A male florist trying to prove he is not a “pansy” gets entangled amongst dim-witted gangsters with only the mobster's daughter seeing any sense. Characters are tied together through phone conversations, where flickers of comic relief are juxtaposed with violent tensions between hitmen, corrupt cops and drug dealers. The play eludes to film noir styles resonating aspects of Bugsy Malone suspenders by playing homage to the gangster genre of the '20s and a hint of 'wogzploitation' Aussie underbelly stereotypes. It carries a form of lightness preventing the crime subject matter from becoming too overwhelming through insulting quips between characters and exaggerated actions. The protagonist struggles to find his own identity and the title Not Axel Harrison is continually dropped through the performance, reiterating the significance of who he isn't but not who he is, signalling to the masquerade that most gangster personalities project. Well worth checking out.
Lookout Festival 2027 Line-up Revealed: Live, Stone Temple Pilots & 4 Non Blondes
