Steaming by Nell Dunn. Canberra Rep directed by Liz Bradley at Theatre 3, February 23 - March 17, 8pm.
Steaming is a celebration of women, by women, for all of us. It's a great beginning to Rep's 2001 season.
No-one surely could fail to respond in kind to Lesley Smith's joyous Dawn, to worry for the sanity of Jennie Vaskess' Mrs Meadows, to feel the loneliness underneath Margaret Magner's sensible Jane, the strength of Judi Crane's Violet, the relief discovered by Naone Carrel's Nancy, and the glory of Bronwyn Grannall's Josie. This is a remarkably balanced cast, at ease with themselves and their director.
Superficially a small-scale modern classic about the local politics of closing some delapidated Turkish baths, in a 1970's London of the working poor and pensioners, Nell Dunn's characters continually create shifting planes of light as they reveal their stories, their physicalities and their emotional bonds with each other.
It's true, yet it becomes a minor point, that the issues in the play are just as relevant in today's "liberal" we-must-be-more-competitive regime as under Thatcherism. It certainly warns us how far backwards our government marches on. But the universal in the play - and brought out very well in this production - which enlarges our understanding, is about how we are all vulnerable and can find strength in sharing our experiences. How we are all different, and by coming to appreciate our differences we find how we are all the same.
The value of this production is the sincerity of the commitment of the women performers to the theme of women's freedom. Every man, woman and child needs to experience the warmth of feeling coming off the stage and enveloping the audience - just like the steam of the Turkish bath, which relaxes body and mind in a space separated for a short while from the frozen world outside. We all need theatre like this, just as the women will fight on to keep their baths.
First night was good, but the performance will without doubt become more energised and connected through the season. If the rest of this year from Rep is this good, you may as well take out a subscription now. Ring 6257 1950.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Saturday 24 February 2001
Monday 19 February 2001
2001: Shaking Up Shakespeare Festival at Thredbo. Feature article.
Shaking Up Shakespeare Festival at Thredbo, February 16-18. Coordinated by Robyn Klobusiak, Thredbo Tourism. Information and reservations: 1800 801 982 or www.thredbo.com.au.
There are two aspects to this Festival: being at Thredbo, and the performance of Shakespeare.
Thredbo itself has two contrasting angles. The bush, the mountains, the sun, wind and snow - all the natural forces of which Shakespeare wrote, here in their native Australian form. And then all the sophistication of the citified middle-class with credit cards hot-to-trot. No Antonios lending money at no interest here: after 4 centuries Shylock has won the day. Even Pauline Hanson's 2% bank has no show here.
So Shakespeare, the European master of drama, is relevant here, but how has he been treated?
Well, the packaged people ($139 per person, 4 share which includes 2 nights accommodation, a weekend festival pass and scenic chairlift rides) have been served a small treat, not to mention a Shakespearian Feast with music and dance for a mere $20. Not all nouveau cuisine, mind you, but some highly original presentations.
There was Australian au natural from The Actor's Forum (Sydney); the Oz bizarre flavour of tae kwon shakespeare II (Sydney); Euroexpressionisme from Thag-Theatre Fellbach (Stuttgart); Canberra ordinaire by the National Shakespeare Festival Company; Shrew in a dark prune sauce from the Gartre Troupe (Sydney); cappucino from Lieder Theatre (Goulburn); and 3 veg from the Thredbo Players, the amateur group who have inspired the Festival.
The highlight has to be the Thag-Theatre's Moonlight Fever, about how Puck stuffs up the lovers, a tightly disciplined production strong in symbolism and acting skills. The performers, representing high schools and universities in southern Germany, were as good as the best local professionals, and will perform in Canberra at Gorman House on Wednesday February 21, and in Goulburn and Sydney.
The professional Actor's Forum's Shakespeare on Love was a little like a Shakespeare tour for schools, but was expertly performed in naturalistic style, covering bits from 10 plays, 3 sonnets and the narrative poem Venus and Adonis. Young actor Ana Maria Belo closely matched Thag-Theatre's Mona Schrodel for stage presence and skill in switching mood. Buster Skeggs' Kate from Taming of the Shrew exposed the contrast between the Actor's Forum sophistication of interpretation and the too easy acceptance by the other Sydney professionals, Gartre, of Kate's apparent kowtowing to Petruchio. Gartre, recently graduated from acting schools, have the skills but not the depth to bring out Shakespeare's irony.
