This play is based on the most famous of Carlo Goldoni’s works, ‘A Servant of Two Masters’, written in the 1740s. ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ went on to win the Critics’ Circle Theatre Award in 2011, then Best New Play in the Evening Standard Awards also in 2011.

The Melville Theatre Company is presenting this hilarious, madcap two-hour play, and it can be seen nightly until Saturday 10th December, at the Melville Theatre, on the corner of Stock Road and Canning Highway in Melville.

The time is 1963, in Brighton on the south coast of England. The main scene is the sitting room of Charlie’s house, but with the movement of the odd flat, it was transformed into the dining room of the local hostelry. The set construction was led by Ross Bertinshaw, who was aided by Don Callison, along with Lars and Jacob Jensen. The whole cast ‘mucked in’ with the painting of the set.

There were several involved scene changes, but stage manager, Garry Davies assisted by Ross Bertinshaw and Jeff Hansen were quick and efficient. The lighting design could have been simple, but designer Lars Jensen had some nice extra touches. Vanessa Jensen operated the lighting and sound desks.

         Thanks to the skills of bent solicitor, Harry Dangle (Peter Neaves), cockney criminal, Charlie Clench (Kim Taylor) has been released from prison – yet again. Now his Jamaican minder, Lloyd (Amri Mrisho), is guarding him.

         In Charlie’s house, there is an engagement party. Charlie’s beautiful but brainless daughter, Pauline (Pip Tompson) was in love with Rosko, but he was discovered murdered by Stanley (Sean Bullock). So Pauline has found a new love, and is about to marry the solicitor’s son, the ham actor and drama queen, Alan Dangle (Lachlan Stewart).

         The doorbell rings and a rotund character, Francis Henshall (Chris Bedding) enters. He is Harry’s odd job man, whose appetite for food is insatiable. Francis spots Charlie’s secretary, Dolly (Victoria Dixon) and immediately there is a love bond. As the party progresses, the dead boyfriend, Rosko arrives – it is in fact his twin sister, Rachel (Sarah Christiner) dressed in Rosko’s suit.

       The group move by taxi, (driver Jeff Hansen) to a private room in the local pub. On the way, they encounter a nervous old lady (Michelle Sharp) and are chased by a policeman (Ross Bertinshaw). At the venue, smart waiter, Gareth (Warren McGrath) and his ancient, accident-prone assistant, Alfie (Don Callison), are serving cordon bleu food for the celebration. The barman (Garry Davies) tries to deal with the demand for drinks.

       Will love blossom? Will anyone ever get married?

The soft background music was arranged and played by Josiah Pad. The costumes, and there were a few unusual ones, were crafted by Michelle Sharp who was assisted by Barbara Lovell.

With Francis’s demand for food, Cally Zanik was kept busy with the preparation of multiple courses for the dining scene.

The play is refreshingly different. It is a blend of farce, slapstick, pantomime and is partly in the style of a series of plays (‘The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate‘) which I cannot stand. With the actors playing straight to the audience, and even becoming slightly involved with them, this was a new kind of humour.

Director, Vanessa Jensen was so lucky in getting Chris Bedding to play the part of Francis. Chris, who is a man of the cloth – no, he is not a window cleaner – specialises in impromptu comedy, where the comedians have to think rapidly as events unfold. He was magnificent in this play, and had all of the body actions. He carried the show. A good comedian often requires a good ‘feed’ man, and the rest of the cast all excelled with their lines and timing. Could Chris be nominated for next year’s Finleys?

There were numerous styles of dialogue for the very different interesting characters; for Pauline she was superb as the dumb daughter, and then there was Rachel who had to deliver a lengthy explanation, in medical terms, of her zygotic structure – hilarious. Poor Alfie must have to lie down for a few hours after every performance.

This show was one constant belly laugh from beginning to end.

The word went rapidly around as to how extremely funny this play is. Every house has been fully booked, and with the demand is still being there, I wish there was another week.

‘It’s All Greek to Me Too!’ is Noel O’Neill’s magnificent sequel to the play that wrote just over two years ago, ‘It’s All Greek to Me’. This is even funnier than the original, and that was a sell-out! Even though Noel writes about two or three plays a year, the standard of his writing, dialogue and the superbly constructed script, ensures a happy audience. This play has a laugh in every line. It is wonderful to see so many of the original actors returning.

