Virginia Gray⭐🎭 - Whats The Show

Dear Friend, I Am Writing To Tell You About This Horrid Man

11/08/2026 Virginia Gray⭐🎭

She Loves Me Rating

★★★★★

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Congratulations to Sheryl-Lee Secomb and Emma Erdis for a top class polished show. The Tin Shed in Beenleigh is home to the Phoenix Ensemble and on Saturday night what a pleasure it was to sit in the comfy seats and enjoy “She Loves Me”. No wonder this musical has won 3 Tony awards, it is delightful.

A love story of boy meets girl, boy dislikes girl, girl hates boy but wait there’s more. Will a connection happen or just lonely hearts. And who is writing those letters??? The story follows the lives of the shop clerks and their boss with beautiful costuming and impressive singing.

The main set was the interior shop of Maraczek’s Parfumerie with side aprons for smaller scenes, the layout meant plenty of room for singing and dancing and the cosiness of the theatre meant that all seats are close to the action and intimate.
Stand out singers …well … surprise … they were all wonderful to listen to. We had dragged along the friend who doesn’t like musicals and he had to admit how impressed he was by the talent.

Georg Nowack the lonely heart manager with the gentle Scottish brogue was enjoyable to listen to when speaking but man can he sing, costume on point, acting believable and so engaging to watch.

Chloe Evans as Amalia, the straight and direct clerk desperate for a job, classically trained and did she get to flex those vocal chords, again great acting, singing, we sat there a bit star struck.

Ilona aka Grace Clarke, you minx, those va va voom dresses, that confidence, it was so much fun watching her bring that vampish charm to the stage.

August Cocks, Mike Zarate and James Hogan can pat themselves on the back – singing, dancing the acting, they were all an integral part that just kept making the show better.

Joshua Brandon had to play the sweet little delivery boy, and he pulled off a cuteness that just made you smile and your heart melt, so much fun and stayed in character so well.

The ensemble also captured your attention with well performed choreography and great harmony, singing and dancing is no mean feat, you must train hard and be fitter than a normal actor. Very impressive.

Everyone was very welcoming and helpful which made the trip to Beenleigh even more memorable, in the most delightful way.
So, if you are a musical fan and like a polished professional performance then get to Beenleigh, before it closes on the 29th of August. Ticket prices mean you really will be getting the bargain of the century, a touch of Broadway in your own back yard, no airfare needed.

To book tickets to She Loves Me, please visit https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1507617.

Photographer: By Brit Creative

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We Were Only Joking, My Dear

10/08/202610/08/2026 Virginia Gray⭐🎭

The Murder Room Rating

★★★★★

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“The Murder Room” is currently on at the New Farm Nash Theatre. This comedic farcical play is directed by Sharon White, known for her Agatha Christies productions. It was originally written in 1977 by Jack Sharkey, an American author who had over 80 plays published, a prolific catalogue of novels and articles appearing in Playboy.

Once again, the hard-working committee and members of Nash Theatre have presented us with a simple yet functional set, modestly decorated but with tricks that reveal as the play progresses. Sound effects are well used adding to the believability of a large home.

An array of costume changes for the ladies kept us guessing the era but did not distract. The gentleman gave a Great Gadsby vibe noting the smoking jacket, the knitted vest and the Bobby costume or maybe Doc Martin.

The cast all complemented each other in this farcical production that was filled with corny one-liners and comebacks. The over-the-top expressions and actions entertained the audience who rewarded the actors with constant laughter.

John Mann played two characters. Distinguishing between them with the help of a wig, a moustache and accent. Firstly, as the upper crust gentry Edgar Hollister newly married and gullible inventor to reappear as the bumbling slow-witted Bobby. Creating two funny and awkward characters.

Philippa White played Mavis Templeton. The conniving, manipulative Gold Digger. Who in the very opening scene gives the impression that she has killed her new husband, Edgar. From there we are led on a merry chase – of is he or isn’t he dead?

Philippa plays the part with great conviction, facial expressions and comedy.

