Last weekend I attended a performance of Illyria. It was confronting in parts and its taken a week for my thoughts to percolate down.
The acting was brilliant and I especially loved the blending body and text throughout. The choreography added depth and poetry to the play and was an inspired juxtaposition against the raw and traumatic subject matter.
This following description is taken from the Illyria Facebook Page:
“Curtin’s Performance Studies and the Hayman Theatre Present Bryony Lavery’s ILLYRIA Directed by Teresa Izzard Created collaboratively with the Ensemble …
Illyria is a play about war- its futility and machinations. It is also a play about the journey towards forgiveness and peace.
An Australian journalist gets lost in a war torn land and is witness to events that alter her. Through poetry, storytelling and compelling images ‘Illyria’ takes us along for the ride.”
Kim Coull 
She sits in stunned silence after reading the review… Sounds a bit too intense for my naive tastes. I’m afraid you are much more sophisticated than I am. I’m more the “watch-the-Bar-J-Wranglers-sing-and-joke-around-on-stage” type person. Blush. I would say your review more than did the play justice, however. You are such an amazing, articulate writer. I always love reading what you’ve written no matter what the subject matter. xxx
Calensariel, well, it was a challenging and confronting play. I know how you love dance and there was a great deal of body movement in the play that combined poetry and trauma on a powerful way. I am sure you would have loved that part of it especially and been moved had you been there. My piece maybe highlights its raw and traumatic energy rather than its lyricism so perhaps I haven’t done it justice! As for you being naïve! Hmmm, I think not! But next time I am in Utah you will have to take me to see the Bar J Wranglers! Thanks for your very kind words.