This 2-hour comedy can be seen at the Old Mill Theatre, on the corner of Mill Point Road and Mends Street, South Perth on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8.00, until the 27^th February. The Sunday matinees are at 3.00 pm on the 14^th and 21^st, with all proceeds going to the South West Bushfire Appeal.

The setting is a northeast London suburb, at Christmas 1960. The scenery (designed and built by Noel O’Neill) is that used in the first play, comprising the kitchen and lounge room of the crazy Greek Clan – the Pilancous ‘Plank’ Family. The music from ‘Zorba the Greek’ is playing as the house lights dim. Very good lighting and sound effects, thanks to John Spurling and his occasional helper, John Woolrych.

Jenny Prosser’s costumes reflected the era perfectly, in both style and the materials used. The hairdos brought a smile too. Well stage managed by Melissa Munoz Escobar.
In the first play ‘It’s All Greek To Me’, Nicky Plank arranged for his cousin Stavros, living in a dump somewhere in Greece, to get married to his unsuspecting London neighbour, Circe.

      Only months after the wedding, disillusioned Circe (Nada Dilevska), leaves her husband Stavros (Andre Balzelli) and returns to London. Because Nicky (Kim Taylor) and his long-suffering wife, Athena (Vivienne Marshall) generously paid for the couple’s wedding, she blames them for her misery and places a curse on the family.

      Nicky and Athena’s daughter, Jenna (Valerie Dragojevic) is due to have her baby any day now – perhaps even Christmas Day. The family friend, Andronikos (Rex Gray), who is a potent oracle and surrounded by a powerful aura, is summoned to help them.

      The youngest Plank son, Dimitri (Cameron Leese), is well named, as his IQ is probably negative. Nicky, now with two un-married relatives again, recommences the matchmaking routine. He brings around a friend’s beautiful daughter, Christiana (Sofie Reidy-Crofts) in a desperate attempt to marry off Dimitri, but the son seems quite interested in the even more brainless, Katarina (Aimee Claire Nicholls).

      Randy Nicky goes around the houses, collecting seasonal ‘gifts’ from his lady friends, Cassandra (Berti Moso) and Irena (Charlotte Weber).

      Will Athena discover Nicky’s misdemeanours? Will anyone become wedded, or even remain married.

Director Noel O’Neill, and his assistant Valerie Dragojevic, both have a wealth of experience in comedy direction; what a magnificent show they have given us. The multitude of laughs was perfectly delivered by the wonderful cast. Each actor had a rich character to portray, and this they did with superb team chemistry. A special mention for Kim Taylor and Vivienne Marshall’s performances. Kim with his hilarious lack of conscience, and Vivienne’s desperate desire to advance the family’s welfare.

A really good, side-splitting start to the Old Mill’s 2016 season.

This Kalamunda Dramatic Society’s two and a half hour performance starts at 8.00 pm at the Kalamunda Theatre, Barber Street, Kalamunda – be warned the car park has disappeared, being replaced by a tasteless concrete monolith. This Sandra Sando production can be seen on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings until 5^th December.

The time is early October 1993, the one hundred and eightieth anniversary of Verdi’s birth. The scene is a sitting room / music room in Beecham House, a retirement home set up for elderly, famous musicians and singers by Sir Thomas Beecham.

The carpeted room has pale green and peach walls. With a fine collection of props (Jason Millman), it looks the genuine article. There are posters of famous classical concerts on the walls. The furniture comprises a writing desk and a solid oak sideboard, with several comfortable chairs and a settee. Various musical instruments are lying around.

The apron of the stage represents a paved veranda garden outside the music room’s French doors. Set design Rose Weighell and Jan Taylor.

The lighting design was quite simple, but operated smoothly by Stephen Marr and James Glasson. Julie Hickling and Alexis Marr’s sound design was clever with subtle low-level bird sounds from the auditorium speakers – placing the audience in the garden.

      Three aging members of a world famous operatic quartet have fallen on hard times and, thanks to charity support, now live at Beecham House.

      Despondent baritone, Reg (Kim Taylor) sits fuming at Matron’s (Lesley Broughton) control on his eating habits – especially breakfast. He consoles himself by silently doing a jigsaw. Across the room, dippy but loveable soprano, Cissy (Kerry Goode) – who was a bit of a girl in her time – sits with her eyes closed, listening to her CD player unaware that the wickedly funny larrikin, Wilf (Douglas Sutherland-Bruce) lusts after her body. In fact, the tenor of the group, Wilf hungers after every woman. However, Cissy much prefers lithe young men like Nobby (Jason Millman) the gardener. Wilf seems to receive most affection and attention from Bobby Swanson (Les Marshall), still struggling after 60 years to come out of the closet.

