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Mother and Son: Presented By Hunters Hill Theatre

23 November 2024 From The Front Row

Mother and Son Hunters Hill Theatre Rating

★★★★★

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Mother and Son, a masterful stage adaptation of the beloved 1984-1994 TV show, opens in a stereotypical living room of a household that’s been lived in for 50 years.

Maggie, an elderly woman, precariously balances on a ladder, struggling to change a lightbulb. Before disaster strikes, her son Arthur returns home, reminding her with a mixture of exasperation and affection that he had already taken care of it earlier. This seemingly trivial exchange sets the tone for a play that deftly balances humor with the emotional weight of caring for a loved one with dementia.

From the outset, it’s clear that the mother and both sons casting is impeccable. The chemistry between mother and son, be it the eldest – Arthur, or youngest, Robert, and between the two brothers themselves, is nothing short of magical. The family dynamic is all too relatable, with one son being the favourite, despite never actually doing anything to help, while the other being the unsung hero, living with the mother and dealing with the every day, only to feel guilty to take some time for himself. It’s a dynamic many families will recognize, and it provides plenty of comedic moments laced with tenderness.

The script shines with authenticity, navigating the fine line between comedy and drama. The humor is sharp and relatable, never diminishing the emotional gravity of the situation. The everyday absurdities of caring for an elderly parent are captured brilliantly, from Arthur’s constant guilt to the quirky moments of Maggie’s fading memory. One particularly hilarious and universally relatable touch is the series of voicemail messages left by telemarketers on Maggie’s answering machine, offering everything from cheap electricity deals to vitamins — these clever scene change breaks are both funny and poignant, capturing the absurdity of modern life while highlighting the isolation of the elderly.

The direction is flawless, creating a space where the audience feels like they’re watching their own family dynamics unfold. In dealing with such a delicate subject as dementia and caregiving, the production manages to be both respectful and remarkably entertaining. The adaptation, transitioning seamlessly from television to stage, introduces the beloved characters to a new generation while allowing long-time fans to relive the magic.

As the curtain falls, you are left wanting more. Is there a sequel? I already forgot.

To book tickets to Mother and Son, please visit https://www.huntershilltheatre.com.au/

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.

From The Front Row

Murder by the Book – A Delightfully Dark Murder Mystery

3 September 2024 Linda Lokhee

Murder by the Book Rating

★★★★★

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A well thought out murder has always been the premise for a juicy plot. A traditional whodunnit which has red herrings and hidden clues, complete with an eccentric detective. This is what the main character, author and critic Selwyn, excels at with his best selling novels. We begin the play being introduced to the self inflated, egotistical Selwn, played with relish by Ross Alexander wearing a sports coat, a pocket handkerchief and a fancy silk neckerchief scarf – a nice touch by the costume designer Cettina Lahiri to convey the success of his career.

Selwyn and his assistant Christine, played by Fabiola Pellegrino, are discussing his latest review of a rival’s novel, which he essentially deems as rubbish and takes great delight in taking it apart! The dripping venom and confidence in Selwyn’s words is a key factor in this story as he is someone who likes to be in charge; to lead the story.

When something happens to Selwyn, the next door neighbour Peter Fletcher guides us through his own theories of what he thinks has led up to this murder. Rawdon Waller, as Peter Fletcher, gives us a delightful performance as the amateur sleuth, who excitedly tries to solve the mystery. Dressed flamboyantly in a fancy dressing gown, he is a fan of Selwyn’s murder mystery novels and Rawdon’s portrayal of Peter’s enthusiasm for being in a real life murder mystery was very amusing. His lines and physical comedy had the audience laughing many times over.

There are the ‘usual suspects’ in this story – Christine the devoted secretary, Imogen the wife who wants a divorce, and the publisher, who also happens to be Imogen’s lover, John. When faced with accusations, Brian May’s John appears helplessly out of his depth and this is communicated in both action and speech in a way which made me laugh and feel sorry for the poor man.

Imogen, played by Julie Mathers, was sassy and confident, complete with big hair and an 80’s sequinned top. Julie Mathers and Ross Alexander had their characters at the top of their form in a believable love/ hate marriage relationship. They were arguing, throwing insults and pointed remarks at each other and quickly bouncing back for more. It was a like watching a succinct tennis match with clever and witty dialogue as the ball.

