In local playwright Katie Pollack’s new play THE BLUE ANGEL HOTEL (a country hotel located near to the town’s jail), Grace, the hotel’s garrulous, middle-aged owner is hoping for a quiet day. This, however, is not how things pan out. In classic dramatic style, plenty of different events come crashing together and she can barely hang on.

A wild storm that has been brewing for a while hits the country town, shaking everyone up….A young, innocent looking Japanese guy with little English skills turns up ….The antagonists in the final Parole Board hearing of a long timer prisoner book in to separate rooms… and to cap it all off, the jail’s alarm goes off, a prisoner has escaped and could come racing through the hotel’s front door in a frenzy.

Pollack packs a lot into her play that runs under an hour and a half straight through. She weaves plenty of symbolism into the narrative, in particular incorporating many references to the Bonsai plant that Grace keeps in the foyer.

Her characters are exciting to watch. They lead with their heart and not their head, and this gives a great cast a lot to work with. Bill Conn plays Ray, an ex prisoner who has gone straight and still holds a candle for Grace, though her feelings aren’t reciprocal. Jacqui Livingstone is Vic, an attractive prison psychologist who has become emotionally involved with one of her clients, despite her better judgment. Eloise Snape plays the intense, unforgiving Angel who has come to the town in an attempt to ensure that her ex Jack remains behind bars.

Gael Ballantyne plays the warm, outgoing, informal Grace. Takaya Honda is great as the elusive, mercurial Hiro, who from the start appears furtive and mysterious. We soon find out that there is much more to his ‘story’ than that which we were shown.

Deidre Burges’s finely detailed set, with the central location being the hotel reception area and foyer, and then prison bars above, worked well.

Directed by Aarne Neeme, Katie Pollock’s engrossing drama where as the great philosopher Blaise Pascal said, ‘the heart has it reasons, that reason knows nothing of’, THE BLUE ANGEL HOTEL opened at the Old Fitzroy theatre on November 13 and runs until November 24, 2012.

(c) David Kary

22nd November, 2012

Tags: Sydney Theatre Reviews- THE BLUE ANGEL HOTEL, Old Fitzroy Theatre, Katie Pollock, Aarne Neeme, Bill Conn, Jacqui Livingstone, Eloise Snape, Gael Ballantyne, Deidre Burges, Zorica Purlija, Sydney Arts Guide