French performers satirise society in shipwreck tale in Carlton

After several months in development, new Melbourne French Theatre company show Il etait un petit navire (SOS Save Our Savings), is now in full swing at the group’s Carlton venue.

The “biting political comedy”, which adopts the metaphor of a shipwreck for the collapse of modern society with its elites and corrupt systems, tells the story of “six desperate strangers stranded by a ferry strike, who risk everything on a dubious boat ride to freedom only to find themselves lost at sea, out of fuel, and sinking fast”.

The play exposes greed, power, and moral compromise and has moments of both “absolute drama” and comic relief, according to producer Michael Bula.

“The theme is we’re lost at sea, there’s no more gasolene, we’re drifting, we’re hungry.

“What’s going to happen? Are we going to stoop to cannibalism?”

Written by playright Jean-Pierre Martinez, and premiering in Belgium in 2019, the work is directed by Paul Wanis and set in 2026 in the current production.

Mr Bula told Inner City News the play, which is performed in French with English surtitles, had so far been very well received, attracting messages of appreciation and strong bookings.

“It’s a very good show,” he said.

After rehearsing since May, the actors had “really come into their roles”, the set design was good, and playing to an audience had “changed the entire dynamic,” he said.

Among audiences so far, along with the regular community of the Canning St theatre, had been schoolkids learning French and local residents who saw posters in the theatre’s windows.

The play, which opened on August 4, runs through to August 15 and tickets include wine and cheese before the show.