauma itself and the feeling of not belonging in the support group. She feels alone and misunderstood even when she is welcomed and surrounded.
On the contrary, another character (not saying who) put themselves in the middle of the chaos after seeing the plane crash miles away. As a first instinct, they ran to it. Whether it be to help survivors or see the horrors first hand isn’t clear, not even clear to themselves.
In itself, that shows some darker sides of humanity: if they ran to the site of the crash to witness the horrors, or be part of the action, that shows a morbid curiosity surpassing survival instincts of fleeing away from danger, right?
But on top of that possible morbid curiosity, by consequence of their whereabouts, they are assumed to be one of the survivors by the rest of the public, and they do nothing to set the records straight. Is it the newly acquired attention it brings them? Is it the false sense of belonging?
BU21 explores many of the facets of the many psychologies of trauma, as well as themes like the narcissism embedded in the “Hero Syndrome” and the depression and anxiety of its opposite “the Imposter Syndrome” (at least in this situation), the intricacies of memory and many others. Why is it that some people heal differently than others?
With the very intense subjects of terrorism, trauma, death and life, Stuart Slade wrote BU21 as a satire about society. While the tragedy brought solidarity to people from a wide array of class, gender, income, religion and race, it also formed couples and profound friendships amongst the members of the support group. Slade managed to bring levity to the tension with humor and beautiful moments of connection between the characters.
The six survivors tell their stories through monologues posed as speeches to the group and fourth-wall breaking as they address the audience. In those monologues, they reveal the events of the fateful day, and the aftermath of it. Span over a few months, it shows us different stages of their healing and we are hungry for a happy resolution for each of them.
It was a great play to read, and I am looking forward to watching how Nathan Schulz managed to bring life to it as director and producer.
Coming to us on June 15, 16, and 17th and starting at 7:00pm the show stars (in order of appearance) Taylor Holmes, Mikeal Bobart, Imogen Saxton-Heine, Bailey Seymour-Smith, James Blee and Nathan French , the play is a definite must see.
Please be aware that this show has high level course language and adult themes which may not be suitable for all adults.
Audience is limited to 40 people only, and there is a bar on site.
Tickets are $40.00 per person.
Become a free subscriber, click here, and recieve a ticket for $35.60. When you enter the promo code "DMSUB" at the checkout when booking tickets here
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BACK DOCK ARTS is located on 103 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
There is street parking surrounding the venue, the closest spots to park are on Amelia st (directly opposite the venue) as well as Water st and Warry st which is just around the corner.
The bus stop closest to the venue is Stop 6 on Brunswick st and the Fortitude Valley Train Station is just 200m from the venue - less than a 5min walk
Article written by Julia Mesrobian