There are ten high quality plays this week, thought-provoking, compelling, laugh-out-loud, superb entertainment galore, and with some adult themed comedy too.
(1) YOU TAKE THE HEAD – Huge comedy farce. A married man is suddenly dead on her bedroom floor, and Megan (Jen Jackson Blake) has asked her friend Lara (Brigid Bohackyj) has to help move the lifeless body to the bathroom. Both trying to choose a reasonable explanation, before the ambulance arrives. Writer: Sylvia Ann Alston, Director: Rebecca Ellis, Cast: Brigid Bohackyj (Lara), Jen Jackson Blake (Megan)
(2) MAYBE BABY – Adult themed comedy delight. Sperm collection at the IVF centre, with two couples with markedly different reasons for wanting to conceive, ending with an unexpected dual “Happy Ending”. ITC: Actors Anonymous Inc, Writer: James Adcock, Director: Jon Emmett, Cast: Kathryn Haradine (Sarah), Alex Giles (Steve), Kaleigh Wilkie-Smith (Karen), Josh Williams (Chris)
(3) SATURDAY 7:32AM – Compelling drama, presented with two unique points of view. Perpetually shy and socially awkward man (Benjamin Kuryo) constantly obsesses over the woman (Shabnam Tavakol) that he has been stalking. String of events are explored from both perspectives. His first face to face encounter, is in a bar. Surprisingly he is invited back to her place, for a one night only bedroom performance. He does not understand, and quickly becomes stalker, rapist, murderer. ITC: Almost Dangerous, Writer: Nick Subjak, Director: Glen Pead, Cast: Shabnam Tavakol (Woman), Benjamin Kuryo (Man)
(4) THE BRIDGE BUILDERS – Audience pleasing comedy. In the 1920s two southern engineers are trying to build the world’s biggest bridge from the USA to Switzerland. Choosing unwisely again and again, greatly increased the humour quotient. ITC: Upper Crass Theatre Company, Writer: Simon Godfrey, Director: James Hartley, Cast: James Hartley, Tom Green
(5) VINCENT’S EAR – Full costumes and well-designed set, the day is 23 December 1888 and this historical drama occurs inside a prostitute’s bedroom in Paris. Vincent van Gogh (Alec Ebert) relives the ‘beauty of life’ with Rachel (Jasmine Cabrera) his prostitute muse. Suffering an acute psychotic episode, Vincent removes his left ear. Writer: Donna Hoke, Director: David Farland, Set + Costume Design: Dann Barber
(6) TUPPERWARE GEORGE – Moving day woes, Marge (Madeline Beukers) with little time to spare, wants her former housemates, the vegans, Nina (Amelia Morris) and Sunny (Elliott Falzon) to use chlorine bleach to kill the fungus inside the fridge. Their stoner friend Tucker (Ricky Klein) arrives, and comedy mayhem ensues. The fungus has learned to speak English, and wants to be known as George (Sam Nixen). George’s arrival drew gasps from an appreciative audience, with the denouement gaining lengthy applause. ITC: Grumpy Mandrake Theatre, Writer: Sam Nixen, Director: Nathan Farrow, Cast: Madeline Beukers (Marge), Amelia Morris (Nina), Elliott Falzon (Sunny), Ricky Klein (Tucker), Sam Nixen
(7) BREACH OF CONTRACT – Yes a Judge Judy comedy, in under ten minutes. The victim of a contract that he made with the devil, plus the devil and God, are having his case of contract breach by the Devil, heard in Judge Judy’s court. So who will win the case of a lifetime? Writer: Michael Callahan, Director: Samantha Lee, Cast: Lucy Starita (Judge Judy), Ryan Sobolski (Lucifer – The Devil), Joshua William Parker (Enoch Sommes – The Victim), Sandy Sharma (God), Jennifer Hicks (Jenny Jones), Zac Paulic (Henry – The Bailiff)
(8) LOVE – Intense one woman monologue, performed by Adele Lewin (Sylvia). Alcohol fuelled revelations about her need for destructive toxic relationships, and about verbal abuse from her mother and from her lesbian lover. ITC: Fortune Theatre Company, Writer + Director + Cast: Adele Lewin
(9) HEAVEN.COM – Time to outsource to Earth, the creation of a celestial internet, by creating an online connection between Heaven and Earth. Extremely thought-provoking comedy, when a hacker from Hell takes control of the celestial internet. ITC: NATGURU, Writer + Director: Asim Das, Costume + Make-up: Madhulekha Das, Cast: Sandipan Sen (God), Ripon Barua (Saint Peter), Samya Mitra (Sam), Kartik Malik (Neil)
(10) THE LORD OF THE LIES – Epic comedy of more and more magnificent lies, incredibly entertaining too. Legolas the elf (Atlas Adams) recounts in vivid detail about being the hero of every battle, that was not fought by Frodo (Samuel Lucas Allen). Firing endless arrows, doing triple backflips, killing legions of orcs, and just so much more, and of course everything was completely untrue. Audience favourite. ITC: Atlas Adams, Writer + Director: Atlas Adams
SHORT AND SWEET THEATRE 2016 Top 80 Week Seven runs from Wednesday 17 February 2016 to Sunday 21 February at the Depot Theatre, 142 Addison Road, Marrickville. There is on-site free car parking.
http://www.shortandsweet.org/festivals/shortsweet-sydney
Production photography by Sylvi Soe. Featured photo- A scene from James Adcock’s MAYBE BABY.
