Stand and Deliver - Thanks Tina (6 February 2025)

The unexpected gem. 

It's always a treat when a show surprises you. I had no expectations going into Stand and Deliver, not really knowing much other than it was framed around a high school debating scenario. What a delight then to find a play with a lot on its mind and an anger about the state of the world simmering under everything. 

Two things in particular stand out. The Acknowledgement of Country delivered onstage by two of the performers is followed by an acknowledgement of the victims of genocide in Palestine, Sudan, Congo, and Yemen. This immediately gets my attention that something a little different to the usual Fringe fare is definitely in the offing.

The second is a monologue delivered by Lauren Westphal-Groves (Rachael) that compares and contrasts the safety of debating etiquette in a classroom with protests outside in the real world. It's impassioned, insightful, and a wonderful example of theme writ large in good writing and execution. This definitely gets my attention. 

The play is political in ways that thrill me as a writer of politically tinged fare. From the debate topic the six characters prepare for - should the voting age be lowered to 16 - to that friction between polite debate and lively protest; the politics of friendship as six students navigate envy, infatuation, self-entitlement, status, anxiety, identity, and the so-called sisterhood; and sexual politics with an unabashed queer perspective. 

The set-up is simple. Star debater Rachael (Westphal-Groves) is late which unsettles the others, especially Bryn (Rebecca Attwood) who seems to idolise her disclosing perhaps more than intended. Overly ambitious Abigail (Tasha Fraser) seizes the moment to take the spotlight, more than miffed she isn't already the star of the team. Abigail turns to friend Madeline (Sophie Quin) who only seems content to tag along at her behest. Olivia (Bec Moore) quietly makes her points in opposition to Abigail while Sonnie (Adah Hill) uses debating to help with anxiety. These interactions shift and move in fascinating ways as assumptions are upturned and revelations uncover stress fractures amongst the group. 

Rachel eventually surfaces after having been at a protest rally. She delivers that wonderful monologue and the fact that perhaps she isn't the star they all thought she was. That honour lies elsewhere. They rally to confront their fiercest rival - Mercedes College! Yes, there is a lot of sly humour here about the perceived education hierarchy and their place in it; several prestigious institutions being namechecked along the way. 

The acting is an interesting mix of the performative versus quiet understatement as larger than life characters confront more circumspect counterparts. It all works in a strange alchemy that clearly delineates each character and their mindset. A highlight is when they all dance raucously to relieve the stress of impending ruin. 

The play ends with another strong monologue as Bec Moore's Olivia leaves but not before she commentates on her hopes for them all and their friendship; how they were electric together. Then we're out as the debate is about to commence...

...and I want more!

It feels like a perfect act break heading into an intermission after 50 minutes of wry, observational comedy; excellent character work; and those political undertones. For mine, there is absolutely the potential to extend this out. 

Other things of note - we hear the rules of debating on a loop as we take our seats. The simple set design including a white board with typical debating terms on it; the school costumes with subtle changes for every character and the differing attitude/posture each performer brings. Oh, and I loved the tag line on the poster - Friendship is debatable. The lighting design is a little haphazard in trying to single out a performer in certain moments but it's a minor distraction as I lock into this pretty quickly. 

I walked out of the theatre enthused and impressed about these young artists and writer/director Arthur Brown using their voices to speak out on topics they are passionate about. Long may it continue!

Stand and Deliver is on at the Hayman Theatre as part of Fringe World until 9 February.

The Simple Gift - Presented by Andre Victor (28 January 2025)

Kindness.

For some people it is an intrinsic part of their nature. For others it proves elusive. Then there are those who have forgotten what kindness is; through trauma and personal circumstances. 

The contrast is immediately established when young teen, Billy, runs away from home to escape an abusive father who is bereft of kindness in any form. Billy rides a train westwards where Eddie, a train driver, discovers him. Instead of ejecting him from the train, Eddie provides food and sound advice; things he didn't have to do as Billy astutely points out. It's a gracious act that makes an impression. 

Billy ends up in the town of Bendarat, once a wealthy railway hub but one that's now fallen into disrepair. Much like Old Bill who lives in a discarded train carriage and drinks away his days. The impact each will have on the other is profound - the youngster through enthusiasm and compassion; the older man by awakening from a slumber inflicted by unspeakable tragedy and remembering who he essentially is. 

There is a third character in this wonderfully crafted tale - 17 year old Caitlin who goes to the grammar school and mops floors at the local McDonalds where Billy craftily finds his meals in the leftovers of other people. She comes from a wealthy family where material possessions and status are no problem. Yet she seeks something far more nourishing for the soul. Her growing relationship with Billy and its intersection with Old Bill is another touching story strand.

Written in free verse and adapted by Andre Victor from the book of the same name by Steven Herrick, The Simple Gift has a level of detail and specificity in its description of place and character that is compelling. Staged in an unadorned space, you can see the town, its inhabitants, and the landmarks clearly in the way they are invoked in the dialogue. The starlings in the eves of Old Bill's former home, the ibis on the water, the tomatoes at the cannery, the fruit in the nearby orchard... and crucially, you feel the emotions with such clarity. There are moments that left me teary-eyed. However, from great sorrow comes an overwhelming sense of goodness which radiates throughout the entire fifty minutes.

