user-registration domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/gordonth/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6170This very funny play is being presented by the Harbour Theatre Inc. at the Camelot Theatre within the Mosman Park Memorial Hall, 16 Lochee Street, in Mosman Park.
The two-hour performances run until Saturday 24th September. Curtain up at 7.30 pm. There are matinées on Sunday 18th and 25th at 2.00 pm.
The scene is Bill’s flat – designed by Kirstie Francis. The set is one room, a kitchen / dining area / sitting room / office; a typical male flat, a tip with carefully organised stacks of books and papers everywhere (Props Grace Hitchin and Brian Mahoney). A solidly constructed, impressive and well-finished set.
The lighting was rigged and operated by Rob Tagliaferri. The ‘in demand’ sound operator was Vanessa Gudgeon, who just finished at Melville Theatre last week.
The front door of the flat opens, and boring Bill (Jarrod Buttery), a dreary statistician deserted by his wife, staggers in. His pal, a struggling author, Leon (Alan Morris), accompanies him. Feeling sorry for Bill, who seems to lead the life of a recluse, lecherous Leon took his lonely friend out for meal to celebrate his 50th birthday.
As they are chatting, Leon produced his birthday gift to Bill – an envelope purchased from a numinous gypsy. Inside is a form from a dating service, with ten questions to be completed. Bill looks at the form and gasps. These questions ask for the ten qualities Bill would most like to see in the ideal partner. Bill rejects the present saying that he is quite happy as he is; but Leon, having paid quite a few dollars for this introduction service, insists that Bill completes it. Leon is helpful, but his ideal woman seems somewhat different to that of Bill.
Within hours, there is a knock on the door. Standing there is a stunning, smartly dressed woman – Justine (Cassandra Gorman) – exactly as requested by Bill. However, have all of his dreams really come true?
Director, Kirstie Francis can be relied upon to give the audience a well-crafted play. With this wonderful cast, who did not miss a beat, we were treated to a smile and belly laugh every minute. The script is not a farce, but a well-written dialogue that flowed beautifully. There were numerous twists that lead to pandemonium with the men, and several severe mood swings from Jasmine. The chemistry between the three actors was amazing, and Cassandra’s performance in the second Act was superb.
I have recommended his play to several friends already. It is a short season, so do not miss out.
Exceptionally funny script, perfectly delivered by a well-proven cast of comedy actors.
]]>This 90 minute, strange but very funny, black comedy is being presented by the Harbour Theatre Company in the Camelot Theatre Complex, 16 Lochee Street, Mosman Park.
The curtains rise on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights at the early start of 7.30 pm until 14th May. There are Sunday matinees on 8th, 14th and 15th at 2.00 pm.
This show has no interval.
The opening scene (designed by Peter Kirkwood, Nicola Bond) is the middle class home of Kenneth and Hilary in the London suburbs. The stage apron acts as the working class home in East London, of Cockney Laura. The set is almost cellar like, with threatening black walls and blood smeared over them. Next to the proscenium arch were three metre paintings of a blood covered knife and fork (Melissa Bassett).
The scene is the dining room, with fine wooden tables and chairs (Grace Hitchin, Brian Mahoney). Most of the props, food and furnishings are left to the audience’s imagination – and surprisingly, it works very well.
The simple set décor was a wise decision, as it allowed the audience to follow the richly written script without distraction. The reliable team of Rob Tagliaferri on lights, and Vanessa Gudgeon on sound, worked well, showing subtlety succeeds.
Today is Kenneth and Laura’s third wedding anniversary, and to Laura’s horror, Kenneth has accepted an invitation from his ex-wife Hilary to go around for a meal. The atmosphere is very tense and uncomfortable.
We then flashback about four years.
At a friend’s birthday party middle-aged, philandering Kenneth (Jarrod Buttery) finds himself in the arms of Laura (Cordelia Clarke), a leggy beauty half his age. His poor wife Hilary (Meredith Hunter) has numerous domestic talents, but for Ken her body after 20 years of marriage has collapsed, and in the sack she is stale and boring.
How will this trio’s relationship develop?
