This ‘Jeffrey the Cat’, 70-minute Elinor King production has adult concepts, and is part of the City of Perth’s Winter Arts Festival.

This superbly written and structured drama – with a great twist at the end – can be seen at The Blue Room Theatre, 53 James Street, Northbridge where the performances start at 7.00 each evening until Saturday 16^th July.

Chris Brain’s set design is stunning. The scene is the back alley at the rear of the ‘Man Hole’ gay club. There are mountains of black bin bags rotting amongst the decaying brickwork, along with discarded shopping trolleys and boxes.

The lighting designer, Chloé Ogilvie came from the wilds of the bush (well Tom Price) to WAAPA to train. Her subdued lighting and subtle control of the faders helped developed the most realistic slum conditions. The whole effect is topped off by yet another WAAPA trained student, Taylor Everitt, who provided the soundscape. This show has a great deal of work for the stage manager, Rebecca Davidse.

       Tank (Maitland Schnaars) is an Aboriginal down-and-out, living with as much pride as society allows. He spends his day listening to his portable radio and drinking bottles of wine ‘acquired’ from the local grog shop. His best friend and arguing partner is Fred (James Hagan) an ex-radio announcer who lost his family, job – everything.

      One night, a half-dressed gay man is thrown out of the club and into their alley. This is Terry (James Taylor). Terry is less than polite to Tank, so the hobo forces the young man to drink his cheapest and nastiest grog. The man becomes comatose, and this is where the problems begin.

 

This story is a superbly observed piece, the dialogue is true to life and fits the characters perfectly; the topic may be a little heavy, but there is dark humour and raw ‘real life’ contained within, giving the tale the necessary lift. Just when you think you have the full picture of the characters, and you know where the story is going, the detrimental effects of the grog show in a most unexpected and dramatic way. Splendid writing from an author who developed his creative skills with ‘Playwriting Australia’.

Talented director, Ian Wilkes has gathered three very experienced actors, who were filled with unrelenting energy and wonderful chemistry, the result was three amazingly powerful performances. Not much wonder there were gasps and ‘wows’ from the audience at the final curtain.

This quality theatre is difficult to fault, and I am pleased to announce that the show is going to travel across to the eastern states to demonstrate WA’s capabilities.

This most professional, hour long play can be seen at the Main Theatre in the Blue Room complex, Northbridge each evening at 7,00 until the 18^th July.
Set designer, Patrick Howe, has come up with another first (?) for the Blue Room. The scene is the restaurant of an upmarket hotel in Woop Woop. The seating is cabaret style, with numerous small round tables, red tablecloths and a central candle in a glass. In the corner is a small stage for the performer surrounded by velvet-draped walls. On another wall is a fully stocked bar, with an outside patio area in another corner.

Lighting designer, Ashlee Poole has done a wonderful job creating the warmth of the restaurant, the cool of the desert night and the glare of the bush. Mike Podmore is a registered nurse, but is now studying sound at WAAPA. His soundscape includes dramatic weather and sounds of bush creatures, all adding to the authentic atmosphere. The show is stage managed by Rebecca Davidse, who also stage-manages Yirra Yaakin. 

        As Brooke (Bethany Cooper) plucks her guitar and sings in the corner of the restaurant, her face falls, as she sees a face from the past come in and start drinking. It is Leon (James Taylor) her childhood best friend and love.

       Leon has come back to the town with so many happy – and sad – memories. Brooke finishes her song; the barmaid (Rebecca Davidse) serves them a drink. Very quickly the conversation goes back five years. Leon now lives in the city and has changed a great deal since he last met Brooke and her overprotective brother, Mike (Zac James).

       Leon has always loved Brooke, but with a tough minder in the form of her brother Mike, will Leon ever get the chance to develop a relationship?

Director, Ian Moopa Wilkes, has gathered a most talented cast. Practically the whole cast and techs are WAAPA graduates, although I believe that Esperance girl, Bethany, who was totally enthralling may just have learned her skills at school. Ian has kept the pace moving beautifully as he moves the cast around the audience, forcing them to become involved with the action.
The Walley family, Desiray, Ricki-Lee, Shakara and Uncle George, wrote the beautiful melodic, original songs. Singer, Beth Cooper, who accompanied herself on the guitar, has the most magnificently clear voice that flowed, naturally and unstrained, completely enthralling.

Ten years ago, the Aboriginal theatre groups would often have suffered the indignity of reluctantly been given a slot in theatre programming, as the ‘token Black offering’. Although, even then they knew they were good, as always they had to work much harder to prove themselves ‘equal’. Now things have turned around, in this production every aspect has been tackled with complete professionalism, from the stunning graphic design of the poster (Amy Williams) to the cleverly constructed script, with its effortless dialogue and the powerful acting. This superb troupe have shown not that they are equal, but indeed one of the best at the Blue Room this season.