FLESH & BONE Holden Street Theatres Until 18 Mar 2018 Review by Doug Phillips This is brilliant! Superbly written, and impeccably delivered. “Flesh & Bone” just doesn’t let up. From the moment it starts it has the momentum of a runaway train. It’s 70 minutes of unapologetic, fiery theatre. With no set at all, the cast doesn’t just manage, but triumphs in bringing us the gritty, savage, depressing, funny, and thought-provoking story of five East London ghetto residents, and their intertwined lives, struggles, and vulnerability. The cast can’t be faulted. Each actor knows their role and all it entails perfectly. They’re performances are engaging, captivating, and relentless. There is some serious talent on this stage. Long monologues, delivered flawlessly, with passion, rage, fragility, and heart. Don’t let the term ‘long monologues’ put you off in any way though. These monologues will draw you in, wring your neck, slap your face, and then throw you to the ground. Humour is used precisely, with just the perfect amount at exactly the right times. But the best laughs were the ones coming from nervous or shocked audience members who were obviously rattled by what they were seeing. The blocking and choreography is very clever, and pulled off with a level of coordination and synchronicity that is truly impressive. From a company called Unpolished Theatre, this is one of the most highly polished pieces of theatre to hit Adelaide for a while. With a solid story, and excellent execution, this performance achieves its goal of entertaining while giving you no choice but to consider what the message is. Different people will walk away with different ideas of what that message is, and I think the team would be happy with that. This play deserves each award it’s received so far, and there will be more to come. If you love incredibly well written theatre, don’t miss “Flesh & Bone”. And keep your eyes on the incredibly talented crew at Unpolished Theatre, as they are destined for huge things. Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)