Harry McGuire as Billy brings a youthful energy tinged with a worldliness in a character that acts as a catalyst for Old Bill and Caitlin to move out of their respective ruts. There's a soulfulness to McGuire's performance that creeps up on you until Billy finds himself in need of the sort of care and attention he has so unconditionally given others. The switch to vulnerability and anguish is beautifully crafted. It's a wonderful performance.

One that has no choice but to alter Old Bill played with gruff demeanour by Benjamin Small who carefully charts a trajectory from the depths of despair to a welcome rejuvenation. Small's monologue that reveals the source of the character's trauma is devastating in its honesty and raw emotion. 

While Small's default position is gruffness, Caitlyn Boyle brings an inherent sweetness to Caitlin that is equally fascinating. You sense Boyle's Caitlin is an outsider in a town where she has every advantage. There's such a light touch here that makes the tender romance with Billy a joy.  

Evocative lighting design by Kat Brieden and Andre Victor clearly delineates painful flashbacks from the present day action; and heightened emotions from delicate moments of human connection. The direction by Andre Victor is quiet and focussed on meaningful character beats. McGuire and Boyle almost have an Elizabethan style dance as their courtship flourishes; the continuous touch of hands another lovely detail. The only thing I wasn't quite sure about was a costume change towards the end that was maybe too symbolic of the transformation these characters had undertaken. It's a minor detail when you have writing and performances this good.

There is an honesty here that I loved. Above all, yes, kindness flows from these characters in surprising and powerful ways. You can feel it. That truly is a gift.

The Simple Gift is on at the Hayman Theatre until 2 February as part of the Fringe World Festival.

Photos by Jordan D'Arcy (Perfectly Picturesque Photography)

A History of Happiness - Hayman Theatre Company (11 June 2014)

Ah yes, that elusive state we all strive for – happiness. But what does it mean to be truly happy? What has it meant down through the ages? What does it mean to YOU?

These are some of the questions posed by acting students from Curtin University in this 90 minute, self-devised production that is comprised of vignettes from moments in history, dance, direct audience interaction, various narrators, and even a ‘happy counsellor’.

The last of which I became acquainted with after being asked a question early on in proceedings and led out to the ‘happy room’ downstairs where I had a nice chat with said counsellor and sampled the assorted creams. (We agreed that the Monte Carlo is clearly the best choice in this regard. Another two audience members also had ‘counselling sessions’ though I can’t vouch for their biscuit preference!)

Back inside and the Neanderthals are giving way to Philosophy as we start asking questions about the nature of happiness and our place in the world before Religion arrives to shut down this practice and provide a ‘definitive’ answer (as Joan of Arc discovers in a re-enactment of her fiery demise). The discovery of Capitalism declares Money to be the new God before Power takes over and finally Freedom presents us with an overabundance of Choice. These moments are played with the majority of the company of some 35 actors on stage and I apologise for not naming the individuals until the end of this review as I am unfamiliar with most of them. Included in this are some four narrators deployed at various stages - setting the scene, interacting directly with the audience and each other, with one even asking questions of the actors. 

This is where the piece really shines because within the overarching construction of the ‘history’ there are recurring scenes - essentially two-handers - that examine different aspects of happiness and, interestingly, love.

The standout of these is a couple who are shown, mainly through dance, falling in love, being in love, falling out of love, then reconciling, with, if I interpret the last beat of the last scene correctly, impending parenthood. This was beautifully acted and handled.

Then there’s the anorexic egged on by his subconscious to exercise and lose weight, ever more weight, otherwise he is a disgrace. This arc has both dark and light with some nice comic moments by the two actors including an old-fashioned surprise that I won’t spoil but was a ‘laugh-gasp-out-loud’ moment.

We have two obsessive-compulsives who find each other after separate dates at the same restaurant go horribly wrong due to their ‘weirdness’. Again, full of humour but also a nicely narrated commentary about how love is sometimes about when two people find and accept each other’s weird habits and obsessions.

There is also a virginal, God-fearing woman in white hounded by a black clad Satan that has an interesting role reversal as the theme of Power is introduced in the context of relationships and how we handle that.

Lastly, there are six actresses who we see as young children around the age of 5-6 drawing on the back wall of the stage; then later as teenagers in what ends up being a quite raunchy sequence with the other cast joining them on stage doing what teenagers do; then as young mothers, and finally as elderly women. They are questioned by one of our narrators about what makes them happy, about their life choices, work choices, regrets, and the like. This personal history dovetails nicely with the larger history being told. There is a quiet highlight at the end of this sequence when the ‘surly’ one gives a quite moving plea to allow yourself to be marked by the dirt of life lest you end up in a nursing home alone, childless, with no friends.

