by Elizabeth Coleman
at Merlin Theatre,
Malthouse until February 19, 2000
Further Melbourne and regional shows in August
Reviewer: Kate
Herbert
The bridesmaids are back and this time they are going on
tour!
Secret Bridesmaids' Business was a box office hit last year
for Playbox and writer, Elizabeth Coleman. It is a light comedy that appeals to
a wide audience because it deals with a topic everyone knows: love and
marriage, or more specifically, weddings.
Enormous weddings may seem to be out of vogue but look
around Parliament house on a Saturday afternoon when the photographers are
hunting the perfectly memorable wedding snap. Everybody wants the perfect photo
album and idyllic memories of a sunny day with no hitches.
Meg Bacon (Jane Hall) , at thirty-three, wants a white
wedding, with matching bridesmaids' shoes and the ideal husband. Of course, the
wedding is really her mother, Colleen's, dream. (Joan Sydney) and nothing will
stop her getting the wedding she wants for her daughter. What would the
neighbours think?
Meg is facing disaster on her wedding eve. Her two
girlfriends, the thoroughly modern and promiscuous Lucy (Kate Jackson) and
suburban mum, Angela, (Roz Hammond) have an awful secret.
They must decide whether to tell Meg that her fiance, James
(Scott Irwin) is having an affair with another girlfriend, Naomi (Nicole
Nabout).
What would you do? Check that it is true first, of course.
Then panic? To tell or not to tell. Angela values discretion as the better part
of friendship, Lucy prides herself on her honesty.
Neither can protect Meg who will be damaged by knowing or
not knowing. Essentially, they can't win. James has betrayed their beloved
friend and they can't change that.
Nobody thinks of forcing the groom to admit his sin himself.
That's odd.
This show, directed by Catherine Hill and designed by
Shaun Gurton, is a remount with only two of the original six cast. Joan Sydney
is still sensationally funny and poignant as the demanding, sulky Colleen.
Jackson captures the provocative directness of Lucy.
After only two weeks rehearsal, the new cast members look
very uncomfortable and the characters are not fully developed yet. Comic timing
is essential to this play. it is a series of very funny gags which need strong
characters to deliver them with precise timing.
The production has a long run coming so it will certainly
tighten up but something of the wicked playfulness of the original ensemble is
missing in this remount.
by Kate Herbert for 2 pag
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