It’s the countdown to the finalist awards for the SHORT & SWEET FESTIVAL, 2013. This week presents the PEOPLE’S CHOICE SHOWCASE – the audience favourites for the Top 80 and the Wildcards, which have been showing for the past eight weeks.
Before I mention these 11 worthy short plays, I would like to congratulate the smooth and faultless production team who have worked so hard over the last eight weeks:-
Lighting Designer, Taylor Allen
Lighting Operator, Erin Harvey
Sound Operator, Inna Klyuchnikova
Production Manager, Shane Addison
Assistant Stage Managers, Rose Anderson, Callum Iofts, Evelien Peelmans.
They all do the thankless job of changing the sets in between the 10 or so plays with accurate precision, and the lighting and sound has helped so much in the enjoyment of the performances that I’ve seen over the weeks.
Some great plays I’ve written about were back:-
WHY WE’RE HERE, written and directed by Ruth Fingret, about marital infidelity, re-enacted hilariously at the marriage counsellor’s office.
JILTED, by Kerrie Spicer, about a buck’s night gone wrong.
GET ME TO THE STAGE ON TIME, written and directed by Ryan Watson, about the once great Gloria Weston backstage at a Sydney RSL club.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BOWSER, written by Dan Borengasser, where the wonderful family dog and cat come to life.
KING STREET LIGHTS, written and directed by David Bulmer about homelessness in Newtown.
Other wonderful plays that I hadn’t seen were;
MORNING SHOW, written by Micah Joel, about married TV hosts, Brian and Laney, who like to play games when the camera is off.
THE RENTAL COMPANY, written by Mark Cornell. A mafia type car rental boss intimidates his innocent client.
HARRY POTTER IN TEN MINUTES, written by Sam Jenkins. This was a very cleverly staged, contracted version of all 7 Potter books.
THE FOX AND THE HUNTER, written by Simon Godfrey, is about upper class Mr Albright and his confrontation with Mr Fox (cunningly played by Tom Green).
THE COFFEE TABLE, written and directed by Nathan O’Keefe and Mitchell Fitzpatrick (who plays the dysfunctional Dad, Mum, Son and Daugher with amazing gusto and humour) is about a young man who chooses to rent a room in a rather odd house.
And finally, BONDI HASSLE, written by Steve McGrath. A spoof on David Hasselhoff flexing his muscles on Bondi Beach with a male and a female lifesaver.
The Gala finals of the best 10 plays will be on show at The Seymour Centre on Friday March 22nd at 7.30 pm and Saturday March 23rd at 2pm, followed by the winning presentation at 7.30pm.
© Bronwyn Fullerton
11th March, 2013
Tags: Sydney Stage Reviews- Short and Sweet Week 9- Short and Sweet People’s Choice Showcase, Sydney Arts Guide, Bronwyn Fullerton
