After Dinner

With his comedy After Dinner acclaimed Australian playwright Andrew Bovell takes us on a step back, to a time before social media and mobile phones, when if you were looking for love you had to drag yourself out of the house to the local pub or nightclub.

Designer Jonathon Oxlade has done a fine job in capturing the pub dining room of the 80s for this State Theatre of South Australia production; from the apricot tablecloths to the single fake carnation placed in the centre of each table, from the wood panelling on the walls to the insipid pale green carpet.

Five lonely hearts have gathered for a meal, before the pub band starts; office workers Dympie and Paula have invited their recently widowed co-worker, Monika to join them for their regular Friday night jaunt.

At the adjoining table are Stephen and Gordon.

Bovell’s relatable characters are a cross-section of the 80s dating culture; before online-dating and Tinder, where one had to overcome one’s personality flaws and insecurities to brave it face to face.

Passive-aggressive Dympie is highly strung and draws comfort from having control of her surroundings and the people in it, but be warned should you pass into this woman’s personal space. Jude Henshall is cutting in her delivery as Dympie, who is shielding an underlying sadness. Henshall’s timing is spot-on with each over-enunciated word.

Party girl Paula is brought to life by Ellen Steele, as a woman whose readiness to mingle is only matched by her wide-eyed appeal.

Completing the threesome is the bereaved Monika, who embarks on a journey through the course of the evening. State Theatre’s Resident Artist Elena Carapetis oozes a naïve charm as Monika and delivers one of the most hilarious monologues of the night.

The lads find courage beneath the amber fluid to talk about their feelings. Rory Walker’s recently separated Gordon is stoic as he retells his somewhat tragic existence before his wife left him for greener pastures. Ladies man Stephen, played by Nathan Page, could not be more different, but somehow these men find common ground.

Director Corey McMahon should be applauded for his attention to detail. He manages to make the many punch lines and off-the cuff one-liners feel fresh. Not satisfied with relying only on the witty dialogue, he draws comedy from slapstick and bold pauses.

It was clear from the riotous response of the audience on the night I attended that this production ignited memories of old. The mixture of comedy and pathos had you sympathising with everyone on stage, to the toe-tapping soundtrack of the 80s.

This is a fabulous and hilarious night at the theatre!

Kerry Cooper

PREVIEW AND BUY THE SCRIPT HERE.

Photographer: Chris Herzfeld.