Hayden Moon

As the audience enters the downstairs space at Belvoir St Theatre for the premiere of Snakeface, our eyes are immediately drawn to a large, pale rectangular object in the centre of the stage – whispers are exchanged, questioning what exactly it is. There is a black screen at the back of the stage, thin web-like material hangs from the lighting rigs, and a person (who we assume to be the titular Snakeface) is crouched to the right of the screen, shifting every few seconds from left to right.  This new one-person show presented by Fruit Box Theatre (Back to Birdy, Cruise) draws on the legend of Medusa, the famous snake-haired monster figure from Greek mythology, to tell a modern story of self discovery that grapples with overcoming sexual trauma, and the beauty and brutality of moving through white Australia in a queer Black body. Despite the heavy themes, writer/performer Aliyah Knight and director Bernadette Fam are able to balance elements light and dark well. The audience goes on a journey with Snakeface, a freshly dumped 23-year-old, as she rampages through the queer clubs and art studios of a slightly surreal Sydney, recounting relatably awkward high school experiences, and falling in love with her teenage bestie (an experience that’s all too relatable for those of us who grew up questioning our sexuality).  ...beautifully poetic, dancing steadily through the heavy moments as well as the lighter parts of the story Knight gives an incredibly powerful and emotive performan