Grand Horizons: Amusingly Confronting Life’s Uncomfortable Truths

Grand Horizons

Grand Horizons Rating

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7

Grand Horizons is a poignant, riotously funny portrayal of a family in crisis, after matriarch Nancy (Linda Morgan) reveals she wants to divorce Bill (Eddie Bruce), her husband of 50 years. While Bill’s initial reaction to Nancy’s news reads as indifference, their adult sons Ben (Erik de Wit) and Brian (Tyson Hargreaves) are blindsided by the revelation; Filled with misguided good intentions, they flock to their parent’s to try and restore order, with Ben’s heavily pregnant, therapist wife Jess (Catherine Sturk) in tow. What unfolds is a superbly written and identifiable comedy, amusingly confronting life’s uncomfortable truths.

Themes include ‘Grey Divorce’ as a cultural phenomenon, canvassing mature-aged characters as authentic, entertaining protagonists – rather than being resigned to ‘bit-parts’, presented as dementia-stricken tropes, or shamefully overlooked altogether. Further, there is a feminist undercurrent which is impactful without being alienating, in addition to interesting inter-generational observations and comparisons, revealing both progress and perpetuation regarding expected gender and familial roles.

Linda Morgan shines as Nancy, contrasting physically and emotionally between the resigned, unsatisfied woman she has become, the hopeful Nancy – turning her focus to what could be, and the nostalgic Nancy – reminiscing of another love, which was not meant to be.

Playing Bill, Eddie Bruce can really deliver a comedic line; Grand Horizons provides him with plenty of material to chew on in that respect. Bruce also plays his character’s introspection and inarticulation in a way that feels very authentic for man of his generation – caring and dutiful in his own way, but somewhat oblivious to emotional cues and uncomfortable sharing how he really feels.

De Wit, Hargreaves and Sturk each take command of their respective characters, showing both nuance and good connection with the script, while Gillian Simpson as Carla and Matthew Ginman as Tommy both turn in hilarious cameo appearances; Simpson’s deadpan as her retirement-aged character describes a certain plain-packaged, online purchase is priceless. Ginman gets to deliver some of the funniest lines in the entire play, and wows with the tone and timing of his delivery. The set design is another highlight to note, and you must wait to appreciate it fully.

In conclusion, Grand Horizons is a polished comedy asking thoughtful questions without providing every answer. The slick performances, timing and staging are a testament to the hard work of the cast, Director Phil Carney and his team of Creatives (John Stibbard, Jan Read, Rob Crook). A smart, well-paced and thought-provoking play – well worth the watch.

To book tickets to Grand Horizons, please visit https://nashtheatre.com/play-2-2025/

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Close, But No Cigar: A Polished And Playful Production

Close, But No Cigar

Close, But No Cigar Rating

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2

“Close, But No Cigar” is a comedic, well-paced murder mystery, featuring a vibrant, young ensemble cast – a perfect elixir on a wet Autumn evening, with a gin and tonic from the well-stocked BackDock Arts bar. Originally adapted from a QUT Bachelor of Fine Arts graduating piece, “Close, but no Cigar” transforms the stage into a living noir film; The makeup, costumes and lighting achieve this in creative, unexpected ways, with evocative and elemental splashes of red contrasting the clever black and white aesthetic.

As noted in the program, playwright Samara Louise took a collaborative approach to developing this piece, asking the cast to create characters they were passionate about playing, developing those character’s backgrounds, subtext and context, and then building a storyline around them. Instead of a broad narrative, the play focuses largely on the character’s individual lives, which intersect at a Private Investigator’s office in the wake of the murder of Senator A. Williams. These characters are enveloped in their own lives, each with their own amusing idiosyncrasies and secrets.

Borrowing liberally from the archetypes of old detective films, the cast adopt New York accents to consistently good standard, their physical spacing and shapes mostly well-utilising the compact space they gather in. The cast of Cullyn Beckton as Dick Clark, Mitch Guyatt as Dr Graves, Caleb Hockings as Arthur Blackbird, Claudia Lyons as Odette Blair, and Lucy Wilding as Viviene Fareweather, all perform with aplomb. Their timing and interplay is slick, and all shine individually and together in a script that gives them each fairly equal attention and work to do. Director Cale Dennis weaves a golden thread through this production, cohesively combining the separate elements into an entertaining whole, elevated far above the sum of its parts.

For me, the script works best when played with a wink; Beckton and Hockings deliver this beautifully, showing dynamic movement, fine physical comedy, and the best-developed characterizations of the cast – receiving hearty laughter from a near-capacity audience. A couples of times I thought cast could have leaned more into the campy elements of the play; Wilding has beautifully graphic, dark eyes, and I’d like to see her use them more as story-telling weapons, especially in a role with scope to be extra. I wonder if physically repositioning the cast to deliver monologues more to the audience, rather than the upstage cast, may further aid audience connection and audibility. The addition of musical effects reminiscent of a pulpy, radio-play would also be a fun addition, which would further clarify the play’s identity.

That said, I can enthusiastically recommend “Close, But No Cigar” as a polished and playful production with further potential that left me with sore cheeks and a smile on my face.

To book tickets to “Close, But No Cigar”, please visit https://www.tickettailor.com/events/backdockarts/1528759?.

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Mahika Kai: A Discussion Of Culture, Conservation And Connection

Mahika Kai

Mahika Kai Rating

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1

Mahika Kai introduces a group of Māori conservationists and cultural custodians on a quest to rehabilitate ecological systems and food sources, and in turn the identities and wellbeing of their people.

Filmed in picturesque Wānaka, located in New Zealand’s South Island, we learn about the interconnectedness of physical and spiritual elements in the Māori world view and the kaitiaki (guardians) seeking to reconnect with and promote traditional Māori knowledge to create healthier modern lives, in harmony with nature.

As narrator Tūmai Cassidy explains, Mahika Kai is the procurement of food, including gathering, harvesting, preserving, sharing and, pertinently, caring for food. The mission of caring for food is illustrated here with specific reference to the plight of tuna (eel) populations, whose wetland habitats, and very survival, are imperiled by hydroelectric dams restricting their migration pathways;

As Cassidy notes, the impact of this plight is not isolated, as their destruction – effecting 90% of wetlands in the Otago region alone – means the loss of identity and traditional ways of life. We are told it needn’t be this way, where hydroelectric dams overseas are designed and operate without impacting crucial migration pathways, or harming respective species.

The kaitiaki hope through greater awareness of the issue, the local community and government will support their conservation kaupapa (objectives) and re-prioritize the life and health of habitats and species, which support life and health among human communities.

In addition to the conservation kaupapa of Mahika Kai, the kaitiaki share their pepeha (a traditional Māori introduction including details of connection to land) waiata (song) and kapa haka (performing arts). These koha (gifts) beautifully portray the life-force connecting past and present, physical and spiritual, and memorably highlight the kaupapa which makes Mahika Kai timely and important viewing – which I highly recommend.

To book tickets to the Maori Mini Film Festival, please visit https://www.bunjilplace.com.au/events/maoriland-film-festival

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