Playwright Erica J. Brennan’s horror-inspired black comedy intertwines folklore and a fault-laden dinner party to explore modern day discussions on the regulation of bodily autonomy.

The story centres on Brennan’s interpretation of the ‘dentata myth,’ a horror story in which women’s reproductive organs grow teeth or another defence that castrates those who assault them. The Hero Leaves One Tooth ideates a world where women have erupted with these defences over the course of a decade and considers the implications of their removal, mandatory or otherwise.

The myth is brought into the 21^st Century in the form of a dysfunctional dinner party thrown by anxious Felix and his girlfriend Neeve, who can’t stop texting her ex. As the couple’s friends arrive, they surrender their phones for a night of ‘real, analogue connection,’ but the trauma of the dentata evolution is festering and primed to erupt in itself.

It’s an interesting concept, the dentata component introduced a little late in the plot but the dinner party context and mundane activities involved in hosting a rambunctious group of diverse people an entertaining backdrop to the more fantastical elements of the story. The large cast fills the stage for considerable periods of time, a directorial challenge wrangled well by Camilla Turnbull who ensures every presence has purpose and contributes to the broader story. Kira-Che Heelan as Neeve, a woman struggling with the realities of her dentata, achieves layers of complexity and Cara Whitehouse as Kadi is compelling as a physician in this new world, grappling with questions of reproductive rights and consent.

The other characters, while also well performed, were quite underdeveloped. It isn’t clear how Neeve and Felix (Michael McStay) could have become a couple, and Felix’s relationships with other characters, particularly Gem (Tom Rodgers), need context to have the emotional impact they’re clearly designed to.

Set design is impressive, Meg Anderson managing to create the atmosphere of a lived-in home without the intimate stage of KXT feeling overstuffed. Original songs by Jake Nielsen bring an atmosphere of raised stakes, the first a folksy ditty one would sing around a camp fire in the dark and the second brooding electronica with whispery vocals. While impactful, they feel quite random within the performance.

Purchase your ticket to The Hero Leaves One Tooth here.

Orange Wine | Wine Pairing

Orange wine is made by keeping white wine grapes on skins for a little while, which gives the wine more colour and texture than a regular white wine. The added texture and interesting texture this method gives the wine makes a nice pairing for a tense, trauma-informed dinner party.

The Hero Leaves One Tooth, Ratcatch Theatre | Tasting Notes

Aussie Season	14 to 29 July 2023, KXT on Broadway. Produced by Ratcatch Theatre
Ticket $	$35-45
Writer	Erica J Brennan
Director	Camilla Turnbull
Theatre Type & Genre	Play, black comedy
See it if you like	horror-style folklore
Wine Pairing	Orange wine
Criteria for Wine Pairing	textural