Bang

Overview

If a foreign hand violently tampered with your life or the lives of those you loved for impersonal reasons, such as politics or religion, would you adopt the cause and join the fight? Would you raise a hand in retribution? Would vengeance then become your personal calling? These are the silent questions that impregnate the air in B-Sharp’s compelling, heartbreaking, seamlessly executed production of Bang. “There is no paragraph that will explain this work, which is probably a good thing. It’s not a work I want to explain,” says award-winning playwright Jonathan Gavin of his much anticipated follow up to the critically acclaimed Tiger Country. As an audience member, leaving the theatre mouth agape after a stellar opening night, grappling for the words that might comprise an adequate summary, I would tend to agree.

Charting the aftermath of a suicide bombing carried out by a young Turkish/Australian woman, Bang is an intimate look at the humanity behind the current social and religious divide between Islam and the West. Told with compassion and sensitivity, its story is a delicate tapestry of diverse characters whose lives and histories interweave through tragedy, faith, love and ideals. Gavin has chosen to reunite with director Kim Hardwick following the success of the highly praised A Moment on the Lips, for what is evidently a coherent collaboration. Hardwick takes a sensitive approach to Gavin's powerful script without diluting its potency, dealing with the dense, emotionally charged subject matter with empathy and honesty.

The weight of the complex narrative is carried effortlessly by an elegant cast of five highly skilled actors who imbue each of their characters with both humour and heart. The entire ensemble remains onstage throughout, and each inhabits several characters, moving fluidly from one to the next. There’s a lot happening on the tiny stage, but somehow it never feels crowded or convoluted — each transition occurs smoothly and effectively, cradling your attention like a well-played ball game.

Unlike some other contemporary offerings in both theatre and film that deal with similar subject matter, Bang doesn’t explode with the kind of confronting force that its title would suggest, pushing the audience into uncomfortable spaces for its own indulgence; rather, it appeals to our humanity and asks us to adopt a broader perspective when it comes to judging the actions of our fellow human beings.