Ill Be Back Before Midnight by Peter Colley. Canberra Rep directed by Walter Learning at Theatre 3, November 17 – December 9. Bookings: 6247 1950
O what foul and fearful farce is this, what theatrical self-indulgence. You will certainly scream and laugh in the same breath. O horror – a play to be enjoyed!
Just the right illusion of reality in the midst of ludicrous twists of plot is achieved by all the actors. Leah Baulch plays Jan, who knows she is sane after experiencing a nervous breakdown. Ian Croker plays Farmer George, so warm-hearted, sympathetic and helpful, and – but I must not give the plot away. Lucy Goleby’s Laura and Duncan Ley’s Greg are brother and sister of the most awful kind. The trick is to make us suspend our disbelief to create feelings of terror, and then to suspend our belief to make us laugh.
Learning directed the original Rep production 20 years ago. I didn’t see it then, but I suspect that he has taught today’s actors perhaps even more skilfully than before. Without the correct finesse in timing and emotional expression, all the technical tricks in the world would not make the play work. But work it does.
You can’t help but be entertained by this spoof of an Agatha Christie, without a detective to help you work out the devious logic. Every character did it, except the butler because there isn’t one.
For people who want a justification for going to the theatre, a bit of academic effort shows the play actually reveals how politicians and terrorists can tap into our fears so easily. Remember the weapons of mass destruction which never existed, or how to respect women by killing them in a soccer stadium just before the afternoon game?
Of course I’ll Be Back Before Midnight was never meant to bear responsibility for such heavy thoughts, so don’t worry, be happy and you will indeed have as the program advertises “A wonderful night of blood-curdling fun!”
© Frank McKone, Canberra
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