Black is the New White - Review

Black is the New White - Review

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Posted 2019-11-17 by Jenny Esotsfollow

Wed 13 Nov 2019 - Sun 01 Dec 2019

It is time to take a walk into the world of modern new theatre about contemporary Australia. The point of difference here is Black is the New White is about the emerging indigenous middle class. The audience is taken into a glitzy 'Grand Designs' upmarket home where young millennial lovers Charlotte (Miranda Tapsell) and Francis (Tom Stokes) are having a meet the parents and in-laws Christmas collision. In fact, this is a story about collisions; cultural, gender, theologies, politics and consumerism all play a part.



Writer Nakkiah Lui sets a blistering cavalcade of satire and laughs that are so fast, they sometimes don't even wait for the laugh. Charlotte's parents (Melodie Reynolds-Diarra and Tony Briggs) are nouveau riche indigenous cultural leaders, painted as selling out their people.



The in-laws (Vanessa Downing and Geoff Morrell) are ultra white conservatives who have totally spoilt their only son with money, but not affection. Charlotte's sister (Tuuli Narkle) is the (black) high-end fashion elite (AKA Kardashian) and brother-in-law (Anthony Taufa) is the born again christian rugby player (AKA Israel Folau).

The one character that grated was the born again christian, a character that had allusions of the Book of Mormon, with its satire on missionaries. This was way off the mark on what christianity is all about, it seems to be a cheap laugh. Bringing it all together is a cocky narrator (Luke Carroll) who gets the audience up and grooving. All actors are in cracking form.



It is refreshing to see that nothing is sacred; wealth, race (my ancestral lands), age (OK Boomer), religion, gender (I identify as queer) and politics all come under fire. Geoff Morrell as the conservative father gets the laughs of the night in dance mode, worth the price of admission alone. One of the highlights (among many) is the (in)glorious food fight. Christmas dinner is let loose! The production crew have a lot on their plate (literally) in getting this set production ready each night.



A riotously funny romp that received an immediate standing ovation with four curtain calls on opening night. This production comes to Adelaide after sold-out seasons all over the country, grab tickets before it's too late. In the meantime, be sure to keep an eye out for writer Nakkiah Lui, a sharp, incisive talent with a fine future. Learn more about Black is the New White here

#aboriginal
#adelaide_city
#attractions
#comedy
#cultural_events
#humour
#near_adelaide
#romantic
#november
#theatre
#theatre -reviews
#things_to_see
!date 13/11/2019 -- 01/12/2019
%wnadelaide
103370 - 2023-06-12 10:40:30

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