Little Mercy

Good versus Evil. This little notion has been the basis of storytelling since man crawled out of his cave and started spinning shit to his Neanderthal neighbour. In their latest baby, Little Mercy, Sisters Grimm (duo Ash Flanders and Declan Greene) put a 2013 spin on the story, thrusting the audience into their fabulously funny world of camp melodrama and glittering surrealism.  Little Mercy follows the adoption plight of Roger (Luke Mullins) and Virginia Summers (Ash Flanders) – a well-to-do couple who appear to have it all – except a child.  One night, their prayers are answered - the ironically-named Mercy arrives at their door and everything is perfect... until Mercy reveals her true colours as the spawn of Satan. 

The hero behind Little Mercy's appeal is not the simple storyline, nor the seamless production, but the casting. Eight-year-old Mercy is well-played by 70-something-year-old Jill McKay, and Flanders shines as Virginia, capturing female vulnerabilities in the most ridiculous circumstances. To say it's a 2013 Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Bride Of Chucky wouldn't be doing it justice. And to say the moments of madness towards the end ran slightly too long would be to nit-pick.  It's '2013 does Good verse Evil does housewives does addiction does Satan does Sonic Youth does an acid trip', and Little Mercy will drop even the most jaded of jaws. For those not easily offended, it will surprise and delight. Get tickets before they're all gone.

Sydney Theatre to Sunday 24 March