When A History of Happiness first started it felt a little chaotic but then all these different threads were slowly deployed and this construction for a self-devised piece is quite elaborate and thematically impressive. There is also a great sense of zest in the performances and you can see the time and care the cast have invested. This is reinforced at the end when one of the actors simply states that being on stage performing is what makes the cast happy and it’s a wonderfully genuine and heartfelt statement. The cast sing Pharrell’s smash hit ‘Happy’ (of course) as they dance their way off stage before the audience is entreated to go out and find their own happiness.

This is a fun show with great use of humour and movement but it is also quite perceptive in its interrogation of what happiness is for without showing the dark how can we truly know the light?

There are three more performances, 12-14 June, upstairs at the Hayman Theatre and stars the Curtin University Performance Studies Devised Class of 2014: Zoe Barham, Samantha Barrett, Roisin Bevan, Holly Dodd, Danen Engelenberg, Rachel Foucar, Amy Johnston, Georgia Knox, Josh Lang, Lachie MacDonald, Kayla MacGillivray, Jim Maxwell, Gemma Middleton, Ashleigh Morris, Ellie Morrison, Amri Mrisho, Daniel O'Brien, Monty Sallur, Nicole Sandrini, Polly Seah, Aaron Smith, Emma Smith, Georgia Smith, Georgia Spencer, Madison Stirling, Zara Suryani, Nattida Thongin, Amelia Tuttleby, Savannah Wood and Judy Young.

Acceptable Losses - Curtin University (1 June 2014)

The second play tonight was a scripted piece set in a dystopian future where the Lord Protector (Carlin Monteiro) aided by the Guard Captain (Rachel Foucar) keep the peace in an unnamed city using quite brutal methods. Citizens are rounded up by the Protectorate guards (Jenn Scullion and Dylan Searle) to be experimented on by Doctor Anders (Alexander Gerrans) for the mysterious Project 12.

Things go awry when Anders’ child Millie is kidnapped by unknown forces and his wife Fiona (Beth Tremlett) is implicated. She is tortured by the Guard Captain and eventually manipulated to be the scapegoat as ‘the masses’ have grown restless about the disappearances. Rhiannon Petersen plays the ‘Frankenstein’s monster’ of Project 12 as well as the Judge at Fiona’s sham trial.

Ambitious but uneven, the play sets up a quite atmospheric world especially with the use of sound effects such as thunder, constant rain, the slamming of cell doors; a range of costuming from the Lord Protector’s sleek look in buttoned down vest and wingtip shoes to the uniforms of the guards; and quite graphic violence, Foucar in particular delighting in putting a bit of stick about. The tone is mostly grim except for a curious Droog-like scene by Searle’s guard as he practices pickup lines on Petersen’s inanimate ‘monster’.  

Monteiro is all sinister charm as the pre-eminent villain behind it all but Foucar has the far more boisterous performance as the violent Guard Captain. Tremlett is clattered about and bound most of the play but gives a nice performance as the anguished wife concerned for her child. Gerran’s Anders proclaims himself to be a monster - the ‘silent scalpel of the city’ - but I was never convinced this was the case as he seemed impotent in the face of the Protectorate. The play also never addresses who did kidnap Millie so this felt more plot device than anything as I was waiting for the twist that never came.

It is, however, a concept that could be further developed as there are some interesting moral dilemmas thrown up, especially for Tremlett’s character.

Written and Directed by Dan O'Brien with Dramaturgy by Jesse Daniels.

Yes/No - Curtin University (1 June 2014)

Curtin University regularly has two One Act plays presented under the banner Sunday Night Theatre in the converted lecture room upstairs at the Hayman Theatre.

The first of these tonight was a self-devised piece that explored Fear. An unnamed woman (Rebecca Fowler) battles her demons and doubts with a “raven” perched on her shoulder. She awakes to find Fight (Ariel Tresham), Flight (Holly Dodd), Endure (Aaron Smith) and Undermine (Sean Guastavino) fighting to be the dominant force in her life… or is it all just in her head?

This is a high energy piece incorporating dance and stylised fighting between the different impulses with the use of a bongo drum and vibrant lighting giving the play a real kinetic feel. Fowler is literally torn between these opposing forces as different scenarios are explored – the drunk on the train who demands the shoes from a fellow passenger who meekly agrees in the first instance (flight) but when the scene is reprised chooses to fight which doesn’t end well for him either.

Fowler’s character at one stage has a lovely ‘courtship’ with Smith’s only to renege as they walk down the aisle. Characters narrate from the sideline and in this case tell us the figures about domestic violence against women, a prevalent fear unfortunately in this day and age. The characters also interact with the audience asking them to name their own fears before Fowler recites a list that includes rejection, loneliness and various others.

I really liked the energy in this piece and especially the ending where Fowler’s character states that her greatest fear is that she will stop trying. In an age where there is seemingly so much to be fearful of this was a poignant statement to end the play on.

The space is well used with the actors entering and exiting from various points and yes, I didn’t even realise I sat next to the lead in the front row before the play began! Talking to one of the actors afterwards this took 7-8 weeks with two rehearsals a week to develop. I found it an interesting exploration of what stops us growing and moving forward and maybe how a lot of this is indeed in our head.

Directed by Savannah Wood with Dramaturgy by Amy Johnston.