I have to report, too, that though Nicholas Bolonkin, Miranda Rose and Simon Kearney of Canberra's National Shakespeare Theatre perhaps have depth of understanding, they haven't the skills to match Buster Skeggs in Venus and Adonis. Goulburn's amateur Lieder Theatre were certainly very funny in Tom Stoppard's 15 Minute Hamlet, but less so in Sonnets 18 and 141 (though Ann Elbourne is a good comedian) and less so again in Bridget Elbourne's A Little Elizabethan Tomfoolery.
The most original idea of the Festival was professional Ben Seton's story, directed by Melvyn Morrow, of how he defeated his Union-playing schoolmate Julian Beaumont for the love of leading lady Kate by incorporating championship Tae Kwon Do into all his Shakespeare roles. The script needs tightening but the bits that worked were quite stunning: martial arts becomes the language of movement through which the emotions of Shakespeare's words are expressed. He even did Kate, the Shrew's, final speech: in the kitchen chopping up vegetables - and he did not miss the irony.
Thredbo's own Players, conventionally amateur in their low energy, lack of movement and slow cues were saved by Steve Lyster's language control as Sir Toby Belch, with solid support from Lizzy Withers (Viola) and Mel Perrin (Olivia), and lifted the audience in the final scene. Unfortunately the modern setting (café society in Italian fishing village) was ignored, apart from the drunkards hiding behind the bar, instead the bush in the original. It was a potentially good idea wasted.
One strength of the Festival was John Garden's practical classes in Renaissance Dance, focussing on dances mentioned by Shakespeare and giving historical insights, for example about Queen Elizabeth's fascination with the new risque dance La Volta. Earthly Delights provided their usual high standard of Renaissance music and late evening entertainment was well provided for with Theatresports by Gartre and the excellent Irish band The Fifth Element.
My feeling is that after several years, Thredbo's Shakespeare Festival needs an upgrade. It seems to have fallen between stools, promising the sophistication which the credit card trotters expect while wanting to keep a village festival inclusiveness. Audiences have not grown. It's time for investment in a professional artistic director, or the Festival may fall on its sword: not a good result for Shakespeare or Thredbo.
Frank and Meg McKone were guests of Tourism Thredbo and stayed at Thredbo Alpine Hotel.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
There are two aspects to this Festival: being at Thredbo, and the performance of Shakespeare.
Thredbo itself has two contrasting angles. The bush, the mountains, the sun, wind and snow - all the natural forces of which Shakespeare wrote, here in their native Australian form. And then all the sophistication of the citified middle-class with credit cards hot-to-trot. No Antonios lending money at no interest here: after 4 centuries Shylock has won the day. Even Pauline Hanson's 2% bank has no show here.
So Shakespeare, the European master of drama, is relevant here, but how has he been treated?
Well, the packaged people ($139 per person, 4 share which includes 2 nights accommodation, a weekend festival pass and scenic chairlift rides) have been served a small treat, not to mention a Shakespearian Feast with music and dance for a mere $20. Not all nouveau cuisine, mind you, but some highly original presentations.
There was Australian au natural from The Actor's Forum (Sydney); the Oz bizarre flavour of tae kwon shakespeare II (Sydney); Euroexpressionisme from Thag-Theatre Fellbach (Stuttgart); Canberra ordinaire by the National Shakespeare Festival Company; Shrew in a dark prune sauce from the Gartre Troupe (Sydney); cappucino from Lieder Theatre (Goulburn); and 3 veg from the Thredbo Players, the amateur group who have inspired the Festival.
The highlight has to be the Thag-Theatre's Moonlight Fever, about how Puck stuffs up the lovers, a tightly disciplined production strong in symbolism and acting skills. The performers, representing high schools and universities in southern Germany, were as good as the best local professionals, and will perform in Canberra at Gorman House on Wednesday February 21, and in Goulburn and Sydney.
The professional Actor's Forum's Shakespeare on Love was a little like a Shakespeare tour for schools, but was expertly performed in naturalistic style, covering bits from 10 plays, 3 sonnets and the narrative poem Venus and Adonis. Young actor Ana Maria Belo closely matched Thag-Theatre's Mona Schrodel for stage presence and skill in switching mood. Buster Skeggs' Kate from Taming of the Shrew exposed the contrast between the Actor's Forum sophistication of interpretation and the too easy acceptance by the other Sydney professionals, Gartre, of Kate's apparent kowtowing to Petruchio. Gartre, recently graduated from acting schools, have the skills but not the depth to bring out Shakespeare's irony.
