Canaries

‘Canaries’ is a new play written and directed by media student, Kathryne Clarkson. It is being performed at The Hayman Theatre, Curtin University in Bentley, with only one performance of the run left - on Sunday the 16^th August at 8.00 pm

I do not normally write reviews on this site for the plays that I have seen performed by the university students at Curtin, but this 40-minute show was quite outstanding.

       The scene is an old folks home, with the usual selection of aged inmates dozing in their chairs. The miserable and overbearing grump, Edgar (Nathan Hitchins) wakes up and tells the chirpy lady opposite, Meryl (Liz Frodsham) who is singing as she knits, to ‘Shut the hell up’, or he will kick her off her perch.

       When Ted (Alex Brittan) awakes and mentions the name of a long lost love, then jealousy occurs. Even the patience and understanding of caring Douglas (Andrew Thom) does not seem to appease the situation. It then becomes apparent that the characters are in fact four canaries in a cage – or are they just so senile that they think that they are?

This is the hilarious, and yet touching, tale of old people. If you have visited an elderly relative on a regular basis, then you will appreciate the acute observation of the writer, and the study of the delicate movements of the elderly by the actors.

Totally hilarious.

Clarkson is a writing talent to look out for in the future.