Lynn Belvedere

SHORT AND SWEET THEATRE 2016 TOP 80 WEEK 4 @ DEPOT THEATRE

01 The Perfect Independent Film 02 The Shoebox 03 Burn Out 04 The Pitch 06 Slip Davey's Lucky Dip Part 1 06 Slip Davey's Lucky Dip Part 2 07 It Hurts More When You Talk 08 The Final Countdown 09 Match Play 10 Let Them Eat Cake

Production photography by Sylvi Soe, and displayed in performance order.

This is week four of the biggest little play festival in the world. 2016 is the fifteenth year of SHORT+SWEET THEATRE SYDNEY, with the plays running from Wednesdays to Sundays until the Gala Final on the 13th March.

Week 4 featured ten entertaining performances.

(1) THE PERFECT INDEPENDENT FILM – A couple awkwardly wake up after a Christmas party, with no memory of the night before, and the comedy begins. They discover that they are in a movie within a movie, with the two writers capturing everything done by the couple. Writer: Trace Crawford, Director: Julie Zimmerman. Cast: Jim McInnes (Man), Sarah North (Woman), Lucy Smith (Writer 2), Tony Guyot (Writer 1)

(2) THE SHOEBOX – In the gardens of a nursing home, the mysterious shoebox. Just what is inside? Expectations aroused by wheelchair bound war veteran, so if Vic finishes reading GREAT EXPECTATIONS aloud, she will learn the secret. Having learnt the secret, her mother will be set the exact same task. ITC: Village Spirit Productions, Writer + Director: Kel Vance, Cast: Ashlyn Hunter (Vic), Saban Lloyd Berrell (Mr Dent – in wheelchair), Charlotte Hanson (Vic’s Mother)

 (3) BURN OUT – Joy, an idealistic young social worker, constantly deals with the child abuse demands of her new job. She explores these constant dramas, whilst trying to balance her new job, with her personality and her home life. Writer: Susan Pellegrino, Director: Brett Joachim, Cast: Alexandra Joyce (Joy), Laura O’Neill (Mandy (Supervisor), Anna (Lawyer)), Megan Mapp (Tracy, Michelle), Matthew Popp (Steven, Pierre (Fiancé).

 (4) THE PITCH – Unsuccessful writer Ivan (Myles Waddell), pitches the idea for his latest film to his wife Rachel (Amanda Mikhael). Ivan describes his film and Rachel makes her way through a bottle of wine. A what point does the pitch become his plan to murder his wife? Writer: Peter Cox and Norah George, Director: Amelia Morris.

 (5) THE REVENGE OF MR MEOWGI – After a date night on the town, young bachelor Dom brings the lovely Emily home and introduces her to his conniving cat Mr. Meowgi. Mr. Meowgi is determined to thwart his master’s efforts to get her into the bedroom. Extremely funny comedy, as Emily does not realise both Don and the cat, are arguing about her. Good riddence talking cat, replaced with a talking dog. ITC: Shady Side Projects, Writer: Tom Green, Director: Tom Green, Cast: Tom Green (Dom), Ellen Brooke Williams (Emily), James Hartley (Mr. Meowgi – the cat) Jed Clarke (Scruff – the dog)

(6A) SLIP DAVEY’S LUCKY DIP PART ONE – Crazy sketch comedy about an armed robber, trying to get the cash out of a store’s cash register. Unwilling store assistant versus the gun, with a unique twist at the end. Cast + Writer + Director: Chris Heaslip (Gunman) Cast + Writer + Director: Davey Reynolds (Shop Assistant)

INTERVAL

(6B) SLIP DAVEY’S LUCKY DIP PART TWO – Crazy sketch comedy with a twist at the end, with two mates using their fingers to eat straight from the jar. Both discuss their brand new girlfriends, Nu-tella and Peanut-Betty and quickly telegraph the ending. Cast + Writer + Director: Chris Heaslip (Peanut Butter) Cast + Writer + Director: Davey Reynolds (Nutella)

