REVIEW: Sophia Morrison’s “Dead Rite”

By Lewis Ulm

The joy of the Sydney Fringe Festival comes from stepping into the homely Factory Theatre, nervous and unsteady as you greet the usual crowd in the courtyard, all anxious yet excited themselves in anticipation for what the forthcoming show will provide. So you travel further into the labyrinthine of different theatres - all with a different charm but possessing the same intimacy - and then sit down, waiting for the show to start. 

But even though it felt like I’ve made the treacherous Fringe journey a thousand times now, even the most experienced traveller would be surprised by Sophia Morrison’s Dead Rite. 

For around 25 minutes Sophia is fuelled by the righteous energy of absurdist theatre, thrashing through the imagined life of one audience member as she accurately dissects the most awkward and the most ridiculous moments of one’s own. Taking us on a journey from birth to a life’s end, Sophia strives to show the audience the last thing you will see before you die: a life flashing before your eyes. 

And flash it does. The entire performance is masterfully done in front of a projector, with bursts of colour, light and stock images glowing from the stage and, entertainingly, from Sophia’s face. The pace of the show matches these flashes; it quickly veers from moment to moment, character to character, with no point feeling as if it dragged on too long. This pacing also differentiates Dead Rite from a usual stand-up routine, as the speed prohibits awkward moments waiting for a punchline to land, or for the audience to laugh -  it simply keeps going. 

So even if some jokes didn’t land, the audience simply doesn’t have the time to care. Personally, my aversion to absurdist comedy drew concern as I walked in, but despite the style’s inability to make me laugh at times, it nonetheless thrilled me and kept me both entertained and engaged. This effect carried over to similar audience members, as all eyes were glued on centre stage; all there with Sophia every step of the way. 

This ability to hold an audience is not to be understated. Partly due to the incredible spectacle that was the 550 cues that went into performing the show (massive commendation to Charlie Breene for her brilliant tech work), it is mostly due to the infectious riot that Sophia creates on stage. Whilst crazy and unpredictable in every way, Sophia carves out a strong direction with a solid throughline that underpins the spontaneity that elicits so much enjoyment. Just watching Sophia on stage gave the audience the ability to match her energy; it was clear how much she was enjoying performing it. 

And it’s clear to see why. Sophia plays a zany cast of characters throughout the show, each with their individual moments to shine and their distinguishing humour and, equally, absurdism. They appear in hilarious scenes that are memorable because of the memories they draw out, showcasing Sophia’s ability to pinpoint those horrible moments in our lives and show the humour in witnessing them secondhand, like a large crowd singing you happy birthday (what do you do in this situation? stare? sing along?? you can’t win).

So as the crowd left the theatre (after being preached to by a great Missy Higgins impersonation) the reaction was clear: what an absolute joy of a show. Dead Rite took the audience on an absurd rollercoaster of hilarity but was accessible enough for everyone to enjoy. Spurred on by Sophia’s refreshing style and brave risk-taking, her creativity, talent, effort and passion was on full display. 

Adding Sophia’s show as another Fringe act to my ever-expanding viewership list, I am reminded yet again of the buzz that you can feel as you walk out of an amazing performance. Dead Rite is no exception.