REVIEW BY TARAS SCURRY
EDITED BY EMMA PARFITT
This play was simply outstanding. There’s no other way to start the dialogue about this performance than to emphasise just that. It’s quick-witted, well-researched and a performance that has both backbone and expressiveness.
The theatre was the very encapsulation of an intimate setting. It is a small brick room upstairs at the Motley Bauhaus, with a stage not much bigger than a king size bed. 6 Guys An Immigrant Trans Person of Colour Will Date in Melbourne, directed by Beng Oh, began with Dax Carnay as D breaking down the fourth wall, which could have broken the tiny room for that matter. Carnay set the stage ablaze donning a vivid blue dress, exclaiming profanities, beckoning the crowd to “close your mouth, you sluts.” From there on, Carnay’s craft commanded all the attention, with the palpable sense that each person sat watching was grasping onto the stage, clinging for clairvoyance as to what would happen next.
Narratively, the story was easy to follow. D was complimented by the characterisation of J (Tima Alexandrov), her dependable Russian friend who seems to always be there in her lowest of moments. These interactions were always after a less than fortunate time with one of the six men she sees throughout the play, who were portrayed comedically and accurately by Callum O’Mara. Memorably, the stage was transformed into a nightclub, making a bold decision to include an actual Melbourne nightclub. ‘Ms Collins’ was an apt choice for a bleak night with funny moments. O’Mara wore an outfit worthy of Berghain and coupled with his naarmed and dangerous moustache, he exemplified the type of sleazy person you’d expect to find lurking at Ms Collins. This led to one of many mock sex scenes that captivated the room with their bombastically absurd nature. Resultantly, D was left with shame shivers and Carnay’s expression and gesticulations gave way for a great delivery into her misery in the dating world. It was an expression of the depressing nature of dating in Melbourne for LGBTQIA+ people, and feminine-presenting people more broadly.
Thereafter, O’Mara brilliantly performed Gerald, an alt-right grifter with the empty charm of a finished champagne bottle who once again depresses D. However, this wouldn’t have been achievable if the scriptwriting wasn’t as accurate and intricately woven as it was. Each word, reference and stage direction were fitting of the story akin to the fitting of a finely woven suit jacket. Consequently, there’s an interesting commentary on how different people clash or combine, conveying a sense of distaste at the outstanding ability of individuals to needlessly point out differences or be bogged down in their own sense of class and self.
Compelling the audience to further intrigue, both J and D sit at the front of the stage pretending to row a boat, as moving trees are broadcast onto the back curtain. Simultaneously, a cold and slow-moving score sets over the cast; a resourceful and pioneering decision by the props team, as there was no need for an epic-theatre-like level of exaggeration. Once again, this choice complimented the naturalistic and at times absurd narrative, as such lending full attention to the odd couple J and D. In doing so, this allowed their conversation to once again comment accurately on the low standards that women especially have for men and how hook-up culture can be a fleeting, empty fun.
Transitioning promptly, D has yet another bleak fling, this time with an Irish tradie. The change of lighting reflects the mood that is darker and more sombre at that very moment. Even more swift is the transition to D’s fling with another lacklustre man, as the stage goes black, leaving the audience to only imagine what sexual deviance is occurring. As a result of this, J is once again left to help pick up the pieces for D as he drives her, which is conveyed by Carnay and Alexandrov sat at the front of the stage, minimalistic yet well fitting.
A common thread throughout this piece is how well scenes built on each other. This was done absurdly at times, however the scene where O’Mara plays a psychologist with a taste for self-sadism does this best and is easily the most outrageous. The costume team curated an outfit that did justice to the humorously devious performance. O’Mara wore a dog-gimp mask, ball in mouth and some tasteful black strapping, proclaiming that D was a “goddess”, in a way that Charlie Sheen would be proud of as the audience erupted in laughter at the surreal sight of this mock sex scene. And like Charlie Sheen’s goddess/goddesses, D had a similarly poor fate as J had to help her out of a potentially leaked sex tape. On a more serious note, the scene and subsequent scenes in particular reflected how individuals end up in poor situations and the way in which vulnerability is so often exploited. This poignantly displayed D’s lack of self-worth, highlighting the cyclical nature of self-torment that arises in the dating scene and amongst marginalised communities.
Continuing a more reflective note, Alexandrov conveys J’s change in character from consoling to romantically optimistic. Unfortunately, D isn’t obliging and claims that she “[doesn’t] deserve” him, in a dramatic shift that is timely and well thought of by the scriptwriter. This consequently leads to questions about whether people do or don’t deserve each other or need or truly want each other. Carrying on in this theme, Carnay delivers an ending monologue which provides clarity but isn’t a stupid Hollywood ‘everybody loves each other’ ending. With D searching to better herself, she provides an analogy to a puzzle trying to put the pieces of her life together.
It’s a fitting end to a consummately written and performed play. All I can say is that I look forward to their future works and hope that they continue to stay on the nose. If they can do so, there will be many more rapturous applauses even bigger than at the Motley Bauhaus.
Tayo Tayo Collective’s 6 Guys An Immigrant Trans Person of Colour Will Date in Melbourne plays til July 19th at the Motley Bauhaus.
TARAS SCURRY is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Philosophy. He deeply enjoys the arts and is thrilled to be part of The Dialog.
EMMA PARFITT (she/her) is the Dialog’s head editor and has written Dialog reviews alongside studying towards her science degree for the past two years. She is a production manager, stage manager and producer on the Melbourne indie theatre scene and a veteran of student theatre at Union House Theatre.
The Dialog is supported by Union House Theatre.
The Dialog 