Under the direction of the multi-award winning team, Peter Kirkwood and Nicola Bond – who have presented a couple of dozen memorable plays for Harbour over the years – these three most experienced actors were at their best. Jarrod as the unashamed letch, Cordelia as the gullible young woman and Meredith – outstanding – as the poor abused wife. They all delivered their lines with conviction and emotion. 90 minutes non-stop, with all three on stage continuously, is a big ask, but they had perfect pace, beautiful intonation and their expressions spoke volumes. Top notch acting.
You know that the actors’ acerbic comments are successfully getting through to the audience, when, like last night, one lady shouted out ‘Kill him’, and I think if the ending wasn’t to her liking she would have obliged.
Great fun, try and catch it.
]]>From a wealthy home, William studied at Eton School and was accustomed to the privileged life, even having servants. During the war, as a partial pacifist and being very anti Churchill (his brother’s party leader), he found himself in prison for not carrying out the military orders to attack Le Havre.
A huge amount of credit must be given to the seasoned team at Harbour for putting on this comedy. The play they intended performing fell through, then there was trouble getting the performing rights and a new cast, but their tenacity has paid off and now this funny play has been brought to the stage for your appreciation. After 40 years the humour is showing a little age, but the cast members have done a great job getting as much humour as possible from every situation.
This Harbour Theatre Production can be seen at the Camelot Theatre, 16 Lochee Street in Mosman Park. The 2-hour performances are for one week only; on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7.30 until Saturday 27th February. There are matinees on both Saturday and Sunday at 2.00 pm.
The set is stunning, with plenty of plants and foliage. One side of the stage shows the limestone walls of the house, with a terracotta tiled patio. It is furnished with garden furniture and a sideboard (Grace Hitchin, Lesley Sutton). The other side is an amazing garden scene, with trelliswork, and completed with a most impressive tree (Rob Downie and Theme-it) in the centre of the lawn. The fine artwork was by Melissa Bassett. Exceptional.
The large set construction team was co-ordinated by Rob Tagliaferri, who also operated the lighting. The sound designer and tech was Vanessa Gudgeon.
Lifetime bachelor, Sir Cecil Warburton (Ray Egan) who has made an immense amount of money from his writing, went on to build a mansion next to the beech tree where he met the love of his life, and they first saw the kingfisher.
One morning, as his long-time serving butler, Hawkins (Alan Morris) is laying the breakfast table on the courtyard; Cecil notices in the paper that Reggie Townsend has died. Reggie was the bounder that stole Sir Cecil’s girlfriend decades earlier.
With all of the subtly of a long-term bachelor, Cecil asks Reggie’s widow, Evelyn (Ann Speicher) to ‘pop in’ on the way home from the funeral.
What can this millionaire be up to? Surely not rekindling his love. Could there even be two muted love affairs?
The script was little wordy, but dialogue is perfectly executed – although with a few hesitations due to the extremely short rehearsal (about 30% of most rehearsal times) before the show opened.
The highly experienced directors, Nicola Bond and Tina Barker – having quite a few plays as actors under their belt – have gathered a top notch cast and conquered all of the previous weeks’ traumatic happenings.
There were quite a few funny moments, with the climax being the ‘snuggle’ on a rug on the lawn. I sat shaking my head, in total empathy with their movements.
February is usually a stressful month, with a full moon last night and everyone going crazy; a madcap comedy was just what the doctor ordered.
]]>This two-hour farce is being presented by Harbour Theatre Inc. in the Camelot Theatre, within the Mosman Park Memorial Hall, 16 Lochee Street, Mosman Park. This group has been producing high quality, community theatre productions for more than 50 years. Harbour’s latest success is Katherine Reardon who appeared in Jane Eyre a couple of years ago, and is now appearing with Judy Dench and Kenneth Brannagh in London, many congrats.
The performances are on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings at the earlier time of 7.30 sharp, running until 12th December. There are matinees on Sunday 6th, 12th and 13th at 2.00 pm.
Brian Mahoney’s 1980s set, is of a luxurious, country home sitting room, in a smart area of southern England. As for all farces, there were five doorways to aid with the confusion. The walls are soft apple green with an attractive frieze border. There is an armchair, a three-seater settee, and various tables. French windows with cream curtains central rear, showing a beautiful scene across the lawns (artwork Melissa Bassett). Many very good props (Cordelia Clarke). Smoothly stage managed by Marina Del Borrello.
