No Bed of Roses

‘No Bed of Roses’ is a very black, adult comedy, written and directed by Irish born, multi-award winning WA playwright, Noel O'Neill. The storyline is semi-autobiographical, being based on his teen years spent in London. Noel is also a talented director and performer, having won an award as best supporting actor.

Whilst training in America, he appeared regularly on stage and doing TV voiceovers. His writing skills are well respected, and he is renowned for his uncanny knack of bringing out the full depth of his characters.

This hilarious but extremely crude, 110-minute production is being presented at the Old Mill Theatre, Mends Street in South Perth. It plays on end-of-week nights at 8.00 pm until the 20^th April; there is also a 2.00 pm matinee on Sunday 14^th April.

            The scene is the East End of London in the early 60s. The venue is a dirty, dingy kitchen-cum-dining room-cum sitting room, the kind of room that you would to wipe your feet on the out, rather than the way in. Some walls have Regency striped wallpaper; the others are grey plaster, still awaiting the matching paper to be chosen. An old cast iron oven sits next to the sink. Orange, flowery curtains cover the storage area beneath (set design by Noel O’Neill, built with Michael Trestrail). There are some wonderful props from the era. All smoothly stage-managed by Henriette Lawrence.

           The Beatle’s ‘Help’ blasts from the radio as the lights come up.

         Retired council, street cleaner Sid (Tom Rees) and his brassy, foul-mouthed wife, Sadie (Trish Farrell) have been together for over 30 years, now they simply tolerate each other. Sid spends almost all day, everyday tending his rose garden. He doesn’t notice that his wife has ‘needs’.

        Their daughter Nora (Nicola Chapman) is a supermarket checkout chick, and is a clone of her mother. Nora has telephone call from her Dad asking her to come home urgently, as her mother needs help. Nora, who has a hell of a life as the daughter of this dysfunctional family, rushes home only to find that her mother is well but ‘down the shops’ and that her father’s concern is for his wife’s mental health. 

        As the two argue, the front door flies open and her mother enters accompanied by a tall, young man, carrying two suitcases. ‘Who the f*** is this?’ asks Sid. ‘This is Georgie’ Sadie purrs as she strokes Geordie’s (Joe Tareha) broad shoulders. Matriarchal Sadie explains that they are in love, and that husband Sid now has to sleep in the spare room - Georgie and she will share the marital double bed.

       Sid is not happy about the arrangements and Nora is furious – but could that have been a romantic smile she has just received from the new lodger?

       Will George be a benefit or a curse to this strange household?

I saw this play two years ago in Kalamunda, where this daring script came as an eye-opener. Their cast was wonderful, but here the ages of some cast members have been modified and the script tidied up.

This revelation of family life is very demanding, and relies on the actors getting right into their sordid personalities. Being shy or becoming embarrassed by the script would have killed the brilliantly written effect. The girls have selected some daring outfits, and acting award-winning Trish has portrayed the foulmouthed, trailer-trash mentality of Sadie perfectly. An amazing depth of character that deserves an award nomination.

The chemistry and teamwork of the ENTIRE cast was superb, their interaction being completely natural and perfectly paced.

The lighting was by Kathryn Caney and sound by Graeme Johnson, a well-established, capable tech team.

This is one of the most hilarious plays that I have seen, it makes ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’ look like ‘Playschool’. Congratulations to all concerned for a fun night out. The laughs in this very dark, coarse and tasteless adult comedy flowed fast and furious.