The Wee Small Hours
Fri, 3 Dec 2010, 09:23 amGordon the Optom1 post in thread
The Wee Small Hours
Fri, 3 Dec 2010, 09:23 am‘The Wee Small Hours’ is a comedy by WA playwright Alice Dale, who also wrote the acclaimed psychological thriller ‘Double Diagnosis’ which was performed recently at KADS. This production by Melville Theatre Company is showing at the Melville Theatre, on the corner of Canning Highway and Stock Road, Palmyra until Saturday 11th December at 8.00 pm, with one Matinee on Sunday 5th December at 2.00 pm.
A wall phone rings, interrupting the dulcet tones of Frank Sinatra singing ‘In the wee small hours’. In the pitch dark, Sara (Mellissa McBride) staggers through from her bedroom, hoping to catch the phone before it rings off. She switches on a table lamp to show her comfortable flat in Perth. What can be so urgent that someone would ring at 4.00 am? It is her sister, Nan (Laura Liddle) phoning from Glasgow - their first real contact in 19 years. Nan announces that she will be coming to Australia for a holiday in two weeks time.
Sara, an established leading-lady in the theatre, is just about to start a new season, so this is not the most convenient time to have a visitor.
After having Greg (John Forde), a well-known star of stage and TV - and a superstar in his own mind - as a partner many years ago, Sara has found that the sincerity and simplicity of a love affair with the stage manager, Barry (Craig Menner) is preferable.
How will the sisters get on after all these years, and will Sara’s past love be rekindled?
There is a voice cameo from Shannon Hansen.
At a time like Christmas, when many of us have family reunions, often the tension will rise. When a relative, no matter how close, arrives uninvited on your doorstep then expect the worse. This comedy will make you laugh and yet cringe as you see your own family get-togethers portrayed.
Director Stuart Riches has given a chance to theatre virgin, Laura, who has a natural flair for acting. Her facial expressions, body language, projection and voice control were well above average for a new comer. However, the first 45 minutes of the play consists of the two sisters simply sitting and talking. This is a big ask for Laura, and even the more experienced Mellissa, you could sense the discomfort of first night nerves. The rapport and empathy between the sisters took a long time to settle in, and unfortunately there were many fluffs. I think that the two actors were not only worried for themselves but each other, so ended up saying their lines by rote. I am sure that both girls have the talent, and one can only hope that the second night will see them relax and enjoy the experience more. When there were all four actors in the scene, and a little more physical action and movement, everyone’s lines flowed more naturally.
The script had a good storyline, but whilst not all that old, could be tidied up, modernised and condensed.
Good lighting and sound from Jeff Hansen. The breaks between the scenes were a little too long.
A homely sitcom with a sprinkling of humour. A pleasant evening.
A wall phone rings, interrupting the dulcet tones of Frank Sinatra singing ‘In the wee small hours’. In the pitch dark, Sara (Mellissa McBride) staggers through from her bedroom, hoping to catch the phone before it rings off. She switches on a table lamp to show her comfortable flat in Perth. What can be so urgent that someone would ring at 4.00 am? It is her sister, Nan (Laura Liddle) phoning from Glasgow - their first real contact in 19 years. Nan announces that she will be coming to Australia for a holiday in two weeks time.
Sara, an established leading-lady in the theatre, is just about to start a new season, so this is not the most convenient time to have a visitor.
After having Greg (John Forde), a well-known star of stage and TV - and a superstar in his own mind - as a partner many years ago, Sara has found that the sincerity and simplicity of a love affair with the stage manager, Barry (Craig Menner) is preferable.
How will the sisters get on after all these years, and will Sara’s past love be rekindled?
There is a voice cameo from Shannon Hansen.
At a time like Christmas, when many of us have family reunions, often the tension will rise. When a relative, no matter how close, arrives uninvited on your doorstep then expect the worse. This comedy will make you laugh and yet cringe as you see your own family get-togethers portrayed.
Director Stuart Riches has given a chance to theatre virgin, Laura, who has a natural flair for acting. Her facial expressions, body language, projection and voice control were well above average for a new comer. However, the first 45 minutes of the play consists of the two sisters simply sitting and talking. This is a big ask for Laura, and even the more experienced Mellissa, you could sense the discomfort of first night nerves. The rapport and empathy between the sisters took a long time to settle in, and unfortunately there were many fluffs. I think that the two actors were not only worried for themselves but each other, so ended up saying their lines by rote. I am sure that both girls have the talent, and one can only hope that the second night will see them relax and enjoy the experience more. When there were all four actors in the scene, and a little more physical action and movement, everyone’s lines flowed more naturally.
The script had a good storyline, but whilst not all that old, could be tidied up, modernised and condensed.
Good lighting and sound from Jeff Hansen. The breaks between the scenes were a little too long.
A homely sitcom with a sprinkling of humour. A pleasant evening.