A Red Plaid Shirt

Community Theatre is the very heart of entertainment for so many Australians, but it can be a hit and miss affair. Not so with Tweed Heads Theatre Company, whose latest offering is an absolute gem of a production.

Canadian Michael Wilmot’s play is a sketchy, sometimes hilarious, pastiche of two men, retired from work, seeking a purpose for the years to come - is it to be wood-working classes or a Harley Davidson - or fifty secrets to great sex?

In director Raelene Richards’ more than capable hands, it takes on a more Australian flavour (with hilarious instructions on how to battle the M1 into Tweed Heads), but the play itself suffers from a surfeit of the word “Honey” and not enough “mate” – despite copyright, sometimes it’s necessary to tweak a script, especially one so personal to its audience.

Nevertheless, Richards does a marvellous job with the material. Rarely have I seen a play so well blocked. Every move comes from motivation and flows naturally. The comedy business is beautifully timed and played to perfection, and how lovely that the company can afford head mikes so every word can be heard. The set works a treat, and using the downstage legs for the vignettes to avoid a set change adds to the momentum of the production overall.

But it’s the casting that makes this production such a joy. Four seasoned performers bring the characters to life in a way that avoids caricature and cliché. Peter Gray is impressive as the repressed Marty, now at a loss after 35 years teaching high school English. In the first scene (which is far too long – the playwright’s fault) he shows us a stitched up new retiree without a purpose, a little too timid, a lot too formal. Watching his progression with the character right through to the realisation that he has all that is important in life, one couldn’t help but be charmed by the subtlety of the performance. He is certainly a class act.

As his wife Deb, pocket rocket Cecile Campbell endows the character with all the diversity that I suspect is not on the page. She’s a shrew, a coquette, a frustrated wife, a friend. The character itself offers more diversity for a talented actor, and she makes a meal of it. With stage presence by the bucket load, she’s easy to connect with, and avoids several pitfall cliches in the action by playing on Deb’s genuine love for her husband. Her sense of comic timing is impeccable.

Community theatre icon Coral Kelly (what a brilliant name!!!) gives us a Gladys that is far removed from her sophisticated self. It’s impossible to avoid her presence on the stage, but she imbues the hapless and decidedly down-market character with an honesty and naivety that is endearing. Her experience shows in the way she controls her reaction to the gags - often bringing a second laugh after the tag. I hope she doesn’t make this long-awaited return to the stage a one-off - a performer of her experience is a necessity in any company.

Last, but by no means least, a standing ovation for the remarkable Doug Williams. As written, the character of Fred, with his whingeing hypochondria and pessimist’s approach to life (typical of a retired accountant) could be an annoying turn off. But Doug’s performance is full of comic class which makes us want to hug Fred even while we’re shaking him out of his misery. He gels so well with Peter Gray that I went home wanting to write them a play about Abbott and Costello (Yes, I am that old.) He is the glue (but never gluggy) that holds this comedy together and provides the closest connection with an aging audience. The woodworking scenes between the two “mates” are absolutely hilarious.

And it doesn’t stop there. Williams also designed the set, and made and painted it; designed the whimsical programme and the sound and lighting (both of which are excellent (how lovely to see a follow spot at work!). Doug is an old pro and it shows to perfection. He’s also the current president of the company. Don’t ask what he does in his spare time!

Looking for negatives (so that it doesn’t look as if I’ve been paid for this) I’d offer the following. The blackouts need some sharpening up and perhaps a DBO button on the lighting console would work well, as well as an ambient working light upstage behind the window, rather than the sideboard light. The motorised tabs take an eternity, so perhaps starting them at the same time as an exit line would speed that up. But, though valid points, they didn’t detract in any major way from the enjoyment.

The season is limited and almost sold out, so book quickly. With most performances as matinees to accommodate their audience, this is a feelgood afternoon’s entertainment.

Coral Drouyn