“It’s a travesty, mate.” This is Keith’s assessment of the refurbishment of The Gleneagles Hotel, Dulwich Hill that takes place in local playwright Richie Black’s promising new play The Local. “Schnitzel parma is now $23 and sweet potato wedges are offered instead of chips. ” The obnoxious Keith (Steve Maresca) is complaining to his brother and cricket captain Ben (Jamie Collette).
The rooftop bar, yummy cocktails and VIP area infuriate the volatile Keith. Jamie Collett’s Ben, in a more nuanced performance, is more accepting of the gentrification of their local pub and the influx of the private school crowd.
Keith and Ben are in the pub after a game of cricket and Richie Black’s text is littered with wise and humorous cricket references and metaphors. There are also many amusing references to celebrities and Sydney landmarks such as Richard Wilkins, Ivan Milat and The Ivy.
THE LOCAL is being performed in the Exchange Hotel in Balmain, and these pub and local references are well suited to the venue. There is a funny exchange between Ben and Ashley, in a fine performance by Cecilia Morrow, in which Ben attempts to extol the virtues of Shane Warne. Ashley, who is from a privileged background, has an alternative view and sees Warne as the bogan from I’m A Celebrity. Ben has the sense to backpedal.
Andrew Mead gives a fine performance as Larry, the owner of The Gleneagles, and the instigator of the re-branding of the pub. This places him in direct and disastrous conflict with Keith. Actor Michael Wood excels in two roles as Matt the repulsive yuppie and as Tim, a nervous young member of the cricket team.
Director Maggie Scott has made good use of the space and pub atmosphere in her production of this clever comedy. There is some clever comedy in the contrasts between the new and old crowds that gather. There are also some funny but vicious and nasty putdowns. I also liked the quirky way that the dysfunctional cricket playing brothers use complex and esoteric words like extemporise, eviscerate, succinctly and infantilised.
The pub venue, the local references and the clever use of language make THE LOCAL an entertaining and amusing production. The playwright. Black shows good promise and hopefully we will hear more from him in the years to come. This year he is completing his final year of his MFA (Writing for Performance) course at NIDA.
Richie Black’s THE LOCAL is playing the The Ballroom at The Exchange Hotel, 94 Beattie Street, Balmain, until Sunday 20th March. Performances run weekly Tuesdays to Thursdays at 8pm and Sundays at 6pm.
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