Ray Cooney, now in his 80s, is an English playwright and actor, his biggest success was ‘Run for Your Wife’ which ran for nine years in London’s West End, becoming London’s longest-running comedy. This was presented by Wanneroo’s Limelight Theatre in August this year.

The Rockingham Theatre Company at ‘The Castle’, Rockingham Theatre, 8 Attwood Way in Rockingham, is presenting this wild two-hour madcap comedy (rather than a farce) on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8.00 pm. The season runs until 3^rd December at 8.00 pm. there is also one matinée on Sunday 27^th November at 2.00 pm

The scene is the sitting room cum dining area in the Harper’s home in Woking. This is a very well designed (David Heckingbottom) and constructed set (male cast with Rob Walker, Danny Joyce), complete with three doors, a window, staircase, TV and ‘working’ gas fire. The furnishings are excellent (Lorraine Howes) and the room really appears lived in – very well done. As the script reminds us, there are ‘nice curtains and rugs’. The wild costumes are by Kerry Tarbuck.

Jackie Hiscox’s lighting was carefully planned and the soundscape well recorded and operated on cue.

        Linda Harper (Kirstie Francis) who has always been easy-going and enjoying the good life, now confides to her neighbour and best friend, Betty (Larraine Heckingbottom) that she has only three years before she will be 40! Already she is feeling that the better side of life is passing her by. Her son Leonard (Callon Leam) is a typical teenager, enjoying life, doing as little as possible and not even noticing she is in the house. Then there is Linda’s loving father in law, Bernard (Ron Gent), senile and still living out his war service in the Air Force.

      Linda’s husband, George (David Heckingbottom) has been a good father to her son, a great family breadwinner, but he is boring with a capital ‘B’. They have been married 17 years and their love life is now down to birthdays and Christmas, if she is lucky.

      At one in the morning, Linda and George stagger home from a business, fancy dress party at the Town Hall. They are closely followed by Betty’s husband, Roger (Peter Scarrott), who is hoping to scrounge a few more free drinks before going home. When Linda goes up to bed, Roger reveals to George that he has had a vasectomy, and that his sex drive has since increased beyond his wildest dreams. Roger confides he now has extracurricular interests on a Monday and Wednesday night. Roger thoroughly recommends that George gets a ‘snip’ too – it will make a new man of him.

       Will George take Roger’s advice, or does Linda have ideas of her own?

This play was written in about 30 years ago, and is now showing a little bit of age. Cooney’s sole efforts were his better scripts, but this comedy has a great plot and plenty of laughs. David Heckingbottom and Kirstie Francis had tremendous chemistry, with Kirstie playing the randy but ignored wife, and David as the boring, and at times ‘disabled’ husband. Both actors not only had perfect comedic, verbal timing, but their hilarious body language doubled the humour.

After years of acting and presenting farces, director Sue Walker ably assisted by Larraine Heckingbottom, have milked every ounce of comedy from the show. All of the actors have literally thrown themselves boldly – and daringly – into the wild and ridiculous situations. Good supporting cast.

Young Callon Leam has come on leaps and bounds since his first show. He has certainly grasped the skills of comedy delivery. A few more years and a new generation of younger comic actors will be required, and he is in line.

At the ‘Castle’, you can always be sure of a warm welcome and a professional show.

This 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 24^th September. Curtain up at 7.30 pm. There are matinées on Sunday 18^th and 25^th 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 50^th 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.

Clemens developed timeless, TV classic series such as ‘The Avengers’ and ‘The Professionals’, he worked on ‘Bergerac’, ‘Danger Man’, ‘Adam Adamant’ and even ‘Perry Mason’. He was so prolific that he had to use a pseudonym, Tony O’Grady.

The Melville Theatre Company are presenting this cleverly written thriller at the Melville Theatre on the corner of Stock Road and Canning Highway, in Melville,

The curtain rises on this gripping, two hour play at 8.00 pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night until 5^th March. There is a Sunday matinee on 28^th February at 2.00 pm.

 The scene is an upmarket, rented holiday villa on one of the Spanish Islands. It is a wonderfully designed (Joan Scafe) and eye-catching set, with the typical Spanish white walls, quality furnishings and bright coloured accessories. The superior set was built by Peter Bloor and Ross Bertinshaw.

The Bio Box operator was Susan Lynch, who had several lighting changes and special effects (aided by Stage Manger Vanessa Jensen) to deal with. Visually a stunning set. 

     Whilst on holiday in Spain, Suzy (Kirstie Francis) – who has an abusive husband – sees a handsome man chatting up a bunch of holiday girls. A few months later whilst in Marbella, she sees the same man. On asking the locals, she finds that this chap, Larry (Max Maxville) is probably a professional safe-cracker on the run from the UK police.

     Kirstie decides to ask Larry back to her villa whilst her diamond dealing husband, Alex (Wayne Cant) is out on business. Larry thinks it yet another holiday romance, but glamourous Suzy has something quite different to propose.

 Joan Scafe is a well-respected director, often going for the quirky and challenging scripts. For this three-hander, she has chosen a magnificent cast. Kirstie and Max have proven their talents many times, but Joan has selected complete newcomer, Wayne Cant for a major part. Wayne hasn’t even swept a stage before, let alone having a huge, complex and challenging part, but all three actors have fully rewarded Joan’s faith in them. They gave a perfectly paced performance, and certainly built up the suspense and terror. Great acting with clear enunciation.

This really is one of those plays that ticks all of the boxes, from the set, teching, script, acting and direction. Pure quality.

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 22^nd April. Curtain up at 7.30 pm. there is also a matinee on Sunday 19^th 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 40^th 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.