Friday Five: And Yet More Theatre Outings

And the latest offerings are (admittedly from a while back before I got engrossed with my own show):

Talk by Johnathan Biggins at The Playhouse

1. Noel Coward Double Bill (Weatherwise & Mild Oats) at Teatro Vivaldi - Director Tony Turner unearths two delightful short (one-act) plays by The Master. A simple drawing-room set serves to provide all the context required to enjoy these theatrical morsels between meals. They are perfectly suited to the dinner-theatre theme with humour arising from well-acted awkward situations. Whether unaccountably thrown together in a bachelor's apartment (awkward pauses are perfectly played by Henry Strand and Alessa Kron) or dealing with a hypnotised woman who believes she's a dog (a great comic turn by Elaine Noon), strict adherence to manners and deportment are not negotiable. They combine to form a veritable amuse bouche.
2. First Seen 2017: Hired Mother at The Street - The First Seen programme helps playwrights develop their work by presenting them in rehearsed readings to the public, who then engage in conversation which will hopefully lead to further progress and production. Cathy Petocz's imaginative play deals with mother/daughter interactions and how they affect (and are affected by) the greater cosmos. One of the characters is a piece of moon rock who witnesses the maternal breakup and attempts to put the relationship back together. However, as she falls for the daughter and wonders about the need for a powerful female figure in her life, she waxes and wanes in both provocation and potency. There's a lot to like here and I look forward to seeing it hit the stage.
3. Talk produced by the Sydney Theatre Company at The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre - Jonathan Biggins' writing epitomises social and political satire in action. Set in a fantastically realised radio station, a talk-back jock (played with toe-curling credibility by John Walters) ignites vigilante justice: 'Whether it's using an i-pad or a pitchfork; a mob is still a mob.' A traditional journalist quits in despair after trying to pass on tips of the trade and ethics to an intern more bent on reporting a sizzling soundbite than cold hard facts. Meanwhile the TV executives are playing a ratings game which tramples on truth and lives to achieve figures and awards. It's all rather depressing but brilliantly executed. 
4. Verdict produced by Tempo Theatre Inc at Belconnen Community Theatre - Tempo Theatre under the helm of Jon Elphick tackle their latest Agatha Christie with their trademark enthusiasm and solid production values. Professor Karl Hendryk (Paul Jackson) is a romantic in terms of education but less so in other areas, much to the chagrin of his long-suffering invalid wife (Nikki- Lynne Hunter whose wheelchair confinement doesn't hamper her expressive performance) and her cousin (Monique Dyson) who also yearns for him. As we actually see the murder committed on stage (by an infatuated student - Kirsten Doyle), this particular puzzle is not so much a whodunnit as a willtheygetawaywithit? It's a faithful rather than an inspiring production, but it poses some interesting questions such as whether principles more important than people, and the Queen of Crime's less-than-sparkling dialogue is once again carefully handled. 
5. The 39 Steps produced by Canberra Repertory at Theatre 3 - Despite inexplicably deciding that the great Scottish hero, Richard Hannay (Patrick Galen-Mules) should be Canadian (with all the jarring inconsistencies that creates), Jarrad West and cast and crew attempt to squeeze every ounce of humour from Patrick Barlow's adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock's film of John Buchan's novel. Steph Roberts is spectacular in her several roles, bringing nice differentiation to each. There is no corresponding subtlety in the clowns (Helen McFarlane and Nelson Blattman) who are somewhat overblown and their broad-stroke performances tend to merge multiple characters into one. If you're after a fast-paced frolic; a ridiculous roller coaster ride; a preposterous performance, and some jolly good fun, however, you could do worse.