Identity - three short plays
Sat, 10 Sept 2011, 03:14 pmGordon the Optom1 post in thread
Identity - three short plays
Sat, 10 Sept 2011, 03:14 pm
‘Rules of the game’ written and directed by WA’s very own, Lis Hoffmann.
By Special Arrangement with Stella Theatre Company
Kerry (Nina Deasley), who is accustomed to the high life, arrives home one day to find her bags packed and her partner gone. She decides to fly west to Perth, and return to the security of the family home.
When Kerry arrives, she is devastated to find that her father has died and that her homely sister, Jacquie (Leanne Curran) and nephew, Boyd (Tobias Cook) have inherited most of the father’s money.
In an attempt to get her share of the inheritance, Kerry invites Jacquie out for a meal. Jacquie makes a few flippant offers which are hard to achieve, then Kerry meets Colin (Neil Lucanus), another broken hearted lover. Could this be the start of a new life or just further complications?
This is a beautifully written script, with tragedy, love, heartbreak and comedy, all blended skilfully together. Very well directed by the author, Liz Hoffmann, who just as the storyline was getting a little too heavy, injected a bit of humour. This worked very well without detracting from the anguish of Kerry. All actors were excellent, but Nina Deasley managed to enshroud herself with the complex character, giving an exceptional performance of someone hurting deeply, but still fighting for another day.
A wise move to put this serious play on first.
‘The Pursuit’ by Lis Hoffmann, directed by Cody Fern
By Special Arrangement with Stella Theatre Company
Pub performer, Marlene (Lynda Butler) is decaying mutton dressed as lamb, as she desperately tries to hang onto her youth and long gone successful days of singing. Now she is simply an embarrassment to her daughter Britt (Verity Softly), who has been dragged around the State’s sleazy joints numerous times as a child. Now Britt is trying to better herself, but with little solid advice to build on, she looks set for the same steep decline as her mother. Then, one stormy night, a bedraggled, well-educated girl, Paula (Rina Freiberg) turns up at their room clutching an envelope.
Will things get even worse or start to improve from Marlene and Britt?
I saw this play about twelve months ago at The Camelot Theatre and was most impressed. Since then Liz seems to have tightened up the script, and ‘enriched’ the characters. This version was so much better. Marlene was much rougher, with her part being a lot more verbally and physically demanding. Britt is streetwise, but yet sadly naïve when it comes to love. The strange girl, who came into their lives, exhibited more confusion and sad desire than in the last version. Three very demanding parts all perfectly played.
A memorable production.
‘Erica and Me’ written by British playwright, Alan Robinson, directed by Aaron Skinner and Thomas Dimmick
By Special Arrangement with Lazy Bee Scripts
When Simon (Sam Cochran) hears that his boss, Mr Collings (Norm Heath) wants to visit him at home, to assess the ‘family set up’ before offering him promotion, Simon panics. He has no family, not even a girlfriend. However, if he gets a friend, or a friend of a friend, to act as his partner, then all will be well.
When a French beauty (Roxanne Fernandes), with practically no English arrives at his flat, he presumes that this is the girl that has been arranged for him – Erica.
The door bell rings and the henpecked businessman, Mr Collings is there, along with his slightly dozy wife (Ann Speicher), who has an annoying ability to constantly use the wrong words. They assume that the French girl is Erica, of whom they have heard so much, but then the real Erica (Melissa Klimisch - interchanges some nights with Erin Hegarty) turns up!
There again perhaps this isn’t Erica as yet another one of Simon’s arranged lovers (Sarah Healy) arrives on the doorstep.
Hopefully the final caller, an au pair student (Wieneke Maris), will provide the answer.
Fairly new to directing, Aaron Skinner has grasped a tricky genre of play to direct, firmly and skilfully in both hands and given a truly fun-filled end to the night. The pan-faced French student and stiff upper lipped Mr Collings, coupled with the confused Simon and perplexed Mrs Collings, then add a great deal of beauty with Erica 1 and Erica 2 and the enjoyment is guaranteed. Perfect timing, great team work, and a high standard of comedic production.
What a magnificent sound system Vanessa Gudgeon has to play with. The lighting design, very different for each play, was superbly operated by Rob Tagliaferri. The costumes in each piece were often daring and beautiful, provided mainly by the cast. With a well designed programme, twelve sides of A4 in colour, a great value night.