I have to report, too, that though Nicholas Bolonkin, Miranda Rose and Simon Kearney of Canberra's National Shakespeare Theatre perhaps have depth of understanding, they haven't the skills to match Buster Skeggs in Venus and Adonis. Goulburn's amateur Lieder Theatre were certainly very funny in Tom Stoppard's 15 Minute Hamlet, but less so in Sonnets 18 and 141 (though Ann Elbourne is a good comedian) and less so again in Bridget Elbourne's A Little Elizabethan Tomfoolery.
The most original idea of the Festival was professional Ben Seton's story, directed by Melvyn Morrow, of how he defeated his Union-playing schoolmate Julian Beaumont for the love of leading lady Kate by incorporating championship Tae Kwon Do into all his Shakespeare roles. The script needs tightening but the bits that worked were quite stunning: martial arts becomes the language of movement through which the emotions of Shakespeare's words are expressed. He even did Kate, the Shrew's, final speech: in the kitchen chopping up vegetables - and he did not miss the irony.
Thredbo's own Players, conventionally amateur in their low energy, lack of movement and slow cues were saved by Steve Lyster's language control as Sir Toby Belch, with solid support from Lizzy Withers (Viola) and Mel Perrin (Olivia), and lifted the audience in the final scene. Unfortunately the modern setting (café society in Italian fishing village) was ignored, apart from the drunkards hiding behind the bar, instead the bush in the original. It was a potentially good idea wasted.
One strength of the Festival was John Garden's practical classes in Renaissance Dance, focussing on dances mentioned by Shakespeare and giving historical insights, for example about Queen Elizabeth's fascination with the new risque dance La Volta. Earthly Delights provided their usual high standard of Renaissance music and late evening entertainment was well provided for with Theatresports by Gartre and the excellent Irish band The Fifth Element.
My feeling is that after several years, Thredbo's Shakespeare Festival needs an upgrade. It seems to have fallen between stools, promising the sophistication which the credit card trotters expect while wanting to keep a village festival inclusiveness. Audiences have not grown. It's time for investment in a professional artistic director, or the Festival may fall on its sword: not a good result for Shakespeare or Thredbo.
Frank and Meg McKone were guests of Tourism Thredbo and stayed at Thredbo Alpine Hotel.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
2001: Shaking Up Shakespeare Festival at Thredbo: Education Day. Feature article.
Shaking Up Shakespeare Festival at Thredbo: Education Day on the Village Green. Friday February 16 10am - 3pm.
As a social day for students on excursion to a beautiful sunny Thredbo, the day was a clear success. However I found myself agreeing with teachers Gai Britt and Mariette Daniels from Telopea Park School that educationally the experience was a little thin.
Also represented were Corryong Secondary College, Bombala High School and Snowy Mountains Grammar School whose teacher, Josh Levy, explained that his students studied Shakespeare in their English classes and were looking for learning about the production process to complement their literary study. As I discovered, indeed, few of the 90 students were taking Drama classes: many of those would have found the day fairly ordinary.
This was the first year "Education Day" has been part of the Thredbo Shakespeare Festival and several points need to be made if next year is to be better. Only one group was available to provide the professional input for the day, but - certainly if numbers attending are to build - a quality Festival needs to offer more variety. The Gartre Troupe is a company of recently graduated actors which has accreditation with the NSW Department of Education, basically providing work and exposure for actors at the beginning of their careers.
Their energy level, ensemble work and skills are high indeed, providing an excellent model for the students to aspire to, but their program (a brief introductory exercise in small groups about acting truthfully, a demonstration of rehearsing the opening scene of Taming of the Shrew, a performance of a shortened version of the same play, and a demonstration of Theatresports games with student input of ideas and some participation), which at first blush seems engaging, was not clearly structured to take the students from their normal conventional understanding of acting towards at least a beginning of experiencing the originality and creativity of professional theatre.
Probably the unexpected group of 5 - 9 year olds, brought along by brave parent Rowena Evans from Cooma Public School, gained the most by presenting their own drawings of the characters from the play as their way of thanking the performers.
The day also suffered from bad timing. A 10 am start for students arriving by bus from Canberra, Corryong and Bombala was never likely to work, and Gartre had to hold off for 30 minutes, had to shorten planned exercises and could not fit in a feedback session after the performance of a rather dark, perhaps even politically questionable version of Taming of the Shrew.
