Play takes intense look at toxic masculinity

January 26, 2018
Issue 
Nicholas Allen, at back, searches for truth from Christian Tomaszewski in Know Your Enemy.

Know Your Enemy
Written by Amanda Crewes
Starring Christian Tomaszewski, Nicholas Allen, Andrew Dunstan, Adam Droppert, Glen Wallis & Madison Crewes
The Actors Hub, 129 Kensington Street, East Perth
Starts January 27

Apocalyptic futures are common plot lines these days, but few as starling as this one. It has all of the big-ticket items like global warming and alien invasion, but with the added element of passionate and physical acting.

Know Your Enemy is a very tough theatre piece that raises the idea that human beings may be their own worst enemies — that we are bringing calamity upon ourselves by failing to face up to our inner demons. 

Four men infested with toxic masculinity, one young woman coping with the mixture of violation and patronising protection, and a caged alien all claustrophobically enclosed in one small room for two hours. Know Your Enemy is pretty intense.

The four young lead actors start out powerfully and keep the tension at maximum throughout. It is saved from being overly pedantic by their gritty performances.

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