Ladies Downunder

‘Ladies Downunder’ by the young Nottingham writer, Amanda Whittington, is the sequel to ‘Ladies Day’ that was presented by the same company last winter. It is showing at the Harbour Theatre, Port Cineaste Building, 70 Adelaide Street, Fremantle at 8.00 pm until 23^rd July. Matinees on Sunday 10^th and 17^th July at 2.00 pm. 

    Four Hull fisher wives, who won hundreds of thousands of pounds at the Ascot Races, then formed love bonds. At the end of last year’s play, they decided to see the world with their winnings – this sequel is their experiences in Australia.

    TV commentator Jim (Andy Markland) is in Australia on an extended holiday, and is on his way to Sydney Airport to meet the love of his life, the nervous and digestively delicate Jan (Tina Barker), who is arriving with her three workmates from England, when he finds himself stuck in the Blue Mountains surrounded by bush fire – all communications are down.

     We go over to the flight as it leaves Manchester. The matriarch of the group, Pearl (Ann Speicher) is guiding her three friends through the red tape. The homely, caring, buxom Linda (Jade Craig) is helping the brash, lecherous, yuppie Shelley (Sherrilee Walsh) with all her designer bags and suitcases. In a different country, there will be nothing to hold Shelley back.

     On the plane, the two flight attendants (Andy Markland and Trevor Dhu) care for their passengers like no others.

     A quick trip to Bondi Beach puts Shelley ‘in heat’ when she meets up with surfer Shane (Sam Cochran). Will Shane’s beach bum friend Charlie brings joy to Pearl? Will Jan and Jim meet, or miss each other for ever? What will be Sydney’s biggest attraction for the girls?

Director Peter Kirkwood, with yet another VERY funny, fresh and original script, retained last year’s most successful team and kept the pace bounding along. The good old Aussie tunes that were played whilst the scenery changes took place were a joy.Director Peter Kirkwood, with yet another VERY funny, fresh and original script, retained last year’s most successful team and kept the pace bounding along. The good old Aussie tunes that were played whilst the scenery changes took place were a joy.

The set design was ingenious (Peter Kirkwood), giving convincing backgrounds and locations ranging from the beach to an aircraft cabin. The many changes were well organised by Jo Sterkenburg with her team of Brian Mahoney and Phil Redding.

The lighting (Rob Tagliaferri) was most effective, with some tricky, but most successful, effects required for several scenes. A very well constructed sound effects track (Peter Kirkwood), which had a great deal of thought and effort put into it.

It was good to see the make-up artist, Nicole Miller with programme and publicity official Nicola Bond getting the chance to appear in a daring cameo at the end of the play.

The theatre is cryogenic – bloody freezing – so take your granny blankets along, and if possible donate them to the theatre group afterwards. The actors in their skimpy beach gear ignored the goose bumps and managed to deliver their lines without too much of a quiver in their voices.

Often the sequel is markedly inferior to the first play; here the quality in all sections was just as good. A very funny play which will please all ages.