Australia Day

The attention to detail in the set immediately impressed. On the walls of the scout hall (which was the location for meetings of the Coriole Shire Australia Day Committee) were the most authentic looking Girl Guide honour roles, knots and a faded dusty portrait of the Queen.

Not only did the Pymble Players raid a local scout hall for props but they also appeared to raid the local community for actors, who equally looked perfect for parts. From the 25 year old Vietnamese Primary school teacher Chester Lee (Lap Nguyen) to the fading dusty 55 year old property developer Wally Stewart (Warren Blood), every character has an aura of realism.

Australia Day is essentially a comedy about committees. How they work and how they infuriate. On this committee are characters at different ends of the political spectrum, along with the faces of new and old Australia. It pits the property developer against an ideological Greens Councillor and the Vietnamese primary teacher.

A compromised local Mayor attempts to climb the political ladder, whilst a Deputy Mayor and member of the Country Women’s Association add to the intrigue and colour.

The gags liberally spread through the play, like bits of coconut on a lamington, brought regular chuckles from this Sydney north-shore audience. The strongest actors in this production were Warren Blood – who could not look any better for this part and Heather Pitt as the Greens Councillor.

Since it was staged professionally, Australia Day has become a popular addition to the community theatre seasons around the country, with many productions opening on January the 26th.  

The Pymble Players did not get the timing so perfect but they got into the spirit, with members of the cast writing in the program about how they have celebrated our national day in the past.  

They celebrations ranged from enjoying lamb roasts, to visits to the bush to a cast member who was once partying hard in Calgary Canada whilst caught in a blizzard. Warren Blood noted “outside it was 30F below zero with a raging blizzard. Inside a group of Aussies, sun lamps, sand, beach towels, sluggos, bikinis, sausage sandos, all bopping defiantly to Little Pattie the Maroubra stomp.” Now that sounds like something a committee could not organise.

David Spicer

Images: Ben Townsend at BT Photography.