‘Nexus Theatre’, ‘Murdoch Theatre Company’ and ‘From The Hip Productions’ are presenting this fun-filled production at the Nexus Theatre, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch – near car park 3. The series has a crew of over 40, and combined casts of over 30, promising us something that Perth has never yet experienced.

After a warm welcome from Front of House, Rachel Doulton, the one and a half hour performances commence at 7.30 each evening until 16^th July, with one matinée at 2.00 pm on Saturday 16^th July.

The scene is Saqqara, the City of the Dead in Egypt. The year, 1890. The stage is divided into the Waldren’s home and the tomb of Artek Bey. An inscribed, limestone sarcophagus leans against a wall. The rear wall of the cavernous tomb is covered in hieroglyphics.

Later the stage becomes the storeroom at the British Museum. Another triumph from production designer, Allison Snell and her construction and artwork team, John King, Katie Southwell, Andrew David and Sam Knox. There was clever use of the smoke machines, such as when the coffin was opened, and there were cobwebs everywhere.

The period costumes were stunning, and beautifully tailored by Alli Snell, Sophie Braham and Bella Doyle. The Mummy was not simply wrapped in crêpe bandages, but had tassels and rotting material on him too.

The stage management was slick, thanks to Keaton Howe and his assistant Mike Casas.

       It is Egypt 1890, and we hear the sounds of the explorers hacking through the final layer of stone, before entering the tomb of Grand Vizier, Artek Bey. The leader of the British expedition, John Waldren (Tim Brain) and his labourers, Alfie (Andrew David) and Charlie (Tay Broadley) are first into the cavernous tomb.

      Then Lord Preston (Dean Lovatt) demands that they open the sarcophagus. The leader’s daughter, Claire Waldren (Christie Strauss) is an expert on hieroglyphic, so warns them that on opening the coffin a curse will result on all of those invaders. The casket lid is prized open and the bandaged Mummy, Artek Bey (Andrew Dawson) appears to move. There is a rapid exit from the grave, but poor Charlie was a little too slow in leaving.

       Back in the Waldren home, Claire is saying ‘Goodbye’ to Lady Harriet Preston (Anna Weir) who is being treated abominably by her husband. Young Alfie calls around, and we find that there is romance in the air.

       All of the treasures are shipped back to the British Museum in London, where we meet the mad librarians, Miss Dalrymple (Kate Willoughby) and Cora (Abbey McCaughan) trying to catalogue the new items. As they work, the lights flicker and the attractive Priestess, Abrar Ali (Bella Doyle) seems to appear from nowhere. Uttering ancient texts, she commands Artek Bey to come back to life.

      Will her commands work? Who will die? Will the handsome policeman (Andrew Dawson) discover what is going on?

This adroit, original comedy thriller was directed by Tim Brain, with movement advice from Tym Sanders. On opening night, there were a few nerves and it took a little while for the play to gather pace and for the actors to project their voices; but by the second Act everyone was tuned-in and the show moved up a few gears. Tim is exceptionally talented in numerous theatrical fields, sound, music, directing etc., but to tackle all of these – and several more – in one play I think might have been a touch too much. Perhaps a separate director could have taken this masterful play to yet another level. It must be said that this is a very clever and brave production, with Tim breaking a huge amount of new ground in bringing it to the stage. So much talent, well done.

The soundscape of creepy noises and bodies being broken was created by Tim Brain and operated by Kiah Van Vlijmen. Tim also composed the musical backing that varied from the double bass ‘breathing’, violas scraping to ethereal organ music – even a burst of bagpipes crept into the score. Tim played the various instruments and was ‘accompanied’ by legends Anne Dudley, Jaz Coleman, Erik Satie and the Warner Music Group.

Scott McArdle’s ingenious, complex and highly atmospheric lighting design was set by Katie Southwell, Sarah Bond and Bella Doyle; being operated by Katrina Johnson. The imaginative makeup and hair designs were supervised by Leah Toyne and Sophie Braham.

The main cast members brought depth to the serious drama, with episodes that made the audience wince on occasions – well done. However, the director was a brave man in deciding to mix humour with the creepy violence, an idea that to succeed, takes special acting skills; but the eccentric librarians (Willoughby and McCaughan) captured their brief and chalked up another success for the show.

A must see quality event, but be quick.

‘Punk Rock’ premiered at the London’s ‘Royal Exchange Theatre’ in 2009. Although it has crude and inappropriate language throughout, it is still frequently chosen as a final year text for UK schools.

The Murdoch Theatre Company (MTC), in Studio 411 Theatre (off Car Park 4) at Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, is producing this drama, with music.

The one and a half hour performances (no interval) can be seen nightly at 7.30 until Saturday 30^th April.

