By Natasha Boyd
Collaborating successfully for over forty years, writer Patricia Cornelius and director Susie Dee, opened their latest and much anticipated creative project, Truth, at the Malthouse. Cornelius rarely writes about living people, so while a work centred around Julian Assange might be the primary drawcard- especially for us here in his hometown of Melbourne, this exploration of the WikiLeaks founder cleverly widens the net to reveal the risks and costs to whistleblowers and the implications of corrupted surveillance.
Using their familiar choral narrative structure from earlier works like Slut, an ensemble of five embody Assange from boyhood to imprisonment. Their unified approach avoids corny caricature, instead leaning into a speedy recap of early bullying (“freak, weirdo”) and hacking games during the 80s and 90s. It’s a quick and clever device to unite and remind aware or instruct unfamiliar audiences about the trajectory of the tech genius known as Mendax. Matilda Woodroofe’s set provides immediate context for the time-period with five movable desks decked out with ‘now retro’ computer beasts and swivel chairs that stream in and out from the sides. The large space is encased at the back with imposing prison fencing, climbing bridge and ever-present cameras, with more tech equipment across the floor front. The Orwellian-like surveillance is enhanced by Meri Blazevski’s video design that towers above the arrangement and integrates powerfully with the action both with text and effective live feed close ups of the cast. Paul Jackson’s evocative lighting design teams up beautifully with Kelly Ryall’s compelling and eerie soundscape, elevating the excitement, the fear, and the isolation that is to come.
Under Dee’s direction, the talented cast are a slick, disciplined unit, physically and rhythmically intercutting each other with intended purpose. Their chants and repetitive catchcries propel the story and energy ever forward with laser focus. The masculine bravado of Assange’s teenage tight knit crew showcases their skill to infiltrate private networks apparently not so much to destroy, but to gain the competitive high of daring challenges, eventually with NASA penetration. The cast sweep and surge, duck and weave, creating a heady mix of discovery and euphoric choreographed movement that completely immersed us all. Slight jarring from James O’Connell who needed to be crisper in his diction during these portions. That fine line between thrill-seeking and havoc builds to a dazzling gasp worthy moment of wooing a girl atop a hill before he instigates a city blackout that we see on the screen behind them. Time jumps, speeds up, or actions slow down with protest mime, inviting reflection with signature catchphrases on the screen (silence, resistance) before switching time and place once again showcasing the fast-evolving pace and exploitative ethics of technology.
Assange’s story broadens as he encounters brave souls willing to speak out about corruption for his newly created Wikileaks. Diving into the rabbit hole of revelations, profound complexities begin with the replay of the leaked Collateral Murder footage of innocent Iraqis, Reuters staff and journalists being mercilessly killed by US military. Our quintet sits silently with their backs to the audience as we all become completely still watching the large screen, with its harrowing reminder of the military’s mistakes and attempted coverup. One cannot help but draw comparison to how commonplace similar live streams have become with recent conflicts on our own personal devices. The deeply affecting realisation that commitment to revealing the truth has not enacted the worldwide outrage they expected hits home in a heavily despairing fashion. That soon turns to rage as instead of holding those responsible accountable, governments and the media alike target the whistleblowers. The camera turn onto us was a stroke of genius to shockingly remind us about our own complicity for not demanding proper justice.
Assange’s victory and ego bursts wide open on tour, but soon quickly falls from grace as Cornelius wisely chooses to include the sexual assault allegations against him by two women in Sweden. For a man committed to exposing worldwide secrets, his stealth like behaviour and personal avoidance is disturbing. Some might find the emphasis on the manipulated women’s testimony ultimately serves little justice to the women fighting an ex- lover who demands honesty and balance of power in his workplace but not at all so in his private life.
Shifting focus again, Eva Rees captures our heart as stripped Manning in her tiny cell, the lighting box enhancing her naked vulnerability to answer without representation for her “crimes”. Later, Tomas Kantor imbues frenetic energy and understandable paranoia as Snowden decides to expose NSA spying and will change his life forevermore. Interestingly, no commentary is made about Assange’s feelings towards those he worked with and what it has cost them or their families. Instead, the focus returns to his relentless workaholic patterns and fight for freedom during his embassy and Belmarsh imprisonment.
A welcome shift from the bombardment of the core Wikileaks narrative comes by way of more intimate, traumatic monologues closer to home. Eva Rees’ delivers a haunting recount of the cunning sexual abuse of her young brother by a paedophile priest while Emily Havea is magnetic as she reveals the horror of being stalked by her ex-partner with hidden security cameras. These scenes remind us how dangerous silencing and inadequate technology laws can be not just on a global but also personal level. As a fan of the work of Sherele Moody and Jane “Fixed It headlines” Gilmore, it might have been timely here to address how inadequate not just governments but also our media call out this violence time and again. Something they could surely learn by the recent French case of Gisele Pelicot.
The climax sees a surging momentum as demand for Assange’s release become more urgent. After 80 uninterrupted minutes, by play’s end it’s hard not to feel bleakly out of breath. Seemingly Brechtian in influence, some might find the provocative story of obsessive, risk-taking challengers somewhat heavy handed. But you also feel that this bold, urgent and intensely thought-provoking play has hit its mark in both content and presentation. It is precisely the passivity of our society to past and present events that make this play a powerful and prescient warning for our times. Corenlius and Dee demand we do better to avoid future casualties – especially with the speedy advent of AI and ever-changing authoritarian rule.
Images: Pia Johnson