Trevor Dhu operated Peter Kirkwood and Rob Tagliaferri’s lighting design. The sound effects were realistic and well cued by Vanessa Gudgeon.
Middle-aged Jane (Vickie Billingham), who is nervous and shy, seems be to losing out on ‘loving attention’ from her husband, Roger (Alan Morris). So, on the suggestion of her best friend Shirley (Ann Speicher), she arranges to have dinner with Mark (Ben Lowther), an attractive young man she met at her squash club.
Because her husband Gilbert (Jarrod Buttery) is overseas on business, Shirley goes to her yoga class, leaving Jane in her house for the secret assignation. Jane has hot romance in her eyes, but toy boy Mark thinks the meeting is for a simple meal.
However, a thick fog descends and Gilbert finds himself stranded in London. Knowing that his wife, Shirley, will be away at her keep-fit classes, he invites attractive airhostess, Helga (Mona Afshar) back to his house.
As the night of romance goes on, more people arrive, confrontations abound and the confusion heightens.
Tina Barker has already proven herself as an accomplished comedy director, but farce is a specialist genre and can be the downfall of even the most talented of directors. However, with the assistance of Nicola Bond this show was exceptional.
The cast were completely attuned; each knew perfectly what was expected of them. From the nervous, yet reluctant shy lover, to the slightly stooped, panic stricken, unfaithful husband working at full speed in an attempt to cover his tracks. Everyone was word perfect, superbly rehearsed – there can be no leeway on farce – and with flawless delivery.
How often do you hear ‘The funniest show this year’ only to see a mild presentation with the odd laugh? This romp had four or five laughs every minute, many of them being belly laughs.
After a miserable day at work, dealing with the general public and the tiresome task of Christmas shopping, then this roller-coaster of saucy madness will brighten you up. Booking advised.
]]>‘Trapped’ is a season of three assorted and delightful short plays. They are being presented by the Harbour Theatre Group at the ‘Camelot Theatre’, within the Mosman Park Memorial Hall, 16 Lochee Street, Mosman Park.
The show is each Friday and Saturday evening until 19th September. The curtain up is at the slightly earlier time of 7.30 pm. There are matinees on the 19th and 20th, both commencing at 2.00 pm.
‘Early Frost’ is a mystery written by Douglass Parkhirst in 1956. Parkhirst was born in Philadelphia 1914.
Directed by Jo Sterkenburg, who won a Finley ‘Best Actress’ Award.
It is 1950. The scene is a loft in a large, crumbling country house owned by two old maiden sisters.
When the parents of young Alice (Chloé Walker) are killed in an accident, the local social worker, Mrs Clayton (Meredith Hunter) has the task of finding the nearest relatives. She discovers Alice’s Aunt Louise (Charlotte Weber) and her strange, extremely nervous, sister Hannah (Ann Speicher). Hannah thinks Alice is an old school friend, Lydia (Jadzia Hunter) from half a century earlier.
Why is Hannah so worried by Alice’s presence?
The director has captured the creepy atmosphere of the loft adventure very well. The two youngsters (Jadzia’s first play) showed real, advanced stage skills. A simple story that worked very well.
‘The Living Hell’ was written in 1960 by Manchester born, Anthony Booth (not the Tony Booth of TV’s 1960s ‘Till Death Us Do Part’). On leaving Oxford University Booth became an actor, but was soon called up for World War ll duty in Burma, under the command of Lord Mountbatten.
The location is a women’s, Japanese prisoner of war camp in Malaysia at the end of WW II. There are some camp beds and basic rustic furniture. The cast are wearing threadbare dresses and are looking dishevelled.
Stevie (Kerri-Anne Malley) helps a sick, elderly member of their group, Mrs Glen (Julie Mackay) to a camp bed. The medical sister of the prisoner-of-war camp, internee Lloyd (Lauri Curtain) checks the patient, but with only water and very little food, there is little that she can do. The two younger girls, Pru (Natasha Smith) and Sally (Riti Smith) offer Mrs Glen what food they have.