 The scene is the second floor library of a fee-paying grammar school in working class Stockport, a southern suburb of Manchester. The set shows a large bay window with small leaded panes, and a box seat the length of the window. There are oak student lockers, tables and chairs, but the whole schoolroom has the appearance of decay and lack of funding. The designer of this quality set was Jessica Bennett-Hullin assisted by Ellie Hopwood. The set construction was by Michael Bennett-Hullin, Jessica Bennett-Hullin, William Burgess and Mathew Neale.

The school costumes were all handmade including skirts and trousers. There were specially designed school badges for the blouses and jackets, a huge amount of work, by Ellie Hopwood, Jessica Bennett-Hullin and Anna Weir.

The production manager, Claire Mosel, and her stage manager Grace Pusey have manged to pull this major production together beautifully.

        Seated in the library, studying for his mock exams is teenager, William (Mike Casas), an intelligent pupil who tends to fantasise. When the new girl, Lilly (Paige Mews), who has just moved to the area from Cambridge enters the room, William is only too willing to help her settle in. The next to enter is the heartthrob of the class, Nicholas (Will Moriarty) who is more interested in the older women than students.

       The pleasant conversation is soon broken by the arrival of the class bully, Bennett (Thomas Dimmick), who is crass with the girls as well as degrading with the boys. He creates conflict wherever he goes. Even his girlfriend Cissy (Bella Doyle) only tolerates him because of his perceived power. When Bennett abuses her friend Tanya (Shannen Precious), Cissy is too scared to support her despite Tanya’s obvious inner turmoil.

       Almost unseen, the school genius, Chadwick Meade (Sean Wcislo) enters the library. As soon as he spots Bennett, he begins to tremble and stammer. Bennett loves to see him suffer by pointing out his sexual inadequacies.

       It is not long before there is a tragedy at the school; will they ever be the same again?

I don’t normally quote paragraphs of dialogue from plays, but this drama has what is considered one of the best monologues in modern writing, when near the end, Chadwick Meade says:-

‘Human beings are pathetic. Everything human beings do, finishes up bad in the end. Everything good human beings ever make is built on something monstrous. Nothing lasts. We certainly won’t.

We could have made something really extraordinary and we won’t. We’ve been around one hundred thousand years. We’ll have died out before the next two hundred. You know what we’ve got to look forward to?

You know what will define the next two hundred years?

Religions will become brutalized; crime rates will become hysterical; everybody will become addicted to internet sex; suicide will become fashionable; there’ll be famine; there’ll be floods; there’ll be fires in the major cities of the Western world. Our education systems will become battered. Our health services unsustainable; our police forces unmanageable; our governments corrupt. There’ll be open brutality in the streets; there’ll be nuclear war; massive depletion of resources on every level; insanely increasing third-world population. It’s happening already. It’s happening now.

Thousands die every summer from floods in the Indian monsoon season.

Africans from Senegal wash up on the beaches of the Mediterranean and get looked after by guilty liberal holiday-makers.

Somalians wait in hostels in Malta or prison islands north of Australia.

Hundreds die of heat or fire every year in Paris. Or California. Or Athens.

The oceans will rise. The cities will flood. The power stations will flood. Airports will flood. Species will vanish forever. Including ours.

So if you think I’m worried by you calling me names, Bennet, you little, little boy, you are fucking kidding yourself’.

 On arrival at the theatre, a clue as to the play content is given by the front of house, St Trinians schoolgirls Kiah Van Vlijmen, Claire Mosel and Rhiannon Moon. In the theatre a feature punk duet, Michael Bennett-Hullin and William Burgess, belted out the preshow music. They also filled in briefly between the scenes.

Bella Doyle and Shannen Precious’s clever lighting design changed subtly with the mood of the classroom conversation (carefully operated by Tijana Simic). Combined Corina Brown’s sound design (operated by Jordan Baynes) the atmosphere was electric.

The magnificent director was Tay Broadley, who along with his co-director Justin Crossley and assistant Katie Southwell, have given us a drama to remember. The choice of cast was perfect. Each actor completely understood and captured the depth of their character’s strengths and weaknesses. The team had impeccable chemistry and timing. Tay has cleverly decided on the slow, underplayed delivery for most of the play, only turning up the drama at specific harrowing points. This took the audience’s breath away several times.

When the play finished there was silence before a half-hearted applause began. I just want the actors to know that this did not reflect the audience’s full appreciation, only that they were stunned and drained – such was the power of the acting. When the cast left the stage, again the audience sat numb. It was clear that a few tears had been cast.

This is one of the most powerful and challenging plays that I have seen in years. Everyone concerned should be extremely proud of their success.