Garry McDonald came up with Norman Gunton, Barry Humphries with Dame Edna Everage, Sir Leslie Patterson and Sandy Stone… On a much smaller scale but just as entertaining, it’s time to meet Jamie Oxenbould’s creation, ambitious young actor Nathan Tate.
Nathan Tate comes on stage, dressed in Elizabethan costume, spear in hand. Nathan is not a happy man.
He is fed up playing bit parts, walk on roles. At the moment he is in the Huffington Players touring production of HAMLET but he is only playing the role of the Spear Carrier.
Nathan thinks he’s much better than the other actors in the cast. Why hasn’t director Vincent Williams given the chance to play the brooding great Dane?!
Anyhow, Nathan’s got reason to smile. He’s got a live audience slap bang in-front of him, at his mercy. He stares out into the dark.
Are there any gorgeous women out there?! Yes, Nathan fancies himself as a bit of a Ladies Man.
He also reckons he’s got a good chance with Veronica, the curvaceous actress playing Ophelia (played by the delightful Jessica Sullivan).
Nathan, yeah, he’s a bit of a dag, spots one of his old teachers in the audience, waves and says hi.
Seriously, you talent scouts out there, you should come and have a look at this Nathan Tate. Sure he’s a little on the gawky side but this guy’s got talent. He needs a lucky break. He could be the next big thing. Remember this name!
Nathan does a great turn in a scene which sees him playing the Bard himself, wistfully composing a sonnet in celebration of his manhood.
And what a finale! Nathan plays all the parts in HAMLET’s bloody final scene at a furious and hilarious pace.
What’s Nathan’s future plans? Next year he will be directing a fresh production of KING LEAR in which he has incorporated a happy ending. Can’t wait. It’s in the diary!
The theatrical world is much richer with the likes of the mercurial Nathan Tate. His name will be up in lights before you know it.
Jamie Oxenbould’s THE SPEAR CARRIER, seamlessly directed by Mark Kilmurry, opened at the Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall Street, Kirribilli on Thursday 16th August and is playing till Saturday September 1, 2012. THE SPEAR CARRIER is playing in rep with CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION. Check out the Ensemble Theatre website on www.ensemble.com.au.
© David Kary
24th August, 2012.
Tags: Sydney Theatre Reviews- THE SPEAR CARRIER, Jamie Oxenbould, Mark Kilmurry, Ensemble Theatre Kiribilli, Jessica Sullivan, Nathan Tate, Natalie Boog, William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Sydney Arts Guide.