Davros Dark

About The Production – Angus Camerons Australian Open

Australian Open

Today, we had an About The Production discussion over Australian Open. This production is coming to the PIP Theatre in January courtesy of the production company 7th Floor Theatre. Australian Open, not to be confused with the actual Australian Open tennis tournament, is a fast-paced comedy about tennis and open relationships.

About Angus Camerons Australian Open

What is this Production about?

Australian Open is a play about tennis and open relationships. It’s a hilarious ensemble piece that uses witty dialogue to challenge societal norms whilst championing queer culture.

What character are you playing, and what can you share with us about them?

I am understudying the role of Belinda as well as the Assistant Director.

Why did you want to be involved in this production?

I first became involved with 7th Floor Theatre through their weekly moved play reading series, Pot Luck Plays, and things evolved from there.

What will the audience be thinking about in the car as they drive home after this show?

I hope it will start conversations around open relationships. I identify as ENM (Ethical Non-Monogomous) which includes open relationships. I’m really excited to be part of a play that asks those kind of questions, and I’ve been enjoying chatting to the cast about it. The ENM world still faces a lot of discrimination.

What’s going to surprise people about this show?

People are going to be surprised just how funny this play is!

Where can patrons purchase tickets to this production?

Australian Open runs from January 8th to 18th, 2025. There are 7:30 p.m. shows from Wednesday to Saturday, and 2 p.m. matinee shows each Saturday.

To book tickets, please visit:- https://piptheatre.org/australian-open/

Other production interviews can be viewed in our About The Production Series.

Ellen Hardisty

Meet The Performer – Ellen Hardisty

Ellen Hardistry

Today, we had a Meet The Performer chat with Ellen Hardisty. Ellen will perform in Australian Open, which will come to the PIP Theatre in January courtesy of production company 7th Floor Theatre. The Australian Open, not to be confused with the actual Australian Open tennis tournament, is a fast-paced comedy about tennis and open relationships.

About Ellen Hardisty

What do you enjoy most about acting?

I love discovering different parts of myself and different ways of understanding the world that come from immersing myself in a new character. I love sharing stories and building community and asking the big questions and making people laugh.

What productions have you acted in before?

I have toured theatre around Europe – 6 shows in Rep!

What has been your favourite role so far in your career?

Playing Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead for the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble.

Do you believe talent or training is more important to an actor?

Acting is a mixture of craft and art. The craft of acting takes practice and training. The art of acting takes imagination and inspiration and bravery.

What do you think can make a role challenging?

I love challenging roles where the character’s experience is very different from my own life experience, and the depth of research that goes into these roles.

What do you think makes a performance most believable?

An actor having a thorough understanding and connection to their character, the story, and the world of the play.

Where can patrons purchase tickets to see your performance?

The Australian Open runs from January 8th to 18th, 2025. There are 7:30 p.m. shows from Wednesday to Saturday and 2 p.m. matinee shows each Saturday.

To book tickets, please visit:- https://piptheatre.org/australian-open/

Other interviews can be viewed in our Meet The Performer Series.

Ellen Hardistry

Prima Facie: An Intense and Thought-Provoking Journey

Prima Facie

Prima Facie Rating

★★★★★

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Prima facie—a Latin phrase meaning “at first sight” or “based on first impression”—is used in civil and criminal law to denote that a legal claim has sufficient evidence to proceed to trial upon initial examination.

Prima Facie opens with defence barrister Tessa Ensler (played by Sophia Forrest) confidently sauntering onto the stage, ready to tackle her latest court case. Tessa is in her element, prepared to interrogate and break down her witness, determined to continue a several-month winning streak. The script voices Tessa’s inner thoughts, providing a blow-by-blow account of her strategies and tactics. We learn that her impressive win streak includes several sexual assault cases.

The dialogue in this one-woman show utilizes Tessa’s internal monologue throughout, allowing us to follow her journey intimately. Through Tessa’s thoughts, we meet the significant people in her life and experience the play’s events. Sound effects skillfully enhance the emotional depth of the opening scene, conveying an additional current to Tessa’s thoughts and underlying emotions, allowing the audience to connect with her immediately.

As the play progresses, Tessa’s seemingly upward journey is disrupted by an event that leaves her questioning everything she knows. Her previously slick demeanour gives way to confusion and vulnerability, depicting the emotional turmoil of seeking justice and needing to be believed. The play explores the toll on her personal and professional life as she grapples with shattered illusions and seeks justice. Has she been unfair in her past treatment of victims in court interrogations?

What will the aftermath of this event mean for her? Will she be believed? Will justice be served? Will the perpetrator walk free? Will her voice be heard?

Prima Facie
Prima Facie

Congratulations must go to the production team for compiling a finely-tuned show. The set, costumes, sound, and transitions blend together seamlessly. The large stage is cleverly utilized, with versatile wooden boxes transforming into various props for each scene. The backdrop shifts smoothly, with a revolving stage component used cleverly in scene transitions, depicting locations from courtrooms to nightclubs. Visual media elements add tension at critical moments, offering visual insights into Tessa’s inner journey and effectively depicting time shifts in the play’s action.

