The Cagebirds by D. Campton is a whimsical, Tim Burton-inspired adaptation of playwright David Campton’s absurd 1972 tale. As you enter the Immanuel College Century Theatre, you are transported into a bizarre, robotic-like toy-world. Six figures are placed in various positions on the stage, each going about their own business. Every now and then one lets out a sporadic cry of delight, a loud sneeze, an impatient clearing of the throat or a soft whimper, against the rhythmic ticking of a clock. It is as if each “toy” has been put on repeat, and their owner has forgotten to turn them off after leaving the room.

As the audience – a mixture of the young and middle-aged – eventually settles, the gentle melody of a music box begins.

The play tells the story of six lost souls confined to a cage, closely overseen by the sinister and calculating Mistress (Bec Troisi), who showers them with attention. Here they enjoy a comfortable, untroubled existence, mindlessly indulging in their chosen obsessions: power, beauty, scandal, food, hypochondria and indecision. While, at times, the characters appear to talk to one another, they never actually communicate. Each is locked in their own self-imposed isolation, a physical and psychological prison. However, this all changes with the introduction of the Wild One (Georgia Weinert). As she tries to convince the Cage Birds to look beyond the safety of their nests, she upsets the carefully constructed balance.

Set against the backdrop of a strange and expressionistic world, this darkly comical play delves into the absurdity of human nature; the themes of freedom, oppression, comfort and fear. It explores the extent to which a prison can become a sanctuary.

Directed by Immanuel College drama teacher Kelly Mildenhall, the play was originally performed as the school’s 2011 Year 12 production. Having enjoyed success, Mildenhall decided to enter the show into the Adelaide Fringe, with five of the eight actors being those originally cast.

Mildenhall drew inspiration from director Tim Burton, influencing the set design, costumes and overall concept of the play.

‘In his films he often has a trademark misunderstood outsider – like in Edward Scissorhands. It’s always someone from another world,’ she said. ‘The Wild One was that person from another world.’

The black-and-white colour scheme juxtaposed with the Wild One’s vibrant-coloured costume was effective, and the wacky, gothic-styled windows and picture frames were very Burton-like. However, Burton’s signature style could have been further explored – perhaps the concept of the cage could have been drawn upon, and better represented in the set design.

Mildenhall’s use of levels and character positioning was very telling, with the most dominant characters positioned at the highest level, and the more passive lower down and off to the side. The conscious use of space was also effective, with the six Cage Birds framing the stage, and the Wild One placed in the centre.

The play included strong performances from all cast members. Those of particular note were Henry Sawbridge as the conservative and power-hungry Thump, Marc Lanzoni as the pompous and scandal-driven Gossip and David Grant as the timid and irresolute Twitting. Weinert played the Wild One with great energy; however the character’s constant whining became somewhat tiresome.

If you enjoy journeying through the darker shores of human nature, then you should definitely stop by and see The Cagebirds by D. Campton. This play will appeal to the young and old alike, however, the deeper concepts may be better understood by a more mature audience. This is a play that will draw you in and throw you out again, with something to take home and think about.