The Social Ladder

Just when we thought he was done with playwriting, David Williamson comes back to his Ensemble Theatre ‘home’ with a new play for the third time in two years. And there’s a 4^th play due to open at the end of July when he’ll be 84! Has an elderly Australian playwright ever presented 4 new plays in 2 years before? 

The Social Ladder, with his desperate social-climber-in-chief Katie scrapping for our attention with the best of them, reminds us that Williamson still has lots to say.

Katie (Mandy Bishop) is intent on climbing a couple of rungs of the ladder by impressing wealthy, imposing Charles (Andrew McFarland) and snooty wife Catherine (Sarah Chadwick) when they are lured to dinner.

She’s hired, for one night only and at enormous expense, a top Australian painting for display in their off-stage bedroom. Of course, she forgets to check things like the actual meal and accompanying bottles of fine wine with her just-managing husband Roger (Johnny Nasser). 

Also invited to the dread night are dance teacher Laura (Jo Downing) and her loud, inappropriate husband Ben (Matt Minto), though heaven knows what positive behaviour Katie was expecting from these two.

At the last-minute Roger scrapes together a few cheap bottles of plonk from ‘the mean streets of Pymble’ and the main meal must be some hastily purchased pizzas, which go down well with a delighted Catherine who apparently hasn’t had a pizza in yonks.

Katie’s plan of catching Charles’ eye (and cheque book) is almost immediately doomed and the whole evening goes out the window, with Laura’s dance moves the only positive gain.

All the actors take their turn at running the action, with top marks going to Mandy Bishop as the girl ‘from Engadine’, and posh Sarah Chadwick.

Janine Watson keeps the action flowing, though it often resolves itself into a line of four characters at the back watching two in front. 

Veronique Benett is the designer of a splendid range of costumes and settings, including the full-stage curtain that greets us at the beginning. Matt Cox is Lighting Designer and Clare Hennessy supplied the Sound Design and Music that gets us all involved.

Frank Hatherley

Photographer: Phil Erbacher