Reviews

Performed by WAAPA’s Second Year Acting Students, with support from WAAPA’s Production and Design Students, Hibernation is set in 2040, in a rapidly dying world. A policy has been developed (based on research for Space Travel) to get all humans on earth to hibernate for a year, to allow the planet to rejuvenate and recover.

When Australia’s sweetheart Molly Jones, played by Anne Tenney, died in June 1985 over 14 episodes of the fifth season of ‘A Country Practice’, the country held its breath. One sixth of the population, 2.2 million people, were watching her death, between ad breaks, on this twice-a-week serial. It was powerful stuff. 

Let’s admit it, Tarzan is part of our psyche. I remember being openmouthed at Johhny Weissmuller swinging through the jungle on a vine when I took my little brother to the Saturday Morning Pictures (an institution in Britain in the early 1950s). But I never saw the Disney feature and I certainly never envisioned Tarzan as a Musical, yet here I am, raving about a spectacular opening night last Saturday.

One thing about reviewing a play about two reviewers reviewing a play is that it can be a mirror on oneself. In this case, Stoppard’s short play captures the farce of reviewing a play about a country house whodunit.

The action starts with two reviewers waffling on in play critic speak about a murder mystery play. The play itself is brilliantly performed, especially when it comes to the melodramatic direction. Complimenting this excellent production is the lighting from Amara Innes, which gives the play an aura of total believability when none should be present.