In fact fitting the trip into one day must have been very demanding of willing teachers. By expanding and developing the educational program, the Festival can gain a reputation to build on. As I saw the day this year, I would not deny the social value of the students' excursion, but I couldn't yet recommend it as quality education.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
As a social day for students on excursion to a beautiful sunny Thredbo, the day was a clear success. However I found myself agreeing with teachers Gai Britt and Mariette Daniels from Telopea Park School that educationally the experience was a little thin.
Also represented were Corryong Secondary College, Bombala High School and Snowy Mountains Grammar School whose teacher, Josh Levy, explained that his students studied Shakespeare in their English classes and were looking for learning about the production process to complement their literary study. As I discovered, indeed, few of the 90 students were taking Drama classes: many of those would have found the day fairly ordinary.
This was the first year "Education Day" has been part of the Thredbo Shakespeare Festival and several points need to be made if next year is to be better. Only one group was available to provide the professional input for the day, but - certainly if numbers attending are to build - a quality Festival needs to offer more variety. The Gartre Troupe is a company of recently graduated actors which has accreditation with the NSW Department of Education, basically providing work and exposure for actors at the beginning of their careers.
Their energy level, ensemble work and skills are high indeed, providing an excellent model for the students to aspire to, but their program (a brief introductory exercise in small groups about acting truthfully, a demonstration of rehearsing the opening scene of Taming of the Shrew, a performance of a shortened version of the same play, and a demonstration of Theatresports games with student input of ideas and some participation), which at first blush seems engaging, was not clearly structured to take the students from their normal conventional understanding of acting towards at least a beginning of experiencing the originality and creativity of professional theatre.
Probably the unexpected group of 5 - 9 year olds, brought along by brave parent Rowena Evans from Cooma Public School, gained the most by presenting their own drawings of the characters from the play as their way of thanking the performers.
The day also suffered from bad timing. A 10 am start for students arriving by bus from Canberra, Corryong and Bombala was never likely to work, and Gartre had to hold off for 30 minutes, had to shorten planned exercises and could not fit in a feedback session after the performance of a rather dark, perhaps even politically questionable version of Taming of the Shrew.
In fact fitting the trip into one day must have been very demanding of willing teachers. By expanding and developing the educational program, the Festival can gain a reputation to build on. As I saw the day this year, I would not deny the social value of the students' excursion, but I couldn't yet recommend it as quality education.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Thursday 15 February 2001
2001: Jigsaw and Free Rain 2001 Season launches. Feature article.
Two very different Canberra theatre companies launched their 2001 seasons on Valentine's Day: Jigsaw and Free Rain. Yet there are strong connections between the two, not the least being David Whitney.
But first, their programs.
Jigsaw's was launched by Director of Public Prosecutions Richard Refshauge, the company's first president way back in the mid 70's, ACT Cultural Council Chair and currently serving on the Australian National University Committee of Review of the ANU Theatre Studies program. (Indications are positive and expect the Report, planned for last December, to appear about the end of this month.)
In true Jigsaw tradition, Mr Refshauge and David Whitney - representing the Australia Council - arrived on stage by ute and were critically examined by puppetry dogs, all part of Jigsaw's main production for Federation called Post & Rail. Asked to explain Federation in a fun way, writer Manuel Aston makes time rather slippery for Tom and Joanne when their ute breaks down and they seek help from a fencer who tells them they'll have to pay two bob customs duty to cross his state border fence and they can't catch one train to Melbourne because of the different gauges - and has a major fit when Joanne's mobile phone rings.
Jigsaw is bursting out all over with Post & Rail in schools and at Parliament House (March/April); Dyna'write at Big Byte Virtual Theatre (www.jigsaw.asn.au/bigbyte); Kings Hall Nine at Old Parliament House (March - April and September - November); Smoke Free Burning Boards Youth Drama Festival moving this year to The Street Theatre in June; The Long Time 'til Tea for 4-8 year olds at Tuggeranong Arts Centre, Gorman House and Belconnen Community Centre (November/December); Kera Putih going this year to Melbourne and Geelong Arts Centres; while The Man Whose Mother Was A Pirate, in its third year, goes to the Sydney Opera House, Western NSW, Adelaide, Melbourne and Geelong.
In addition is a new play by Mary Morris, The Blue Roof, with special funding from the Australia Council, treating a teenage boy's coming to terms with the tragic death of his girlfriend - a sophisticated production for young people at The Street in March/April. And New Direktions expands this year into employing (i.e. paying) Jonathan Lees (writer), Catherine Wright (technical production and set design), Matthew Aberline (costume) and Mike Smith (musical theatre and puppetry).
