In Gulls the lives of a community of fringe dwellers - a small group of human seagulls - and larger forces of structure and order collide. Ultimately, brutally so. The show is a presented in a poignant, feeling mode yet is detached, with the narrative being continually interrupted by reflective songs.

Archival video extract from Gulls by GJ Kalic and Company performed Taking Liberties Constance Street Studio Theatre, Fortitude Valley Brisbane, Qld. Featuring singer-songwriter Andrea Bridge. Ensemble: Becci Bryne, Dennis Bryne, Mick Earnshaw, Donna Hickey, Steve Hyde, Heather Johansen and Tim Marchant and Ian McNish. Set Design by Steve Burrows and GJ Kalic. Directed by GJ Kalic. A Taking Liberties Theatre Co. production.

Review

We enter the world of the quintessential Aussie battler and meet a tight-knit group railing against "progress" swallowing their home. They're a band of colourful personalities, though disparate each with their own quality of strength, unified by passion for life - their life - regardless of whether it fits anyone else's notion of a good one.

The title's analogy - the inhabitants are "seagulls scratching for a living" - is apt, because at the same time we perceive these birds as free. The story unfolds episodically painted in broad brushstrokes. Interspersing the scenes are the observational songs of engaging singer/guitarist Andrea Farmer, some bittersweet ballads, some rousing catchcries, such as "She'll be right mate" in which she's joined by the characters to form a spirited ensemble.

... Rather than detailing this community's hardship narratively, which would have made a more sombre theatrical experience, Taking Liberties has concentrated on capturing the essence of these survivors - Brisbane Courier Mail

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