I Want to Sleep with Tom Stoppard

It began with a delicious irony. The characters ridicule the proliferation of middle class dramas set in a kitchen.... all said in a scene set in a kitchen. It set the tone for a wicked comedy.

Luke (Tom Stokes) has invited his older actress girlfriend Sarah (Caroline Brazier) to a dinner party from hell at his parent’s place. 

Jackie (Wendy Strehlow) and Tom (Andrew McFarlane), like upper class middle characters in a David Williamson play, are into yoga and collecting battleships.

While his parents love going to the theatre, the sparks fly as Tom lectures his son to give up on ambitions for a career on the stage.

He’s told to get a real job. This was somewhat dangerous ground. Was this going to be a festival of naval gazing? Could it be dangerous to have an actor writing a play about acting? Getting more indulgent as the empty red wine bottles pile up?

A few non sequiturs in the first act made me think it was heading in this direction.

Thankfully those doubts were swept away by the production, witty  dialogue and superb acting which got better as the play progressed.

Caroline Brazier was like a seething volcano. The temptress almost erupted in the second act as she poured forth on the most pretentious daydreams a pompous actress could whip up. It was hilarious.

Firing on all cylinders was Andrew McFarlane.

As his wife, Wendy Stehlow handled the straight role with aplomb.

While Tom Stokes as the haplessly torn Luke crawls into the foetal position from the embarrassment in the final scene.  The audience wanted to join him on the couch.

All aided by a shiny looking set – that was nicely lit - in a tightly directed production.

A few more tweaks and this play has legs.

David Spicer

Images: (top) Andrew McFarlane as Tom and Caroline Brazier as Sarah. (lower) Wendy Strehlow as Jackie, Tom Stokes as Luke, Caroline Brazier as Sarah and Andrew McFarlane as Tom. Photography by John Dunn www.johndunnphotography.com