The West Australian Academy of Performing Arts’ third year performance students are teaming up with Spare Parts Puppet Theatre for a production of Franz Kafka’s The Trial.
We caught up with student Zachary Sheridan who has a adapted the novel for this new production, and could think of no better place to meet up and chat about Kafka than local Northbridge cafe Kafka.
German novelist Franz Kafka wrote his novel between 1914 and 1915, but it was published until 1925 after the author had passed away. The surrealist novel features a man named Joseph K who is arrested and tried for a crime that is never revealed to the reader. The novel highlights bureaucracy and the world of red tape as Joseph K is never quite able to learn the rules of how the system works.
The third year students always tackle a puppetry project but Sheridan tells is that this year they wanted to do something a little different.
“In previous years for puppetry there hasn’t been a linear story, so this year the course coordinator picked The Trial. They haven’t told me why they picked this, but I believe Michael Bowman who is directing believes it has something to say today.”
The story is quite ambiguous which has allowed it to be revisited over the decades, Sheridan said it was a challenging work to adapt for the stage.
“I think in this context it is, because we’re an ensemble. I really wanted to have it set in modern Australia and have scenes set in Centrelink and people trying to get their youth allowance.” Sheridan said giving one of many examples of how Kafka’s work is very relatable.
“I didn’t want to put too much of my ideas in it, because I wanted to serve the class, so that was challenging. It’s also challenging because it’s Kafka – it’s completely bizarre, it’s archaic in terms of the language. The challenge is how can you make that relevant to the audience, and how can you do it with puppetry.”
In developing the script for the production Sheridan also looked into the life of the author and how it might have formed the ideas in his works.
“He had a very troubled relationship with his father, that sort of filters throughout his work. The term ‘kafkaesque’ is something we’re all familiar with and we’ve all had that feeling of being powerless in the face of authority. It’s when you get a parking ticket, or have to fill out a form for the most bizarre thing. He was a very melancholy individual.
“That’s want makes him accessible, because we can all relate to his suffering.” Sheridan said.
Sheridan said the marriage of puppetry and early 20th century literature worked well.
“I think puppets are perfect for Kafka, because the first thing I realised is that Joseph K, the main protagonist of The Trial is a puppet. So many of the characters in Kafka’s world seem heightened and otherworldly. Puppets generally only have one expression and a lot of the characters on have one expression, not that they’d don’t have nuance.
“THe match between puppets and Kafa, it works very well.” Sheridan said.
Kafka’s The Trial is on at Spare Parts Puppet Theatre in Fremantle Friday 2 November and Saturday 3 November. Tickets are available now.
Graeme Watson
