Shadows ****1/2 A kind of Alaska *****

‘Passages of time’ is a double bill of two 40-minute plays, showing at the Old Mill in South Perth until Saturday 14th October

            The first play, ‘Shadows’, is a story with which most middle-aged people will connect – the care of an elderly parent. Erica Strong (great to see Norma Davis back acting) is a slightly cantankerous widow who lives alone in an old house. Alone that is except for her ‘friends’.
            Her mind has slipped, and like a young child’s invisible pal, she gets security from her ‘shadows’. Then the four lettered word, ‘home’, is raised by her children and the problems start.
            A good strong cast, all working well together under the well thought-out directions from Megan Burley.
            Congratulations to Leon Ousby for his award at this year’s State Drama Festival for ‘best supporting actor’ in this play.
            The director and lighting crew lit the cast in groups for the final applause which helped the audience to give any extra credit to the cast.
            Plenty of laughs, sadness and surprises. Most enjoyable.

After the interval was ‘A kind of Alaska’ by Harold Pinter. A middle-aged woman (Sonni Byrne) wakes up in hospital after being in a kind of coma for 29 years. Her doctor (David Wollesen) is there to consol her, and tries to break the news of her long sleep. The patient is un-accepting and starts to recall what happened in the ‘past week’ to her family.
            Even when her sister (Susan Lynch) calls to see her she finds the situation impossible to credit.
            This sounds like a most depressing tale but the story was filled with life. Sonni Byrne gave one of the best performances that I have seen in an amateur theatre for years and it wasn’t surprising that she was nominated for ‘best actress’ this year.
            Sally Barendse’s directing was wonderful. By keeping the doctor’s diction down to a slow quiet pace, it kept the audience’s attention on the patient. Sally was also nominated for an award this year.
            The sets for both plays, whilst having all the normal furniture and props, the walls were simple black drapes which helped focus the interest onto the drama, in the way that some films would suffer in colour. Another award for ‘set excellence’.

Unfortunately the public must have looked at the two topics and thought ‘too heavy!’ as there was an unusually low turnout for the Mill. A shame as these plays were both well above average. Try to see them.