Across Hellfire - Blue Room

Luke Milton has already established himself as one of W.A.’s brightest young comedy writers with several successes under his belt, with the hilarious ‘Risky Lunar Love’ being his best known. When I heard that he had the first two parts of his latest six part darkly comic misadventures series showing at the Blue Room, one could only wonder would they too meet the high standards of the previous shows? There was no need to worry; the clearly defined and very varied characters had excellent dialogue, each being individual to the particular personae.

When the script calls for ‘a poor flat’ as the set, how often have we seen a single globe, a couple of its of tatty furniture and a set of empty walls? This set had thought put into it and as always, was full of trinkets and objet d’art straight from any garage sale - making the broken down slum flat recognisable by anyone who has been a student. Anna Head’s stage management and her control of Nick Higgins’s inspired lighting design was on the ball.

‘Across Hellfire’ stars well-known local actors Renee Newman-Storen as Amelia, a loopy Internet freak. Paul Goddard as Devlin, her boyfriend, who has some weird ideas about the state of the world, which in today’s scenario seems almost sain. Damon Lockwood, as Wheeler, the totally unpredictable neighbour and Tye Harper the weak flatmate who no one else really likes compliment the team. Tye, who has been seen in such serious productions as ‘Tissue’, ‘The Clink’ and ‘Twelfth Night’, showed that he could carry off comedy equally as well. Good to see Suzie Moore again as the old flame who was unexpectedly in-tune with one of the flat mates.

Devlin decides that as he is fed up with the world and the only answer is to cut himself off from society. Problems arise like; do the others want to be cut off too? What can they do for a change of food? Will sex ever exist in the flat? Lots of twists and turns with the script keeping up the audience interest throughout.

The characterisation by the writer and the actors was hilarious. Great fun. Thoroughly recommended.

‘Content may offend’ usually accompanies Luke’s work, but it rarely does. He manages to take the most bizarre blue comedy to the edge and back without offending too much.

Kerry O’Sullivan who produces Luke’s shows, has once again excelled herself, every show is a full-scale spectacle. One can only hope that Luke and Kerry get the funding to take their shows – which are very well respected by many in the profession - to larger theatres around the WA circuit. I am looking forward to parts 3+4 and 5+6 of the series over the next couple of weeks.

Isn't the Blue Room looking great - and the loos!!!