When the well-fed, Mrs Maiche (Sarah Hopkins) re-joins the group, outspoken Gwen (Laura Winter – very good) has her own ideas as to why Maiche is looking so well.
This play with complex emotions was presented by skilled actress, Grace Hitchin in her directing debut. It was a difficult play for even an experienced director to tackle, a bold attempt, but a little more work required on the finer points such as the lighting and body language, to establish a solid, tense atmosphere of fear and depression. Well received by the audience.
‘Flowers for Algernon’ is a very moving, character study written by Daniel Keyes. It was rejected several times by publishers because of the story’s ending, yet it still went on to win the Hugo Award for ‘Best Short Story’ with its 1960’s adaption by David Rogers.
Two research neurologists are talking to a teacher, Alice Kinnian (Nicole Miller), who works at a college for retarded adults. They are chatting about an experiment that they are carrying out on a mouse – Algernon. The senior Professor Nemur (Willy Smeets) is heartless, being more interested in his experiment succeeding rather than maintaining ethics. His assistant, Dr Strauss (Paul Cook), supervises the results and progress of the experiments being carried out by Burt Seldon (Daniel Elsegood). Until now the surgical tests have been carried out on Algernon, but then the scientists hear about phenylketonuria sufferer, Charlie Gordon (Chris Reid). He is a young deliveryman with an IQ of 68, cruelly berated by his mother for being stupid and for having slightly scandalous thoughts; however, Charlie is desperate to learn. The team starts to wonder if their mouse experiments and results could now be transferred to humans.
Will Charlie ever find happiness? Will Prof Nemur be satisfied with the intellectual results?
Sadly this wonderful work is in the 100 most complained about books. It has even been removed from school libraries because a parent considered it was ‘filthy and immoral’.
‘Algernon’ was directed by the multi-award winning Sarah Christiner, the cast is also ‘star studded’ having gained many awards and nominations. Although this was only his second play, Chris Reid showed amazing promise for the future. His grasp of Charlie’s complex character and the subtle way that he depicted the changes and regressions was outstanding. Congrats to Chris and the director for helping him tune his part’s character.
Programmes of short plays are a wonderful way of giving a chance to first-time actors and directors, but occasionally they are looked upon as simple and unimportant, with little effort put into them. This is actually completely the wrong approach. There is a much shorter time to create atmosphere, tell the story and satisfy the audience, so MORE work should be put into the short play. This final play did just that. The lighting was clever and advanced, the cast well selected and very well directed, the costumes exactly what was required – in short, very well presented and so completely grasped the emotion required.
A good mix of plays giving a very pleasant night out.
‘Rebecca’ was written in 1938 at the age of 31, by the frostily private recluse, who rarely mixed in society, Dame Daphne du Maurier. It is suspected that ‘Rebecca’ was heavily plagiarised from a Brazilian novel by Ms Nabuco. Clifford Williams have now revised the 1940 stage adaptation of ‘Rebecca’, which ran for 357 performances.
Alfred Hitchcock’s film, based on her novel, was one of the top five box office hits of 1940. In 1941, it reaped nine Oscar nominations, winning ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best Cinematography’. Her friendship with Hitchcock saw her write more cinema scripts for him, including ‘Jamaica Inn’, the horror of ‘The Birds’ (also plagiarised?) and the creepy, sex novel ‘Don’t Look Now’. Du Maurier’s novel ‘Mary Anne’ is a fictionalised account of the story of her great-great-grandmother, Mary Anne Clarke who was mistress of King George III’s son, Frederick Augustus known as the ‘Grand Old Duke of York’. When the bi-sexual author was 21, she wrote ‘The Doll’, a suspense tale about a young woman’s obsession with a mechanical male sex doll.
This excellent, two and a half hour Gothic love mystery, set in du Maurier’s Cornwall, is being presented by the Harbour Theatre Inc. at the 1930’s décor Camelot, 16 Lochee Street, Mosman Park, with shows nightly at 7.30 pm until Saturday 20th June, and a matinee on Sunday 21st June at 2.00 pm.
An excellent set. The white proscenium curtains had a massive photo of the De Winter’s country mansion, Manderley, projected onto them.
