Barbara Hostalek brings her dual talents as writer and director to Ask, a deeply personal and thought-provoking work presented at The Blue Room Theatre. This intimate production unravels the complexities of human connection and healing, offering a fresh perspective on family, country, and heritage. Ask‘s three dynamic performers, Jai Craig-Fraser, Leah Pigram, and Oliver Hughes imbue Hostalek’s words and ideas with power and passion.
Ask blends two worlds and two stories into one space using magical realism and physical theatre as its medium. Embodying the Tree Spirit, a character who traverses these two worlds, is Jai Craig-Fraser; he answers the call of two siblings (Leah Pigram and Oliver Hughes) who have fallen on hard times and fallen away from each other as a result. Through a series of machinations, the Tree Spirit gives the siblings what they ask for, but of course, we are left to wonder – what price will they pay in the end?
Ask has undergone periods of development since its inception in 2021 which have taken the play from a 10-minute seedling to its current stage of flowering. Its most engaging and exciting moments come when Hostalek leans heavily into physical theatre elements to highlight the symbolism within the narrative. The multifunctional use of a simple black picture frame and a blank white canvas amongst a forest of frayed ropes hanging from the ceiling (design by Megan Mak) facilitates the narrative in an outside-the-box way. The sonic world created by Levi Widnall and the audiovisuals designed by Laura Goodlet further immerse us within the story.
The use of choreography and movement (from Janine Oxenham in Ask‘s 2023 Movemovemove iteration) offered an alternative modality of experiencing the story that felt true to its magical, mythical components. Ask‘s trio of performers is strong and cohesive, but it’s Craig-Fraser who really drives the energy and spirit of the performance; he’s in touch with a wonderful range of inner emotion and thought that is beautifully revealed through his voice, expressions, and movements.
While Ask’s strengths as a staged work are apparent in these stylistic choices, its momentum flags when we linger too long in a couple of scenes between the siblings where their back-and-forth dialogue takes precedence over movement and symbolism as a means of forwarding the narrative. There is also a point somewhere in the script where a different story comes to the fore; Craig-Fraser transforms into a pelican and Pigram and Hughes become two new characters. The crossover and through-line becomes unclear, but with some dramaturgical reworking in Ask‘s next developmental phase may help with clarity.
It will be worth it, because Ask is telling a story that wants to be told and that audiences want to experience. Hostalek’s voice is realistic but hopeful; it clearly and generously paints a picture of First Nations’ peoples’ inalienable and enduring connection to country and community.
CICELY BINFORD
Ask by Barbara Hostalek was presented by The Blue Room Theatre from 12 – 13 November 2024.
