Perth Theatre

Carol: A Story of Strength, Spirit, and Sack Daddy

Carol

Carol Rating

★★★★★

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4

Andrea Gibbs’ Carol is pitched as following 60-year-old Carol as she fights to keep the Christmas spirit alive. While that’s certainly part of it, this five-actor show (with oh-so-many characters) delivers a timely and poignant social commentary on the reality faced by so many older women in Australia today. Even as Carol’s world unravels and is turned upside down, she continues to shoulder the mental load—something that resonated with many women in the audience.

The play’s themes of hope, resilience, and a woman’s ability to pivot shine through. Gibbs has been called a visionary playwright, and it’s clear this work was written by a woman. No matter what life throws at Carol, not once does she turn to a man and ask, “What’ll we do now?” She simply gets on with making the best of a bad lot.

The cast is exceptional. Sally-Anne Upton embodies the title role with heart and honesty, and the remaining ensemble (and backstage crew) switch roles with astonishing ease. At one point, Isaac Diamond morphs from therapist to son right before our eyes—I must have blinked, because the transformation was total but somehow I missed it actually happen.

 

Carol
Carol
Carol

 

The show itself is delightfully hard to categorise. Woven through its heart-wrenching, resilience-filled narrative is the most Aussie humour, including the antics of Santa—aka Sack Daddy—who opens the show with some enthusiastic audience participation (I’ve never been more relieved not to be in the first few rows). There’s plenty of laughter, and a healthy serve of colourful Aussie descriptors that rightly earn the production its explicit-language warning. Musical Director and Composer Jackson Harper Griggs sets the tone beautifully with original compositions; the music is a genuine highlight.

I can’t go past the set design. Bruce McKinven has outdone himself as set and costume designer, crafting a series of spectacular visuals. Walking into the Heath Ledger Theatre felt like stepping straight into the Australian landscape—each painted curtain backdrop richer and more evocative than the last.

Carol sits perfectly in that sweet spot between light and dark, humour and heartbreak. Congratulations to everyone involved.

Shows: For more information, visit the Black Swan website https://blackswantheatre.com.au/season-2025/carol. The season runs until 14 December and includes accessible sessions—audio description with tactile tour, Auslan-interpreted performances, and captioned sessions.

To book tickets to Carol, please visit https://blackswantheatre.com.au/season-2025/carol.

Photographer: Daniel J Grant

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Final Two

Final Two

Final Two Rating

★★★★★

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Small theatre is always such a joy. Seeing stories created with such a deep passion across all facets of production is so unique and a far more touching experience than say a large national tour. Final Two from Reprise Theatre is no exception to this.

Written by Arthur Brown, the play follows the journey of the last remaining contestants on a Bachelor-type reality TV show who, naturally, summon a ghost of a prior contestant the night before their season finale.

Stepping into the Hayman Theatre (shoutout to all the directions and signage on the way in!) was like reverting back to the 2000s – it was pink, sparkly, and Katy Perry was blaring. While a defining era of ‘when’ the play took place was never stated, I appreciated this nostalgic tone to the show and its consistency throughout.

The five-man cast all gave committed performances earning great reactions for the small but reception audience. Phoebe Eames is well-grounded as Chloe; the unlikely reality show contestant. She bounces well off Maia Whitelaw’s Shaz, the pretty-in-pink, ditsy blonde whose every life choice has led to being on the show. Together the pair are a great yin and yang, working well to propel the story.

 

Final Two
Final Two
Final Two

 

Marquis Tajaran was fierce as the hard-done-by Vanessa, dominating the stage with great flair and attitude. While I would’ve loved to see more of Jarrad Whitehurst’s Declan who offered who’s endearing performance (and life) was short-lived.

My personal stand out was Zachary Borthwick as Matt Maker, garnering plenty of laughs with his sass and verve. His portrayal felt quite candid comparatively to his castmates. If I was to offer any feedback, I’d be mindful of projection in such a small venue. It at times felt actors were equating emotion to volume which at times came across a little harsh.

The set was fairly simplistic with two differing room locales on opposite sides of the stage, and a turning truck inviting audiences to a third setting. Designed by Setare Mogharebin it was effective in placing scenes while still leaving the actors space to do the heavy lifting. I do however feel Chloe’s room (in part to the pink walls/bedding etc.) felt more reflective of Shaz’ character than her own, but that’s neither here nor there.

I enjoyed Adrijan Teddy Levis’ direction, particularly the use of the TV style projections/cutaways to showcase the characters’ inner monologues throughout. Pay attention to closing off the audience, as there were a few moments where actors were entirely cut off with their backs to us, losing some of the scene. His slew of masking tape props also did not go unnoticed, a small testament to the clear amount of time, preparation and love put into this production.

The 2025 Curtin Alumni have come together to present a loud, camp and fun production – with Final Two a celebratory display of the cohort’s hard work throughout their studies. Well done to all involved.

To book tickets to Final Two, please visit https://reprisetheatre.com/shows/final-two/.

