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The Bogus Woman Queens Theatre Until Sun 19 March 'The Bogus Woman' is a totally captivating piece of theatre. Actor Sarah Niles deftly and energetically shuffles between a rather extensive array of characters that revolve around and include a nameless woman who arrives at Heathrow airport with a phoney passport. The immigration authorities are characteristically sceptical and have her incarcerated in the United Kingdom's notorious refugee detention centre, Campsfield House. Even when partial freedom is found, she finds many other facets of English society prepared to take their oppressive place. The script at its core entails very strong accusations and criticisms of institutional violence in relation to asylum seekers, not only in Britain but in all the prosperous countries that are ambivalent about immigration, and hence is salient to Australia. The crux of the criticism is fairly simple, being that many such immigration systems, whilst providing a certain amount of security, operate in a manner contrary to human rights. But Sarah Niles' performance drives and articulates the message with such force and persuasion that the point made actually seems original, and this is a feat worthy of recognition. Complemented by pleasingly discrete technical features, including some wonderfully evocative but simple lighting design, 'The Bogus Woman' perfectly achieves what it sets out to accomplish.  |
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