Past Event

Squizzy - A Bullet Proof Musical Comedy

10th Nov 2010 - 27th Nov 2010

Presenter: Think Big Productions
Website:
Event Duration: 90 minutes

Squizzy is musical theatre that wraps itself in the vernacular, rhyme, grind and illusion of a powerful metropolis. A city built on love, hate, greed, energy and excitement. Also on poverty, neglect and exploitation. Crime is a force in this city and Squizzy Taylor is central not only in fact but in myth. Squizzy seems to have penetrated the very soul of this city, even eighty years after his violent death. Squizzy was a ruthless criminal yet was able to win the public over through acts of ‘kindness’ and slick repartee. A cunning ability to manipulate the media and put crooked coppers and politicians on the payroll. A familiar story and one that sits at the core of satirical theatre. This city has an insatiable thirst for crime. It’s attracted to the romance of crime and viewing this, from a safe distance, is it’s favourite form of entertainment.

One of the most joyous aspects of this city is it’s most entrenched and gifted writer, Barry Dickins and in this production he has been able to display his eccentric talents to the full by grasping the iconic image of one of it’s more notorious criminals in Squizzy Taylor. As well as recording and documenting a colourful and historic period, this work allows the audience to imaginatively re-live the personages, locales, petty rivalries and ruthless vendettas of Squizzy’s demi-monde. In doing so this work creatively and experientally retells part of Melbourne’s history; as well as provoking a challenging gaze on contemporary crime stories and histories.

Barry’s style of writing/poem/song has enabled a restitution of the “Australian” style. A style born of muscularity, grotesqueness, false sentiment and hypocracy. Barry’s language is at full of life, humour and the furious fight for the underdog but it’s countpoint is fear, drunkenness, bashing and a love of death.

Strong language warning.