     Cissy returns from a wander around the home, searching for the latest gossip. She has just learnt that there is a new inmate in the house, non-other than the fourth member of their quartet, feisty Jean (Anita Bound). Jean was the contralto star of their group, but she is now a broken and miserable woman.

     Cissy’s surprise news brings mixed feelings to the group, Wilf is happy but Reg is horrified, because Jean was his only wife and love. 50 years later, he still has trouble coping with their breakup. Perhaps if they join in the retirement home’s celebration, by reforming their quartet and singing together, their ‘good old days’ may return.

As the promotional material said, ‘this is a script that could be an inert embarrassment if performed by less accomplished players’, how very true. The script demands, humour, tragedy, sadness, even a little lust – and so the list goes on – but with the magnificent cast breathing life into every second, the play comes alive. You don’t have to be old to appreciate the predicament of the inmates. Lonely and frustrated they fight in their own way with their aging bodies, whilst determined to have fun and attempt to regain their much admired youth.

The director is Terry Hackett, one of WA’s most competent leaders; she has been recognised numerous times in the Finley Awards. Terry has chosen an outstanding cast, whose names also appear frequently in the nomination and winners’ section of the awards.

KADS is a small theatre, around 70 seats, but Terry has employed every inch of the stage and turned the auditorium into ‘a busy garden’, this made the whole action much more exciting. Clever skilling.

Poor Douglas lost a very good friend on the morning of the show, but like the true trouper that he was on the stage, with a performance that was both hilarious and flawless. His heartfelt delivery of the foibles of old age had many audience members nodding sympathetically.

Kerry Goode was given the bubbly, excitable part of Cissy. One minute, as the Alzheimer’s took over, she was hugging her friends on their arrival home, when most had not even left the room; then totally confused, she would fall asleep, drugged, in the chair. Kerry excelled in the last scene.

Anita Bound had a complex part, upset at the quartet’s proposed reunion, whilst optimistically trying in her stubborn way to unite with her ex-husband. Anita had passages of fast moving dialogue, and next she would be struggling with her aging body, trying in her mind to find some logic. A very moving performance, with a superb final act.

Kim Taylor, as the shunned husband, had hilarious, well-timed, wild outbursts – mainly at Matron – and yet still he manged to show his deep love for his long lost wife. In one scene Kim had to give a bold and assured monologue, before crumbling back to his usual withdrawn state.

This stage play seemed far funnier and possibly bawdier than the film, whether the scripts were different or was it the enormous skills of the director and her outstanding cast? The pace, chemistry, comedy delivery and sad passages were all performed with colossal skill.

I suspect there will be even more Finley Award nominations from this production.

A couple of co-incidences? Pomfret Castle is the location of Scene V in Shakespeare’s ‘Richard II’; and in the mid-17^th century, John Pomfret was a famous poet and journalist.

The Kalamunda Dramatic Society is proudly presenting this two and a half hour, highly entertaining, adult drama at the KADS Town Square Theatre, Barber Street, Kalamunda. The play starts at 8.00 pm on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights, and the season runs until Saturday 7^th March. Sunday Matinees start 2.00 pm.

There are two castle based sets, complete with wrought iron candleholders, rustic furniture and wall tapestries.

The first castle has cleverly designed ‘thick’ walls, and a beautifully painted heraldic picture on the wall. The second castle, in France, has a convincing, well-bossed, arched window and a large fireplace. Excellent design and construction by Alastair Woodcock, with superb props, medieval swords and daggers sourced by Karen Woodcock.

The lighting was designed and operated by James Glasson and Stephen Marr. The soundscape by Lesley Broughton, Lindsay Goodwin and Tim Edwards.

A little basic history. In 1066, William the Conqueror sailed across to England from Normandy, in north-west France. He killed Harold and became King William l of England. When he died in 1087, although he had three sons, he decided to divide his land only between the two French born sons. William Rufus got England and his brother Robert Curthose received Normandy.

The favourite son, Rufus – now William ll – squandered his inheritance, and then screwed every penny out of his subjects. ‘Fatty’ Robert, who detested his father, refused to carry on his father’s work and burned down many estates in Normandy, before settling in Domfront Castle near St Malo. The third son, the sickly Henry was born in England, and despite being, the only one to attend his father, William the Conqueror’s funeral, received nothing.

