Australia Day

This comedy bites!

Jonathan Biggins’ reputation for biting political satire in the Wharf Revues carries over to this play where he widens his scope to all Aussies. This is clever writing. We recognise ourselves, hear ourselves sounding off, but it may not be what we want to admit to. But I’d be surprised if people don’t go home and think about it for months afterwards.

Australia Day celebrates well-meaning people who hold diverse opinions and values, express them, offend others but respect each other in the end. Everyone on the planning committee takes the sausage sizzle for granted but there is dissention about nearly everything else: What defines Australian character? Which VIP should be invited to present the formal address? How can we embrace the limited multiculturalism of the community? What entertainment is appropriate?

Their best laid plans all implode.

The brilliant cast of six embrace familiar archetypes. As Mayor of Coriole Council, Paul Bishop is distracted – he is running as a hopeful Liberal in the next federal election; Brian Probets, Robert, efficient and a man of integrity, is his right-hand-man; Chris Betts is a coarse, outspoken builder, Wally, representing that demography normally missing on committees; Barbara Lowing’s Marie embodies the strong conservative values of the CWA; Louise Brehmer as Helen is the token Greenie; and Lap Phan (an inspired addition to such a committee) is an Australian-born Vietnamese who loves Australia but still doesn’t understand where he fits in.

It’s politically incorrect, it’s racist, it’s us.

Jay McKee