Bare Witness Theatre Co. | Review by Sophia Matz
Something for Everyone in Fast-Paced Physical Comedy
25 September 2025
Written and performed by Christopher Samuel Carroll, The Cadaver Palaver is part of a series of Bennett Cooper Sullivan adventures that revolve around absurd escapes and the insatiable desire for ventures to all parts of the world. In this latest instalment, Sullivan details his trip across the Northern Hemisphere on a quest to present a new discovery at the Royal Geographical Society that gets ridiculously sidetracked. The production is physical, witty, and fast paced, ensuring an engaging hour of theatre.
The use of physicality was especially impressive in this production. The set consisted of a couple of Afghan rugs, and the only performer on stage was Carroll, who effectively used his body to emulate the movements of the scene — most notably in scenes of travel, such as the rocking escape by camel or the bumpy commute by train. By using movement so effectively, the bareness of the set and the lack of supporting actors had no impact on the story and was able to create imagery for the audience very nicely. This was extended through the use of voice and character to create variety in the performance. Different characters were expressed through a change in posture and accent – each easy to distinguish from one another to avoid getting confused. This manipulation of body and character was so engaging to watch and created immersion in the story, although it is important to tune your ear to the accent and language of the quick-talking Sullivan, whose Victorian vernacular takes some focus and getting used to.
The moments of audience participation were also appreciated by the opening night crowd. The self-awareness by Carroll (through quips that broke the fourth wall such as “The perils of a one-man show” after he involved a somewhat befuddled audience member) set the tone for the performance and created a light-hearted atmosphere. Whether you appreciated the wittier jokes, the tongue-in-cheek jokes, or the absurdity of it all, everyone was catered to, hanging from every word as the story fell into place by the end. To unite the audience with a suspenseful and comedic performance like this, to sit there knowing everyone else is similarly excited to see where the next twist is headed, is so important to creating community around theatre. The Cadaver Palaver is a truly enjoyable piece of theatre that brings an audience together with a shared sense of belonging.
Sophia Matz is a student in year 11 who is very passionate about theatre and performing arts. Sophia has performed in productions such as the Crucible (Canberra Grammar School, 2024), Much Ado About Nothing (Canberra Grammar School, 2025), Chicago (Canberra Grammar School, 2023), Grease (Canberra Grammar School, 2021) and more. Sophia has joined Young Critics with the intention of getting as much exposure to theatre as possible and supporting the Canberra theatre scene.