Free Rain Theatre Company, a risky business venture of its passionate director Anne Somes, has begun to keep its head just above water in this - its sixth - financial year. Focussed on providing for young actors and directors, Somes and George Huitker give particular credit to Jigsaw for major support two years ago as part of New Direktions at Currong Theatre and to Canberra Theatre Centre for administration, marketing and technical support for 2001 in the Courtyard Studio. A future direction will be to set up the now more experienced members into a separate team, while continuing to nurture a younger group.
Productions will be Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross, David Williamson's Brilliant Lies, and Peter Nichols' A Day in the Death of Joe Egg. Phillip O'Brien in his launch speech commented on the challenge Free Rain sets itself, and compared the youth energy factor in this company with Richard Tognetti's Australian Chamber Orchestra: a high standard to match indeed.
And David Whitney? Now General Manager of the Canberra Theatre Centre as well as being on the Australia Council for the Arts, Whitney emphasises cooperation and support for the continually bubbling theatre scene in Canberra. People sit around their lounge rooms and form new companies every year, he says. Some collapse, but some prove themselves - like Free Rain - and he sees an obligation under the Canberra Theatre Centre charter to use his established administrative and technical structure to provide as much support as he can.
Whitney sees the Canberra Theatre Centre, Currong Theatre and The Street Theatre as a cooperative central network rather than competitive entities. His aim is to help raise professional standards of theatre in this city through the good offices of the Canberra Theatre Centre, and we can only hope his vision can break down insularity in the Canberra theatre scene.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
But first, their programs.
Jigsaw's was launched by Director of Public Prosecutions Richard Refshauge, the company's first president way back in the mid 70's, ACT Cultural Council Chair and currently serving on the Australian National University Committee of Review of the ANU Theatre Studies program. (Indications are positive and expect the Report, planned for last December, to appear about the end of this month.)
In true Jigsaw tradition, Mr Refshauge and David Whitney - representing the Australia Council - arrived on stage by ute and were critically examined by puppetry dogs, all part of Jigsaw's main production for Federation called Post & Rail. Asked to explain Federation in a fun way, writer Manuel Aston makes time rather slippery for Tom and Joanne when their ute breaks down and they seek help from a fencer who tells them they'll have to pay two bob customs duty to cross his state border fence and they can't catch one train to Melbourne because of the different gauges - and has a major fit when Joanne's mobile phone rings.
Jigsaw is bursting out all over with Post & Rail in schools and at Parliament House (March/April); Dyna'write at Big Byte Virtual Theatre (www.jigsaw.asn.au/bigbyte); Kings Hall Nine at Old Parliament House (March - April and September - November); Smoke Free Burning Boards Youth Drama Festival moving this year to The Street Theatre in June; The Long Time 'til Tea for 4-8 year olds at Tuggeranong Arts Centre, Gorman House and Belconnen Community Centre (November/December); Kera Putih going this year to Melbourne and Geelong Arts Centres; while The Man Whose Mother Was A Pirate, in its third year, goes to the Sydney Opera House, Western NSW, Adelaide, Melbourne and Geelong.
In addition is a new play by Mary Morris, The Blue Roof, with special funding from the Australia Council, treating a teenage boy's coming to terms with the tragic death of his girlfriend - a sophisticated production for young people at The Street in March/April. And New Direktions expands this year into employing (i.e. paying) Jonathan Lees (writer), Catherine Wright (technical production and set design), Matthew Aberline (costume) and Mike Smith (musical theatre and puppetry).
Free Rain Theatre Company, a risky business venture of its passionate director Anne Somes, has begun to keep its head just above water in this - its sixth - financial year. Focussed on providing for young actors and directors, Somes and George Huitker give particular credit to Jigsaw for major support two years ago as part of New Direktions at Currong Theatre and to Canberra Theatre Centre for administration, marketing and technical support for 2001 in the Courtyard Studio. A future direction will be to set up the now more experienced members into a separate team, while continuing to nurture a younger group.
Productions will be Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross, David Williamson's Brilliant Lies, and Peter Nichols' A Day in the Death of Joe Egg. Phillip O'Brien in his launch speech commented on the challenge Free Rain sets itself, and compared the youth energy factor in this company with Richard Tognetti's Australian Chamber Orchestra: a high standard to match indeed.
