Roslyn Oades play ‘I’m Your Man’ is an intriguing presentation. The theatrical documentary is based on a series of interviews with people in the world of boxing.

What makes the production special is the performance technique utilised. The actors wear headphones and listen to the original interviews and then recreate them for the audience in real time. The technique ensures every vocal inflection, cough, stumble and laugh is included.

Among the people interviewed are boxing legends like Marickville Mauler Jeff Fenech and Tony Mundine, father of Anthony Mundine and the late Gus Mercurio. Each giving their insight into the world of boxing and the wider world.

Upon entering the auditorium your hit with smell of Deep Heat, the cast are already on stage working out, hitting punching bags, jousting with each other, doing push ups. It looks like your in a gym, it smells like a gym, right from the beginning you’re immersed into a different world.

The cast of five performers, Billy McPherson, Katia Molino, Justin Rosniak, John Shrimpton and Michael Mohmmed Ahmad effectively bring  range of characters to life through  series of monologues, with the actors own race, gender and physical attributes not getting in the way of them adapting to become someone else. This was a surprisingly entertaining and lively piece of theatre.

‘I’m Your Man’ is at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) playing at 7pm Friday 26th and Saturday 27th. There is also  3pm matinee on Saturday.

Graeme Watson