The interior shows the sitting room of the De Winter house in Cornwall in the 1930s.
The lower halves of the walls are wood panelled, with the arsenic green coloured paint above. Centrally is an arched staircase with columns on each side; this was used to great dramatic effect during the play. The room is furnished with various antique furniture including a couple of pedestals for ornaments, a chaise longue, tables and chairs. There was a balcony with plants on each side of the stage. Brian Mahoney, Peter Kirkwood, Rob Tagliaferri, Matt Cuccovia, Kit Leake and David Champion built Nicola Bond’s set design; with the set being painted by Phil Redding, Tina barker and Nicola Bond. A great number of authentic props added the final touch (Grace Hitchin, Charlotte Weber).
Supercilious Beatrice Lacy (Jo Sterkenburg) and her hen-pecked husband, Giles (Andrew Smalley) are seated in the lounge awaiting the return of the master of the house, the young, good-looking Maxim De Winter (Mark de Vattimo). The couple are discussing Rebecca, the previous lady of the house who had drowned a year earlier, with the estate manager, Frank (Ron Arthurs). The butler, Frith (Tom Rees) brings them drinks.
The group are waiting to welcome Maxim and his new, much younger bride, Mrs De Winter (Natasha Stiven) back from their honeymoon. When the loving couple arrive, the maid, Roberts (Teya Jerman), shows them into the lounge. Unfortunately it seems that Beatrice has taken an instant dislike to the new bride – she is too young and certainly not of suitable status. The group go on to discuss the final arrangements for the annual Fancy Dress Ball being held the following night. The dark, mysterious housekeeper, Mrs Danvers (Vickie Billingham) in her widow’s weeds with keys hanging around her waist, offers to help her new young mistress choose a suitable costume.
As the malicious Mrs Danvers leaves the room, a weird, obnoxious man, Jack Favell (Sean Schliwa) arrives and tries his lecherous approach on a petrified Mrs de Winter, who has no idea who this stranger is.
After the Ball, the household receives a disturbing visit from the shire’s magistrate, Colonel Julyan (Paul Cook) and the local boat builder / chandler, William Tabb (David Champion).
Award winning director, Nicola Bond, has brought to the stage a play that has not been presented in Perth for many years. Employing her many talents, Nicola has given us a wonderful set, authentic costumes and a cast that has captured all of the mystery, romance and suspense of the book. Nicola has also generously given a few of the cast their ‘big chance’, by accepting for the play, actors who have previously had very minor walk on parts, or as in the case of Paul Wood, a very first acting part – well done Paul, good solid performance.
Many congratulations to Natasha Stiven and Mark de Vattimo, as the withdrawn, confused young wife and the unpredictable, enigmatic husband. A special mention must also go to Vickie Billingham for her great performance as the cold-hearted Mrs Danvers, and her special curtain call.
Stage manager Charlotte Weber, assisted by Teya Jerman, kept the pace moving exceptionally well with none of the usual slowing down or blackouts between scenes. All of the scene changes being carried out in dimmed light, by the household servants, in the style of their normal daily duties. Mrs de Winter’s numerous outfits, the servants’ garments and the rugged tweeds were perfect for the period (Nicola Bond). Rob Tagliaferri’s lighting and Vanessa Gudgeon’s soundscape combined perfectly to give a memorable final scene.
Good to see a fresh, rarely performed play – I will die if I see ‘The Importance of being Ernest’ again – A great production with all the qualities that one has come to expect from the Harbour Theatre Group. Highly recommended, but please note the short season.
]]>The history of wars is usually recorded by the servicemen, now on behalf of the thousand Australian women who took a part in the Vietnam War, the ‘Sheilas’ get their well-earned and overdue chance to tell their stories.
This most memorable, one and a half hour play (no interval) is being presented by Harbour Theatre Inc. and MosArts as part of their 2015 season. The performances are at the Camelot Theatre, 16 Lochee Street, Mosman Park until the 22nd April. Curtain up at 7.30 pm. there is also a matinee on Sunday 19th April at 2.00 pm.
Part proceeds will be donated to Legacy to help our need Veterans and their families, in honour of the Gallipoli Centenary and 40th Anniversary of the Vietnam War.