  • Director: Kate Campion
  • Set Designer: Bruce McKinven
  • Set Realizer: Andy Cross
  • Costume Designer: Lynn Ferguson
  • Lighting Designer: Peter Young
  • Composer & Sound Designer: Melanie Robinson
  • Audio Visual Designer: Jessica Russell

Sophia Forrest’s outstanding performance anchors this intense one-woman show. Forrest adeptly portrays multiple roles, guiding the audience through Tessa’s transformation from a confident lawyer to a victim seeking redemption. Through the internal monologue, she effectively embodies the slick lawyer, interrogator, interrogatee, victim, daughter, sister, judge, and judged.

Enough credit cannot be given to Sophia Forrest for the remarkable effort in tackling the immense content of the role with skill and finesse. One can only imagine(shudder at) the mountains of preparation required to portray this role so successfully. A shoutout to understudy Holly Easterbrook, who must also have undertaken a similar journey in terms of effort and preparation.

The play’s heavy themes are thought-provoking and resonate deeply. You won’t necessarily leave the theatre with a light heart, but you will leave with plenty to think about, having witnessed a first-class production.

Prima Facie runs at the Heath Ledger Theatre from July 1 to July 21. Tickets range from $30.00 to $139.00.

The show lasts one hour and forty minutes without an interval. Content warnings include strong themes of sexual assault, coarse language, and the use of haze and smoke effects.

Photographer Credit: Daniel J Grant

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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Pygmalion – The Original My Fair Lady

Pygmalion

Pygmalion Rating

★★★★★

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Garrick Theatre’s latest production of George Bernard Shaw’s classic play Pygmalion opened last night to great anticipation. While most are familiar with the story through the film My Fair Lady and its countless adaptations, Pygmalion is the original source, encapsulating Shaw’s true intentions.

First premiered in Vienna in 1913, Pygmalion is a romantic comedy about Professor Henry Higgins, an English gentleman who bets he can transform Eliza Doolittle, a scruffy Cockney flower girl, into a proper lady.

As the curtains rose, the audience was transported to Old Covent Garden in London, with excellent lighting effects by Technical Director Geoff Holt, creating a marvellous ambience of an English rainy day.

The cast delivered strong performances throughout the play. Peter Clark excelled as Professor Henry Higgins, portraying the character’s likable-unlikable intellectualism. His blunt honesty and unawareness of the impact of his words on others, coupled with the absence of ill intent, brought depth to the role. Stuart Ridgway’s Colonel Pickering was like a trusted uncle, embodying the Professor’s gentlemanly confidant. Ridgway’s portrayal of Pickering’s paternal relationship with Eliza, helping her gain self-respect alongside phonetics, was heartfelt and genuine. Catherine Leeson’s Eliza Doolittle adeptly showcased the character’s evolution, with her comedic moments peaking in the middle of the play. Her portrayal captured Eliza’s transformation with authenticity and charm.

Pygmalion
Pygmalion

The supporting cast also shone brightly. Adam Skellham played Alfred Doolittle, Eliza’s scheming father, transitioning from a dustman to the epitome of middle-class morality. Sorcha Leary and Janice Phillips, respectively played Clara and Mrs. Eynsford Hill, depicted the petulant and idle rich with flashes of charm. Marsha Holt, as Mrs. Higgins, consistently put her son, the Professor, in his place, adding a much-needed mature counterbalance to her son’s sometimes haphazard approach to life. James Skellham’s Freddy was convincingly bumbling and infatuated with Eliza, while Allyson Corti’s Mrs. Pearce provided a grounded perspective on the implications of Higgins’ bet. Special mention to Juliette Hyland as the Parlour Maid, whose small role brought subtle yet appreciated comedic relief.

The Set Designer and Director Fred Petersen ingeniously crafted the set, with detailed transitions between scenes from Covent Garden to Higgins’ Laboratory and Mrs. Higgins’ Flat. His meticulous planning was evident and greatly enhanced the production. The choice of classic piano music between scene changes enriched the overall atmosphere, and the period-appropriate wardrobe, especially for the ladies, added a delightful authenticity.

As for the play’s ending? While many adaptations exist, this production offers the unique opportunity to experience Shaw’s original narrative as he intended.

The Garrick Theatre’s cast and crew have created a memorable and faithful rendition of this timeless play. Don’t miss the chance to return to Old Victorian London and enjoy this classic tale.

Pygmalion runs from June 6 to 22.

Performance Dates:
June 6, 7, 8, 9*, 13, 14, 15*, 15eve, 16*, 20, 21, 22
All evening shows at 7:30 PM.
*Matinees at 2 PM.

Bookings: TAZtix or call (08) 9255 3336.

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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