Wrong Turn at Lungfish

Seems this community theatre has struck gold with the combination of director Gary O’Neil, actor Brian Cannon, stage manager Rhyll Bucknell and lighting and sound designer Tristan Holland.

For some years now, if that combination is involved in a CTG production it heralds great entertainment and good houses. So it is again with Wrong Turn at Lungfish, an intelligent play with an enigmatic title that actually relates to a discussion about evolution between the two leads.

Octogenarian Brian Cannon as irascible, blind and ailing Peter Ravenswaal (an ex-academic), and Katie Dowling as the sassy street-wise young Bronx volunteer, Anita, selected to visit and read to him, carry the show. Intelligence and basic survival skills become focal challenges as these two wrangle verbally.

Two other characters flesh out this situation: as an equally sassy nurse, Leanne Shellshear, carves a strong niche for herself in the plot, as does Steve Pearton as Anita’s violent hit-man boyfriend, Dominic. Neither character deserves much audience sympathy and they perform as if they don’t care. Both earn highest praise for attracting audience animosity so effectively.

Small cast, big effect. An engrossing piece of theatre.

Jay McKee