The open stage is at several levels, all quite low. At the rear of the stage is a scarlet wall with a central arch. There are numerous Vietnamese, golden motifs and symbols painted on the wall. The sidewalls depict bamboo fields. The set was built and painted by Brian Mahoney, Phil Redding, David Champion, Tina Barker and Matt Cuccovia.
Seated at the side of the stage is a 1960s hippy (Toni-Maree Olton – also musical director), with flowers in her hair. She strums at her guitar and sings Bob Dylan songs with a crystal clear voice.
A spotlight picks out Margaret, a Vet’s wife (Katherine English) who tells us how she met her husband, and then married him only a couple of days before leaving for Nam. Throughout the play, Margaret continues her story, telling us of her loneliness as a war wife, and how her real hell arose when her husband returned home.
The main story follows four young women through their experiences in Vietnam, from luxury hotels to the cold, mud sodden fields.
When innocent and timid Eve (Vickie Billingham) meets some friends in a pub, she had the ‘great idea’ of volunteering to help the soldiers, nothing too bloody, just a little bit of help where needed. However, for poor Eve, life in Nam was like something that she had never experienced before. Similarly, Sandy (Nicola Bond) joined a couple of friends who were going over to entertain the troops – after all, actors would get comfortable accommodation and priority treatment, well Bob Hope did. The reality hit them hard.
Kathy (Grace Hitchin) was a qualified nurse, going to save the injured ’Aussie lads’, but found herself helping nationalities that she never expected. When the local rag’s youngest journalist, Ruth (Kirstie Francis) decided to go and report on the happenings, dare she tell the folk at home the whole story?
This play was developed from a collection of true experiences and memories, gleaned from the 50 women that Siobhán interviewed whilst writing the book. The tales range from funny, to horrendous and tragic.
The actors are performing this play for a second outstanding season. The horror of Eve’s stories, related in a heart tearing fashion by Vickie, was guaranteed to make the tissue packs come out. Grace – as Kathy – gave a strong performance, who as the experienced and hardened nurse still struggled to cope with the misery. Sandy’s (Nicola) romantic tales and lighter anecdotes contrasted well with the other’s dramas. Margaret’s (Katherine) stories – told by a housewife – were almost as chilling. Ruth (Kirstie) had to write about the horrors of war.
The events were confronting but with such a professional cast under the supervision of a well-proven director, Peter Kirkwood, the 90 minutes flew past. Some relief from the gruesome fears came from the dedicated cast’s beautiful singing. It came as a surprise to me how a person who had just acted a traumatic scene could give such a moving and perfectly in tune rendition of some of the songs of the 1960s. A special mention of Katherine and Grace’s powerful and sensitive singing of Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell songs.
Rob Tagliaferri and Peter Kirkwood’s lighting, coupled with Vanessa Gudgeon’s quadraphonic sound effects of helicopters overhead, explosions etc. gave a real depth to the play. The audience were not simply watching you were dragged right into the centre of the misery by the powerful acting and magnificent cameos.
None of the cast left the stage, and yet the pace galloped along. The clever script cutting back and forward between scenes and events, helped to stop the whole play from becoming too dark and depressing.
Youngsters should see this play to know what their grandparents went through, and the truth of war.
This was an amazing production, with faultless, quality acting. VERY moving and surely a contender for play of the year. Not easy watching, but a true report of a war that was sneered at by many of the older World War ll soldiers, as being a sham war.
If you appreciate sheer quality, then this immensely moving play is for you.
]]>This mischievous play premiered in Australia in 2006, but the last Perth production was in July 2008, by the Black Swan Theatre Company at the Playhouse Theatre.
This wonderful, ‘updated’, adult production by the Harbour Theatre Group can be seen in the attractive, art deco Camelot Theatre within the Mosman Park Memorial Hall, 16 Lochee Street, Mosman Park.
Performances are most nights until the Saturday 14th March. Curtain up at the slightly earlier time of 7.30 pm, with Sunday matinees on the 8th and 15th at 2.00 pm.
The play takes place in Margot’s house, out in the wilds of the countryside.
