Summer of the 17th Doll **** ½
Sun, 30 July 2006, 12:53 pmGordon the Optom4 posts in thread
Summer of the 17th Doll **** ½
Sun, 30 July 2006, 12:53 pmClass Act’s production of Ray Lawler’s ‘Summer of the 17th Doll’ can be seen at the Rechabites Hall in Northbridge until 12th August.
WA’s well loved actor, Edgar Metcalfe, beautifully directed this play, as it celebrates its 50th birthday. Perhaps as an immigrant I was the only person in Australia not to know what this famous play was to be about.
The scene opens on a VERY credible, quality set of a middle class sitting room. If you can recognise Frankie Lane and Doris Day singing the 1950’s ‘overture’ songs, then this will be a room that you have seen many times before. The stylish costumes of the period were accurate and excellent. Congratulations to Cherie Gillinder for both. Aaron Stirk's lighting helped retain the play’s mood beautifully throughout.
The play starts with Bubba (Miley Tunnecliffe) wrapping some lolly walking sticks for two sugar cane workers who are about to arrive from Queensland, for their annual trip to civilisation. Each year farm hand Roo (Dan Luxton) brings yet another naff kewpie doll for Olive (Helen Doig) who displays the whole collection – so far 16 – around her mantelpiece. This time Roo’s friend Barney (Geoff Kelso) had been lined up with prissy Pearl (Angelique Malcolm) who because of a brief sexual affair as a teenager was still not trusting men in general.
Roo and Barney were hiding something about what had happened in Queensland and to make matters worse, Johnny Dowd (Seton Pollock) arrives. This led to a powerfully acted scene.
I was a little disappointed, as I felt that the play’s script showed its age and had a slow start. This was despite wonderful acting from the whole cast, Olive’s stored up affections, Pearl’s constantly pursed lips, and negativity. Roo’s inferiority complex, and Barney’s ‘jack-the-lad’ attitude. The play – which is basically an intense character study – was a little out moded. The whole audience lifted when Emma (Maggie Anketell) the matriarchal owner of the house came on the stage. Her endeavours to bring a bit of excitement into the New Year’s Eve celebrations, with ‘community singing’ was frustrated by Pearl’s inability to hit the notes.
This is an admirable production with a mixture of good laughs and well acted personal dramas. The story line would probably be appreciated more by the generation of parents and grandparents.
Congratulations.
Class Act’s production of Ray Lawler’s ‘Summer of the 17th Doll’ can be seen at the Rechabites Hall in Northbridge until 12th August.
WA’s well loved actor, Edgar Metcalfe, beautifully directed this play, as it celebrates its 50th birthday. Perhaps as an immigrant I was the only person in Australia not to know what this famous play was to be about.
The scene opens on a VERY credible, quality set of a middle class sitting room. If you can recognise Frankie Lane and Doris Day singing the 1950’s ‘overture’ songs, then this will be a room that you have seen many times before. The stylish costumes of the period were accurate and excellent. Congratulations to Cherie Gillinder for both. Aaron Stirk's lighting helped retain the play’s mood beautifully throughout.
The play starts with Bubba (Miley Tunnecliffe) wrapping some lolly walking sticks for two sugar cane workers who are about to arrive from Queensland, for their annual trip to civilisation. Each year farm hand Roo (Dan Luxton) brings yet another naff kewpie doll for Olive (Helen Doig) who displays the whole collection – so far 16 – around her mantelpiece. This time Roo’s friend Barney (Geoff Kelso) had been lined up with prissy Pearl (Angelique Malcolm) who because of a brief sexual affair as a teenager was still not trusting men in general.
Roo and Barney were hiding something about what had happened in Queensland and to make matters worse, Johnny Dowd (Seton Pollock) arrives. This led to a powerfully acted scene.
I was a little disappointed, as I felt that the play’s script showed its age and had a slow start. This was despite wonderful acting from the whole cast, Olive’s stored up affections, Pearl’s constantly pursed lips, and negativity. Roo’s inferiority complex, and Barney’s ‘jack-the-lad’ attitude. The play – which is basically an intense character study – was a little out moded. The whole audience lifted when Emma (Maggie Anketell) the matriarchal owner of the house came on the stage. Her endeavours to bring a bit of excitement into the New Year’s Eve celebrations, with ‘community singing’ was frustrated by Pearl’s inability to hit the notes.
This is an admirable production with a mixture of good laughs and well acted personal dramas. The story line would probably be appreciated more by the generation of parents and grandparents.
Congratulations.
The Doll
Congratulations to the cast
Got to get tickets (hard to