Death By Chocolate

Ow. Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow. This play is painfully punny, but the young cast elicited more laughs than some adult productions I've seen. "Death By Chocolate" was performed by the Year 12 Drama students at St Norbert College (Queens Park, WA). An Agatha Christie spoof, it was filled with one-liners - some hilarious, some physically painful.

A real tour de force for Stephen Warren, playing a young Stephen Fry, playing the operator of a Health Farm where people keep getting poisoned. Excellent comic timing, suave delivery and self-assured body language. I also liked his secretary, Dyslexia, played by Lisa Johnson. A little bit quiet, but very classy and seemed to simply glide across the stage.

Not quite classy enough was Lady Riverdale's costume and sandals. A very nice plummy accent from Lauren Cayoun, to be replaced by surprisingly contrasting street-talk when her less-than-refined background was uncovered. I'd blame the costume designer, but she knows where I live.

Purely for comic relief (as if the play needed any), aerobics instructor Dick Simmering was played in high camp fashion by Adam Palermo. Yes it's a terrible cliche, but geez it was funny. Costume, makeup, body language - everything worked. Great lines and great timing made him an audience favourite.

I've mentioned it a couple of times, but the comic timing really was very good. I'd be inclined to suggest that director Kerri Hilton might have emphasised this through rehearsals, but it may just be the natural talent of these students. :-)

Another standout was that everyone stayed in character, and were truly listening to what everyone else was saying. One of the best examples of this came from Carly Nelligan, who delivered (almost) every line through a mouthful of food. She sat on the couch constantly munching Tiny Teddies but was always in the moment.

Good Support from Courtney Tsard, John Leotta, Craig English, Scott Sheridan, James Bowers and Peter Curruli, all of whom got their chance in the spotlight.

Very, very corny, and the dialogue was a little hurried and/or cringeworthy in places, but they almost never trod on the laughs. Well done guys, that's one of my pet hates. Well done also for keeping going without missing a beat when the lights blew. I'd blame the lighting operator, but, well, you know....

There's only one performance left, this Friday night, May 31. The show starts at 7:30 pm in the Xanten Performing Arts Centre in the school grounds (just off Treasure Rd). There is an interval where complimentary homemade chocolates - what else - are served. I think the tickets are only $5 (someone else picked them up for me). You could do a lot worse than check out these talented teenagers. (Oh all right, the mud-wrestling director is obviously very talented too for forging such a well-oiled team.)

JB