       It is the 1095 in Taunton (?)Castle. The lord of the manor, William Gifford (Kim Taylor), is talking to his Welsh friend, Gilbert of Clare (Keith Scrivens) – from a castle near Caerphilly. Neither of them is happy with the performance or attitude of Red Rufus (as King William ll was known). Rufus (Joe Isaia) has commandeered a third of England’s forest, is constantly the worse for drink and generally enjoys the highlife to excess. They decide he must go, but which brother should replace him, Robert (John Pomfret) or Henry (Rodney van Groningen)?

      In the north, a Scottish army led by King Malcolm lll of Scotland (of ‘Macbeth’ fame, generally known in England as Malcolm Canmore – Canmore being Gaelic for ‘big head’) is nibbling away at England and has just conquered Cumberland. Gilbert especially would be most happy to see the Scots move south and kill Rufus. Whilst Gifford and Gilbert plot Rufus’ overthrow, a guard (a cameo appearance by the author / director, Carl Pomfret) is put on the door.

       The Second Act sees us across the Chanel in France, at Robert’s home Domfront Castle. The third brother, impoverished Henry Beauclerc (who is quite ill from stress and eating lamprey – a sand eel) sounds out Robert to see if they should kill their regal brother and take over the Crown of England. The powerful guards are called in to help, the Captain (Jason Millman) and his chain-mailed guard (Owen Davis). The pathetic and weak attendant, Peter (Luke Heath) is allotted to look after the King on his imminent visit.

       Will treacherous Rufus continue as King? On the other hand, will he be overthrown by sibling rivalry?

 I have to admit that I really did not want to see this play. I did not fancy two hours of heavy Shakespearean style dialogue and a pedantic story, ploughing endlessly on. Instead, I REALLY enjoyed this play. The magnificent cast delivered the fascinating and exciting story superbly. At no time did the pace drop, and not once did the audience feel lectured to, by being fed endless facts. The storyline was rough tough and thrilling. With virtually no violence, the excitement came from the richly written dialogue and the perfect delivery. Three brothers with very different personalities, all of them a little unstable due to their paternal upbringing; this demanded a great deal of talent from the performers, but they fulfilled the demand easily.

A very minor point, I thought the spotlight for the monologues did not really work. Had they been soliloquies, with no response from the other actors in the scene, then it would have been a good idea.

Rarely is the writer successful directing his own work, but in this case, Carl did an outstanding job.

This is a most enjoyable play, beautifully written, superb acting and with quality costumes and set. Do not be put off by the topic, be sure to see it. EXCELLENT.

The theatre’s new committee have literally, laid down the red carpet to lead you into a plush, casino-like environment. Their aim is to raise enough money to replace their old element lamps with LEDs, and to renew the sound system.

The scene is the sitting room of a 1960s house in the East End of London. A very good set, with all of the trimmings and furniture of the era (artistic director Mary Murphy).

Around the dining room table, a group of men are playing cards. They are Bert, the overbearing house owner (Kim Taylor – magnificent), his simple son Harold, who hasn’t two brain cells to rub together (Cameron Leese) and Bert’s best friend, quiet Eddie (Noel O’Neill) who has just been released from prison. The group are gambling with peanuts for money, but Harold keeps eating the winnings.       

Next to the fire, reading the paper is Bert’s other son, the lazy good-for-nothing, Alan (David Buckley); in the opposite corner sits suave young Billy, a criminal in the making (Emilio Evans). This gang have decided to raise cash for a trip to America, and think that voluptuous Susan (Clare Mulchinock), who has a wealthy husband, may be the answer to their prayers.

The experienced director, Noel O’Neill and his most capable assistant, Caroline O’Donnell, have amazingly turned, what could easily have been a static sitcom, into an action-filled romp. The characters were perfectly believable; in fact, we have all met, or ‘know’, most of the individuals. The cleverly written dialogue was unique to each personality, with some very funny one-liners. Half the cast were relatively newcomers, but they were not distracted by having to speak with Cockney accents – all VERY accurate – and yet they still managed to keep up with the rapid pace.

Booking is essential, and The Irish Players have linked on to the ‘www.trybooking’ system, so that you will know in advance the number of seats still available. An excellent cast, working perfectly in tune with each other, generating a wonderful evening of chuckles. Highly recommended.