The housekeeper, Lottie Malloy, played by Robyn Stumm was always chipping in, adding her two cents worth, whether it’s invited or not. The comical aspect of this was rather like a Laurel and Hardy or Charlie Chaplin character with noise.

Jonathan Knox came in as the inspector, but actually was the red herring. His tall physique and interrogational manner suited the role very well. Lulling us into a false belief of his involvement until the end. Again a talented actor with great stage presence.

When Edgar’s daughter Susan appears with her new fiancé, we are introduced to two more characters, adding further comedic opportunities. Madeline Scott played the rather ditsy, naive character, who innocently drops hints and clues as what was going to happen and how throughout the play. Her mimicking of Mavis’s facial expressions added to the comedy.

Drew Russell playing Barry Draper, had a great American accent to distant himself from suspicion as the newly engaged fiancé to Susan. A millionaire about to marry into the landed gentry. He was like a calming anchor for the play. Drew held this character together very well when all was going to pieces around him, playing the straight guy is a skill.

The play overall relied on quick comebacks with fast-paced banter. Which the cast mostly achieved. The choreography of the lights on, off scene was very well done.

The play went for two hours 10 minutes, including interval, and the church hall in New Farm is very handy to the city.

As usual the mature audience laughed and cackled, picking up on nuances that appealed to a certain era of entertainment. But speaking with audience members they very much enjoyed the comedic farce that was presented. Among the comments were ‘aren’t we lucky to have such affordable theatre, so close to us.’ And once again, community theatre is just that; affordable theatre right in your neighbourhood. So, make sure you get out and support them.

The play runs until the 29th of August. Tickets are through Trybooking .com

To book tickets to The Murder Room, please visit https://nashtheatre.com/play-3-2026/.

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I Will Never Look At Another Grey Nomad Convoy The Same

20/05/202620/05/2026 Virginia Gray⭐🎭

Caravan Rating

★★★★★

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‘Caravan ” by Donald Macdonald, an Australian writer, was first published in 1984 and reworked in 2000. After a wet week in sunny Brisbane, it was ironic that Nash Theatre opened with a play about a caravan holiday that hits a purple patch.

Firstly, a special mention of the set – wow, every barbie doll owner’s dream – the inside of a full-size caravan with bunk beds, double bed, sink and table and bench seats that took up the whole stage. It really was impressive, a great design that allowed the actors to be in a caravan, brilliant concept. Well done to the design and construction team led by director Phil Carney.

What could possibly ruin a rain-soaked caravan holiday with friends at a nudist beach? The mostly matured audience lapped it up as the high jinks and low spots of 3 couples were played out in the caravan of the Robinsons. Penny and Parkes (who had left the children at home) were joined by childless couple and long-time friends Monica and Rodney and “the Man about town” Pierce, with his latest, younger girlfriend, Gwendolyn.

What starts as a holiday with friends soon gets very complicated as it transpires there are friends and then there are friends with benefits, yup the good old running off with your best friend’s husband plot. The clumsiness of the affairs, the revelations of further affairs are all brought to the surface in this funny tongue in cheek look at the swinging side of caravan life.

Penny aka Phillipa Bowe was the unlikely adulteress and with an air of Mrs Bouquet had the audience chuckling away with her dowdy dress sense, it was at times like watching Susan Boyle flirting with Simon Cowell, very comical and funny to watch.

But with a husband like Parkes, played by James Hogan no wonder she is looking further afield. The aloof Parkes couldn’t seem to look anyone in the eye as he fussed about his precious caravan, and wanting to run things his way or the highway it did not take much to stir him up.

Gemma Keliher played Monica, mother to 2 fur babies, a sort of Kim character from ‘Kath and Kim” and she played it well. Great bogan voice, stylish dress sense and a downtrodden husband. Her experience as a performer did give her character a very polished edge and she was very entertaining to watch on stage, with mannerisms and interactions with the other characters that led to some very funny moments.

