Floss

SHORT+SWEET 2017 TOP 80 : WEEK EIGHT @ THE DEPOT THEATRE

This is the final week of Top80 S+S heats. Festival Director Wayne Tunks has made good use of the wall of props on display each week, and finally someone found a magnificent use for the shovel. Selected superb theatre pieces, for you to pick and vote for your two preferred plays out of the twelve plays this week. Interesting message pieces, and emotionally moving themes with rap chess prequel, drama, comedy, time travel, true love, chance love, and a resonating vibrator challenge.

Week Eight Plays: March 1-5 (Wed – Sun @ 7.30pm)

(1) – The Bridge

ITC Presented by Mega Theatre Productions

Written by Jayaprakash Kulur / Directed by Sreejith Gangadharan

Cast: Sreejith Gangadharan, Nithin Balakrishnan

The Bridge
The Bridge

A guard enforces NO fishing on bridge. Drama entirely spoken in unintelligible gibberish (spoken in a meaningless nonsense language that no one understands) eventually the fisher-person teaches the guard how to fish.

(2) – Judgement Days

ITC Presented by Mockingbird

Written by Carl J Sorheim / Directed by Chris Baldock

Judgement Days
Judgement Days

Short story comedy monologue, starring Nick Steain. Audience participation and comedy one-liners, as cocaine driven humour becomes drama, along his journey of discovery towards his redemption.

(3) – Ying Yang

ITC Presented by Scene Theatre Productions

Written and Directed by Carol Dance

Cast: Harrison Freeland and Erica Long

Ying Yang
Ying Yang

Dialogue driven, romance comedy with drama in this fast-paced competition of opposites. When flirting, do opposites actually attract? He says, she says, black versus white, poor versus rich. So who will win their delightful word game challenge?

(4) – Tying Up Loose Ends

ITC Presented by Blackout Theatre Co

Written by Mark Harvey Levine / Directed by Delle Fowler

Cast: Daniel Boole, Daniel Conway and Delle Fowler

Tying up loose ends
Tying up loose ends

Youthful charm and dry wit galore between Adam (deceased at 26) and Richard, in this custody battle over a huge stack of vinyl and CDs. Adam versus Richard, and then Adam’s Mum versus Richard.

(5) – Stargazers

Written by Greg Gould / Directed by Simeon Yialeloglou

Cast: Blake Eaton. Georgia Heiniger and David Quinn

Stargazers
Stargazers

“3rd Rock from the Sun” the six season TV series, cleverly revisited at S+S. A comedy of young love between a woman, and the one alien who went native.

(6) – Floss

Written by John Tilbrook / Directed by Addie Fowler

Cast: Justine Matulewicz, Jasper Musgrave and Rachel Marley

Floss
Floss

The secret love of Romeo and Juliet, now revisited as a huge comedy in the dentist’s office, with dental rhyme and dental poetry. Floss the dental assistant and the dentist are in love, with a love too quickly destroyed by suicide. However the sorceress, Irma La Bush, with a twist decides to rescue all.

(7) – Game of the Century

ITC Presented by JAMS Productions

Written by Mark Longhurst / Directed by Steve Tait

Cast: Manon Gunderson-Briggs, Heath Jelovic, Mark Longhurst, Chris Tomkinson and Andrew Wang

Game of the Century
Game of the Century

Stunning prequel to last year’s Short+Sweet play Match of the Century. With live music, on keyboard and percussion.  Fast paced rap rhyme dance, pays tribute to USA chess player Bobby Fischer. Lightning-fast chess game, where winner takes all.

(8) – When Babies Fly

Written by Steve Korbar / Directed by Avantika Tomar

Cast: Dimitri Kleioris and Avantika Tomar

When Babies Fly
When Babies Fly

Fourteen hour sleepless flight LAX to SYD. Hugely entertaining, very politically incorrect high altitude comedy.  One very loudly crying unhappy baby, constantly screams its lungs out, keeping everyone awake. Two strangers discover their mutual dislike of children, and both wanting to remain barren, leading to romantic attraction. Magnified when she makes the buying decision.

(9) – Time Machine

ITC Presented by Natguru

Written by Bratya Basu / Directed by Asim Das

Cast: Surja Gupta, Madhulekha Das, Anirban Basu and Rima Sen

Time Machine
Time Machine

Interesting drama unfolds, as his time machine reveals his parents’  past events with audio and video. When taken completely out of context, those past events reveal shocking revelations.

(10) – One Punch

ITC Presented by Ranting Mime

Written and Directed by Jessica Fallico

Cast: Jacinta Moses and Anthony Thomas

One Punch
One Punch

Superbly written drama and message piece. Their son was a fatal victim of a cowardly one punch attack. After visiting the police morgue, Mum and Dad are still processing their loss, and keep trying to remain calm.

(11) – Press Pray

Written by Seth Freeman / Directed by Wayne Underwood

Cast: Glenn Anthony Levett and Wayne Underwood

Press Pray
Press Pray

Catholic christianity comedy, as the church now uses an annoying computer voice message service (think Centrelink), to respond to the prayers of the faithful. Dazzlingly imaginative, and an audience favourite on Opening Night.

(12) – Good Vibrations

Written by Susan Mattocks / Directed by Valentino Arico

Cast: Sandra Campbell, Emma Louise and David Wiernik

Good Vibrations
Good Vibrations

Without the rabbit, the search for the perfect vibrator. Never ending audience laughter galore, the biggest audience hit on Opening Night. Mum (Sandra Campbell) is the perfect foil for daughter (Emma Louise). If only the sex shop had female employees.

SHORT AND SWEET THEATRE 2017 Top80 Week EIGHT, runs from Wednesday 1st March 2017 to Sunday 5th March 2017.

The Depot Theatre, 142 Addison Road, Marrickville, with on-site free car parking.

All photos by Robert Miniter.

Website:   : http://www.shortandsweet.org/festivals/shortsweet-sydney-0
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