Hunters Hill Theatre Company has tried on two previous occasions previously to put on Jonathon Biggins play. Both times the productions were shelved because of Covid. Now, at its third attempt, the production has made it to the stage.
However here is the rub. The spectre of Covid still hung over the production. Why? Because, in the last week, one of the actors, Kirit Chaudhary, who played Chester, came down with Covid.
Before the show started on opening night the two directors came on stage and revealed their novel approach to tackling this latest setback. A screen was set up next to the left side of the stage and the actor would say his lines as if he was on stage with the rest of the cast.
The approach worked quite well in that one could tell the actor had his character down pat and the cast played to him well. There was a little technical hiccup late in the play but this was easy to let pass.
This play by humorist Jonathon Biggins was written in 2012 and was put on in the same year by the Sydney Theatre Company in the Drama Theatre at the Sydney Opera House. Since then the play has proved to be popular and is a favourite with community theatre companies.
The play is a satirical comedy about an organising Committee set up for an upcoming Australia Day celebrations in the fictional beachside town of Coriole in rural Australia. Biggins said that he was inspired to write the play by his own experiences working on a Committee.
In AUSTRALIA DAY, the Committee is taking its responsibilities for organising the choirs, dance groups, the march, the citizenship ceremony and the visiting dignitary for Australia Day with the utmost seriousness.
Also of concern for the members is the Mayor’s push for pre-selection at the next election, and the presence of a newly arrived Green’s representative on Council.
The play features a motley crew of characters. The Chairman, Liberal Mayor Brian Harrigan (Martin Maling) has his eye on a Federal set and is intent on quelling any arguments.
The Assistant Mayor Robert (Ross Alexander) spends his time trying to stand up to stand up to the Mayor.
Greenie Helen (Cee Egan) is the most interesting character. She comes with all sorts of ideas to make the upcoming Australia Day a bigger, brighter, and more diverse and expansive experience. The rest of the Committee aren’t too enthused with her altruistic intentions.
Least impressed of all is the belligerent, bullish and bigoted Wally (Alan Long). One of his opening remarks is ‘fuck me sideways, it’s cold’ and the level just gets worse from there.
Maree (Renee Simon) is the old worldly Australian Country Women’s Association member. When the Committee discusses creating a website for the event , Maree’s retort is, ‘back in my days we used to have pen pals’.
The final character in the mix is school teacher Chester (Kirit Chaudhary), the Australian Born Vietnamese member. Through the play Chester loves to tease his colleagues and their not so politically correct attitudes.
The play’s action works on the basis of the increasing squabbling between the Committee members.
The production was well directed by Jasper Kyle with Brenton Amiss as the assistant director who kept the action flowing well. The performances were a little uneven in quality.
My favourite performances were by Cee Egan who was just great as the feisty Helen, Ross Alexander gave another reliable performance as Assistant Mayor Robert and Alan Long was a suitably obnoxious Wally.
Christopher Hamilton and Jasper Kyle came up with a good set design. In Act 1 the action takes place in the staff room of Coriole Public School. In Act 2 the action takes place around the Marque on Australia Day.
So, how does the play stand up some ten years after it was performed?! First the criticisms.
Biggins dropped the ball badly in terms of his insensitive jibes at First Nations people. As a veteran social commentator, and his many years with the Wharf Revue, it’s hard to work it out. How they made the cut in the debut STC production is hard to believe. He would be crucified now.
The transition that sees Helen go from being idealistic to unscrupulous is not convincing.
Where the play is strongest is in Biggins trademark wit. Here are a few examples – On public education- ‘We don’t have air conditioning, this is a public school’. on Radio National – ‘You are such a pen pusher, you should have worked at Radio National. On Vietnam – It’s like Vietnam only hotter. On the sausage sizzle : What’s more Australian than sausage on a barbecue? You think in China on Chairman Bloody Mao Day that they serve up pavlova.
Hunters Hill Theatre’s production of Jonathon Biggins AUSTRALIA DAY directed by Jasper Kyle is playing the theatre within Club Ryde until Sunday 25 September 2022. Performances Friday, 16 September 2022 @ 7.30pm, Saturday, 17 September 2022 @ 2pm & 7.30pm, Sunday, 18 September 2022 @ 2pm,
Friday, 23 September 2022 @ 7.30pm, Saturday, 24 September 2022 @ 2pm & 7.30pm and Sunday, 25 September 2022 @ 2pm
http://www.huntershilltheatre.com.au
boxoffice@huntershilltheatre.com.au
Featured image : Brian (Martin Maling), Wally (Alan Long), Maree (Renee Simon) and Helen (Cee Egan) have very different opinions on how to celebrate Australia Day