 (7) IT HURTS MORE WHEN YOU TALK – Comedy about full Brazilian waxing pain, however the real pain is caused by the beautician who never stops talking, yes incessantly talking without taking a breath. The customer just wants the the beautician to stops talking. Originally at Crash Test Drama Sydney. ITC: Backstage Pass, Writer + Director: Lisa Kelaher, Cast: Leanne Mangan (Jules – the beautician), Sandy Sharma (Wendy – the customer)

(8) THE FINAL COUNTDOWN – For football crazy Josh (James Phipps) there is no contest, choosing which event is more important to attend, a wedding or the Grand Final. Girlfriend Katrina (Sally Williams) has chosen the perfect place for the wedding reception, as a surprise for her boyfriend. Josh continuously asks his loser mate, for a method to temporarily dump the girlfriend, but only for the day of the Grand Final. Laughter for each suggested badly considered course of action. ITC: Grinning Shark Productions, Writer + Director: Graham Yates.

(9) MATCH PLAY – Arriving for his first date, Jason (Mikey Sardis) is expecting to find a young woman named Heather, that he has been online chatting by typing. Instead he finds her gorgeous flirting mother, Ruth (Laura O’Neill) who predictably claims to be there to vet him, as a suitable candidate for her non-existent daughter. Yes of course, everyone dating online lies. Writer: Seth Freeman, Director: Jeremy Span.

(10) LET THEM EAT CAKE – Marie Antoinette has cupcakes galore, together with her demure maid and her caring brother, this comedy explains all about her seven year, non-existent sex life with the King of France. Writer + Director: Dianne Stinson, Assistant Director: John Stinson, Cast: Alexandra Bidmead, Bobby Babin, Gillian Crowhurst.

Week 4 of Short and Sweet Theatre Top 80 runs till  Sunday 31st January at the Depot Theatre, 142 Addison Road, Marrickville.

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

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Published by Lynn Belvedere

Once we were old enough, my parents took the whole family to the Sydney CBD cinemas every week. Thus began a lifetime interest, in going to the cinema every week, and became a passionate cinephile by watching all those very heavily edited ''Australian Film Censorship Board'' true cinéaste versions of brand new release ''Cinematograph Films''. Greater Union always gave my father (who worked in Cinema Distribution Exhibition) guest double movie passes, to every first-night ''red carpet Opening Night'' at The State Theatre Cinema at 49 Market Street. Up until his death, my dad always received ''two house seats'' for every Opening Night performance events at the Theatre Royal SYDNEY and at Her Majesty's Theatre SYDNEY. As a child, when mum choose not to go, I often went with him, to those live performance events. As a young child, I remember being taken for each new show, at both The New Theatre at 60 Sussex Street, and the Phillip Street Theatre when located at 150 Elizabeth Street, and for classical music concerts at Sydney Town Hall. = = = ★★★★★ = = = Being happy is a choice, and I have always viewed my life, as material ready be made into a series of amazing tentpole movies. My New Years Resolution is kept every year: ''Get to see/review five new live theatre shows each week, and get to see/review six new cinema movies each week'', plus is one of the Australian Cinema Pioneers, and apparently have seen far too much already, but always wanting to experience more and more each year. I am also able to do almost everything that I enjoy doing. Yes, I do have a great daytime job in I.T. as ''Software Design Project Manager'', PLUS each evening until quite late - - - Australian Cinematograph Films historical censorship consultant - product-placement consultant - mystery-shopper consultant - playwright, writer, author, director, producer, photographer, cinematographer, color-grader, subtitles proofreader - arts/ drama/ music/ film critic and judge, journalist, member FIPRESCI & FCCA & AFCA, member AACTA accredited film reviewer-critic-writer, accredited IMDB.COM critic-reviewer-author, projectionist, plus an innovative iconoclast - - - ★★★★★ LYNN BELVEDERE ★★★★★ - - - [usr 5] - - -