Keen for a Crownie
Thu, 11 July 2013, 12:36 pmGordon the Optom1 post in thread
Keen for a Crownie
Thu, 11 July 2013, 12:36 pm‘Keen for a Crownie’ is a comedy, almost an adult pantomime, about WA footie legends in the 1990s. It was written and produced by Monique Wilson, a Perth-based playwright. This two-hour presentation is brought to you by the Black Sheep Theatre Company. Showing in the main theatre at the Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley Road, Subiaco nightly at 7.00 pm until Saturday 13th July.
The theatre warm-up was by the wild ‘Knopfler band’. The musicians were dressed in the 90’s gear, with the girl singer attired like Dire Strait’s Mark Knopfler, complete with headband.
It is 1998 in Perth, the golden era of Western Australian football. The stage is covered with artificial grass and at the rear is a revolving stage with an exterior scene on one side and an office set on the other.
Justin Crowne (Ben Jones) is the manager / coach of the ‘Brown Hornets’, a G-grade footie team. As Justin and team captain, Bluey (Simon Robinson) lead their team onto the oval for a practise game, the obnoxious ethnic team who share the facility turn up. Their belligerent captain, Basilio (Andy Johnstone) states that it is their night for the oval. As the captains argue, sleazy Merv (Stuart McLintock) the ground manager announces that all the funding for both teams has been withdrawn and that to survive they must combine and work together.
Basilio’s three sisters, the stunning Lena and Katrina (Dani Hayward, Priscilla Forder) and their sex mad, foul mouthed runt of the litter, Franchesca (Bree Short - amazing) arrive on the scene. It is obvious that the players are more interested on what happens off the field than on it.
Big Baz (James Anstey) suggests having an entertainment night to raise the $80,000 required to keep the team going. Nick Fardin (Rick Cargeeg) takes the task in hand, and starts recruiting team talent such as Phil (Pauly Rowe), a marvel in his own mind. It soon becomes obvious that the team’s stage performing is almost as bad as their field skills. The decision is made to call in the help of handsome Spiro (Kayde Butchart) and his hot sister (Monique Wilson), local professional singers and dancers.
Tiphany Keen (Aimee Jane Thompson) is the daughter of a footie legend, who has died recently. She has managed to get a job at the club offices, but finds that all of the team’s minutes and accounts just aren’t quite right.
Will the team survive?
Was it possible that many of the audience were there to perv the 20 young men in shorts? Director Monique Wilson has gathered a mix of sportsmen and WAAPA friends. Sadly, she has felt compelled to have a large cast to represent the two teams. Nothing looks worse than a cast just standing around, so – correctly - every player was animated; unfortunately this led to pandemonium on the stage, with the first few minutes very confused. Many actors had little or nothing to say, so perhaps cut the cast in half – the audience will still ‘see’ the full teams.
The WAAPA actors were superb, with hilarious mannerisms and great rapport, but then this made the sportsmen look sadly out of place. I have said it many times in the past and unhappily the same most important fault turned up yet again
. The writer was also the producer, director and participating actor - four major talents. Monique proved that she has plenty of ability in all of these fields, but struggled to do all in the same show. An assistant director would have been a great help. The storyline is good fun; there are some very funny moments, with the director throwing in some high-quality musical numbers and quality choreography. This play has a huge potential, but an external advisor is required.
Some of the cast had headsets that actually caused distortion of some of the diction, especially when the rich Greek accents were being employed. Why not make the cast project? The audience loved the show, and like a bunch of kids at a pantomime soon got into the footie match cheering and jeering.
‘Keen for a Crownie’ is a comedy, almost an adult pantomime, about WA footie legends in the 1990s. It was written and produced by Monique Wilson, a Perth-based playwright. This two-hour presentation is brought to you by the Black Sheep Theatre Company. Showing in the main theatre at the Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley Road, Subiaco nightly at 7.00 pm until Saturday 13th July.
The theatre warm-up was by the wild ‘Knopfler band’. The musicians were dressed in the 90’s gear, with the girl singer attired like Dire Strait’s Mark Knopfler, complete with headband.
It is 1998 in Perth, the golden era of Western Australian football. The stage is covered with artificial grass and at the rear is a revolving stage with an exterior scene on one side and an office set on the other.
Justin Crowne (Ben Jones) is the manager / coach of the ‘Brown Hornets’, a G-grade footie team. As Justin and team captain, Bluey (Simon Robinson) lead their team onto the oval for a practise game, the obnoxious ethnic team who share the facility turn up. Their belligerent captain, Basilio (Andy Johnstone) states that it is their night for the oval. As the captains argue, sleazy Merv (Stuart McLintock) the ground manager announces that all the funding for both teams has been withdrawn and that to survive they must combine and work together.
Basilio’s three sisters, the stunning Lena and Katrina (Dani Hayward, Priscilla Forder) and their sex mad, foul mouthed runt of the litter, Franchesca (Bree Short - amazing) arrive on the scene. It is obvious that the players are more interested on what happens off the field than on it.
Big Baz (James Anstey) suggests having an entertainment night to raise the $80,000 required to keep the team going. Nick Fardin (Rick Cargeeg) takes the task in hand, and starts recruiting team talent such as Phil (Pauly Rowe), a marvel in his own mind. It soon becomes obvious that the team’s stage performing is almost as bad as their field skills. The decision is made to call in the help of handsome Spiro (Kayde Butchart) and his hot sister (Monique Wilson), local professional singers and dancers.
Tiphany Keen (Aimee Jane Thompson) is the daughter of a footie legend, who has died recently. She has managed to get a job at the club offices, but finds that all of the team’s minutes and accounts just aren’t quite right.
Will the team survive?
Was it possible that many of the audience were there to perv the 20 young men in shorts? Director Monique Wilson has gathered a mix of sportsmen and WAAPA friends. Sadly, she has felt compelled to have a large cast to represent the two teams. Nothing looks worse than a cast just standing around, so – correctly - every player was animated; unfortunately this led to pandemonium on the stage, with the first few minutes very confused. Many actors had little or nothing to say, so perhaps cut the cast in half – the audience will still ‘see’ the full teams.
The WAAPA actors were superb, with hilarious mannerisms and great rapport, but then this made the sportsmen look sadly out of place. I have said it many times in the past and unhappily the same most important fault turned up yet again
. The writer was also the producer, director and participating actor - four major talents. Monique proved that she has plenty of ability in all of these fields, but struggled to do all in the same show. An assistant director would have been a great help. The storyline is good fun; there are some very funny moments, with the director throwing in some high-quality musical numbers and quality choreography. This play has a huge potential, but an external advisor is required.
Some of the cast had headsets that actually caused distortion of some of the diction, especially when the rich Greek accents were being employed. Why not make the cast project? The audience loved the show, and like a bunch of kids at a pantomime soon got into the footie match cheering and jeering.