Western Australian award winning playwright Suzanne Inglebrecht once received an itemised, catalogued collection of correspondence from an Australian immigrant dogged by spies attempting to capture, torture and kill him. Confusion and then amusement were followed by concern as to why she had become the recipient of this clearly unwell man’s collection. As fears for her own safety gave way to more rational concerns the realisation of the isolation and pain that this stranger must be living with dawned. The stranger and his correspondence provided the impetus for Inglebrecht’s award winning script ‘Fragmented’.
Fragmented is the story of Ivan (Igor Sas), a passionate former Croation war veteran and immigrant to Western Australia. Ivan is an inmate of a mental institution, where he is cared for by psychiatrist Dr Jim Hall (Benj D’Addario). The all male cast also includes Shaun Martindale, who plays several supporting characters.
As the doctor and patient work together to rebuild Ivan’s shattered memory, fragile tendrils of trust are slowly built between the men. As the drama unfolds into an exploration of the nature of truth in a context of repression, the relationship is strained to breaking point. The complex nature of prejudice is unravelled through the lens of the two characters’ relationship.
Western Australian migrants have played an integral role in the development of Fragmented. The process of developing characters has been augmented by the assistance of migrants from both the Croatian community to develop appropriate linguistic and gestural characteristics, and survivors of war and trauma.
As Ingelbrecht is a great believer in production being more than just an artistic event, two performances of Fragmented are accompanied by community forums. Ingelbrecht told OUTinPerth ‘Playwrights like to believe think that they can change the world through art. Hearing real life experiences can help change moreâ? These facilitated forums involve collaboration with the Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors.
Winner of an Honourable mention in the 2005/06 Larry Corse Award international playwriting award, Fragmented is the premiere production by new theatre ensemble Fragmented Artists.
Fragmented runs at The Blue Room Theatre, 53 James St, Northbridge from the 9th- 24th of February.
OUTinPerth have one double pass to Fragmented to give away.
