Breathless Fish on a Rainy Day - A Review
Fri, 15 Aug 2003, 09:11 amLabrug2 posts in thread
Breathless Fish on a Rainy Day - A Review
Fri, 15 Aug 2003, 09:11 amSalve
Now I am more used to waiting for reviews than I am to writing them and let me tell you, being part of an audience Watching a live show is different too. All that aside, myself and my wife went along to see Stirling's One Act Season last night. Now I got started in theatre through Stirling so it was nice to go back and still see so many of the familiar faces still kicking along.
To review the plays in a broad, big-picture way, they were perfectly arranged allowing for a gradual build up starting with a sweet comedy about the generation gap, followed by a rather pacy and energetic piece on rediscovering desire and rounding off with a pure office farce.
The first piece, The Rainy Day is Now is a starts off with the first-time meeting of an 81 year old grandmother with her 12 year old (going on 21) grand-daughter.
Joan Carey as Granma Eve portrays the old style philosophies with kindness and sincerity. Her simple tastes and needs are a striking contrast to Tani. She is the Grandmother I think we all want.
Lucy Shurman (who plays Tani on alternate nights with Amy Stenning-Galloway doing the other nights) while a little stiff in her portrayal displayed a keen sense of timing. TaniÂ’s parents are obviously severely well-off leaving Tani with a rather tilted perspective view about money and material things, even by my standards. She had some simply fantastic lines that she delivered in a simple and innocent way that just made them even funnier.
Paul Anderson plays the rather short part of the Bank Manager, Tony. With the plays focus on money and the mystery surrounding EveÂ’s money, Paul is somehow able to portray the importance of EveÂ’s accounts even though she herself is completely unaware. I have worked with him and usually he is behind the scenes or filling a chorus roll. I was pleasantly surprised with his performance.
After a short break, Fish Will be Lovely opened. First scene was that of Elizabeth (played by Gail Vandenbok) staring into the audience through a frame representing a mirror. Very effective. The first thing I heard come from the audience was the she must be cold, and with obvious reason. Wearing a hip-slip and bra, Gail was rather exposed on stage. She was the strength of the show and played the anxious Lizzy brilliantly. Even my wife was impressed and let me tell, you, that says something. ;-) (Love ya Princess xoxo)
The pace was fast with regular scene changing that could have become tedious. However, the crew were just as brilliant as the cast executing the numerous scene changes in lightening quick time. I think these guys should take a bow to.
The rest of the cast were all very strong and entertaining. Carol (Nora Grafdon) playing the all talk and no truth antagonist shocked us as she was supposed to do. David (Michael Dornan) with the other-man Fish-monger was very amusing with his innuendoes and suggestive comments. Josie (Helen Maddocks) was Lizzies unexpected shoulder to cry on and indirectly role model and played the character of strength and self-belief. Finally there was Harry (Peter Francisco). For the most part, he was just a voice off-stage. I was wondering if we would ever see him. We did, eventually. Hats off to you for the bedroom scene. Comic timing becomes very important when the lights are out.
After intermission, we sat to watch the third and final tale for the evening, Breathless. I have worked with Martin Lyndsay (who played the lead Andrew Tucker) when Stirling did Oliver. He did a mean Bill Sykes then. HeÂ’s only gotten better. In all honesty, he could have held this show together by himself. Go see it just on his account.
He was lucky in the fact that he didnÂ’t need to hold much together as it was. The large supporting cast held their own with the disgruntled employees, the distant wife (Fran Gordon), scatty secretary (Valerie Newton-Barnett) and old-flame aerobics instructor (Judith Quinn).
There was a moment in the play where my wife made a comment that echoed my very thoughts. During one of his monologues she said that he had been listening to Winston Churchill, and at that very moment, Martin broke out into “We shall fight them on the beaches” in perfect rendition of ol’ blady himself.
Guys, if you need a chuckle this evening, then go see Breathless Fish on a Rainy Day. Follow the three RÂ’s - Reminisce, Relate and Roll with Laughter.
http://www.theatre.asn.au/eventView.php3?event_id=3162
Vale
[%sig%]
Now I am more used to waiting for reviews than I am to writing them and let me tell you, being part of an audience Watching a live show is different too. All that aside, myself and my wife went along to see Stirling's One Act Season last night. Now I got started in theatre through Stirling so it was nice to go back and still see so many of the familiar faces still kicking along.
