We can belong to various types of groups, say, of colleagues or friends, or a family, but membership might require adherence to certain rules. We explore the possible costs of loyalty or divergence in Member, written and performed by Ben Noble with “additional words” by some writers well-known to theatre audiences: Ro Bright, Meg Courtney, Björn Deigner, Dan Giovannoni, Elise Esther Hearst and Finegan Kruckemeyer.
The work is a response to a time from the 1970s to the 1990s when gay men were regularly victims of hate crimes in Australian coastal areas. One of these, Sydney’s Manly, is the setting for much of the story.
We begin with Corey sitting by his non-responsive son’s hospital bed. The seventeen-year-old has been severely beaten. But, as a nurse suggests the boy can possibly hear, Corey talks to him.
With an amount of affection, he recalls the time shortly after his son’s birth. We shift to how Corey has gotten offside with workmates through what seems to be a very ill-advised attempt at blokey, tasteless humour. A refusal to accept a rebuke has certainly not helped.
Cleverly, the script lightens the mood when Corey recalls how he met the young woman who would become his wife and the mother of his child. This takes the opportunity to soften Corey, allowing us to see that this seeming hot-head is capable of being more thoughtful towards others, at times.
Corey’s freewheeling recollections turn to the area around Manly; home since his primary school years. Noble does especially well here in painting the scene with words, bringing to life impressionable young Corey, and the group of older boys he falls in with. They are free to roam the area as they like, and the adults watching on, much like Corey’s often-absent dad, aren’t so interested in providing much guidance.
This work doesn’t use verbatim dialogue. However, Noble’s delivery suggests the destructive force that can result from the combination of twisted morality with a general intolerance of difference. We clearly see how this can lead to a very dangerous environment for outsiders, or even those who might question if this is a group they want to be in.
Director David Wood and Noble ensure that the weighty material on toxic masculinity is delivered in a nuanced way, ensuring that volume alone isn’t used as a substitute for feeling. This often suspenseful tale builds to an upending of our expectations.
Changes in mood are supported by the simple but effective lighting design. Live music performed by Stephen Choi takes us from the serenity of crashing waves to the fury and adrenaline of night-time activities.
Having a high-quality script and performance at the production’s core make this a classic example of Fringe theatre. Those looking to squeeze another highlight out of their 2025 Melbourne fringe should get along to this very short season at the Meat Market.
Member
Meat Market – The Craft Room, 5 Blackwood Street, North Melbourne
Performance: Thursday 16 October 2025 – 6.00pm
Season continues to 18 October 2025
Information and Bookings: www.melbournefringe.com.au
Image: Ben Noble stars in Member – photo by Luke Cadden
Review: Jason Whyte