DON'S PARTY- The times; are they a-changing?
Fri, 7 Sept 2001, 12:31 amEliot McCann1 post in thread
DON'S PARTY- The times; are they a-changing?
Fri, 7 Sept 2001, 12:31 amProduction- "Don's Party" by David Williamson.
Company- GRADS (Graduate Dramatic Society)
Venue- Dolphin Theatre, UWA
Date- 6/9/2001
Alright- confession time. I approached this production with fear and trepidation (no loathing though, you'll note) and a somewhat blinkered view of the play. I had a conspiracy theory that this production is trotted out every five years or so simply to give the respective company's collection of polyester flares and safari suits an airing. After thirty years of being played, what can "Don's Party" tell us about ourselves that we don't already know? What light can it shine on the Austrailan psyche that hasn't been stolen wholesale by Working Dog productions for films such as "The Castle"? Is it a grand testament to Ocker political complacency or merely the first foundation block in the peculiarly Australian phenomenon of cringe comedy?
To use the vernacular of the play; "Who gives a rat's arse- it's fuckin' funny."
Grant Malcolm allows the drama and the comedy of this play to develop of its own volition. Nothing is rushed, yet the pace never lags. A comfortable, if faintly inebriated, atmosphere is established from the get-go, and is allowed to become tarnished and reveal the darker aspects of the characters' crushed aspirations that impact on the audience in the carpark.
As previously stated there are many great aspects to this production; to go through them all will cause people to accuse me of being Jarrod Buttery- this must NEVER happen- and if I write on every single performance I will undoubtedly crash the site. So; some highlights.
Leah Maher (Jody) and Rob Stuart (Mal) doing some of the best "drunk" acting I have ever seen on a stage. Both were utterly in control of trying to keep "in control". Leah's transition from conservative shrew to emancipated sot was gentle and refined- as befits the character she plays. Rob's boorish idealist was spot on- a loud man with the courage of his convictions unleashing his Brave New World on his amiably bored hostages.
Michael Dunbar as Simon was a joy to watch. How the perfect "straight man" stole so many laughs is a mystery for Leonard Nimoy to ponder. It might have something to do with the exquisitely wincing manner of Simon's discomfort.
Matthew Kiely as the eponymous host was so laid back that his portrayal had an air of being painfully accurate. The Bright Young Star now drifting into Supernova of impending middle-age... and he's the only one who cares how the election is going. Poor sod... or so you'd think! Matthew's laid-back reading of Don set the tone of the production beautifully.
Kerri Hilton (Jenny) graced the stage with such a natural ease that at no time were you aware of watching an actress at work. You were, at all times, watching a woman with a migraine getting really pissed-off with her husband Mal. In fact the pairing of Rob and Kerri as this couple was inspired.
The natural ease of these two actors, particularly Kerri, was a joyful spectacle.
Finally the revelation of the evening- Linda Gefken as the long-suffering-but-not-for-much-longer-you-arsehole Cath. Superbly performed, we felt every bitter ounce of Cath's lot, and the temptation to leap to one's feet bellowing "Right on, Sistah!!" at her explosion was great. Linda was rivetting- and GRADS have a real find in her.
Don's Party is everything it should be- funny, ribald, kitsch and finally, dark. A true credit to Grant's direction and the cast's energies. This production made me re-think the worth of this oft-revered play. It is not the period piece I wrote if off as being, and certainly this production has wisely avoided the obvious "everything old is new again" treatment.
Times haven't changed that much- see Don's Party; you'll remember it come November.
Eliot McCann
Company- GRADS (Graduate Dramatic Society)
Venue- Dolphin Theatre, UWA
Date- 6/9/2001
Alright- confession time. I approached this production with fear and trepidation (no loathing though, you'll note) and a somewhat blinkered view of the play. I had a conspiracy theory that this production is trotted out every five years or so simply to give the respective company's collection of polyester flares and safari suits an airing. After thirty years of being played, what can "Don's Party" tell us about ourselves that we don't already know? What light can it shine on the Austrailan psyche that hasn't been stolen wholesale by Working Dog productions for films such as "The Castle"? Is it a grand testament to Ocker political complacency or merely the first foundation block in the peculiarly Australian phenomenon of cringe comedy?
To use the vernacular of the play; "Who gives a rat's arse- it's fuckin' funny."
Grant Malcolm allows the drama and the comedy of this play to develop of its own volition. Nothing is rushed, yet the pace never lags. A comfortable, if faintly inebriated, atmosphere is established from the get-go, and is allowed to become tarnished and reveal the darker aspects of the characters' crushed aspirations that impact on the audience in the carpark.
As previously stated there are many great aspects to this production; to go through them all will cause people to accuse me of being Jarrod Buttery- this must NEVER happen- and if I write on every single performance I will undoubtedly crash the site. So; some highlights.
Leah Maher (Jody) and Rob Stuart (Mal) doing some of the best "drunk" acting I have ever seen on a stage. Both were utterly in control of trying to keep "in control". Leah's transition from conservative shrew to emancipated sot was gentle and refined- as befits the character she plays. Rob's boorish idealist was spot on- a loud man with the courage of his convictions unleashing his Brave New World on his amiably bored hostages.
Michael Dunbar as Simon was a joy to watch. How the perfect "straight man" stole so many laughs is a mystery for Leonard Nimoy to ponder. It might have something to do with the exquisitely wincing manner of Simon's discomfort.
Matthew Kiely as the eponymous host was so laid back that his portrayal had an air of being painfully accurate. The Bright Young Star now drifting into Supernova of impending middle-age... and he's the only one who cares how the election is going. Poor sod... or so you'd think! Matthew's laid-back reading of Don set the tone of the production beautifully.
Kerri Hilton (Jenny) graced the stage with such a natural ease that at no time were you aware of watching an actress at work. You were, at all times, watching a woman with a migraine getting really pissed-off with her husband Mal. In fact the pairing of Rob and Kerri as this couple was inspired.
The natural ease of these two actors, particularly Kerri, was a joyful spectacle.
Finally the revelation of the evening- Linda Gefken as the long-suffering-but-not-for-much-longer-you-arsehole Cath. Superbly performed, we felt every bitter ounce of Cath's lot, and the temptation to leap to one's feet bellowing "Right on, Sistah!!" at her explosion was great. Linda was rivetting- and GRADS have a real find in her.
Don's Party is everything it should be- funny, ribald, kitsch and finally, dark. A true credit to Grant's direction and the cast's energies. This production made me re-think the worth of this oft-revered play. It is not the period piece I wrote if off as being, and certainly this production has wisely avoided the obvious "everything old is new again" treatment.
Times haven't changed that much- see Don's Party; you'll remember it come November.
Eliot McCann