STC have chosen to end the year on a comedic note, with a play exploring the experiences of middle-aged executive Don Locke, as he tries to adapt to life without his absconding wife and engage in meaningful relationships with his three Gen-Y children.
George Kapiniaris is the star of the show in every way. He manages to bring to Don a fine balance of sardonic humour and absolute ennui, presenting a man who is interesting, amusing and pitiful. Joining him as Jim – the sycophantic younger co-worker with big plans for the future – is Peter Michell, who delivers some of the best lines in the show with just the right timing. As AJ Orlofsky, Don’s soon to be retiring boss who is quite clearly a stubby short of a six-pack, Pip Miller provides a suitable mix of authority and insanity.
Sadly, the younger performers do not fare as well. The money-hungry offspring, Chris Asimos (Damien), Matthew Crook (Neil) and Rhiannon Owen (Julie) fail to arouse any empathy or connection. The characters are undoubtedly written as narcissistic, selfish, unlikable stereotypes of the generation, but the portrayals lack any feeling of truth, which is vital to effective satire. The one saving grace is the performance of Laura-Jane Emes who, while equally uninspiring in the role of Neil’s girlfriend Patti, is delightful as Don’s solitaire playing, gooey eyed secretary.
Though the uneven characterisation sometimes detracted from the overall effect, this was a humorous night of theatre which provided a pleasant distraction.
Kryztoff rating: 3K
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5 comments
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Marcel
November 3, 2010 at 9:48 pm (UTC 9.5) Link to this comment
Enjoyable show but I feel the uninspiring script deserved a mention. The cast fared well for a piece that was somewhat uneven genre-wise.
Opening night
November 5, 2010 at 2:14 pm (UTC 9.5) Link to this comment
I disagree with this review. The three young performers held up well, despite the broad, comic, overthetop direction from Fitzgerald. Rhiannon Owen was strong as the selfish daughter and Matthew Crook was credible as the rebel son, but both are rising stars capable of better things.
Sara
November 5, 2010 at 2:20 pm (UTC 9.5) Link to this comment
The script set up a cast of repulsive characters and we were stuck with them for over an hour. A really grating play made worse by being directed purely for big and cheap laughs. I like the guy from the RAA commericals and he carried it off well, but the stuff in the sauna and the big sex scene (that made a lot of people walk out) were all too much. I don’t think you can blame the young actors as that was how they were directed.
Marcel
November 9, 2010 at 11:51 am (UTC 9.5) Link to this comment
big sex scene?
JD
November 18, 2010 at 11:40 am (UTC 9.5) Link to this comment
How could you miss it????!
I think the actors need to be cut some slack. The director chose to go for the big laughs and to avoid a sense of truth, which is ‘vital to the satire’ as the reviewer said. But the actors go with the interpretation of the director. It’s his/her call.