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Review: Allison Browning
GRANT Watson has taken the typical aspects of much-loved TV crime
shows to the limits with his play, Serpentine.
Watson casts aside the usual crims and clues that compose an
unsolved murder and replaces them with a couple of disturbed detectives
and the devil.
A thumbs-up for treading on unsafe theatrical ground, but Serpentine
falls into many potholes along the way.
Kingsley Judd plays David Kemp, a hot-headed police detective
working with the more grounded Kate Hill (Sonia Marcon), on an
unsolved murder with the softly-spoken Anthony Grey (played by
both Marcon and Judd) as primary suspect.
The two detectives bicker over ethics in gaining a confession,
with Kemp fiercely trying to bring the case to a head in order
to salvage his career, but in doing so, he is forced to question
his own sanity and morals by a man claiming to be Satan.
Judd switches between the uncouth David Kemp to nervous Suspect
Grey with ease, while Marcon presents a solid contrast with her
portrayal of the sensible Kate Hil, but struggles to make the
character switch with fluidity.
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Marcon and Judd bounce off each other
well, despite some cringe-worthy dialogue, including detectives
discussing 'bad guys'.
Director, Sarah Xu, uses a simple set with the focus being on
the strength of the relationships between performers. The performers
aptly make radical scene changes clear, but some disjointed lighting
and freezes in action also indicate these changes.
Watson's script presents many difficult to solve problems and
fails to offer enough for its audience to empathise with.
Tid-bits of information are given, such Kate losing custody of
her child, as well as her fierce loyalty to Kemp, but these things
are never fully explored.
Kemp is amusing at times and Grey curious at first, but characters
seem devoid of any real depth or character development.
Serpentine tickles the curiosity bone in its early stages
of murder and intrigue, but dissipates into the mundane with a
devilish twist. |
