White Rabbit, Red Rabbit Review

Writer Nassim Soleimanpour was deemed unfit for service but at the time of writing he’d refused compulsory military service and in turn was refused a passport. This chain of events sparked White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, an absurd theatrical experiment that would see his words travel in ways he couldn’t. Each night, a different actor steps up and opens the script for the first time as audiences watch (and often join in) the ultimate cold-reading. At first, tensions are high as the actor navigates uncertain territory and audiences scramble to understand what they’re seeing, but anxiety dissipates as Nassim’s self-deprecating and hilarious writing cuts through and metaphors for the pervasive nature of power and social norms of obedience become clear. The take-home message is that of the red rabbit – striving to rise above the rest. When the audience is asked, “Who will step forward and finish the script,” it’s a test of colours. What colour rabbit are you? Only one rabbit can be red, so everyone else in the room is left trying to shake feelings of inadequacy. In their defence, not everyone is meant to be the red rabbit in every situation. Stepping out depends on which moment – or carrot – is yours to seize.

Studio Underground, State Theatre  to 13 Sep