The set is Margot’s study, with antique desk and chaise longue. The walls have some paintings from her collection by famous artists. There is a French window leading out to the garden. Another quality set from the team of Brian Mahoney, Peter Kirkwood and Tina Barker.
Sarah Christiner, who also stage-manages the show, devised the soundscape. The lighting was designed by Rob Tagliaferri and operated by Alan Morris.
For thirty years, Margot (Rosalba Jefferys) has been churning out her best-selling, feministic literature that has set principles for the modern woman, but now she is starting to have writer’s block. Her publisher, Theo (Ted Bull), phones constantly asking for her next novel, but Margot has only reached the second page of her writing.
As the author sits at her laptop staring blankly, a bolshie young student, Molly (Molly Kerr) opens the French windows and starts wandering around the study. When, eventually, Margot notices her, an argument starts about the qualities of her previous publications. As things are getting heated, Margot’s daughter Tess (Emily Lloyd) arrives. She has just had a terrible ride from the station with a weird taxi driver, Frank (Andrew O’Connell).
As the afternoon progresses, and the tension rises, Tess’s painfully dim, stockbroker husband, Bryan (Patrick Whitelaw) arrives and the whole situation becomes more chaotic.
With Margot’s publication glitches, Molly’s anger and Tess’s martial problems, will normality ever return?
The director, Trevor Dhu has several most successful, plays and musicals under his directing wing. His acting and direction is well admired and Trevor is respected for trying novel ideas and new approaches to well-known plays. This play relies upon a subtle, understated approach to work well, and the cast has captured this genre beautifully. In fact, every single member of the cast was outstanding. The rapport was amazing and the use of body language quite hilarious, superb teamwork – best I have seen for a while.
Molly Kerr, who has given us some slide splitting comedy in the past, has just returned to Australia after a few months working in Vancouver. At first glances, the two leads seem poles apart, but as the script develops, their characters meld.
The second Act is hysterical, and the updated version is fresh and filled with Aussie humour. A really fun night at the theatre. Highly recommended.
]]>The Harbour Group are one of the few theatres that give a fruit juice as an option to sherry, and offer hot chocolate or Milo at the interval, along with the coffee and tea.
‘April in Paris’ plays at Harbour Theatre, Camelot, 16 Lochee Street, Mosman Park until 14th December. The 140 minute-shows commence at 7.30 pm, except Sunday matinees at 2.00 pm.
Al (Alan Morris) and Bet (Nicola Bond) are sitting in their back garden, soaking in the English summer’s 18-degree day. They look across the valley at the pithead winding mechanism and the large condenser towers with their steam rising. Surely, life can be better than this. They still love each other, but the fire has gone.
Bet scans her women’s magazines for competitions. She has already won a food package and some useless electrical kitchen utensil, Al thinks that she should just give up.
Al has been made redundant and already bored out of his mind. He has tried artistic painting, but the artwork reflects his depressive state and the drab surroundings. One day a letter arrives, Bet has hit the jackpot, a holiday away – in Paris.
This is director Tina Barker’s first shot at directing. She has come up through the ranks, gathering experience as she goes. Now with a little guidance and mentoring from award-winning Peter Kirkwood, she has tackled this two-hander. Tina has chosen a superb pair of actors, both have years of experience and gathered many awards in their time.
To say that Nicola and Alan have managed to get a genuine chemistry is an understatement, you could really believe that they have years of marriage behind them. For many middle-aged couples this play is spelling out their life story, one minute the laughs flow fast and seconds later, you cringe as you recall the same events happening to yourself. Rob Tagliaferri’s lighting was wonderful, taking us from the gloom of England to sparkling Paris, the mood was always right. Peter Kirkwood’s soundscape was lively and inventive – with xylophone music during the scene changes. The scenery artwork was excellent (Melissa Bassett, Beth Law) and the adaptable set unit was designed with imagination. The unit was the Arc de Triomphe, a northern home, a room on the ferry and a nightclub entrance. Great work by Brian Mahoney, Peter Kirkwood, Phil Redding, Matt Cuccovia, Bobby Wardell, Tina Barker, Kit Leake, Julie Mackay and Katherine English).
Magnificent, flawless performances from two talented players.
