"Absent Friends" -- Woy Woy Little Theatre

Gordon is a character in “Absent Friends” who never appears on stage, but we learn that he had always wanted to be a left arm slow bowler. The play’s beginning led me to think of another theatrical left arm slowie, Samuel Beckett (he played for the Irish universities side -- I’m sure there’s a connection between “Waiting for Godot”, and a long cricket match). However, my initial fears were allayed as the production’s pace picked up.
The play is well suited to the intimate Peninsula Theatre, which holds about 120, in very comfortable seating. The play is a look at the intimate relations between a group of friends (and we use the term lightly). The 6 characters seen on stage are middlish-class, dysfunctional, and have various layers of interrelationships, some of which are elaborated, and others hinted at. Their preoccupation with material possessions is either a symptom or a cause of their relationship malaise.
The set is suggestive of an opulent lounge room, rather than a specific reconstruction copy of one. The outside area is effectively conveyed by a net-covered gazebo-type affair, which allows some of the actors to be occupied offstage, but still be visible to the audience.
The actors all enunciated clearly, and all lines were heard, and their accents varied from pretty broad Australian (Darlene Cole) to a London estuarine accent (Stephen Pearson), a matronly north shore accent (Christine Vale), and a Bob Hawke-style Australian accent from Graham Vale (whose coiffure was not dissimilar to a vintage 1980s Hawkie, especially when he was swishing a squash raquet around the stage).
The actors did a splendid job, and interacted well. I would like to highlight Stephen Pearson (without detracting from the others, who were all fine), who had the plum character role as Colin, the friend who has not been seen for 3 years, and who was never well-liked anyway. Stephen has played several roles for Woy Woy recently, and is a real talent. The pace and dynamics of the show picked up when he arrived on stage, replete with Harry-Highpants dacks (revealing tan socks with black shoes), and a beautiful gait which encapsulated his character. A minor point is that I would have loved to see a row of coloured biros in the pocket of his white shirt. On the same theme, with a very minor point, a designer might have given a unity to the clothing worn by the characters, which looked fine individually, but didnÂ’t quite gel as an ensemble -- but this is a picky point. Returning to Stephen, he should be snapped up by any professional company (if such a thing exists in Australia!).
There is a problem with the play’s structure, for the director, Nigel Stanley ; namely, that Evelyn (Sarah Willemen) spends a good deal of time on stage without saying much, but making others feel awkward. She has to do enough to be irritating to the cast, without distracting the audince. Likewise, her husband, John (Marc Calwell) has to spend a lot of time worrying on stage, pacing and unable to relax -- but again must not distract the audience. Added to these periods of “no action” are some well-paced segments where all members of the cast are talking and acting at once -- a rarity on stage. Nigel Stanley achieved a good balance with these problems. His casting of these players is superb ; they fit their characters, and they fit each other.
This is the third play from Woy Woy Little Theatre this year, and the standard is always high (there are also childrenÂ’s productions). Since 1962, Woy Woy has continued to present an enjoyable mixture of plays.
To the play itself, which is not a great favourite of mine -- but this does not reflect on the Woy Woy production, which is very worthwhile. My only other exposure to Alan Ayckbourn is his TV series, “The Norman Conquests”. “Absent Friends” has similar themes of marital discord, near-farcical comings and goings. In this play, I found Diana’s breakdown something of a non sequitur, almost as if the playwright thought there needed to be an emotional highlight, so slung one in. I am also unsure whether the play sends up the middle class, or merely reflects it, allowing us to see our frailties. We’re obviously not looking at a major tragic play like “Hamlet”, but it is a tragedy writ small, with comical moments. In either case, in the Australian context, during the play I couldn’t help but think of “Kath and Kim”, which does the job better for Australians, and whose characters, unlike the friends in Ayckourn’s play, have some likeable and redeeming feaures.
Thanks to all concerned for this interesting production.