An Aussie larrikin comedy of caravan capers – that most of the audience could easily identify with. So much so that it encouraged reminiscences with lots of laughs from caravaners in the audience, during interval.
In the opening scene we meet Parkes the proud and possessive owner of his caravan, who is champing at the bit for every opportunity to whinge that he has missed out on his prime spot in the Caravan Park.
Every character – including Parkes enters through the gnome height door and bumps their noggins and curses! This evokes bitter-sweet laughs from the audience.
Pierce, aged about 46, introduces his too young (aged 22) girlfriend Gwendolyn, who causes mayhem when pitted against the other two more staid couples in their forties.
The acid green garnished braids and hippy clobber herald Gwendolyn who declares she has just spent three years in an Ashram in India and imbibing in the bong of good karma! She declares she has drawn spiritual sparks from Shirley Maclean’s right-wing behavioural clap-trap.
She inhales her choker of Himalayan crystals and the miraculous patchouli oil. Her vibrant youth and hippy impropriety of dangling her tie-dyed pyjama legs and cleavage over the top-bunk provokes the ire of the two older couples. Their jaded sensibilities are having anything but a rainbow day!
Monica who hates camping hits the bottomless pit of her brandy glass. She appears to be saddled to her henpecked husband Rodney but as the action of the play unfolds they become just a tad unravelled – with hilarious audience mirth.
The frenzied caravaner Parkes, along with his furtive wife Penny, follow Monica and Rodney’s dramatic path – littered with shenanigans.
When torrential rain falls – courtesy of Cyclone Bruce-for an entire week, all three couples suffer the worst case of cabin fever. Parkes apocalyptic temper at the leakages in his caravan fortress knocks a dent in his precious caravan door. He then frantically fields drips and leaks with his trusty red bucket.
Pierce is a well-drawn but wimpish character whose nocturnal renditions of ‘long John Silver’ from the annexe take on a whole new meaning.
The ‘fierce Pierce’ is an arachnophobe who mistakes a fluffy pink eye mask for a funnel web spider!
The rain sequence is backed by the mellow solo by B.J. Thomas (1969) ‘Raindrops keep falling on my head.’
This boisterous and entertaining production – ends with the Beatles shining through with ‘Here comes the sun.’
Jason Darlington gives a seamless directing debut to this comic production. The open set design facing the audience contained all the caravan accoutrements, with the exception of lights and hot water in the ablution block!
CARAVAN, by Donald MacDonald, is currently playing the Henry Lawson Theatre, Henry Sports Club, 144 Henry Lawson Avenue, Werrington County.
Performances :
Saturday 12 Nov 8 pm
Sunday Matinee 13 Nov 2 – 4 pm
Friday 18 Nov 8 pm
Saturday 19 Nov Matinee 2 pm
Saturday 19 Nov 8 pm