This production is a community partnership between Laughing Horse Productions Inc. and the Koorliny Arts Centre. The show is in the comfortable, 72-seat, black-box theatre, with cabaret seating, so BYO food but no alcohol.

The 90-minute shows are at 8.00 on Friday and Saturday nights until 23^rd July, with a matinée on Saturday at 2,00 pm.

The scene is backstage at the Theatre Baroque. The stage has had one third removed, so part of the acting area – the green room – is at the same level as the cabaret seating. The raised stage shows the on-stage area, behind the back wall flats of the play being enacted. The very realistic set, with numerous props, was the work of the whole team. The sound and lighting was professionally operated by the Koorliny staff.

       The actors and crew gradually drift onto the stage ready for the final rehearsal of ‘Don Juan in Cleveland’, an absurdist play written by young Jenny (Emmalee Bialas) – or ‘Skippy’ as she is known to the cast. When called by the stage manager, Maxine (Kelly van Geest), the arrogant stage idol of a generation ago, Burton Cavendish, does not appear. The director, Lou (Nicola Chapman), who is being driven mad by the demands of the aging diva, Mercedes (Shelley Whiteaker) sends her young assistant director, Polly (Alexis Mercer) into Cavendish’s dressing room to chase him up.

        Meanwhile, the cast with minor parts, including multi-talented, character actress, Claire (Tracy Bolton) and Roman soldier, Agnes (Jodie Sweetman) are settling down off stage for a game of cards with the costumer, Yolanda (Linda Bickley) – a born card shark. Poverty stricken actor, Efrem Lockhart (Zac Nesbitt) is actually living in the theatre, unknown to the cast or management.

        Minutes before curtain-up, Cavendish is found dead. Whatever happens, the show’s producer, Mr Oberclaw (Michael Forman) must not find out. Cavendish’s understudy is newcomer, Ajax (Sam Barnett) but will he be good enough to fool the audience that he IS Cavendish? Perhaps if lighting tech, Goose (Jaime Bialas) dims the lights the ruse might come off. Then several of Ajax’s worst nightmares happen together – his mother (Rach Hayter, great) arrives followed by Cavendish’s biggest critic, Tyler Barrington (Mishka Miller) and a threatening, heavy built man, Pete (no name credit given – Lawson Sweetman? – but one of the stars of the show) who is a sex magnet for Ginger (Philippa Bialas) yet another starving actress.

        Will the show be a disaster? Will it be cancelled? Their future looks grim.

With a cast of 16 and a complex scene set by the playwright, I thought the first few minutes could have been edited and the characters reduced by 3 or 4. However, in the hands of such an experienced director, Adam Salathiel, aided by his assistant director, Cally Zanik, the cast conquered their characterisations perfectly, and ensured the show moved along at a cracking pace.

The director was faced with how to blend of a straight comedy, a drama and a farce? How should he direct the show? Well he achieved the ideal balance between all genres. With the dialogue constantly moving around the stage, from one group of actors to another, it could easily have become bitty, but the cast knew when to keep their chatter almost silent and never missed a cue. The actors playing the stage crew, had just a touch of panic, but played their parts straight; whereas the actors of the ‘cast’ had the right amount of ‘ham’ and ‘temperament’ without becoming caricatures or it turning slapstick. Well done to all.

My wife, who strongly dislikes farces, loved this show. It was very well received by the audience at the curtain call, and there were many comments like ‘great fun’ heard afterwards.

Just a couple of shows left, and with a limited audience of only 71 seats per show, booking is advisable.

On a cold night, good fun in a cosy venue.

The Saturday, 7^th February’s performance is being devoted to the Kenyan charity, Nakuru Hope‘s (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere) Gabriel’s Orphanage which, although it opened only 3 months ago, is already full with abandoned and orphaned children, along with many rape and assault victims. The orphanage is generally well equipped, but still has no proper drinking water.

This quality production can be seen at the Old Mill Theatre, corner of Mends Street and Mill Point Road in South Perth. The two and a half hour shows are nightly at 8.00 pm until Saturday 21^st February. There is one matinee on Sunday 15^th.

The curtains open to reveal another excellent set. Designed by Adam Salathiel and built by Adam, Ben Davis and Tim Prosser it is of an old fashioned, Perth sitting room at Christmas 1987.

The walls are regency striped wallpaper, and a couple of oak Welsh dressers further adorn the surrounds. A decorated Christmas tree stands in front of the window. The view from the window was extremely realistic (yet another Tim Prosser masterpiece) and at one stage in the play, there was even a downpour of rain against the window.

In the second Act, all of the walls were decorated a trendier, light rust colour; the flock settee replaced with a buttoned leather couch. How did every wall change colour? This must have been a massive task for stage managers Cally Zanik and Daniel Madgwick.

The sound and lighting design were by Kath Carney (the well known spelling mistake – ‘in’ joke). Graeme Johnson helped with the setup, rigging and operated the sound. Kath’s lighting was outstanding; with soft illumination generally and the occasional dramatic spotlight or beam of early morning sun streaming through the gap between the curtains.

