The program tells us that ACTING WITH HONOUR is three fun one-act plays, so named because “each play explores the concept of honour”. That sounds oh, so serious! This is a fun-filled evening. The three plays are The Twelve-Pound Look (written 1922 by J.M. Barrie, directed for Bittersweet by Sarah Carradine, Purgatory (written by Steven Berkoff 2009), directed by Richard Cotter) and Procedure written by Joyce Carol Oats in 1991, directed by Sarah Carradine.
Bittersweet’s producer Gar Jones has selected three plays that are entertaining, around the same length and work well together. Each is a mystery, keeping the audience guessing how it will end.
The audience was clearly enjoying the event. Two fun facts: 1.) The person sitting next to this reviewer laughed heartily telling us he had auditioned for the role of the dead man in Procedure but didn’t get the part – because he didn’t have enough experience being dead. 2.) In Purgatory Marty O’Neill plays the grumpy neighbour off stage, calling out his lines. Then, for the final bow, he appears in a hilarious outfit the audience had imagined such a character would be wearing. The audience cheered Marty in his wonderful gear!
That’s the kind of event it is. The plays are social comedy with bite. The audience is happy from the start. The actors, mostly community theatre regulars, are clearly also having a good time. The three plays do have social meaning and a progressive tint, and the humour is the key to the success of ACTING WITH HONOUR.
Of the ten actors, John Grinston is the stand out, mainly because his role includes quoting Shakespeare, which he does grandly. Oh, and let’s not forget Marty’s playing the bloke in the next apartment who hates Shakespeare. He was good, too. They all were.
There is only more performances left to catch this show. ACTING WITH HONOUR is playing tonight between 7pm and 8.30pm at the Eternity Playhouse on the corner of Burton and Palmer streets, Darlinghurst
https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1485613