To review the plays in a broad, big-picture way, they were perfectly arranged allowing for a gradual build up starting with a sweet comedy about the generation gap, followed by a rather pacy and energetic piece on rediscovering desire and rounding off with a pure office farce.
The first piece, The Rainy Day is Now is a starts off with the first-time meeting of an 81 year old grandmother with her 12 year old (going on 21) grand-daughter.
Joan Carey as Granma Eve portrays the old style philosophies with kindness and sincerity. Her simple tastes and needs are a striking contrast to Tani. She is the Grandmother I think we all want.
Lucy Shurman (who plays Tani on alternate nights with Amy Stenning-Galloway doing the other nights) while a little stiff in her portrayal displayed a keen sense of timing. TaniÂ’s parents are obviously severely well-off leaving Tani with a rather tilted perspective view about money and material things, even by my standards. She had some simply fantastic lines that she delivered in a simple and innocent way that just made them even funnier.
Paul Anderson plays the rather short part of the Bank Manager, Tony. With the plays focus on money and the mystery surrounding EveÂ’s money, Paul is somehow able to portray the importance of EveÂ’s accounts even though she herself is completely unaware. I have worked with him and usually he is behind the scenes or filling a chorus roll. I was pleasantly surprised with his performance.
After a short break, Fish Will be Lovely opened. First scene was that of Elizabeth (played by Gail Vandenbok) staring into the audience through a frame representing a mirror. Very effective. The first thing I heard come from the audience was the she must be cold, and with obvious reason. Wearing a hip-slip and bra, Gail was rather exposed on stage. She was the strength of the show and played the anxious Lizzy brilliantly. Even my wife was impressed and let me tell, you, that says something. ;-) (Love ya Princess xoxo)
The pace was fast with regular scene changing that could have become tedious. However, the crew were just as brilliant as the cast executing the numerous scene changes in lightening quick time. I think these guys should take a bow to.
The rest of the cast were all very strong and entertaining. Carol (Nora Grafdon) playing the all talk and no truth antagonist shocked us as she was supposed to do. David (Michael Dornan) with the other-man Fish-monger was very amusing with his innuendoes and suggestive comments. Josie (Helen Maddocks) was Lizzies unexpected shoulder to cry on and indirectly role model and played the character of strength and self-belief. Finally there was Harry (Peter Francisco). For the most part, he was just a voice off-stage. I was wondering if we would ever see him. We did, eventually. Hats off to you for the bedroom scene. Comic timing becomes very important when the lights are out.
After intermission, we sat to watch the third and final tale for the evening, Breathless. I have worked with Martin Lyndsay (who played the lead Andrew Tucker) when Stirling did Oliver. He did a mean Bill Sykes then. HeÂ’s only gotten better. In all honesty, he could have held this show together by himself. Go see it just on his account.
He was lucky in the fact that he didnÂ’t need to hold much together as it was. The large supporting cast held their own with the disgruntled employees, the distant wife (Fran Gordon), scatty secretary (Valerie Newton-Barnett) and old-flame aerobics instructor (Judith Quinn).
There was a moment in the play where my wife made a comment that echoed my very thoughts. During one of his monologues she said that he had been listening to Winston Churchill, and at that very moment, Martin broke out into “We shall fight them on the beaches” in perfect rendition of ol’ blady himself.
Guys, if you need a chuckle this evening, then go see Breathless Fish on a Rainy Day. Follow the three RÂ’s - Reminisce, Relate and Roll with Laughter.
http://www.theatre.asn.au/eventView.php3?event_id=3162
Vale
[%sig%]
Re: Breathless Fish on a Rainy Day - A Review
Fri, 15 Aug 2003, 09:15 amSalve
I forgot to mention a very important fact. All the scripts were extremely good. They were also written by Stirling Theatre members.
Peter Flanigan wrote both The Rainy Day is Now and Breathless.
Julia Williams wrote Fish will be Lovely.
What is also another important fact is that Peter directed The Rainy Day and Julia directed Fish. It's not often that you get to she a show that is both written and directed by the same person.
Hats off to you guys. Local talent needs to be recoginised and supported.
Vale
[%sig%]
I forgot to mention a very important fact. All the scripts were extremely good. They were also written by Stirling Theatre members.
Peter Flanigan wrote both The Rainy Day is Now and Breathless.
Julia Williams wrote Fish will be Lovely.
What is also another important fact is that Peter directed The Rainy Day and Julia directed Fish. It's not often that you get to she a show that is both written and directed by the same person.
Hats off to you guys. Local talent needs to be recoginised and supported.
Vale
[%sig%]