Stage Directions

The egocentricities of actors are picked apart in Aaron Evans’ new play Stage Directions, which is set during the rehearsal period of a professional Melbourne theatre company’s latest production.

Simon McDrew (Peter Van Werkhoven), a soap actor who made it big for a time in Hollywood is back in Australia to try and rebuild his career on the stage. He’s been cast because of his name value, and McDrew believes he can deliver until doubts start to cloud his confidence when his co-star and protégée Michael (William Sampson) accuses him of being a very bad actor. Throw in his ego-soothing agent Sandra (Courtney Murrin) who’s more his personal assistant, a ruthless star actress Olivia Grand Matthews (Victoria Adair) who immediately takes Michael under her wing and beds him, and a director Gerald Adams (Cody Muller) who has a performance history with McDrew, and you have a backstage scenario ripe for exploitation.

Whether he was playing air-guitar or showing off some dodgy dance moves, Van Werkhoven nicely created a conflicted artist full of insecurities and self-doubt. When his altruism came back to bite him in the butt he courageously sucked it up without displaying malice. Sampson as the young protégée on the other hand had all the naivety and arrogance of youth laced with a brutally thoughtless streak.

Murrin was a great strength as the agent and confidante, at times naughtily upstaging to get a laugh, Muller displayed a ton of harassment as the beleaguered director Gerald, whilst Adair pouted prettily when she wasn’t being haughty.

The dressing room set reeked of theatricality down to the empty fridge, Coke cans and take-away boxes, the costumes were character appropriate, and the sound and lights helped greatly in establishing the backstage aura. Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” was a nice touch during a scene change.

Although it’s billed as a comedy, the script also flirted with a serious dramatic theme which the ensemble pulled off well, thanks to clear and concise direction by the playwright.

Ipswich Little Theatre is to be applauded for their foresight in programming a new local play by this promising young author. The full house and enthusiastic applause spoke to the unqualified success of the venture.

Peter Pinne