Dropped is a new work from emerging playwright Katy Warner, who won the 2010 Melbourne Fringe Award for her play These are the Isolate. Set in a room rapidly filling with snow, two female soldiers offer reflections on themselves and their shared histories.
A dreamlike quality lingers throughout the play. There is almost a sense that the characters are trapped together in a cycle of anxious sleep, dwelling together in a place where time disappears. There is an effective lyricism to the writing, as seemingly disconnected anecdotes are woven together through circular motifs. There are some funny moments, mostly dark and sometimes just outright absurd. We see the characters struggle to keep hold of their personal narratives as they piece together a collection of fragmented feelings and memories, with original ideas becoming blurred by imaginings and popular culture references.
The writing is witty and the two actors Olivia Monticciolo and Matilda Reed deliver their banter with confidence. While the message of the play is not explicitly stated, it draws out some interesting ideas about the way our brains cope with harsh realities and memories can quickly disappear – like snow on the tongue. The set is simple but cleverly constructed and ensures the play is beautiful to watch, if a little hard to follow.
BY JO ROBIN
