Quack
By Ian Wilding
27 August - 2 October 2010
‘This is a slap in the face for Australia.’ Kevin Rudd
Somewhere in middle Australia, the townsfolk of a small town are sick and looking for someone to blame.
That is, until a man emerges from their midst. He is on a mission, and with skills as a surgeon, physician and pharmacist, he begins to fire up the townsfolk with his promises (for he is a great orator too). Only he can cure the disease, providing the townsfolk follow his direction without deviation. As he sets about his task of healing the town with an evangelical zeal, almost all are convinced.
Except, not everyone is happy. The cure also carries strange side-effects. The pub is empty, the brothel is going out of business, the two-up ring is silent, food is bland, the horses don’t race, the football remains un-kicked, arguments are not had, sex has become stale. Truth be told, the men have become dull and proud, the women hard and distant. Is it really better to be cured and living like this?
A small minority begins to emerge. They don’t want to be cured by the Doctor and have a plan to save themselves. But the majority will not be shifted. All must be cured. Blisteringly funny and provoking in equal measures, Quack is a salient reminder that we alone create our own destiny and our own demons.
Ian Wilding’s riotous follow-up to the hugely acclaimed October (2007, Griffin Theatre Company) is directed by Chris Mead (The Modern International Dead).
Videos
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Nick Marchand on Quack
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