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The Chairs

The Chairs

The Chairs Rating

★★★★★

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The Chairs is a creative vaudeville, circus style play about an elderly couple, simply known as the Old Man and the Old Woman presented by The Melville Theatre Company and directed by Virginia Moore Price.

Written by Eugene Ionesco in the 1950s, it is quite an absurd tale in which the elderly couple reflect on their life over the 70 years they’ve been married. This indicated that they would be in their 90s. At the beginning I struggled to understand what was happening and their conversations seemed nonsensical. A sign of the deterioration of their memories and their minds.

The couple prepare to receive guests for a lecture of some sort which never eventuates and their guest of honour, the Orator. They frantically gather chairs for the guests and dump them onto the rotating floor in a comedic fashion. The guests, however, are invisible to the audience. Whether the old couple are imagining them or whether they are actually real to the couple, left me unsure.

The couple’s fragmented recollections and contradictory chronologies evoke signs of dementia. This is particularly evident when the Old Woman recalls having a son who died when he was a child and reflecting on the grief of losing a child but the Old Man recalls the couple not being able to have any children and instead reflecting on the grief of his mother’s death.

 

The Chairs
The Chairs
The Chairs

 

Although it is clear they both deeply care for each other, there are moments of regret and a sense now that their lives are very soon coming to an end. Throughout the play the Old Woman continuously reminds the Old Man how he could’ve been a head general or a head comedian much to both of their despair. The Orator Raven who whilst is visible to the audience throughout the entire play as he sits on the rotating floor, is only visible to the couple towards the end perhaps signifying death.

Ionesco gives plays into the delusional state of mind of the elderly couple by having them set in a circus ring with both dressed as clowns and the Old Man performing as a mime artist.

Zane Alexander and Solanje Burns deliver a phenomenal performance as the Old Man and Old Woman holding the attention of audience for the entire play without an interval. There were moments of interaction with the audience when they both tumble off the stage and weave themselves into the audience while they continue their nonsensical dialogue.

At the heart of The Chairs is two people longing to be seen and heard, trying to make sense of the lives they have lived.

To book tickets to The Chairs, please visit https://melvilletheatrecompany.au/current-production.

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The Vicar of Dibley

The Vicar of Dibley

The Vicar of Dibley Rating

★★★★★

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Bringing to life any stage adaptation featuring not only well known, but well-loved characters is no mean feat, but The Limelight Theatre in Wanneroo has taken on the challenge with full force in their November season of The Vicar of Dibley.

Crowds were lined up all the way outside the venue when we arrived, eagerly awaiting this matinee performance on a sunny Sunday. If the front of house volunteers were at all overwhelmed by the rush of people, they didn’t show it, as they scanned tickets and shuffled us all to our seats for the performance to begin.

The hit 90’s show, which this play follows, is set in the small village of Dibley, where, following the death of their long-time vicar, the parish eagerly awaits the arrival of his successor, only to be confronted with a female vicar, ready to challenge the way things are done. Based on the Dawn French led series created by Richard Curtis, the stage play has been adapted by Ian Gower and Paul Carpenter.

The production was impeccably cast, with many whispers amongst the packed audience each time a new character appeared. Leisha Fox was unwaveringly spot on in her portrayal of the iconic Geraldine Granger, from the voice to her mannerisms; you could get so caught up in her performance you may forget you weren’t looking at Dawn French. Em Carver’s silly and sweet Alice Tinker was a joy to watch and the chemistry between her and the vicar, as well as with love-struck Hugo (Limelight regular Jason Pearce) made for very convincing performances.

Gordon Park was suitably snobbish as Parish Council Chairman David Horton and there was almost an audible cringe from the crowd each time Chris Juckes’ Owen Newitt spoke, oblivious to his tendency to overshare. Roger Oakes, as fan favourite Jim Trott and Ajay Karia as Frank Pickles made great additions to this strong cast in their supporting roles, and Gwen Browning was subtly wonderful to watch as experimental cook Mrs Cropley.

The Vicar of Dibley
The Vicar of Dibley

Director Shelley McGinn also happens to be the group’s Wardrobe Manager, and you can tell, with clear care taken on the details for each character’s costumes, for some of which there were many. The group made clever use of the stage, a split between the parish hall and the vicarage straight down the middle and a small section front of stage for the traditional end-of-episode chats between Alice and Geraldine.

Unlike some stage adaptations of TV shows that are a standalone story, The Vicar of Dibley play is a compilation of episodes of the show bringing familiar moments and jokes to the stage. So well-remembered is this show, I could often hear people around me finishing the lines before the cast had a chance; it was hard to find it anything but charming when I was doing the same in my head.

For those wanting to join in the fun, I am delighted for the group that there are only very limited tickets remaining, so you’ll want to be quick. It’s great to see so many people back out supporting community theatre with shows achieving more than one sell out performance in their run.

To book tickets to The Vicar of Dibley, please visit https://www.taztix.com.au/event/limelight/.

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