Making a Meal of It

The set design was a clever remodelling of the set from their previous show, Rotto Boys (you’d never pick it unless told) and nicely created a French Restaurant, with expert dressing from John Woolrych and Fran Gordon. Through the window was a vaguely familiar view, beautifully painted by Ursula Kotara. John Woolrych’s thoughtful lighting and sound supported the show beautifully.

Leading the dozen strong cast were Emma Kirby and Jacob Cottrell as new restaurant owners Irene and Roy. Emma was convincing and confident as Irene, while Jacob Cottrell made a very impressive stage debut as leading man Roy. Last-minute-replacement waitress Lucy, much more than she seems, was very nicely handled by Vera Beese in a very welcome Australian debut, for this German actress.

There were a slew of supporting roles, and while not always the perfect fit for character, everyone was working very hard. On the whole, pickups were a little slow, which muted the pace, and prevented the show from getting all of its deserved laughs. 

Peter O’Connor, Jenni Glassford and Emily Nixon showed nice cohesion as a family dining out. Michele Diston demanded attention well as Irene’s mum Harriet. Martin Bowen and Tarryn Allum worked well together as a dining couple with a secret. Andy Markland was kept very busy playing the look-alike Gray Brothers (the rhyme with Kray would seem deliberate). Christine Ellis was efficient as a local government inspector, while Melissa Cruikshank handled one of the play’s nice twists with a great character revelation as Jacqui. 

A fun new show that other companies around the country may care to try, that showcased some promising emerging talents.

Kimberley Shaw