Tina can be proud of her direction; it was interesting and had a natural flow. First class show from a quality community group.
]]>With the help of MosArts, this will be Harbour Theatre’s second in their new, stylish Art Deco premises in Mosman Park. The theatre is located within the Camelot Theatre complex, 16 Lochee Street, Mosman Park and their 100-minute performances are on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings until 6th September with curtain up at 7.30 pm. There are two matinees.
A little history. Until the 1970s, any illegitimate child born in Britain was at a great risk of being simply taken from their mothers, or conned out of a possibly loving home, by the ‘well-meaning Authorities’ or even over-proud families. Many of the mothers were told their children were happily adopted, whilst a large number of these 16,000 ‘saved’ children were told they are now orphans, and sent to Australia (read the book ‘The Leaving of Liverpool’) to homes and institutions like Bindoon and Fairbridge, for their own good.
British companies like Walls (who manufactured ice cream and sausages), were upset by this treatment and sent money to make the life of this other ‘stolen’ generation of children a little better. Fairbridge built their Chapel with Wall’s funds.
It is 1964 in the North of England. The opening scene is Mary’s sparsely furnished bedroom and then the set becomes an even less inviting dormitory in the ‘Mother and Baby Home’. To the left of the stage are the Matron’s office and a laundry. Stage Manager was Jo Sterkenburg, assisted by Meredith Hunter.
The lights dim and a small spot picks out to the right of the auditorium, the young lead singer with her guitar (musical director, Toni-Maree Olton) dressed in a green satin evening dress. To the left of the audience are her three accompanists, ‘The Oltonettes’; Jade Unwin in red, Natasha Smith in blue and Sarah Courtis in purple gowns. As an integral background to the play, they sing the melodies of the sixties in perfect harmony, complete with all of the hackneyed hand movements. They include the Ronette’s title song of the show, ‘Be My Baby’, whose lyrics become so very poignant.
The somewhat naive, 19-year old Mary Adams (Emily Lloyd) is very pregnant, but unmarried. Faced with the undoubted shame and cruel jibes by the neighbours, her prudish mother, Mrs Adams (Grace Hitchin) insists that the baby is born away from home and adopted out immediately – ‘after all, it is for the best’.
Soon, Mary finds herself in a home run by the church for pregnant, unmarried mothers. They charge the clients for their accommodation, and then the prospective parents pay enormous fees for the adoption agreements.
Mary is sharing a room with the rough, streetwise Queenie (Sarah Christiner). One day, they are working in the laundry, washing and folding the sheets with two other girls Norma (Nicole Miller), and Dolores (Sophie Cushing) neither of whom are 100% sure how they became pregnant. With a medical dictionary they found lying around, and Queenie’s knowledge, they can probably work things out.
When Mary’s baby is born, the realisation that she has to give up the child for adoption, starts to dawn. The imperious Matron (Nicola Bond) refuses to be swayed by the girls’ requests, but (with clever acting); there is a subtle hint that the Matron may be carrying out instructions that are against her own personal, compassionate feelings.
Director, Peter Kirkwood’s cast of ‘pregnant girls’ are too young to remember the times that they are enacting; however, they still truly captured the ordeal of the situation and skilfully conveyed this to the audience. There were many of the older members of the audience very moved by the play. Many of us had friends who, with their mothers, ‘worked away’ for a couple of months and on their return, the mother (!) was found to have had a baby. This child was then brought up as the daughter’s sister and not her child.
The melodic rendition of the old songs brought light relief to those parts when the play got a little gloomy, as the girls’ dreams collapsed. The lyrics then took on a new meaning in the circumstances.
Rob Tagliaferri has handled all of the teching, lighting and sound faultlessly. The props of the era were well sourced e.g. the 45s case, an auto-change record player and even the army blankets with the red stripes, fond memories for many of us. The costumes ranged from the striking, shimmering gowns and elbow-length, white gloves, to the scratchy grey material that made up the smocks for the pregnant girls. It is these little finer points that give that extra depth to a production.
A tricky play to put on, as it demanded several genres such as music, humour and pathos, combined with the tragedy and innocence of the girls concerned in the adoption. Very well acted and the full houses give credence to the successful production.
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