'As a migrant, Sandhya is expected to work hard.
'As an aged-care resident, Helen is expected to be lonely.
'As a doctor, Priya is expected to take responsibility.
'And as a nation, we expect them to stay out of sight.
'But now there’s been an unexpected death. And we want answers. Sandhya, on the other hand, has questions - questions we might not be ready for.
'Acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Vidya Rajan (In Search of Lost Scroll, Looking for Alibrandi) weaves a poignant, surreal story about those who exist outside the centre. Brought to the stage by award-winning Melbourne theatre company Elbow Room (Enlightenment, Prehistoric), and featuring Rachel Kamath (Shantaram) and Shamita Siva (Coconut), Crocodiles is a playful and intelligent exploration of who gets to make mistakes, and who cleans up the mess.' (Production summary)
'Despite good performances and a worthy exploration of aged care, the play is not fulfilling in a dramatic sense.'
'I saw a reading of Vidya Rajan’s Crocodiles in 2022 and was struck by how surprising the script was: from how the title connects to the themes of the work (which is about aged care in Australia and immigrant labour who staff the sector), to the captivating dialogue, to the form of the piece. I was excited to see the full production recently, produced by Naarm independent theatre company Elbow Room as part of the Darebin Arts Speakeasy program.' (Introduction)
'I saw a reading of Vidya Rajan’s Crocodiles in 2022 and was struck by how surprising the script was: from how the title connects to the themes of the work (which is about aged care in Australia and immigrant labour who staff the sector), to the captivating dialogue, to the form of the piece. I was excited to see the full production recently, produced by Naarm independent theatre company Elbow Room as part of the Darebin Arts Speakeasy program.' (Introduction)
'Despite good performances and a worthy exploration of aged care, the play is not fulfilling in a dramatic sense.'
