Genesian Theatre

Hay Fever: 100 Years Of Fun

Hay Fever

Hay Fever Rating

★★★★★

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It’s been 100 years since Noel Coward wrote his absurd comedy Hay Fever, and it’s played in theatres worldwide. Told in three acts, it follows a weekend in the Bliss family home, each of which has invited a guest over for the weekend without informing the others. When the guests arrive, the eccentric family’s theatrics and bickering cause plenty of absurdity and laughs.

Jason Darlington makes his directorial debut at the Genesian Theatre on Kent Street in Sydney, keeping the play set in the 1920s as originally written. Even in a modernised contemporary setting, this story would still make a testament to the timelessness of Coward’s writing, but it was fitting to go back to the decadence, style, and vocalisation of the 1920s when it was originally written.

The set design and associated props were spot-on and drew me into the Bliss household. The little details, such as the bookcase, staircase, picture frames, and period-correct china and tea set, really help draw the audience into the world. The 1920s costumes provide a strong sense of time and place, and my favourites were Sorel’s evening dress and Myra’s Flapper outfits.

The play has a large cast, including four members of the Bliss family, their housekeeper, and four guests. The performances from the cast were thoroughly enjoyable, as were the haughty and snobbish upper-class British accents. Maintaining the humour and timing of the dialogue is challenging, especially on opening nights, but the ensemble accomplished an excellent job.

Hay Fever
Hay Fever

Each character gets plenty of stage time, with the second act broken down into several sequences where a successive pair of actors dominate the stage. The jokes, the timing, and the energy all work well, with Zoe Wilson as Sorel Bliss and Elizabeth MacGregor as the matriarch Judith Bliss being especially noteworthy. Judith is a retired actress, and her subsequent theatrics were a lot of fun.

The story itself is quite soft and situational, and it’s not trying to be anything more than an absurd little romp. Much of it seems outlandish, like how quickly the characters seem to fall in love with each other, but given the theatrical and creative background of the Bliss family, it suits the characters and makes enough sense to be fun. The audience enjoyed many laughs, especially towards the end of the second act.

Despite some opening night quirks, Hay Fever is an energetic, fun, and worthwhile experience at the Genesian Theatre. Its lively performances make it a production worth your time.

Hay Fever runs from 22nd June to 27th July, with sessions running on Friday and Saturday nights at 7.30 pm and a Sunday matinee at 4.30 pm.

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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Let’s Kill Agatha Christie – Plotting and Suspects in a Grey Room

Lets Kill Agatha Christie

Let’s Kill Agatha Christie Rating

★★★★★

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3

I didn’t know what to expect with a title such as this one, ‘Let’s Kill Agatha Christie’. Murder? Mystery? Plot twists, a curious and confident detective, and the Big Reveal at the end? Ms Agatha Christie serves as the contemporary writing adversary to the main character, Prudence Sykes (flamboyantly played by Caitlyn Clancy).

Although Agatha Christie does not appear in this play, her presence is felt – she is in the room, the aptly named Grey Room. Thanks to the director and set designer Gregory George, everything in this room, including the flowers and the fireplace, is grey. We are told that other rooms in the house are all painted different colours. Perhaps the reason the sitting room in this grand English mansion is grey could be because it reflects how Prudence feels inside, her insecurities, or maybe because it provides the backdrop and accentuates the characters’ colourful personalities.

Prudence, a prolific author of many novels (27, not 28 as one was rejected by her publisher) craves success as her crime novels have not reached the popularity of Agatha Christie. She desperately wants recognition and to be respected as a writer. Prudence hatches a plan. She invites three of her known enemies to her house and plants a script for them to find, giving each of them a reason to kill her.

The genre of the murder mystery thriller is explored, and The Genesian Theatre Company kept the audience guessing as to what was going to happen next. Michael Schell, who created the lighting and sound design, made full use of creating a dark atmosphere, especially with the music that played to open both the first and second act.

As each character was announced into the sitting room by the sardonic butler Tombs (played by Peter J Donnelly) I was already wondering who going to be the murderer.

