Tea Tree Player’s debut production of Kitchen Witches, directed by Lachie Blackwell and written by Caroline Smith, opens behind the scenes of a basic white kitchen film set for supposedly the last time. During the completion of Dolly Biddle’s final ‘Baking with Babcha’ episode, she is interrupted by longtime frenemy and chef Isobel Lomax while on air. The heated barbs that fly somehow inspire an opportunity to co-host a show, to be produced by Stephen Biddle, Dolly’s son. From there the ensuing arguments and revelations both on and off the air challenge them all to consider a more flexible definition of family, however dysfunctional it may appear.
The small cast worked well together to create a colourful palate of flavours that mixed seamlessly. Dolly Biddle, played by Michelle Hrvatin, was domineering from the beginning as she demonstrated changes in accents, costumes, and relationship dynamics throughout. Also with great comic timing, Hrvartin’s much louder persona was a fantastic contrast to her castmates. Jo-Anne Davis’s portrayal of Isobel Lomax began as delightfully simpering and superficial in comparison and growing into something floaty and gentle later. The unpredictability and hostility between the two women, despite often being in close quarters, is quite entertaining.
Often a mediator between the two witches (“with a ‘B’”) is Matt Bryker-Oman as Stephen Biddle, the long-suffering producer and son of Dolly, and is often stressed due to spiteful shenanigans. Bryker-Oman’s first stage appearance since school, his performance provided grounding and relatability amongst the tumult of the kitchen set, particularly in the second act where his character is challenged from a variety of ways. Torin Hill, as Rob the Camera Guy, provides a stable yet mostly silent presence throughout the show as he assists in setting up and operating the camera within the studio atmosphere. Hill’s few lines, despite ample stage time, certainly prove that quality over quantity can prove to be particularly memorable.
The inclusion of the audience as part of the live studio experience was a clever device, complete with handpicking ‘celebrity’ taste-testers, prompted reactions, and the sounds of genuine laughter instead of canned tracks. While some of the specific mentions of ‘audience’ names sounded a little rehearsed at the beginning, this became much more natural as it went along. Similarly, while the initial dynamics on stage felt a little hesitant, momentum was quickly gained and maintained as the show progressed.
The set itself was also impressive despite its simplicity. As all cooking shows need food to work with, even staged ones, with a working fridge/freezer being used for edible props and a sink with running water to always “wash your hands”. The amount and variety of aprons used throughout was quite amusing and were always complementary to the character that was wearing them, as did the rest of their costumes. Rather than the use of traditional wings, dressing room doors are used to further create an intimacy with the audience with proximity, and moving from the back of the stage. Lighting changes were also used sparingly but particularly to signal being on air with a brighter white light and a warmer tone for off air.
Without being indicative of a particular era, Kitchen Witches is a fun and surprisingly heartwarming show that carries some relatability in each of the characters. An enjoyable night out for some witchy cackling, a brew, and a show.
To book tickets to Kitchen Witches, please visit https://teatreeplayers.com/production/kitchen-witches/.
