The world according to Mr TV

Issue 

Picture

The world according to Mr TV

MR TV
Written and directed by Sean O'Riordan
With Andy Rodoreda, Tori Campbell, Yvette Alcott and Colin McCarlie
Tap Gallery
Darlinghurst, Sydney
Thursday to Sunday until June 11

Review by Jonathan Singer

In the 1980s, greed required moral justification: Wall Street's Gordon Gekko proclaimed "greed is good". Now "greed is god", according to Sean O'Riordan's comic play MR TV.

In the world of Mr TV (played by Andy Rodoreda), money rules and friendships are arranged. He is a TV mogul, modelled perhaps on Kerry and Rupert, who plots the creation of Global TV through the takeover of all existing television channels. Mr TV seeks the capacity to beam his thoughts directly to the screens.

Mr TV's assistant, Kate (Tori Campbell), plots his demise. Sid (O'Riordan), an apparently bumbling comedian, is being fast-tracked to the top. Underlings Julie (Yvette Alcott) and Tony (Colin McCarlie) suffer their various fates.

The play mixes two themes, the alienation of wealth and the oppression of employees suffering the "redundancy casino", but not with complete success. The drama is becomes ragged by the end.

MR TV is enjoyable and thought-provoking for anyone who likes to see globalisation and corporate rationalisation given a sharp rebuke. The humour is absurd, physical and surreal — and funny. The lines have the flavour of poetry, giving a fast-paced rhythm and (too much?) rhyme. The actors' performances, especially those of Rodoreda and Campbell, are energetic and on the ball.

The play gives a theatrical voice to the rising movement for economic and social justice across the world.

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