Let's Kill Agatha Christie
Let's Kill Agatha Christie

Prudence’s guests were all successful – a self-made millionaire named Sir Frederick Belting, a successful poetess named Marjorie Field and a famous actor John Hartley – Miles. Theo Hatzistergos appeared to have fun portraying a pompous and arrogant Frederick, ordering Tombs to get his luggage from his car, (a Rolls Royce,) which he drops into the conversation several times. Natalie Reid returns to The Genesian Theatre to play Marjorie, who tries multiple times to recite her poetry aloud, despite the protestations of the other guests, which made the audience laugh. Bryan Smith brings the actor John to life in the play, giving him a nervous yet quite kind disposition.

A few more characters completed the cast, with Denise Kitching (Montgomery) as Angela Teal, Prudence’s PA, Andrea Blight as the shuffling and stooped Gladys the housemaid, who drew quite a few laughs due to her character’s personality, Brendan Layton as Inspector Murray and Harry Lewis as PC Crockett. Their accents were believably British for most of the performance and the costumes for all characters by Susan Carveth were convincing of the time period.

This play had a comedic element which ran all the way through. Veiled insults thrown at each other and clever quips were woven into the dialogue. Other times the comedy was physical – the top step tripping up the characters became a running theme, and it was funny watching how different characters dealt with this tiresome step.

‘Let’s Kill Agatha Christie’ was written by Anthony Hinds after he retired from making horror movies and published in 1990. It was an entertaining homage to the mystery murder genre and to Agatha Christie.

I watched the opening night’s performance on Saturday May 4 and it ran for 2 hours with a 20 minute interval. It is playing on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until the 8 June 2024.

The Genesian Theatre 420 Kent St, Sydney. Tickets from $30

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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Adventure Before Dementia – Four Flat Whites in Italy

Four Flat Whites in Italy

With a name like Four Flat Whites in Italy, I knew this play would have an international flavour. Directed by Tui Clark and written by Award-Winning playwright Roger Hall, this show places us as onlookers whilst the narrator, Adrian, portrayed by David Stewart-Hunter, talks to us directly. This works to immediately involve us in Adrian’s world.

Four Flat Whites in Italy is a comedy about a retired couple, librarians Adrian and Alison, played by Penny Church. When their planned trip of a lifetime to Italy faces a hiccup, they seesaw between the decision to cancel the trip or go. During a game of Bridge, when they have their new neighbours over, it’s decided that the four of them will travel together.

Harry, portrayed by Christopher Pali and Judy, played by Karen Pattinson, are as far away in personality from Adrian and Alison as can be. The quibbles begin almost immediately when they arrive in Venice. Some irritations were relatable, and I found myself siding with one character one moment and someone else when another quibble arose. This was thanks to Roger Hall’s clever script and the delivery of all four talented lead actors. Sometimes, all it took was a particular look to elicit laughs from the audience.

Four Flat Whites in Italy

At the beginning of the play, Penny Church’s Alison was so uptight; her body language displayed someone who likes to be in charge. She was organised and had a strong dependency, gripping her Lonely Planet Italy guidebook. As the play progresses, we discover a tragedy that has shaped her and Adrian’s somewhat strained relationship, and she loosens her grip on the guidebook. I wondered whether this was intentional and represented Alison letting go of the past and the need to know what is ahead in life.

David Stewart-Hunter is outstanding as Adrian, mixing roles between narrator and acting in the story. He was a very likable character and felt as though he could have been anyone’s kind grandfather. Harry and Judy worked well as a team, with Christopher Pali and Karen Pattinson ensuring an onstage chemistry. Imran Khaliqi and Kimberlea Smith had strong supporting roles, playing several characters in the play.

The set background was well done, with worn exposed bricks and large columns placing us in Italy. The props were versatile, with two particular props used cleverly when turned in various ways.

Four Flat Whites in Italy
Four Flat Whites in Italy

This was a very character-driven play with minimal need for extra props in scenes, such as cups to hold or bowls of food brought when the characters were eating. The attention was more on the storyline and the interaction between the four characters.

Act 2 of the play becomes more harmonious as understanding, acceptance, forgiveness and letting go of the past develop. We see all characters soften.

