The Naked Truth

KADS’ The Naked Truth is proving popular, with tickets hard to get, even before opening night. This show, with an all-female cast, takes place in a pole dancing class, and deals with the lives of the class members and the friendships they develop.

A talented cast of mature performers have worked with Faye Godfrey, the owner of Pride Pole Studios, to learn the rudiments of pole dancing and dance convincingly on stage. They have certainly made a commitment to this production and the rehearsal process left them with a collection of bumps and bruises, and even two fractured toes. 

Faye Godfrey also makes what I believe is her Australian stage debut in this production, playing, appropriately, the class teacher, Gabby. A very talented pole dancer, as we see in the finale, Faye is also a fine actress, giving Gabby depth and personality. As well as teaching the remainder of the cast, Faye also provided the choreography.

This cast works very nicely together. Roxanne O’Connor is lovely as body-confident, expressive Bev, working especially well with Charlotte Weber, making a welcome return to the stage as the gorgeously vague Faith. Kirstie Francis is delightful as rough-diamond Rita, with Sarah House playing outside type and relishing her role as grown-up mean-girl Trish. 

Colleen Bradford completes to cast nicely, in the difficult role of Sarah, a character the audience embraces through a beautifully crafted performance.

The classes take place in a village hall, expertly created by Peter Bloor and Martin Dorman (the attention to detail includes a poster for KADS’ next production on the noticeboard - a lovely touch), and the program credits include “pole management” - which is a first (well done to Tony Shelsher for this unique position). Simple but effective costumes were managed by Kirstie Francis and the cast. Mark Ramsey and Gabriel Ferrari created effective lighting and sound.

With lots of laughs, but still packing a dramatic punch, The Naked Truth is certainly very different, and a testament to dedication to the craft.

Kimberley Shaw