The play, written by Duncan Greenwood and Robert King, had its strength in the script which was full of dark one liners and clever twists and turns. It was quite a wordy play, but the Hunters Hill Theatre’s strong cast, led by director Margaret Olive, didn’t let Murder by the Book drag.

The setting of 1980’s London meant we had a living room on stage with a traditional rolled armed couch, a wooden writing desk, record player (which was used to musically enhance a scene) typewriter and a dial handset telephone. These props by Coralie Fraser all added to the authenticity of the era. Wayne Chee’s set design ensured the living room had an open and spacious feel, where the audience could view the actors clearly. I noticed that there was a clever addition of something behind the couch which I won’t give away, would have made Selwyn feel more comfortable for some of the scenes!

If you are a fan of the clever whodunnit genre, come along to see the Hunters Hill Theatre’s performance of Murder by the Book. You’ll be guessing the Who, What, Why all throughout the play, not just at the end!

Running Time: Two hours, including a 20 minutes interval

Season: 7 -31 September 2024
Hunters Hill Theatre at Club Ryde
728 Victoria Rd, Ryde
Tickets from $32

www.huntershilltheatre.com.au

Photographer: Kris Egan

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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The Ballad of Maria Marten – Giving Voice to the Victim

8 June 2024 Linda Lokhee

The Ballad of Maria Marten Rating

★★★★★

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“It’s been a year since I died, and still nobody has found me.”

A shadow emerges from a barn. It’s a figure in britches, and so begins a tale which captured the mass attention of people in 1827 – the murder of young mum Maria Marten. This true crime occurred in the village Polstead, Essex in England and newspapers sensationalized the case and the subsequent trial, dubbing it The Red Barn Murder. The Ballad of Maria Marten, written by Beth Flintoff, focuses on Maria’s life and of those who loved her, rather than the gruesome details of her death.

In the powerful opening scene, Maria (Laura Stead), her face lit effectively from underneath, giving her a haunting appearance, introduces us to her untimely death. Set and lighting designer Wayne Chee achieved dramatic visual effects such as this throughout the play, and notably when lighting the barn, where Maria is cruelly hidden for a year after her murder.

Maria is the narrator of her own story, and throughout the play, Laura seamlessly switches from telling the story to melting into a scene. By Maria narrating the play, I felt as though the author was honouring her and giving her the power to take charge of her own story, whereas, in real life, the real Maria didn’t have a voice in the newspaper articles.

We are introduced to Maria’s close friends, Phoebe (Chiara Helena Arata), Lucy (Kimberlea Smith), Theresa (Genevieve Sky) and Sarah (Jacqui Wilson), as they circle close to Maria for an effective costume change. When they move away, Maria is transformed into modest clothing as the 10-year-old daughter of a mole catcher, wearing a cotton skirt, apron, and shirt commonly worn at the time. It is here that we see the carefree, playful, and kind side to Maria, and the bonds of her friendship she has with her girlfriends. (She’s the ringleader for the Hazard Club, a secret club where they get up to numerous adventures together.) It is these strong bonds that remain a constant theme.

Music connects the audience to the 1800’s time period. The group of girls happily sing chants and dance, showing undisguised notes of joy in their own type of freedom. Violinist Chris Porteous adds depth to the story onstage. Costumes by JAS Enterprises were effective in portraying the characters believably.

Maria meets her new stepmum Ann (Madeleine Lawson) when she bounds back into her home one day. Ann is nervous and genuinely cares about making a good impression on Maria, otherwise Maria’s dad may send her away to a workhouse. This highlights how dependant women were on men for their happiness and wellbeing during this period. As time goes on, Madeleine successfully portrays the character development of Ann from a self-deprecating young stepmum to a strong protector who loves Maria.

Director Jennifer Willison put together a solid all-female cast and an intriguing story. Of course, the play has male characters, including the slimy Thomas Corder (Cee Egan) and Maria’s first love Peter Mathews (Niamh McKervey). Peter and his sister Lady Cooke (Jade Rodrigues) are from a well-to-do family, and it is through these characters where we see the strong divide between the working class and the wealthy upper class. The prejudice was clear from Lady Cooke, who initially showed kindness towards Maria and then cooled as she realised her brother was interested in Maria. This divide has echoes of truth, even now.

