Autobahn

After previous successful seasons presenting “Beer theatre”, Butterfly are returning in 2017 with Autobahn, four one act plays written by American Playwright Neil LaBute, all set within the confines of an automobile. The common link with these four plays is the fact they are all set in a car and are about relationships, but I found the stories lacked any kind of journey or ending and I was left a little unsatisfied.

The staging and set is simple but effectively designed and constructed by Erik Strauts, who also directs the production. There is nothing to denote that any of this driving was taking place at night but I felt at least one of the plays could have the odd set of headlights going past occasionally. This would have given the non-speaking “driver” something else to react to. 

Whilst the venue and concept of “Beer Theatre” is an interesting one, the actors have to work very hard to compete with the noise from the front bar and the low flying planes. I found the background hotel noise distracting and my focus was often pulled. That being said, let’s journey on to the plays. They are all written with two actors but are actually monologues as only one actor in each play speaks; the other character essentially mimes. MIME - the theatrical technique of suggesting action, character or emotion without words, using only gesture, expression and movement. Some of the actors did this better than others.

Long Division– David Salter and Matt Houston start our journey on a light-hearted note. It is two blokes driving home from work together, but one has had a recent break up and wants his Nintendo 64 back. Houston as the driver in this play has the speaking role, talking “at” his mate about what he should do. He delivers the laughs and some lessons in ancient Greek as well, so take heed my friends. Salter has the difficult task of being the silent partner in this duo. While he acts it well, he came across as bored with the drive home rather than upset over a break up or the loss of his Nintendo.

Funny– Stars Bronwyn Ruciak and Rosie Williams. As the story unfolds we find “the daughter” Williams is coming home from rehab and Ruciak, as “the mum” is doing the driving. Ruciak’s reactions in the silent role were good & well timed and she showed her annoyance and anger.  I just couldn’t quite get what she was actually angry at, the daughter in general, or the rehab, or the fact that the daughter was “being honest”. Williams was a suitably “spoilt daddy’s girl” who relished in taunting her mother but I found this story hard to connect to and really wanted an ending.

Autobahn– this is the standout piece of the night for me. Brant Eustice exudes annoyance from the minute he sits in the driver’s seat and Rachel Burfield ,“the wife”, is the cause. Burfield has captured the annoying wife to a T. She is justifying their actions more to herself than her husband. She shows us a range of emotions and does this well. I did find her hard to hear at times, but that is more down to the venue. As the “silent” husband, Eustace is excellent. He conveys his annoyance, frustration and anger, among other emotions, all with his facial expressions and movements, including a reaction to the low flying plane. Eustace was the only driver who actually “drove” the car for the whole play and he had me there on the drive with them.

Bench Seat (abridged) – Laura Antoniazzi does well in this abridged version of the play, the only one of the plays with no driver, as it is set in the back seat. She does extremely well as the crazy stalker ex. Her dialogue was a little fast in a couple of places but this will settle as the season progresses.

The small audience enjoyed themselves and all seemed to be having a bit of fun for the night. So if you like a beer with your theatre or some theatre with your beer then the Wheatsheaf could just be the right place.

Maxine Grubel