       We join a family Christmas reunion, and the spirit of Christmas is definitely missing. Pedantic perfectionist, Monica (Danni Close) is whinging about all of the extra work that she has to do, looking after her elderly Grandmother, Emma (Beryl Francis), although no one has actually asked her to do it.

       Next to an armchair, where her easygoing, non-house-proud, slightly supercilious sister, Alex (Hayley Currie, giving a very strong first acting performance) has been sitting, Monica spots a coffee stain on the carpet. In seconds, Monica has her rubber gloves on and is down scrubbing.

       Auntie Pat (Tracy Bolton) enters the room and catches the end of Alex’s ‘phone call. Pat drags from Alex that whilst living in Melbourne, she has moved into a flat with a divorced doctor. For the sake of all concerned – and Christmas spirit, Pat begs Alex not to tell her matriarchal mother, Sylvia (Judi Johnson) who seems to have quite a few chips on her shoulder, permanently.

       We can see the love and appreciation in the group; their problems with their miserable husbands, and how the years have seen them drift apart. Each one seems to be heading for disaster; however, will the strength of their blood ties hold them together?

Why let a sensitive sitting dog lie when things NEED to be discussed and pointed out? Forget sensitivities or family bonds; just let the feelings flow forth. Do these relatives REALLY want to bring about an equitable agreement?

Not surprisingly, the dedication of the cast is reflected in the distance that they have had to travel, and with some of the cast coming from Mandurah for rehearsals and shows. This demonstrates their enthusiasm and the faith that they have in the well-respected director, Adam Salathiel. Adam, who often goes under the nickname Mut Ley, is a building surveyor by day and thespian by night. The whole cast have years of experience and it shows in the wonderful chemistry between the actors.

Christmas dinner and the ‘relaxation period’ afterwards can be one of the most stressful periods of the year, and in this superbly written dialogue, I am sure that many couples will have nudged each other during the performance, as though to say ‘do you recognise the situation?’ or ‘that is you!’. This play shows us how the square peg does not fit the round hole, or in a Jigsaw, there is always that odd piece that does not quite fit in. You will squirm slightly as you recognise yourself as one of the characters.

Beryl Francis first played the part of Emma about a decade ago – With her husband, Ian, directing. Beryl’s monologue was a real tissue job. Plenty of laughs and gasps as the family relationships unfurled.

A professional show in all aspects. Strongly recommended.

This quality production is an admirable community partnership between Laughing Horse productions and the Koorliny Arts Centre. It can be seen at the Kwinana Theatre Workshop Theatre, Sulphur Road, Kwinana Town Centre. Only a couple of kilometres along Thomas Road from the freeway.

The seating is comfortable but there used to be daises to give tiered seating, or could the seats possibly be put in semicircles with the table as the centre of the circle? This would improve the sightlines.

Performances are at 8.00 pm on Friday and Saturday nights until 13^th September. There are two matinees, one on Sunday 7^th and another on Saturday 13^th, both at 2.00 pm.

The scene is a working class home in Liverpool in the 1980s. The eye-catching setting is a fully equipped kitchen and dinette. The last Act is of a Greek beach scene. Production manager Jon Lambert, stage manager Cally Zanik and the small LHP team have given us a two convincing sets. They have also added a little stage magic by convincingly ‘cooking’ the food on a cooker with no gas or power, and it looked ready to eat – good one.

         We join 42-years old Shirley Valentine in her kitchen, preparing yet another evening meal for her unappreciative husband. Over the years Shirley has found that the kitchen wall is a far better friend, and more responsive, than her brain dead, boring husband. Then one day, Shirley’s best friend wins a ticket for two to Greece and suggests that they go to the Greek Isles together. Being a dutiful and conscientious wife, Shirley has grave doubts at first, and then after much discussion with ‘wall’, she realises how her lifestyle has changed with marriage and decides to go and try to discover her lost youth and vibrancy.

Normally I only mention the programme when all else is so bad that I have to try to say something good about the play, but Danni Close (with the help of Dark Studio Photography), has produced an extremely professional and imaginative programme.

The stage lighting and sound were very good (Alex Coutts-Smith) with a cleverly devised view from the kitchen window.

A few years ago, Adam Salathiel very successfully directed Diana in another Willy Russell play ‘Educating Rita’. Adam has directed this show and again proved his immense ability to understand the meaning behind every line of the rich script.

The star of this show, Diana Oliver, was only a month ago acclaimed for her bold and moving performance in ‘Steaming’, and here she is with a massive monologue, once again holding the audience in the palm of her hand. As a student, I lived with a lad from the Wirral in Merseyside and I really must compliment Diana, she has a genuine and never faltering, Liverpool accent. She credibly shows all the frustrations and confusions of a housewife caught in a boring and lonely relationship, your heart will go out to poor Shirley.

I have seen several versions of this play, and of course the Pauline Collin’s film, but this performance easy wins my praise as being the best version. The Liverpudlians have their own mannerisms and dry innate sense of humour, this magnificent performance captured every characteristic perfectly. Simply remembering the script is a massive task, but to capture the emotions, expressions and character, Diana WAS Shirley. A magnificent performance.