Geelong's Back to Back Theatre has brought back their most audacious play, Ganesh Versus the Third Reich, at a time when its themes resonate more than ever. The company, known for its intellectual acuity and courage, won the Ibsen award in 2022 and the Gold Lion at Venice in 2024. This work, premiered in 2011 and now touring worldwide, is one of their finest and most daring.
A Provocative Rehearsal Room Drama
The play uses a meta-theatrical device of a rehearsal room to interrogate spirituality, politics, and the power of symbols. Back to Back Theatre primarily comprises people with intellectual disabilities or neurodivergence, making themes of power imbalance and self-actualisation particularly potent. The narrative follows Ganesh (Brian Tilley), urged by his parents to reclaim the swastika from the Nazis. He travels to Berlin to confront Hitler (Simon Laherty), while the actors break the fourth wall, addressing each other by real names.
Moments of Chilling Clarity
Neurotypical actor David Woods plays the director, initially calm but turning abusive, culminating in an assault on a cast member (Scott Price). This moment pierces the shambolic bonhomie of the show. The play blurs the line between real and imaginary, seeking connection between people. The ensemble's humour and vulnerability create communalism, but they also deliver moments of otherworldly theatrical effect that shock the audience into silence.
Technical and Theatrical Ingenuity
Bruce Gladwin's direction uses prosaic materials to stunning effect. Long plastic curtains create scenes, while shadow puppetry, projections, and Andrew Livingston and Bluebottle's lighting design alternate between lush poeticism and charming frugality. Shio Otani's costumes are witty, and Jóhann Jóhannsson's score thrums and soars.
A Statement of Solidarity
Seeing the show again after a hiatus is fascinating and bracing. The work hasn't altered except for one cast change, but the world around it has. Fascism is resurgent, and the play feels like a statement of solidarity, a plea to shared humanity. It depicts an act of restitution, taking back power from hate symbols. Back to Back's ensemble refuses to be reduced to symbols, returning at a pivotal moment to challenge populists like Nigel Farage, Donald Trump, and Pauline Hanson. Ganesh Versus the Third Reich runs until 19 June at Union Theatre, Melbourne, before heading to Paris.
