Ladies Down Under

Cast

Crew

Director's Notes

Welcome to 'Ladies Down Under' the sequel to our 2013 production 'Ladies Day'. So why have we decided to do a sequel? For a number of reasons.

1 It's very rare to have a sequel to a stage play so it's a new theatrical experience to revisit characters and see if you can make it work again.

2 'Ladies Day' was extremely well received by you the audience and so we thought you might like to see the next stage of the story.

3 Because we all wanted to work together again. 'Ladies Day' was such a joyous production to be part of we all wanted the chance to come together again.

We'd all known that a sequel existed but we didn't read it until the show was over and once we'd read it we were all determined to come back. It's taken a while to manoeuvre everyone's diaries to make all the original cast free to do the sequel (Why do a sequel if you don't have the original cast?) but we managed it and here it is.

It's been a strange production to work on because all the work you do at the start of a show on character building was largely absent because the cast all remembered the work we'd done on the original and they just slotted back into character with ease. But this play offers a whole different set of different challenges, namely the fact it's set over the course of a month where the previous show was a mere day. Also presenting the whole of Australia within the confines of our tiny stage was an obvious problem so we decided to go simple and let your imaginations do the rest. So watch and enjoy. Thank you for coming to support local theatre, without you we wouldn't be able to carry on doing what we do.

Mark Wakeman

Reviews

Remote GoatJill Lawrie

"Amusing tale of enduring friendships"

Having performed 'Ladies Day' in 2013, where Amanda Whittington's comedy centred on the friendship of four female fish packers from Hull, Bench Theatre now present the sequel 'Ladies Down Under'.

The same group of characters who scooped half a million on an accumulator bet at Ascot are now heading down under to spend their spoils on a luxury holiday. This hilarious sequel brings a whole new set of situations from the outback to Sydney's colourful Mardi Gras festival alongside a selection of Aussie archetypes.

Reprising their roles as the soul searching ladies are Sarah Parnell (Pearl), Robin Hall (Jan), Beth Evans (Linda) and Jessi Wilson (Shelley) along with loyal and dedicated Director Mark Wakeman. Although an obvious challenge for the set designer it was disappointing that this was dispensed with more or less altogether, though the airport props were immensely impressive.There were some very fine performances from the male members of the cast, Chris Vanstone firstly made an entertaining member of the cabin crew followed up as a surf dude with strong Aussie twang. Callum West too impressed as both the spiritual bushman Danny and then a complete contrast playing Bondi Bitch at the gay and lesbian carnival! Initially a camp flight attendant but nearing the climax of the show Zack Cuthbertson wowed the audience as the glamorous 'Kylie' look-alike drag queen Koala Bare. Feather boa, thigh-high scarlet boots and a mimed rendition of the classic 'I am What I Am' from 'La Cage Aux Folles' ~ he was sensational!

Skilful and accomplished performances from all four of the female leads ensured their underlying comradeship and humanity shone through with another outstanding interpretation of the tarty, larger than life Shelley from Jessi Wilson. A sell out performance for this highly entertaining tragi-comedy from the multi talented Bench Theatre.

Jill Lawrie, Remote Goat, July 2015

Reviews

The NewsJames George

Ladies Down Under, Bench Theatre

Amanda Whittington's play, performed by The Bench at The Spring, is cliched but nevertheless a funny, uplifting piece.

Director Mark Wakeman has chosen to stage this child of Shirley Valentine by Priscilla, Queen of the Desert with virtually no set, and when taking a chance like that, you'd better hope your actors are up to the mark.

And Mr Wakeman need have no fear on that score. This is one of the all-round strongest amateur casts I've seen in a long, long time. To describe it as Chekhovian may seem inappropriate, but the story really is secondary to the characterisation here. Sarah Parnell, Robin Hall, Beth Evans and Jessi Wilson as the protagonists are both convincing and truthful. More than able support comes from Callum West (particularly as Danny). There's also a nice comic double-act from Chris Vanstone and Zack Cuthbertson as trolley-dollies.

If there's one quibble, the drag-queen lip-syncing sequence to the anthemic I Am What I Am that comes as the climax to the show needs supercharging with voltage and pizzazz. But the quibble is small and the evening is excellent. Until tomorrow.

James George, The News, July 2015

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