All three plays were of an excellent standard. A good mix of serious and comedy, strongly recommended.
‘Rules of the game’ written and directed by WA’s very own, Lis Hoffmann.
By Special Arrangement with Stella Theatre Company
Kerry (Nina Deasley), who is accustomed to the high life, arrives home one day to find her bags packed and her partner gone. She decides to fly west to Perth, and return to the security of the family home.
When Kerry arrives, she is devastated to find that her father has died and that her homely sister, Jacquie (Leanne Curran) and nephew, Boyd (Tobias Cook) have inherited most of the father’s money.
In an attempt to get her share of the inheritance, Kerry invites Jacquie out for a meal. Jacquie makes a few flippant offers which are hard to achieve, then Kerry meets Colin (Neil Lucanus), another broken hearted lover. Could this be the start of a new life or just further complications?
This is a beautifully written script, with tragedy, love, heartbreak and comedy, all blended skilfully together. Very well directed by the author, Liz Hoffmann, who just as the storyline was getting a little too heavy, injected a bit of humour. This worked very well without detracting from the anguish of Kerry. All actors were excellent, but Nina Deasley managed to enshroud herself with the complex character, giving an exceptional performance of someone hurting deeply, but still fighting for another day.
A wise move to put this serious play on first.
‘The Pursuit’ by Lis Hoffmann, directed by Cody Fern
By Special Arrangement with Stella Theatre Company
Pub performer, Marlene (Lynda Butler) is decaying mutton dressed as lamb, as she desperately tries to hang onto her youth and long gone successful days of singing. Now she is simply an embarrassment to her daughter Britt (Verity Softly), who has been dragged around the State’s sleazy joints numerous times as a child. Now Britt is trying to better herself, but with little solid advice to build on, she looks set for the same steep decline as her mother. Then, one stormy night, a bedraggled, well-educated girl, Paula (Rina Freiberg) turns up at their room clutching an envelope.
Will things get even worse or start to improve from Marlene and Britt?
I saw this play about twelve months ago at The Camelot Theatre and was most impressed. Since then Liz seems to have tightened up the script, and ‘enriched’ the characters. This version was so much better. Marlene was much rougher, with her part being a lot more verbally and physically demanding. Britt is streetwise, but yet sadly naïve when it comes to love. The strange girl, who came into their lives, exhibited more confusion and sad desire than in the last version. Three very demanding parts all perfectly played.
A memorable production.
‘Erica and Me’ written by British playwright, Alan Robinson, directed by Aaron Skinner and Thomas Dimmick
By Special Arrangement with Lazy Bee Scripts
When Simon (Sam Cochran) hears that his boss, Mr Collings (Norm Heath) wants to visit him at home, to assess the ‘family set up’ before offering him promotion, Simon panics. He has no family, not even a girlfriend. However, if he gets a friend, or a friend of a friend, to act as his partner, then all will be well.
When a French beauty (Roxanne Fernandes), with practically no English arrives at his flat, he presumes that this is the girl that has been arranged for him – Erica.
The door bell rings and the henpecked businessman, Mr Collings is there, along with his slightly dozy wife (Ann Speicher), who has an annoying ability to constantly use the wrong words. They assume that the French girl is Erica, of whom they have heard so much, but then the real Erica (Melissa Klimisch - interchanges some nights with Erin Hegarty) turns up!
There again perhaps this isn’t Erica as yet another one of Simon’s arranged lovers (Sarah Healy) arrives on the doorstep.
Hopefully the final caller, an au pair student (Wieneke Maris), will provide the answer.
Fairly new to directing, Aaron Skinner has grasped a tricky genre of play to direct, firmly and skilfully in both hands and given a truly fun-filled end to the night. The pan-faced French student and stiff upper lipped Mr Collings, coupled with the confused Simon and perplexed Mrs Collings, then add a great deal of beauty with Erica 1 and Erica 2 and the enjoyment is guaranteed. Perfect timing, great team work, and a high standard of comedic production.
What a magnificent sound system Vanessa Gudgeon has to play with. The lighting design, very different for each play, was superbly operated by Rob Tagliaferri. The costumes in each piece were often daring and beautiful, provided mainly by the cast. With a well designed programme, twelve sides of A4 in colour, a great value night.
All three plays were of an excellent standard. A good mix of serious and comedy, strongly recommended.