Cattle, contemporaries and canapés, Eddie Perfect’s play; The Beast, promises to touch you inappropriately in all the right places.

By challenging a lifestyle that conceals itself behind a facade of authenticity, the show wastes no time in establishing a humorous destabilisation of friendships; stripping characters down to their inauthentic cores.

With sensitive subjects used as punchlines to boot, it’s no lie to say that The Beast works to attack and offend, although this may not be a bad thing. The larger than life caricatures seek to hold a mirror up to those who consider themselves elite in society. They grow organic vegetables and purchase “ethical” cattle in an attempt to reduce their eco footprint, although this lifestyle definitely comes at a cost when the six friends find that they’ll have to kill their own dinner.

The play embodies almost each and every one of us that invests in a false perception of class. Whether it’s the food we eat, or merely the ways in which we live our lives, Eddie Perfect has constructed a hilariously self-critical comedy in which nobody is safe. No stone is left unturned, and no bourgeois attitude remains uncriticised. The play succeeds in drawing out what we hate most about ourselves and one another in the race to achieve perfection in the modern world.

After having survived a fatal boat accident, Simon (played by Rohan Nicole), Baird (played by Eddie Perfect himself) and Rob (played by Toby Truslove) vow to undertake a life of ethical living. In pursuing a tree change with their respective partners, friends become neighbours and their dislike for one another hastily develops. By conveying a critical view of urbanites seeking to escape the hustle of city-living for the tranquility of the country, these characters embody every stereotype of upper-class suburban snobbery. Despite their best efforts to live an ‘authentic’ country life, their obsession with consumerism and being on-trend shines through the minimalist avant-garde architecture of their homes, acting as a comedic contrast to the regional setting. A general unlikability plagues most of the characters within the play, as they embody a misguided approach to healthy living and cultural superiority that comes all too naturally for those most arrogant in society. What could otherwise be pursued as a humble and positive approach to living is corrupted by the elitism inherent in The Beast’s subjects.

Rob and his wife Sue (played by Heide Arena) are the last to make the move to the country, following Rob’s emotional breakdown from the trauma of the accident. Their arrival acts as a catalyst for the welcome dinner from hell, set up by the other characters. Attempting to face the harsh realities of ‘going bush’ the six are presented with the need to slaughter their own nose-to-tail cuisine, resulting in a bloody and horrifically hilarious display of gushing arteries and wealthy white people trolloping around in the blood of an Angus calf by the end of the first act. Struggling with the ideologies of taking responsibility for what you eat and holding a concern for animal welfare, the cast simultaneously kill and attempt to save the calf after bungling a ‘humane’ slaughter.  

Undeterred by the cattle related events, the characters barely manage to regroup before the darker scenes in the second act unfold. As the narrative progresses, the characters become increasingly uneasy, eliciting a similar response from the audience.

Each of the relationships presented are rife with cringeworthy ignorance, portrayed with a certain uniqueness by each individual character. Struggles with mental health are swept under the rug in a flippant display of uncaring, whilst misogynistic expressions are entirely left unchallenged. Although it could be argued that topics such as these should not be discussed with comedic aspects attached to them, it is important to realise that the humour running alongside the narrative seeks to soften the impact of the harsh reality portrayed. Despite trust and honesty being discussed in abundance between couples, the audience gains a sense of what an unhealthy relationship consists of. These characters inhabit a twisted realm where openly condoning betrayal is acceptable and ‘healthy’, while any mention of personal struggle is shameful and without class. They live in a place where pseudo-psychology has been used to justify disrespect, undermine support, and promote shame. Through elitist comments and narcissistic attitudes, these relationships are then put to the test in order to gauge just how difficult life in the country can be for those without scruples outside their own interests.

 

The cast carry the themes explored in The Beast with brilliant delicacy, traversing controversial dialogue whilst also grappling with a snobby perception of modernity that falsely champions free-thought and multiculturalism, all of which is easily related to by the contemporary audience.

I advise against, for the narrow minded or faint of heart when choosing to attend the ‘worst dinner party ever.’ Complete with serves of steak tartare and canapés galore, The Beast is sure to captivate the audience by confronting them with a side of themselves that perhaps they didn’t care to sample. Running until the 10th of September at the Comedy Theatre, be sure to consider eating your meal after the show, as this is an event that’s sure to make your stomach turn from sheer laughter and mild trauma.

Written by Thierry Falcone. 

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