And David Whitney? Now General Manager of the Canberra Theatre Centre as well as being on the Australia Council for the Arts, Whitney emphasises cooperation and support for the continually bubbling theatre scene in Canberra. People sit around their lounge rooms and form new companies every year, he says. Some collapse, but some prove themselves - like Free Rain - and he sees an obligation under the Canberra Theatre Centre charter to use his established administrative and technical structure to provide as much support as he can.
Whitney sees the Canberra Theatre Centre, Currong Theatre and The Street Theatre as a cooperative central network rather than competitive entities. His aim is to help raise professional standards of theatre in this city through the good offices of the Canberra Theatre Centre, and we can only hope his vision can break down insularity in the Canberra theatre scene.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Wednesday 7 February 2001
2001: The Ball's Up by Marya Glyn-Daniel
The Ball's Up by Marya Glyn-Daniel. The Players Company directed by Jasan Savage. UCU Theatre, The Hub, University of Canberra Feb 7, 8, 14, 15 12.40pm and 5.40pm; matinee Sat Feb 10 2pm.
"We're never going to be an experimental theatre," says Marya Glyn-Daniel. Her slightly zany one-acter proves the point, being highly reminiscent of Alan Ayckbourn's style, but it's a neat script which caricatures the management of book publishing.
Alex Aspillera of Echidna Books, for which read Little Antarctic Birds Books with its office in Ringwood, Melbourne, plans the launch of "Football in the Seventies" while her immediate boss J.T. is having a spiritual experience somewhere in the hills behind Ubud (in Bali in case you didn't know...) He assumes the game between the ageing 70's stars (Jazza, Gazza etc.) and football journalists, especially with a Scotch (rather than champagne) breakfast will be a balls up - and even Alex is prepared to clear her desk the morning after ten legless players are carted off to hospital.
In fact, of course, any publicity on three TV channels is good publicity. The book takes off and Alex's job is saved, while J.T. is suitably humiliated. Quite a lot to pack into 40 minutes on stage - and the Players do it with considerable panache.
Kim-Hurst-Meyers' Alex has a quick knowing wit which is the core of a successful character. Danielle McGettrick plays a wonderful brainless Suzy the Temp - but it's her brother who saves the day. Simon Troeth as J.T. needs more light and shade in his character: it's hard to imagine how he ever got his job otherwise - but maybe that's the key to his caricature. Chris Clarke's brief appearance as Gazza was a gem - a part that might have been developed in a longer play.
Designer and director Jasan Savage had a clear vision of the right style for this play on this tiny stage, so it will be interesting to see his next production: a very different Diary of Anne Frank in April/May.
A gaggle of ex-70's ex-Melbourne female footy fans in the foyer were very excited by memories of Jazza etc., and extracted from Marya news of a full-length play, still at the storyboard stage, for 2002.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
"We're never going to be an experimental theatre," says Marya Glyn-Daniel. Her slightly zany one-acter proves the point, being highly reminiscent of Alan Ayckbourn's style, but it's a neat script which caricatures the management of book publishing.
Alex Aspillera of Echidna Books, for which read Little Antarctic Birds Books with its office in Ringwood, Melbourne, plans the launch of "Football in the Seventies" while her immediate boss J.T. is having a spiritual experience somewhere in the hills behind Ubud (in Bali in case you didn't know...) He assumes the game between the ageing 70's stars (Jazza, Gazza etc.) and football journalists, especially with a Scotch (rather than champagne) breakfast will be a balls up - and even Alex is prepared to clear her desk the morning after ten legless players are carted off to hospital.
In fact, of course, any publicity on three TV channels is good publicity. The book takes off and Alex's job is saved, while J.T. is suitably humiliated. Quite a lot to pack into 40 minutes on stage - and the Players do it with considerable panache.
Kim-Hurst-Meyers' Alex has a quick knowing wit which is the core of a successful character. Danielle McGettrick plays a wonderful brainless Suzy the Temp - but it's her brother who saves the day. Simon Troeth as J.T. needs more light and shade in his character: it's hard to imagine how he ever got his job otherwise - but maybe that's the key to his caricature. Chris Clarke's brief appearance as Gazza was a gem - a part that might have been developed in a longer play.
Designer and director Jasan Savage had a clear vision of the right style for this play on this tiny stage, so it will be interesting to see his next production: a very different Diary of Anne Frank in April/May.
A gaggle of ex-70's ex-Melbourne female footy fans in the foyer were very excited by memories of Jazza etc., and extracted from Marya news of a full-length play, still at the storyboard stage, for 2002.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
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