Sport for Jove Summer Season 7

The presentation of these two renowned works at Bella Vista Farm is a remarkable achievement, a phenomenal experience for the audience and likely also for the cast and crew. Picnicing in the grass amphitheater in front of the new pavilion takes us on a journey back to the roots of theatre as a community pursuit and of the pageantry, drama and laughs it has delivered to humankind for many thousands of years. Sport for Jove do this so well. They are likely the best theatre company in Sydney and Damien Ryan is definitely the best director. He is ably assisted by a brilliant team of creatives, cast and crew. And the SFJ ever capable multi-tasking Business Development Manager Steve Tait.

The special stars of this season are the Production, Costume and Lighting Designers: Damien Ryan, the amazing Anna Gardiner, costumier extraordinaire Melanie Liertz, plus the intensely focused sizzle and zap from Sian James-Holland who's eyes and lights seem to be everywhere. Not to forget the remarkable invisible hands of Stage Manager Bronte Axam and her great team. Theatre is about teamwork and Sport for Jove delivers this seamlessly.

And Damien Ryan delivers a refreshed Love's Labour's Lost as a period screwball comedy and makes it vastly more enjoyable than many other recent revivals. Although Shakespeare really does labour his star-crossed lovers, mistaken identities and our inherent inner cowardliness (as does Wilde). Today Andrew Upton may put a red pen through 40% of LLL. So might I. But this new and vital Love’s Labour’s Lost from Sport for Jove is all frivolous fun, human tangents and costumes too die for. How did Liertz achieve this sumptuous style on a pauper’s budget? Jove only knows! The actors have great energy and capture their characters perfectly. With fifteen in the cast do note that all are excellent, with standouts being the brilliant and powerful Gabrielle Scawthorn in a gender bender as Longaville, Berynn Schwerdt as Don Adriano with his hilarious Manuel of Fawlty Towers Spanish accent, the grand and gorgeous Emily Eskell as the Princess of France and the snivelling and endearing George Banders as Costard. A special mention goes to Scott Sheridan as Constable Dull, the only Shakespearian role I've ever played. He did it so much better as a park ranger roaring out of the dark night with sirens screaming and lights flashing. Wow! A man on a mission to squash fun and frolic. Both Shakespeare and Damien Ryan must have dealt with many bureaucrats just like this very dull official.

The Importance of Being Earnest is a much played work that’s usually ultra-camped up, often with a male playing Lady Bracknell. Thank god for Damien Ryan playing this new edition like a 'Friends' sit-com where we feel free to laugh at the oft repeated and somewhat banal gags. Scott Sheridan is again a stand out as Jack, as is Aaron Tsindos as Algernon. And Banders again provides many of the laughs as Merriman. The pace slows somewhat in the second act, but the life that Ryan and all the players inject into the characters make them ever likable and the play forever enjoyable.

Sport for Jove flips these two works each weekend for five weeks, then after a brief break for new construction work, the season continues at Everglades in Leura during January. Can you believe that? If you see no other theatre this summer do see these fine productions. I'm going back in January to see how they work at Everglades.

Stephen Carnell

Images from Love's Labour's Lost. Photographer: Marnya Rothe