Castle Hill Players latest production, Grand Horizons by Bess Wohl, is a very well-presented comedy drama looking at the ups and downs of married life. There are lots of laugh out loud moments mixed with some very biting & telling comments about people’s expectations of others just because they are older and married.
The play opens with what appears to be the normal, set dinner time routine between an older couple suggesting to the audience a long-term marriage. Just as they begin to eat, the wife Nancy played with a great mix of comic timing and heartfelt monologues by Kate Mannix, drops a bombshell that she wants a divorce. Her husband Bill, played with stoic acceptance as well as dreams to be a stand-up comedian by Stephen Snars, calmly agrees.
Into this situation come the adult children apparently more overwrought than the parents at what they perceive as a shocking and unacceptable decision. Brett Joachim portrayed the neurotic gay son Brian with intensity and realism while also facing his own identity. Ben Wheeler played the highly stressed Ben with great energy, feeling caught between pleasing his very pregnant wife and trying to protect his parents. Kimberlea Smith plays Brian’s therapist wife Jess and is intent on giving her expert opinion, wanted or not, and calming everyone down. The parents really do not want interference from any of these family members, but it cannot be avoided as each has their stereotypic belief on how a marriage should be, including the sexual aspect.
Into this mix are thrown two more characters, Tommy, played by Hamish Davie, as Brett’s short-lived boyfriend who finds it all too much and gives up on the affair. Carla, the love interest of Bill, played enthusiastically by Jennifer Leslie was full of gaiety and cheerfulness but also escaped the family mess.
The director Jason Darlington gathers the actors expertly together in this retirement village of Grand Horizons as they all try to come to terms with this radical change to their beliefs. Jason is also the sound and set designer and the audience is in for quite a surprise just prior to interval!
This is a show that uses lots of fun and humour to bring some home truths to light as seen in the positive reactions of the audience on opening night. Playing at The Pavilion Theatre, Castle Hill Showground till 7 December.
Photos Chris Lundie
