Durang, Durang

‘Durang, Durang’ sounds like an English rock band of the 1980’s, but instead, it is a trilogy of extremely witty, totally off-the-planet plays, selected from a collection of sixteen short comedies penned by Christopher Durang, a New Jersey born playwright / actor.

The three plays, which have a total running time of  120 minutes, are being presented at the Hayman Theatre Upstairs, Building 102 (next to the Administration Centre), Curtin University, Bentley each evening at 8.00 pm until the 15^th May.

‘Titanic’ (1976) directed by Duncan Sharp.

In the Titanic's dining room, the Tammurai family are wondering why they haven't been seated at the Captain's Table. The mother, Victoria (Verity Softly – a star in the making) announces to the father, Richard (Andrew Thom) that she wants a divorce. The ten-years-old son, Teddy (Lawson Reeves) discovers that he may not be their son. Lidia, their young sex mad daughter (Louise Cocks), consoles Teddy by letting him feed her very unusual collection of pets, which she has smuggled aboard in a manner that only a rubber-gloved customs officer could find.

A series of convoluted and wacky holiday romances starts. Will the ‘dickhead’ Captain (Matthew Randall) listen to the warnings of an iceberg from his leading sailor (Charles Wu)?

‘Naomi in the Living Room’ (1991) directed by Laurence Ashford.

John (Andrew Thom) and his wife, Johnna (Louise Cocks), visit John’s mother Naomi (Verity Softly). Naomi shows them around the house, explaining the function of each room – despite John having lived there in the past, for many humiliating years. When John leaves his wife in the hands of his schizophrenic – psychotic mother for a few minutes, things can only get worse.

‘Nature and Purpose of the Universe’ (1979) directed by Duncan Sharp.

Narrator (Charles Wu) tells us the tale of a fraught and careworn housewife, Eleanor (Claire Calderwood), who is physically and mentally abused by her extremely religious husband, Steve (Andrew Thom) and their three peculiar sons (Lawson Reeves, Kyle Kash-Gregory, Louise Cocks).

Can Eleanor’s salvation come in the form of the Fuller’s Brush Company rep? Or perhaps a friendly nun (Violette Ayad), local, priest (Seth Woolley) or even the Pope (Matthew Randall) may save her from this live off hell.

Writing this play after his strong Catholic by upbringing, Durang is guaranteed a place in Hell.

Christopher Durang’s writing is brusquely satirical, at times even downright sick, but very funny. The humour is unique, I cannot think of any other parodies written in the madcap style employed here. It is a blend of Monty Python, Fawlty Towers and Ubu Roi – absolute politically incorrect, anarchic chaos.

A very strong team of actors played their parts straight, and without any hint of the havoc that was going on around. None of Durang’s characters are in the slightest aware that they are unusual.

Every cast member can be proud of their zany performances in these well-directed pieces.

When these plays were written, they led the way to a new brand of humour, but now the plays appear a little dated. As I have said, unique humour superbly presented.