Brisbane review - Toe-Tapping Long Gone Lonesome Cowgirls Goes Live

By Lilian Harrington

Production: Long Gone Lonesome Cowgirls

Writer:          Phillip Dean

Company:    Ad Astra

Director:      Prue Robb

Location:     Ad Astra Space/ Pluto, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane.

Season:       June 11–July 4.  8 pm Thur. /Fri. Sat 7:30pm & mat. 2 pm

Bookings    Try Booking/enquiries@adastracreativity.com/ call 0417001292

How do you describe Long Gone Lonesome Cowgirls which has opened at Ad Astra? Although it was written in the 1960’s it’s still a fun, hilarious and outrageous Australian musical comedy -drama, written by Phillip Dean and relevant to today. Directed by Prue Robb, it is being staged in the Pluto Theatre, their boutique, black box stage. It features two talented Australian actors, Cheney Hossack, an emerging local Meanjin actor / writer and Isobel Kruse, an experienced actor, singer, writer, director/ producer, plus a live band led by Musical Director, Oscar Lowe, with vocal coaching from Meg Kiddell. 

Long Gone Lonesome Cowgirls is set in the 1960’s, in a small outback town in Queensland. It tells the story of two very different and lonely women, who are thrown together by accident and find some comfort in each other; both have been abandoned by their spouses. The devout, Catholic wife and mother Vicki (Cheney Hossack), has every faith that her beloved husband will return home from his mining work at some stage, and barmaid Rae (Isobel Kruse), who has only known her crazy, cowboy husband, Earl for eight weeks, when she was dumped in the small country town, meets Vicki, when she comes looking to buy a bus ticket back to Toowoomba.

At first there is friction between the two women, but gradually they find that they both have a shared interest in Country and Western Music.  Although Vicki is a very religious, dutiful mother and a non- drinker, in total contrast to Rae, who is a querulous. sexy, voluptuous barmaid, who tends to attract all the local males like blowflies at the local bar, where she has found work as a barmaid; she is a big influence over the unworldly Vicki; both women learn something special about each other, through their shared interest in American Country Music, film stars like Hank Williams and singers like Patsy Cline; they build a firm friendship and start to face reality and move forward with their lives. The play explores loneliness, connection, resilience, social attitudes, and the dilemma of young   Australian troops being conscripted to fight in Vietnam, feminism, religious arguments over contraception and firmly held beliefs.  

Ad Astra has put together a strong cast. The character of Rae is played by Isabel Kruse, an internationally recognized actor, singer and musical-theatre performer, who gave a robust performance.  Isobel has gained experience in the U.S.A. and U.K. as well as in Queensland. Isabel is known for having a 3-octave soprano and belt range, which was evident in this production. As Rae the wild and worldly barmaid, she showed passion, belief, confidence and a high energy, complimented by the choice of costume and behaviors, which created a very believable, flirtatious and free-thinking character.

Cheney Hossack, as Vicki, was the prudent and unsophisticated, country housewife, with a secret passion for American Country Music. Cheney showed a delightful innocence, and was very expressive in her response to the situation, which contrasted with Rae. As the long -suffering, abandoned mother of three young ones, she gave her character warmth, depth, wit, and heart, which the audience related to.  

Long Gone Lonesome Cowgirls runs until July 4. It is a show that keeps the audience entertained, along with the live toe- tapping band, playing 60s’ style music.