It became clear walking into the Tea Tree Players Theatre that this is a well-supported community theatre company. This quaint little theatre came to fruition when a dedicated group, led by Diane and the late Robert Lamerton, ventured to establish the first live theatre within the City of Tea Tree Gully.
In 1977, this resulted in the construction of a stage, curtain, and wood-panelled wall, marking the official beginning of Tea Tree Players’ theatrical journey. Over the years, the stage has been enlarged, a new front curtain installed, the audio and lighting box repositioned, new seating fitted, and a foyer area constructed, amongst other continuous improvements, making viewing a production at this sweet little theatre a real treat.
Doctor in the House, written by Richard Gordon and Ted Willis is a classic British zany comedy based on Richard Gordon’s novel that sees the fictitious St Swithin’s medical students Tony, Simon and John balance the demands of medical school with the antics of their manic social life consisting of much frivolity, drinking and partying hard!
Kyle McCarthy plays the lovable John Evans, a somewhat dedicated student who clearly enjoys the lifestyle that college life offers. McCarthy is believable in the role bringing a warmth and likeability to his portrayal of this character. Clinton Nitschke, a seasoned performer, brought a wonderful sense of innocence and naivety to his characterisation of Simon Sparrow, a dedicated student who walked a comically slippery slope between studious dedication and drunken debauchery – a fun, credible and convincing interpretation.
Rebecca Mason’s embodiment of the sassy and seductive Vera complimented the predominantly male cast, while Charlie Klose made the audience belly laugh with her hilarious performance within the performance of a play written by Tony, one of the med students. Mike Phillips as Bromley, Barry Hill OAM as Sir Lancelot Spratt, Emily Sharland as Janet and Kate Readon as the matronly Matron completed a well-rehearsed cast expertly directed by Brian Godfrey. The set and costuming were fabulous, with only subtle changes made throughout the play to depict time jumps, which was all that was needed.
Standout performance credit must go to Ben Proeve, who confidently, convincingly, and professionally portrayed Tony Grimsdyke, a medical student who clearly influences the foolishness and creates hilarious moments, breaking the fourth wall without breaking character. Proeve was perfectly cast as this cheeky character and carried much of this production, acting in part as both the storytelling narrator and fun-loving med student.
Congratulations to the director, cast and crew of Doctor in the House – a good, fun production performed by a polished cast.
To book tickets to Doctor In The House, please visit https://teatreeplayers.com/production/doctor-in-the-house/.
