‘By the Door to the Bonehouse’ is another top-notch script by Rupert Williamson.

The scene is a large room in an old house. It looks like a cross between an op. shop and a junk yard. Stage managed by Daniel Dyer-Smith, and like an Albee set – a nightmare.

           Sitting in the family home, reading his daily paper is Henry (Tim Lorian – excellent), a pedantic, erudite, irascible nutter. Henry calls for his bright and helpful housekeeper, Sally (Lucy Rossen) to bring him some tea.
           A few minutes later, for the first time in years, his sensible sister Jean (Lauren Meyer) calls around with their emotionless and silent brother, Mark (Giacomo Groppoli). She says they were just passing, but Henry knows better. He asks maid Sally – now a smaller, slightly dim girl (Emily Gale) – to bring some whisky. The siblings spend the night together.
          Next morning, Sally (Elsa Silberstein) – a miserable cleaning woman – is tidying the house. When Jean questions the number of cleaners, Henry is adamant that there is only one helper.
           Things get tense and the police, Hackney (Mitch Strawser) and Jez (Xavier Hazard) are called in.

‘The Many Funerals of Beckett Fitzgerald’, a dark comedy by UWA student, Harry Goodlet.

The set is Fitzgerald’s funeral parlour, prepared for Paul’s funeral. To the left of the stage is a home kitchen.
Dressed in black, at the rear of the stage, is a quartet lead by pianist, Matt Ho. His musicians are Minami Uemoto on flute, Nic Camer-Pesci on cello with Brock Stannard-Brown (alternating with Eugene Tan) on bassoon. The fine incidental music was composed by Jet Kye Chong, and balanced by sound technician, Scott Jennings.

        A nervous young priest, Father West (Nick Morlet) calls into the Fitzgerald’s funeral parlour to see his old school friend, the local undertaker, Beck (Ben Thomas). Having little internment experience, Beck is pleased to give the priest some advice on addressing the bereaved. Suddenly the doors fly open and the departed’s family flow in.
        The grieving widow, Beth (Elsa Silberstein) is there with her new boyfriend. Hovering in the shadows are Ophelia (Lucy Rossen) and Drake (Mitch Strawser), a strange couple who are aficionados of funerals – anyone’s funeral.
        When Beck returns home after work, he finds his daughter Molly (Allegra Di Francesco) after years of friction, has returned home. Her vague partner, Alex (Xavier Hazard), accompanies her. Since Molly’s last trip home, her Mum has died, and it seems her uncaring Dad has a new girlfriend, April (Nina Heymanson).

The writing of both plays is exceptional. Both men obviously have a wild and dry sense of humour, which has translated to the script wonderfully. The styles of writing are very different, and quite novel. In both plays, the quirky characterisation is superb, with every cast member giving great depth to their role.
Either of these plays could be taken up by an agent, or developed into a TV series.
Anais Asotoff and Steven Correis’ lighting was used to great effect in both plays.
The costumes ranged from frumpy to semi-Gothic (Joshua Sanchez Lawson, Nina Heymanson and Sherri Fuentes). Well matched to the personalities.
The experienced co-directors of both plays are Rupert Williamson and Harry Goodlet. It is always wise to have a second person involved, when the playwright directs a play. Here, the co-directors have employed a dramaturg, Jackson Used, who has learned his skills the hard way – at WAAPA, and as a children’s party performer!
The first piece is played straight, and the deadpan humour just falls beautifully into place. In the second play, the pace was a little slow, but again some very funny lines, perfectly delivered with just a touch of pathos thrown in.
A couple of very funny plays served to us by two wonderful casts. There are a few in this group that could be destined for greatness.
A short season but well worth seeing. Guaranteed a few smiles.

Presented by the talented and adventurous University Dramatic Society, this two-hour play can be seen at the Dolphin Theatre, in the grounds of the University of WA, Nedlands each evening at 7.30 until 26^th September.

The rear wall of the stage has a four-metre high, scaffolding frame holding 12 powerful floodlights (lighting design by Thomas Drake-Brockman, operator Anais Asotoff). The stage has areas of various office and medical laboratory equipment. To one side is a home sitting room setting.

The delicate, original background music and powerful sound effects are the work of Ben Thomas and Scott Jennings. The costumes (Sally Clune, Rebecca Warrand) capture the personalities perfectly. Very smooth and quiet set changes (stage managed by Dan Dyer-Smith), this helped retain the play’s fast pace.

     The back wall bursts into blinding light. An ethereal spirit, Ninsun, who was known as ‘Lady Wild Cow’ (Allegra Di Francesco) drifts across the stage and stares at the couple seated on the settee. The woman on the lounge is a hospital doctor, Claire (Nina Heymanson) and the man is her partner, Leo (Rupert Williamson) an intense, nerdy, medical researcher.

     Next we see Leo in a café, talking to his aging, genius mentor, Andrew (Xavier Sweeney). As the waitress (Clare McMath) takes their order, it becomes sadly obvious that Andrew is starting to lose the plot. Thanks to Andrew’s work and that of another hero from 4,000 years earlier, Gilgamesh, Leo is convinced that he will find a way of arresting the aging process.

     Whenever a problem arises, Ninsun, who was Gilgamesh’s mother, appears to watch over Leo.

     In the laboratory, Leo’s main colleague is a hardworking, family man, Damian (Ritwik Ballal). As the two are working their research assistant, Zoë (Kate Hotchkin) breaks the news that the project’s major sponsor has died, and that their only other source of income – from the Institute – is now being reconsidered by the stern and inflexible, Jade (Sally Clune).

     Leo is not happy about the fact that another researcher, Thomas (Giacomo Groppoli), a Casanova who seems to spend most of his time chatting to women seems to have all the funding he needs. Despite warnings from his doctor (Jess Baldock) Leo is determined to conquer this pharmaceutical problem at any cost.

     When Leo does not go to the old folks’ home to visit Claire’s father (Tim Lorian), she is not impressed.

     With work and domestic life tottering, what will happen to Leo’s research?

Because of the dry and serious medical theme, there were complex references to drugs and anatomy; however, just let them flow over you, as it not necessary to understand the science to enjoy this play.

Many of the cast were new to the stage, but under the strong guidance of the director, Ben Thomas and dramaturg, Jackson Used they worked as a strong team with excellent chemistry. The very different characters have been very well considered, the dialogue is natural, further adding to a fascinating piece.

This play had high drama, subtle humour, tenderness and love, all ensuring a most interesting night at the theatre. A quality production.

Forget the Friday and Saturday Footie – it can be recorded – catch this first class team instead.