Selkie
The Warehouse Theatre
Fri 13 Mar, 2026

The intimate space at The Warehouse Theatre is ideal for this thriller of a show. It draws us in exactly as we can be lulled into accepting our work colleague is the regular nice guy he appears to be. The twists and turns literally keep coming, the dialogue ably assisted by body language strong enough to portray the raw emotions on display.

These surprises jolt us along in a story that at first seems innocent, even ordinary. Except that the female character is definitely acting irrationally. Well, she's an actor, yes, but her actions and her explanations for these actions are not understandable. She's suffering under some sorts of delusions, and the male character is only too ready to be kind, caring and helpful. But his ability to listen to her nightmares and wild fantasies has limits, and the plot grows increasingly sinister. Her voice is suppressed, sometimes a little too quietly.

Her confusion is assuaged over and over by her partner, and they lovingly make up once more, just as he patches up her wounds. Their bonding is beautiful to watch, and we think that they really are a normal, healthy couple, cuddling on the couch. Hey, who doesn't have the odd argument? However her weird tales persist, and we gradually suspect there is something going on below the surface. Not as obvious as an elephant, but is there a whale or seal floundering in the room?

Her need to have the natural environment that nurtures her unique being continues to gnaw at her soul. Despite his loving entreaties, we are compelled to believe there may be some substance to her dreams. Couching this hard-hitting drama in the strands of an ancient myth makes for a robust vehicle. Much more than a Trojan horse, this on-going saga is made as modern as the latest stealth weapon. Or like an unmarked van that can slip quietly into your neighbourhood, un-noticed until its too late.

The statistics show that this same scenario must be happening inside houses in every street of every suburb of every town and city. It is a sad indictment that such a pressing issue needs to be raised, again and again. But the truth is, it is constantly swept aside or completely ignored in the media, despite its urgency. Condensing this complex subject into an hour of excellent, powerful story-telling is a remarkable achievement.