The Bold, The Young and the Murdered

It is often good to see new works, and credit must be given to Bankstown Theatre Company for staging The Bold, The Young and the Murdered, new to me and I suspect other community theatre groups and audiences.

The reputation of the author suggested we were not about to see a literary masterpiece. My research tells me that he specialises in writing spoofs, mostly staged by high school and college groups in the USA.

It therefore becomes an interesting choice by BTC to stage this work. They really have turned a sow’s ear into almost a silk purse.

Probably the best thing about this work is that it provides 13 actors the opportunity to strut their stuff.

Briefly the play is set in a TV studio during the filming of the soap opera, ‘The Bold and the Young’. The show’s producer has threatened closure of the show if certain steps are not taken by the cast and the production team. These steps then involve the not surprising murder of a number of the players, and, of course, a predictable ending.

Director Arthur Pickering has assembled a mixed cast of performers, some with vast experience, others now on the learning treadmill. All perform to the best of their collective abilities with a sometimes ponderous script.

Making the most of their roles are old timers Malcolm Gregory, Diane Wilson, Anne -Marie McAdams and new to me Jessica Green. They are well supported by the other cast members.

Pickering has opted for the simplest of staging, a few projections and some furniture to set the scene. A few more projections would have given some definition to the on-set scenes.

The cast play this comedy in a melodramatic manner which suits the style of the work. I have to say I found the inconsistent accents a little confusing. Nevertheless we did get some good laughs from the foolishness.

Top marks must go to Anne-Marie McAdams when, as an FBI Agent in disguise, she delivers pages of dialogue in summing up the potential identities of the murderer.

If you are looking for a night of meaningful theatre, subtexts and the like this piece is not for you. If, however, you want some good old fashioned enjoyment with laughs along the way, then give The Bold, The Young and the Murdered a try.

When viewing a piece of theatre as a reviewer I always take into account what is happening around me. The audience on the first night certainly had a good time, although there was the occasional look at a watch in Act 2. Not the actors’ fault,  just a tad too much dialogue.

Continues next weekend, Friday night, twice on Saturday then Sunday afternoon.

Bob Peet