It always amazes me
of the vast amounts of style of plays that surrounded around London, and one's
favourite theatrical venues, the National Theatre presents us with a bizarre
and uncanny play, ‘Ballyturk’, which continues the playwright, Enda Walsh’s austere
representation of the contemporary world. ‘Ballyturk’ was first seen as part of
this summer’s, Galway International Arts Festival, and one found the performance
fulfils us with an amalgamation of
amusing and provocative elements. The play takes place within a bunker inspired
environment with two enclosed young men, who appear to have forgotten their
individualities, and refer to each other as, One and Two. To prevent boredom
due to their penetrating isolation, they undertake many silent-comedy ceremonials
and hazarding a guess into the actions of daily life in a fictional town that has
been devised called Ballyturk. This is shown when One expresses a disconcerting
story about the town, and how ghastly some of the townspeople are, e.g. the old
lady who manages the local corner shop. Comparatively, the character Two is
extremely simple-minded who meanders around in his unsavoury underpants, and does
not appear to be too perturbed by his seclusion from the events of the outside
world. He likes a strict and cohesive routine and if his routine is disturbed,
he becomes increasingly anxious and upset that something ruthless might occur. This
clearly depicts a typical Asperger’s characteristic. However, when Three enters
the frame, we see the obscurity of One and Two’s situation, and it seems that
the fate of One and Two is undeniably fraught with danger, as one of them has
to be obliterated if they want to escape. One imagines that he abducted both of
them as a child, and quarantines them from the rest of civilisation. Walsh’s
narrative creates the discombobulating situation of the plays premise, and one
found the plot made you frequently think about what's going on throughout. The
performances by the limited company of ‘Ballyturk’ were phenomenally imaginative
and, thought-provoking indeed. Cillian Murphy is remarkable as One. I thought
he conveyed and fascinating portrayal of a man who becomes fixated with the
world that is truly false, and his self-harming scenes were infectiously
wicked. Mikel Murfi is celestial as the dopey and dim-witted, Two; in
particular his facial expressions that are truly mesmerising, this reminds me
of John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ character, Lenny. Stephen Rea is
fantastic as the heavy smoking and disconcerting, Three. One thought he instigated
the perplexing atmosphere that exudes through the performance, and his presence
is unprecedented as the character knows exactly what is about to occur. Enda
Walsh directs his own play with heavenly ease and polish. It undoubtedly makes you
question why One and Two had been segregated from society, and why the somewhat
bunker appear to be a slight replica of the Big Brother house, and how Three
has been given the impersonation of the George Orwell character, Big Brother.
James Vartan's design is impressive indeed here as he is created the
environment of total depravity with opulent detail, and there is an essence of
cabin fever that is apparent through the position of furniture that's been
fixed onto their scenic flats. Overall ,the experience of ‘Ballyturk' was
exceedingly splendorous and most recommended.
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