By Peter Kemp
Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre
The theatre has notified this publication of the 2025 season.
Opening with Moon Over buffalo Season: February 13 – March 1.
Haunted Season: April 24 – May 10.
The Diary of Anne Frank Sesson: July 3 – 19.
The Importance of being Earnest. Season: September 11 – 27.
Sister Amnesia’s Country Western Nunsense Jamboree Season: November 20 – December 6.
bookings: 9735 1777 or www.lilydaleatc.com
The Round Theatre
Rejoice and be Merry
Promac Productions Australia present their highly acclaimed Christmas production packed, packed with all your favourite Christmas carols plus some contemporary Christmas songs.
Midweek Matinee Wednesday December 11. At 11am.
Shirley Valentine
Leading Lady of stage and screen Natalie Bassingthwaighte returns to Australian stages to star in one of the world’s most popular plays, Shirley Valentine
Thid beloved one-woman play by Willie Russell tells the inspiring and hilarious story of Shirley, a middle-aged, working class Liverpool housewife stuck in a life of routine.
Talking to her kitchen wall, she dreams of escape and wonders what happened the adventurous girl she once was.
When a friend invites her on a spontaneous holiday to Greece, Shirley takes a bold leap into the unknown.
With humour, charm and grit, she rediscovers her passion for life and her sense of self.
Will she return to her old ways, or will Shirley find a new life where she can finally be her true self?
Season: January 30 – February 16. 2025. Venue: Athenaeum Theatre Collins St. Melbourne
The 1812 Theatre
Noises Off
A good comedy to close 1812’s season.
A play within a play.
The stage is set _with a revolve showing the interior of a house (Two-storied) and the actors rehearsing a show called Nothing On.
Also, a plate of sardines plays a large part.
After interval the stage is spun around, and the audience sees what goes on behind the scenes.
The set was very well built with both sides with stairs on both sides of the stage.
Upstairs and downstairs are windows on the ground floor looking out to a wonderful view of a garden.
With doors both upstairs and downstairs there are doors each side of the stage.
A well-constructed and used as apt of the story.
The players are Jacinta Birchall, as Dotty Otley and as in Nothing On as Mrs Clackett.
Jacinta carried the role well with a good change of voice in both parts.
Ross Blowers was Garry Lejeune and in Nothing On was Roger Trampleman.
A good interpretation of both characters and a busy role.
Rhiannon played the role of Brooke Ashton in Nothing On and the character of Vicki.
A good performance and a very energetic one.
With lots of falling and being rather traumatised each performance.
|Rosy Leonardi was the assistant stage manager of Nothing On.
Played by Rosy Leonardi who gave a wonderful performance as the frustrated ASM running around and being told what to do.
Stephen Shinkfield was Phillip Brent in Nothing Onwhere he played the role of Frederick Fellows.
Stephen captured the character with professionalism and enjoyed by the audience.
Kate Bowers was Belinda Blair in Nothing On where she played Flavia Brent.
Another good portrayal adding to the high standard f the evening.
Aaron Wilson played the role of Timothy Allgood n Nothing On.
An all around part with Tim as stage manager, fixing the set, understudy and running Lloyd’s instructions.
Aaron gave a terrific performance in the role.
The Director of Nothing On, Lloyd Douglas was played by Chris McLean.
A wonderful full on performance as the frustrated director.
The 1812 theatre certainly added to the 224 season with this production with a good cast, two programs one for the original and inside the program for Nothing On.