There are some takeaway life messages in Four Flat Whites in Italy. As well as the above, I believe it is listening, really listening to the ones you love, and taking advice from those you may not know well. Everyone can show wisdom and kindness when it is needed. And, of course, one more message – visit Italy and have the trip of a lifetime!

Four Flat Whites in Italy is showing at The Genesian Theatre, 420 Kent St, Sydney.

Season: 14th Oct – 4th Nov 2023
Friday and Saturday nights at 7.30pm
Sunday matinée at 4.30pm
Tickets: Adults $35 / Concession $30 / Groups 10 + $30

Running Time: 2hrs 35mins including 20min interval

This review also appears on It’s On The House, or our checkout more reviews at Dark Stories Theatre Reviews.

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Classic Agatha Christie Whodunnit – The Hollow

Mention Agatha Christie to anyone, and you know you’re in for a classic Whodunnit mystery. With such a prolific author and playwright, there’s the usual expectation of interesting characters, intrigue, murder and the pointing of fingers.

The Genesian Theatre Company presents The Hollow, a play that debuted in 1951 and ran for 11 months in London. The director Molly Haddon, herself a very experienced Agatha Christie actor, has assembled a dynamic cast inside a historic Sydney building, The Genesian Theatre. Built in 1945, the theatre lent itself aptly to this time period with its grand wood ceilings and plush, heavy curtains to host this play.

The Hollow opens with three characters, Lady Lucy Angkatell (Penny Day), her husband Sir Henry Angkatell (Vincent O’Neill), and his cousin Henrietta Angkatell (Jess Davis), in the garden room of a wealthy English country manor, where the play is predominately set. They are hosts to their extended family for a weekend, and we are soon introduced to Dr John Cristow (Chad Traupmann), his wife Gerda (Emily Smith), Midge Harvey (Cariad Weitnauer), Edward Angkatell (Thomas Southwell) and Mrs Gudgeon (Emily Saint Smith) the housekeeper.

Adding to this full house, film starlet Veronica Craye (Alannah Robertson) arrives next door, and it soon becomes clear that love in this family is a tangled mess, and Dr John Cristow is right in the middle of it. Another love triangle is also at play, highlighting the follies of blind adoration.

A shot is fired from an assailant offstage, and we see one character fall to the ground. This scene was acted exceptionally well and was the close of the one-hour first act. The second act, running for one and a half hours, introduced Inspector Colquhoun (also played by Chad Traupmann) and Sergeant Penny (Natalie Reid), who lead an investigation into who committed this crime with a list of suspects forming in the audience’s minds.

Director Molly Haddon immersed the audience in the time period with her set design for The Hollow. It had a genuine 1950s post-war look, with careful touches such as round light switches, period vases, golden photo frames and even a magazine with 1950s film stars on the cover. I loved the painting that hung above the fireplace, which represented Ainswick, a childhood home of the cousins. One scene involving a round-dial telephone and a telephone operator (with appropriate lighting by Cian Byrne) gave us a nostalgic feel. The large floor to ceiling glass doors leading out to the garden provided the room with an open and spacious area which left the actors plenty of room to manoeuvre around the stage.

The costumes by designer Susan Carveth and the actors’ hairstyles were wonderful and reflected upper-class English society. The sound effects were effective and minimal, with the focus being on the music played through the ‘wireless’ – the songs being thoughtfully chosen to match the theme of the scene.

Special mention to Penny Day, whose character Lady Lucy entertained us with her comedic musings with well-delivered timing, Jess Davis with her portrayal of Henrietta, her complexity and depth of character apparent and Thomas Southwell, who played Edward, a meek and mild man with low self-esteem.

The Genesian Theatre is relocating to Rozelle after 70-plus years of entertaining the public with the arts. Go see The Hollow, as it’s one of the last chances to see a live performance in this iconic building.

The Hollow is playing at The Genesian Theatre, 420 Kent St Sydney from 19th Aug – 23rd Sept 2023; Friday and Saturday nights at 7.30 pm and Sunday matinée at 4.30 pm

This review also appears on It’s On The House.

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