Bargain Funerals

'Bargain Burials' is a zany, slightly risqué, black comedy by the prolific local playwright, Johnny Grim. A Lad in Sane Productions and the Phoenix Theatre Inc are both pleased to present this play’s debut. The season is running at the Phoenix Theatre in Memorial Hall, at the corner of Carrington Street and Rockingham Road, Hamilton Hill nightly at 8.00 pm until 28^th March, with Sunday matinees at 3.00 pm one on the 21^st and the other the 28^th March.

         It is 1976 in the outback town of Wedgiemugurrah. In the local pub Bob, a spiv car salesman (Tony Clarke), is closing a deal on another lousy car.  Into the bar, wander two sad-faced young men (Sean Drill and Anthony Solimo) who have just been sacked from their Council gardening jobs. This is because of the Council’s new private contract agreement with a loathed, local businessman, Jim Corrigan. Corrigan is the type who has stolen a small business from an elderly widow (Barbara Good).

       The lads get a pint from the barman (Peter King) and settle down to decide which direction their lives should take. Perhaps open a business. When dipsomaniac Stu (John Forde) arrives, perhaps he will put in some money to help them.

       Their new business incurs not only the wrath of Corrigan, who sends along his sidekick, Mr Andrews (Kallum Mansfield) to chat to them, but also the local priest (John Davison). Will the business ever take off, could it be a big money maker, or will the lads go back to abject poverty?

Johnny Grim has created a set of believable archetypal Australian mates, all with very distinct loveable characters. He has avoided the caricature approach, with the cast being well chosen and natural in their acting. This is probably John’s best script yet, with a good storyline. He has edited the script well, cutting out any superfluous speeches, which were occasionally a feature of some of his previous shows. The dialogue is ‘family acceptable’ and flows well.

I saw this show on the preview night, so there were a few tech difficulties, slow scene changes and fluffs, but because the audience of 70 (more than half of whom had booked through BOCS) were enjoying themselves so much, were most sympathetic and cheered at the boobs.

Johnny is well known for bravely giving a budding thespian a break. The cast did him proud and I am sure after a couple of shows everything will be spot-on. Special mention to Tony Clarke and John Forde for memorable performances.

After the hilarious 2007 film, ‘Death at a Funeral’, you may think that you have seen every funeral joke in the business, perhaps you have, but here Johnny manages to present a totally new outlook with some very funny lines. The audience all left with smiles on their faces.

I went along on Friday night to see 'Bargain Burials' at the Phoenix TGheatre.

However I must appologise to Tina [FOH], Phoenix as well as the 'ALIST' Production Company for not responding in the usual & expected manner when being singled out as a 'Special Guest' in her preshow announcement.

However as I'm extremely shy & rather timid I was completly taken aback by the kind welcoming gesture. So much so it wasn't till my wife pionted out that it was me who Tina was talking about. that I responded by shrinking further into my chair & I had no idea what to do about it, so I just sat there like a stunded mullet, hoping to eveporate.

I was duly admonished by the misses & later at home by my son & daughter.

I was aprehensive any way attending anything to do with funerals, as I had just battended my Sisters the previous week in Mandurah. So my own mortality came close to the bone. But as Shiela was 9 years older than me, I guess I've a wee bit of time left for a good belly  laugh, which is what Jonny Grims script & cast provided in spades.

The only hiccup was created by the venues 'Archytec' placement of aircon plant room directly over the stage, "because it filled an empty viod & wasted space in the ceiling above the stage". While the aircon niose dosent effect the punters, the cast believe they it is too niosy for them to be heard, so they turn it off to the stage & auditorim.However with the humidity cau8sed by over 100 bums on seats, this only creates a sauna for in the house to tghe effect of a few nearly passing out. My wife was able to hold out by using her programme as a fan, as most of other punters did, until interval. Where upon I helped out side into the fresh air & noticed a few other audience members getting in thier cars & driving way.

I'm know most of those on stage can project thier vioces, as was proved in the second act, after I requested that it be switched on from the stage OP side control panel & open the house exit doors untill the humidity was brought down.

Although by leaving the air con off this does create better bar sales at interval. I remember as a wee kid helping to stoke up the the biolers of the theatre central heeting system, in the middle of a feezing winter in the UK, so more 'Kiora' orangel drinks & 'Walls' ice creams could be flogged at half time - but those days are gone & the Bos's comfort is paramount these days. I'm sure this was not the case here & only could be put down to the misguided audio perception of the luvvies & warm props.

Technicaly the mise en scene was good  with cues carried  very well, which does make a great difference when the SM [Miereva Rusli} calls all cues for the lighting operator [Steve Watson], Audio ops [Robh Harwood] as well as crew moves & the actors warnings. Instead of leaving it upto the wims of the bio box, crew or others back stage.

At long last an actual Stage Manager who knows thier craft & carry it out  - G'donya MIN!