This tightly written, cleverly structured, 55-minute play can be seen Studio Theatre at the Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley Road, Subiaco each evening at 7.30 until Saturday 25^th June.

The set shows several roadside shrines, shaded by overhanging branches. Memorials set up by the families and friends for their recently departed. The tree stumps are surrounded by a collection of their friend’s personal treasures, varying from religious statues to fun junk.

The scene is completed with Joe Lui’s incredible lighting and soundscape. The tech operator is Jarrod (?) who applied one of the slowest and most subtle light changes I have seen – great work.

      A young couple are laughing and joking as they drive along a remote Australian country road. Suddenly, their car runs off the road and into a tree. Luckily, they are not injured, but their car is in a sorry state. Even when they realise that they are stuck in the middle of nowhere, the young girl, Abby (Amy Johnston) just chuckles nervously at having avoided death; and asks her angry boyfriend, Sam (Barnaby Pollock) what the Hell had made him run off the road.

     As Sam explains, unconvincingly, how he thought he had seen someone and had swerved to avoid hitting her, a dishevelled old woman steps out of the forest. She introduces herself as Ruth (Nicola Bartlett) and starts chatting to Abby. She asks what Abby does for a living, and discovers that she works for a company called ‘Moving On Inc.’ that carries out house clearances for the traumatised families of recently deceased. Abby chuckles as she explains how many unusual treasures she seems to gather.

      After a while, Ruth says she can get the couple’s car repaired, if they can do her a favour in return. A rather demanding favour!

 

There are plenty of laughs in this creepy and haunting play, as it grabs your attention and keeps you in its grip throughout. The three, very different characters are beautifully portrayed by the cast. Amy Johnston, who is in her first major professional production, played Abby; WAAPA graduate, Barnaby Pollock, accompanies her. Nicola Bartlett, who has been much admired for decades as one of WA’s finest actors, gives a superb performance as Ruth.

Directed by Mikala Westall and dramaturged by Will O’Mahony, the body language and chemistry flow naturally in this most enjoyable piece.

This production oozes quality in every department. Many congratulations to all concerned.

This 50-minute, World Premiere Lockwood Production is at FringeWorld, in ‘The Flaming Locomotive’ theatrette, opposite the main entrance to the Museum in the James Street Mall.

Curtain up at 6.30 each evening until Saturday 20^th February.

The central feature of the set is a clever combination of a fridge, a bookcase and a laundrette washing machine, all ingeniously combined into a three-sided unit. Another most effective idea from Cherie Hewson, who designed the set and costumes.

The lighting and sound, along with the stage management, was by Andre Van Vulpen.

         ‘Text’     In the middle of the night, a woman (Talei Howell-Price) wakes up to find that her wonderful, loving husband of ten years (Benj D’Addario) is sitting in the kitchen drinking gin. He seems depressed, and has bottled up a Pandora’s Box of emotions that he is itching to unload onto his caring wife.

A very powerfully written piece, filled with genuine tension and written with a duologue that is completely believable. As the act progresses, the layers build on each other until the pressure is palpable. Superbly acted.

       ‘Williamsburg’     a young Australian girl (Emily Rose Brennan) has been on a working holiday in America, where she met a handsome young man (Christopher Sansoni). Unfortunately his attitude to life is a little immature, and when she asks him to come back to Australia with her, this ‘mummy’s boy’ seems less than agreeable.

Most people will regrettably have had a similar relationship, and so appreciate the heartache it causes. Again, beautifully scripted, handled and presented, with some delicately handled emotion that could have so easily been killed by overacting.

A brave move to try something so new for the first two plays and they worked wonderfully well.

      ‘Let’s Launder Together!’     When a young man (Barnaby Pollock) arrives at the laundrette for the hundredth time, he suddenly realises that on this visit – for the first time ever – the girl of his dreams (Salacia Briggs) is sitting waiting for her machine to stop. Should he approach her? Or will he be rejected?

Damon’s usual genre of work, with his precise quality and talented observation in every line. Barnaby captured the depraved young man, who despite his age was still in his pubescent stage. His cheeky grin, hilarious. Salacia played it cool, whilst being equally excited. This script was Lockwood as we know him.

Three plays which gave a good and varied mix. Top class.

A night of huge entertainment was guaranteed – they kept their word.