This is an excellent week with ten entertaining plays presented at Short + Sweet, and this week it was very very hard to pick the winner.
1. LOCKOUT: THE MUSICAL
Don’t you just love those people who always arrive too late at the theatre, who expect the show to be delayed until after their arrival. The lockout, yes please, instead of quietly waiting, these six patrons and the usher cleverly break out into a wonderful song and dance musical performance extraordinaire, that may well have been much better than the show they had paid to see.
Writer: Alena Titterton
Director: Alena Titterton
ITC: Berzurka Productions
Musical Arrangement and Recording: Tauese Tofa and Steve Body, Reveal Music
Choreographers: Mark Hill, Samantha Leigh Dodemaide
Producers: Michael Dowling, Alena Titterton
Cast: Michael Dowling (George), Elly Hiraani Clapin (Jemima), David Hov (Theo), Raphael Hudson (Usher), Carmen Lysiak (Susan), Graham Stoney (Tom), Alena Titterton (Annie) – – – http://lockoutthemusical.com/
2. THE AUDITION
The chosen monologue audition piece, with repetition becomes an embarrassing, poorly delivered, poorly directed experience, constantly stumbling along, suddenly turns into a serious and insightful drama with an unexpected twist and resolution.
Writer: Samira Wyld
Director: Samira Wyld
ITC: Wyldlake Productions
Cast: Susan Stenlake (Meg), Chris Kellett
3. A PINCH OF FATE, A SHOT OF DESTINY
A dramatic chance encounter with happenstance and coincidence galore, we see fate continually being defied, as destiny again and again destroys fate, so can the angel of death be beaten, just by all these unexpected encounters?
Writer: Mark Sasse
Director: Tara Gallop-Brennan
Cast: Hilary Park (Narrator), Eden Scott (Rebecca), Matthew Archer (Mitch),
4. CHARMING
As the relationship between the two characters develops in unexpected ways we wonder if Jennifer has caught her sweet and funny Prince Charming, or is he also looking for his Prince Charming?
Writer: Mark Harvey Levine
Director: Sue Chapman
ITC: Blacktown Theatre Company
Cast: Nicole Smith (Jennifer), Daniel Boole (Matthew)
5. TAGGED
Cleverly delivered where three of four people have the strongest reasons to cancel their facebook accounts, and re-join the real world where couples keep their secrets.
Writer: Russell Bell
Director: Steven Tait
Cast: Jack Douglas (Man), Ally O’Brien (Woman), Mark Longhurst (Waiter)
6. FRIENDS REQUEST
Gimmicky start and unexpected comedy twists along the way, the world’s newest religion is not Jedi, the wondrous new religion is called Facebook.
Writer: Jessica Fallico
Director: Sahn Millington
ITC: Trio
Cast: Errenn Ball (Advocate 1), Shannon Mills (Advocate 2)
7. CAPTAIN EVERYTHING
A very energetic and physical comedy set inside a tiny box, a perfect monologue with so many characters, so many super-heroes, so many surprises, searching everywhere for Princess Pretty Face plus a dramatic finish. This was an absolute crowd pleaser. * Unfortunately the play CAPTAIN EVERYTHING was not eligible for votes *
Writer: Pete Malicki
Director: Georgina Carr and Quinn Griggs
ITC: Short+Sweet Hobart
Cast: Noah Casey
8. NO MAN’S LAND
Clever Anzac story with multiple roles and differing points of view, set in May 1915 and based on a true story about the ceasefire organised to bury the dead, lost between the trenches in No Man’s Land at Gallipoli.
Writer: Kaz Getts
Director: Warren Bradey and Kaz Getts
ITC: RAPA
Cast: Ali Aitken (Goddess Hera/Mum), Holly Royce (Goddess Aphrodite/Anya), Henry Coleman (Australian Soldier at Gallipoli)
9. THE DEAD EX
Some scary moments in this possibly haunted house. Why is it that every time you bring a new potential wife home, your long dead ex-girlfriend keeps on turning up? So how did she actually die?
Writer: Vee Malner
Director: Tom Richards
ITC: Crash Test Drama Sydney
Cast: James Cameron, Lisa Hanssens, Liz Hovey
10. MANSTRUATING
When a man bitches and moans expressing his feelings in a truly over-dramatic fashion, similar to the effects PMS is claimed to have on some women’s moods, think outside the box, so is there really such a thing?
Writer: Adam Szudrich
Director: Grant Wilson
Cast: Emma Playfair (woman), David Owens (man)
VENUE – The Fusebox, Factory Theatre, Marrickville
PERFORMANCE DATES – 4-8 February 2015
Wednesday-Thursday 7:30pm, Friday-Saturday 6:30pm, Sunday 5:30pm
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