A double bill of short plays by Roger Gimblett, ‘Horizons’ and ‘Decline and Hall’, graced the intimate Tap Gallery stage in early October.

Gimblett’s two plays were very different in style, with ‘Horizons’ being a lyrical, poetic piece, whilst ‘Decline and Hall’ went for broad comedy.

In the lyrical ‘Horizons’, Tricia Youlden and Benjamin Gellie played two very different people who connect with each other as they share adjoining plots of sand one beach day. Gellie’s character is a chirpy young surfie lad who strikes up a conversation with an, at first, very reserved mature aged woman, hiding under her beach umbrella, played by Tricia Youlden. Well performed, and gently directed by Richard Cotter, ‘Horizons’ reminded me warmly of a favourite one act play, ‘Sarah and her Sax’. An oft performed American play, ‘Sarah and her Sax’, features the relationship that develops between a conservative, elderly Jewish woman and a young Afro American saxophone player who share a New York park bench together.

After interval, there was a decided change of pace with the madcap ‘Decline and Hall’. In ‘Decline and Hall’, a local community hall is falling to pieces. A slap-dash motley crew of a building committee is formed to try and save the hall, with very little know-how on how to achieve their goal. This Gimblett short piece exists to serve its richly eccentric and colourful characters, well played by the cast who seemed to enjoy ‘the ride’.

Steve McGrath was well suited to the part of the fumbling, awkward local Minister, Donald. Ali Aitken played Janet, his doting and smitten assistant. Fiona Young played a decidedly odd cub scout leader, Victoria India Cotman played out some very sensual yoga moves, and Marc Kay was a ring-in who was more than willing to be led astray by her voluptuousness.

Running the gamut of experiences from the poignant to the farcical, this entertaining double bill played the Tap Gallery from the 6th to the 11th of October, 2009.