Wild West Spectacle: A Review of The Dirty Pennies' Rumbleskin

One of the great joys of theatre is that every audience member interprets a play differently, leading to a uniquely personal experience. I went into Rumbleskin, the latest project from The Dirty Pennies, with no preconceptions and found myself thoroughly entertained and intrigued by its ambitious vision.

While the production is not without its flaws, its strengths make it a journey well worth taking.

The production is anchored by a collection of powerhouse performances.

Sunanda Sachatrakul delivers a masterclass in acting, presenting a performance of such nuance and power that it feels destined for the silver screen. It would be no stretch to say they have a significant career in film and television ahead of them; their performance is unequivocally the best thing about this play. Equally magnetic are Ziggy Resnick, who commands the stage in their dual roles as Celia and the Preacher's Daughter, making it impossible to look away. The actors adeptly handle the play's intriguing meta-narrative—a "story within a story" concept that is one of the script's core strengths.

However, where the production stumbles is in some of its directional and design choices, which occasionally feel at odds with the compelling story. The constant movement of stage platforms, for instance, often felt superfluous and distracting rather than purposeful. A LED light effect , used effectively in one key moment, was curiously underutilized for the remainder of the show.

These puzzling choices extended to certain character portrayals. Why was the town's backstory given so much stage time, bogging down the main plot with narrative detours? And why did Cassidy Dunn, as the Runaway, perform with a distinct Australian accent in the middle of the American West? The choice was especially confounding as it broke the world's immersion and played the character for comedy, a stark contrast to Dunn's clear talent demonstrated in her more exciting role as the Rancher.

The set design also felt like a missed opportunity. You can see the glimmer of an amazing concept, but the vision seems to have gotten lost in translation, resulting in a stage that felt functional rather than fully immersive.

Despite these critiques, I thoroughly enjoyed myself at Rumbleskin. The strength of the performances and the intrigue of the core story shine brightly, overcoming the production's questionable choices. It is a compelling, if flawed, piece of theatre, and I am genuinely excited to see what The Dirty Pennies puts out next .

Dirty Pennies project Website