Theatre review: Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography, Q Theatre

NZ Herald

21 Jun, 2015 05:00 PM2 mins to read

Actor Mark Wright in Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography.

Silo Theatre affirms its commitment to edgy, disturbing drama with a recent work by award winning Australian writer Declan Greene.

Despite the provocative title the show does not feature any pornographic material but offers a raw, funny and often poignant vision of two lives unravelling under the self-destructive logic of compulsive addictions.

For the female character this means credit-fuelled shopping sprees while the male turns to online porn for brief moments of respite from his bleak existence.

The production is given an unexpected injection of off-stage drama by a note from the playwright expressing disappointment that Silo has altered the show's ending.

The dispute centres on a single question; to wear or not to wear underwear?

The writer persuasively insists his play should conclude with its characters standing before us entirely naked while the producer cites unspecified reasons for deciding the actors will only strip down to their underwear.

It is unusual for such disputes to erupt into the public domain and bringing it all into the open has the surprising effect of heightening audience engagement with the work.

There are good reasons for believing the retention of underwear diminishes the impact of a scene that is all about stripping away layers of delusion but the more discreet staging does not entirely obscure the author's intention.

This is largely due to superb performances that do not shy away from revealing the heart-rending anguish of characters who unflinchingly describe themselves as "fat, boring and stupid".

Bronwyn Bradley builds a haunting picture of lonely desperation while Mark Wright engagingly humanises a character who could easily have become repulsive. Both actors strike a fine balance between humour and pathos that creates an opportunity for cathartic identification with our deepest anxieties.