Review – Crazy Ladies: The reunion that goes wrong
Five gals and a guy see the plan falling apart
Crazy Ladies
By Devon Williamson
Directed by Garry Somerville
Act 1 Theatre
Old Shire Hall
Cnr Gympie Road and Hall Street
Strathpine
Season: June 23-July 8. Duration: 110 minutes including interval. Bookings: 0458 519 269
Most amateur theatre companies have a preponderance of women, so when a play comes along featuring five women and one man, they grab it with both hands.
Therefore, when Act 1 Theatre came across the play Crazy Ladies by New Zealand playwright, Devon Williamson, they were quick to present it to the public.
The play revolves around a 25-year reunion that Pamela Brown (Gina Gray) has organized for her four best friends from high school.
Pamela is thoroughly obsessive and ordered. She has a complete schedule of events for each of her friends. Unfortunately for her the schedule goes right out the window when her friend Kay (Olivia Sambell), the gun-toting funeral director arrives and blatantly refuses the plan.
The rest of the clan begin to arrive in crazy fashion. Sandy (Sandy Adsett) arrives in traditional nun’s garb while Diane (Kayluan Miney) appears in a neck brace and with two broken arms, the result of a motor accident. She is a clumsy, giggling, vapid mother of eight boys.
Plans go further awry when Rachel’s daughter (Ruth Jarrett) a rebellious teenager announces that her mother won’t be coming because she has died. The daughter is hell-bent on digging dirt on her mother. Later in the play the teenager disappears only to be replaced by the very much alive mother (played by the same actress). To round out the cast we have the single male Shaun (Zac Robson) a down and out motel janitor who does his best to upset the ladies. The play is directed by seasoned actor Garry Somerville.
The production featured a large bright set which was well lit. The backstage crew worked well. The costumes were appropriate and the audience seemed to enjoy it.
My favourite character was Diane played by Kayluan Miney. She maintained her ditzy character well throughout the play and how she held her arm out for so long, I will never know.
The cast certainly seemed to enjoy their performances and there were no obvious scary opening night glitches.
I must admit this is not my favourite play and care must be taken in this type of farce to not let actors mug and overdo their reactions.