After the 20-minute interval, the second act takes a darker turn as we witness the disintegration of Maria’s mind after she comes under the influence of William Corder. She slowly becomes dependant on him as the audience bear witness to hearing the terrible deeds of this faceless character.

“Am I being tested for lunacy?” a dishevelled, distressed Maria with messed up hair cries. I noted that her beautifully styled hair in previous scenes had been an underlying focus, reflecting her own beauty and perhaps confidence.

It was powerful storytelling to see Maria relate her unravelling as she becomes the target of coercive control and domestic violence, yet she cannot see it, and in parallel, we also cannot see this character on stage. He remains a perceived threat to all. Sadly, the examples Maria uses are strikingly similar to the stories women who have been through this experience tell, almost two hundred years later. This is a story which spans time and must be told with the hope that change comes.

Rising amongst the darker themes in this story is the power of love and strength between friends. This is a moving tale which captured my interest for the whole play. Congratulations to The Hunters Hill Theatre on a strong opening night performance.

The Hunters Hill Theatre present The Ballad of Maria Marten, performing at Club Ryde.
Running time: 130 minutes (including interval)
June 7 – June 24, 2024
Tickets: $32 concession and groups of 10, $35 adults
www.huntershilltheatre.com.au

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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Boeing Boeing – A Fun Ride On An Old Classic

9 March 2024 Steve Willems

As the lights dimmed and the last few people made their way to their seats, I turned to my friend and said they should play the message tone familiar to anyone who’s hopped on a plane. Moments later, there it was, that familiar sound, followed by a tongue-in-cheek announcement mimicking cabin crew telling us the onboard entertainment would be live. It made me smile like a little kid getting ice cream. In an instant, I knew this was going to be fun, and I settled in for take-off.

Marc Camoletti’s Boeing Boeing has been a theatre staple since its first French production in 1960, even made into a movie starring Tony Curtis and Jerry Lewis. Set in 1960s Paris, contemporary at the time, it’s aged into a retro comedy about a deceitful Lothario, Bernard, juggling three separate fiancés who are all air hostesses. Thanks to alternating airline schedules, each comes home for a short time believing they’re Bernard’s one true love while remaining oblivious to the others. The energetic farce kicks off when Bernard’s old friend Robert arrives, and interruptions to the schedules throw the routine into chaos, sending the women into a turbulent collision course.

Michael Mulvenna seems at ease playing the womanising Bernard, oozing sophistication and charm in the early stages and then descending into panic and terror as he loses control. Each of his three fiancés in their colour-coded uniform brought their characters to life with exaggerated accents and outstanding energy.

In red, there’s the confident and sassy American, Gloria (Laura Stead); in blue is the fiery and temperamental Italian, Gabriella (Gabrielle Rawlings); and in yellow, the carnal and loud German, Gretchen (Cassandra Gorman). (As an aside, the sets and costume design are terrific.) Luke Baweja does a great job as the nervous Robert, trying desperately to keep the women apart as they play musical rooms. His physical comedy often triggered the biggest laughs, and his manic nervousness created a sense of exhaustion whilst still allowing the fun to continue.

My highlight was Maggie Scott as Bernard’s long-suffering and grumpy maid, Bertha. Her sardonic French accent and defeated body language were constantly amusing, and she was a delight every time she shuffled onto the stage and sighed, ‘Yes, monsieur.’

While the play is a classic for good reason, the story risks becoming outdated, such as Bernard’s pride in his ‘clever’ deception and manipulation of women or Richard’s admiration of it. Luckily, it isn’t mean-spirited, and the women give as much as they get.

The play deals with Bernard’s womanising in a way that justice is served while still making everyone happy. Director Chrissie McIntyre rightfully focused on the tomfoolery and physical comedy to keep the audience laughing throughout. The cast attacked the material with energy and enthusiasm, which is vital in making a play like this work. It’s meant to be silly and fun, so if you don’t buy into the characters and absurdity of the situation, or if the actors hold back, you don’t laugh. Thankfully, I did, and so did everyone else.

Boeing Boeing is a fun, light-hearted retro romp that’s boarding at the Hunters Hills Theatre in Club Ryde until the 24th of March. Don’t miss your flight!

This review also appears on It’s On The House, and check out more reviews at Dark Stories Theatre to see what else is on in your town.

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