Zastrozzi - Master of Discipline

“He will have you... he will have you any way he wants you” I was treated on Thursday night to a sneak preview of Melville’s next production, Zastrozzi – Master of Discipline, the first offering from new director Kirilee Lennerts, and a stunner of a show it is turning out to be! Firstly, a disclaimer, I have a number of friends in both the cast and crew of this production, therefore this review will be as impartial as I can make it. Zastrozzi is a period swashbuckling piece from the author George F Walker. The script is quite heavy, with a number of monologues and a tendency to be melodramatic if overplayed, however director Kirilee Lennerts and her cast have handled the potentially difficult material with aplomb, bringing a Monty Pythonesque quality to the show that has you laughing out loud. The story follows the title character Zastrozzi (played by Jeff Watkins) and his evil cronies Matilda, seductress of Europe (Laila Mola-Gampher) and the brutish Bernardo (Matt Lister) in pursuit of revenge against a slightly mad, rich young nobleman Verezzi (Steven Hounsome) protected by his tutor Victor (Jeff Hansen). Through a dastardly plot, they attempt to ensnare the young Verezzi, all the while revealing the depths of Zastrozzi’s megalomania and their twisted relationships with each other. Throw a pretty young love interest into the mix in the form of virginal Frenchwoman Julia (Clara Helms) and the audience is taken on a whirlwind of dark personalities and very, very dark humour. The set is simple, yet appropriate, with good use made of the floor area in front of the stage. The lighting is dramatic and well timed, with simple effects used to create atmosphere, and the scene changes were seamless and quick, thanks to the efficient stage management of Emma Coyne and Bec Alosi. However, the real treat in this show is the standard of the performances from every person on stage. Each member of the ensemble really seemed to have connected with their characters and owned them the whole time they were on stage – given the range of experiences of the cast, they all turned out a consistently high standard. Jeff Watkins shines in the title role. Having seen Jeff in a number of other performances, this is by far my favourite, and a dramatic departure from his usual style. He had the perfect balance of dark malevolence and light humour, without turning the character into a Dr Who style villain. Matt Lister also shone as the brutish Bernardo, bringing depth to what could have been a two dimensional thug character. Again, my favourite performance out of any of his stage roles I have seen to date. Laila Mola-Gampher sizzles as Matilda, the dark seductress and does some of the most impressive stage combat, whip work and sword fighting I have ever seen, especially from a woman in high heeled boots and a corset, and her love scenes are sure to have the audience hot under the collar. Steven and Jeff have a lovely camaraderie and bounce off each other with perfect comic timing as Verezzi and Victor, with some of the funniest dialogue in the show. Finally, Clara is confident as the demure French lady, handling the character of Julia with charm and grace. Her scene with Zastrozzi and the picnic is one of the funniest I have seen in a long time. Overall, the show was beautifully performed. The sword fighting well choreographed and for the most part well executed, although there were a couple of minor nicks as the cast got really into it, a mistake one assumes they will not make again. There were a few issues with projection at times, and there were a few strange accents and sounds creeping into the Italian, Russian, German and French character accents, however it did not detract from the overall enjoyment of the production. Zastrozzi – Master of Discipline is funny, dark, cleverly handled and is a testament to the hard work of a good cast and a very enthusiastic new director. Highly recommended for a good night out at the theatre! Performing at Melville Theatre: Cnr Stock Rd & Canning Hwy, Melville 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12 or March, 2011 at 8pm 6 March 2011 at 2pm For bookings call 9330 4565 or email: melville.theatre.company@gmail.com Tickets: $17 Full $13 Concession