Nathan Seng as Rodney was the most unlikely to have an affair, but what would we know. What transpired was a rather nerdish Casanova adding to the hilarity of the awkward situations the lovers created.

And what group of friends wouldn’t be complete without a good looking rogue which was played by the rather loveable Hayden Sullivan as Pierce. With younger girlfriend in tow, he too harboured secret desires and his youthful and swashbuckling charm suited the character. This is his first appearance with Nash and he fitted right in.

Samantha Herde played a naive Gwendolyn with a sweetness that added a dynamic of youth to the middle age spread of actors. With traits such as twirling her hair and enthusiasm she brought a believability to her character with the audience on her side when the others were giving her a hard time.

Overall, this was a fun way to spend a Friday night – very well received by an audience that may have lived that holiday themselves tsk tsk. Again, congratulations to Phil Carney and team.

Make sure you catch it before it ends on the 6th of June. This friendly community theatre is tucked away in the leafy suburb of New Farm in the Merthyr Road Uniting Church. Lovely area with popular eateries nearby

To book tickets to Caravan, please visit https://nashtheatre.com/.

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I Can See You, I Can Hear You – But You Are Not Real

26/04/2026 Virginia Gray⭐🎭

Anthropology by Lauren Gunderson Rating

★★★★★

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What happens when AI and humans combine, who/what is controlling the other.

Anthropology is an ancient science that investigates human diversity, evolution, and social life to understand the “big picture” of what it means to be human.

While theoretical foundations and ideas regarding “thinking machines” existed earlier, the term “Artificial Intelligence” was coined and adopted during a workshop at Dartmouth College in the summer of 1956.

Lauren Gunderson’s Anthropology first premiered September 2023 in Hampstead, England. The American Playwright has a string of popular plays doing the rounds including comedies The Book of Will and The Revolutionists. This however is not a comedy.

When we think of AI we are all familiar with the imagery we can create, and chatbots that interact with us (some even make sense). We watch CSI and Bones; we marvel at the technology they expose us to.

But what about creating a program to mimic loved ones so you can still talk to them and they talk back. Even when they are gone.

This is a play about a tech genius, a missing presumed dead sister, an ex-girlfriend and an emotionally absent mother. It is full of twists and turns, teetering on the brink of despair and then a landslide back to reality.

Firstly, let me say the set was tremendous and deserves the Matilda this year – designed by Freddy Komp who also brought the computer screens to life. The surreal set had a large corner desk with “working screens” and a functional living room space. The giant screen that seemed to dominate over the room played an important role in bringing the character Angie to life. Simple entrances via the black curtains at the side allowed the actors to enter and exit as if a doorway did exist.

Caroline Sparrow played the tech savvy older sister Merril, of missing teen Angie played by Rose Traynor-Boyland. A tense, distraught character whose grip on reality was slipping. Caroline was able to make this character both vulnerable and strong. The interaction between the onscreen Angie and the distraught Merril was heartbreaking to watch. Angie taunted Merril playing on her emotions while presenting as an AI Chatbot. The switching of characterizations by Rose was seamless. The ex-girlfriend, Raquel played by Vivien Whittle was a perfect choice as the warm voice of reason and human touch to ease Merril away from technology and back to a type of normality and this interplay also gave the audience a break from the tension. Sherri Smith, as the mother gave a believable version of an erratic reformed addict who was emotionally unstable.

The director Nicky Whichelow has brought together an excellent cast and certainly created an excellent piece of theatre. The production was slick, with a marvellous set that complemented the talented cast.

The crew of Zoe Power- sound, Geoff Squires- lights and Hazel Evans as SM, are also to be congratulated for the behind scenes work that helped give this show polish.

While this drama/mystery will appeal to a wide audience if you are a fan of any of the American Missing person/Crime TV shows you will certainly appreciate this work of live theatre.

Running at PIP Theatre, Milton until 2nd May, tickets https://piptheatre.org/2026-anthropology

To book tickets to Anthropology by Lauren Gunderson, please visit https://piptheatre.org/2026-anthropology/.

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