Six Degrees of Separation Review

Review By Susan Ann Oldknow on TheatrePeople.com.au.

This is a very fine production of an intelligent, thought provoking play by John Guare.

It explores the connections between people, those “six degrees of separation” that are meant to exist between every person on the planet.

What connects a homeless African American youth and a wealthy New York art dealer or a suicide victim and the art dealer’s socialite neighbours?

Why should the art dealer’s wife feel so emotionally connected to a complete stranger?

The role of the African American Paul is played by Caucasian actor Sean Flierl.

Director, Harry Dewar, has chosen not to make Flierl up to look black and, after some initial adjustment, it does not seem to matter.

Flierl is excellent, with a fine understanding of his character’s twisted sense of self and a firm grasp on a script that is complex and challenging.

April Stuart, as Ouisa, is completely charming, delivering rapid fire banter with comic flare and bittersweet emotion with equal brilliance.

Lindsay Dunn, as her art dealing husband, Flan, provides a perfect foil for his wife and has his share of fabulous comic moments and emotional outbursts in another challenging role.

The leads are very ably supported by David Mitchell, Kristofa Cassano, Terry Crowe, Janet Jauncey, Myles Teakle, Amy Klar, Alica Edgely, Joshua Harvey, Scott Allen and Christopher Daw.

Teakle is particularly good as Trent and Cassano is fearless in the full frontal cameo required to shock the characters (and audience) out of their false sense of security.

Dewar’s direction is sensitive and the script is so complex that it could easily have become a quagmire were it not for the fantastic pace of delivery and some excellent staging.

Josh Smart’s staging design is great, with the use of projected images and scrims, although less ambient light behind the scrims before ‘lights up’ would be more effective.

There were a couple of very slight wobbles on opening night but overall the crew are to be commended for supporting a really great production.

The show starts slowly but soon becomes so engrossing, ninety minutes goes by in a flash.

(Be advised that there is no interval and no refreshments available.)

Go and see it. It is worth the trip out to the fabulously comfortable Hopgood Theatre.

Farewell to Marilyn Evers

It’s with great sadness that we say goodbye to a dear friend, and fantastic supporter of the company, Marilyn Evers, after her resignation from the position of Secretary of the Opus Committee.

Marilyn has been a rock for many years and given above and beyond the call of duty over and over again. She well deserves a rest and the opportunity to focus on other things in life. The Opus Performing Arts Community Committee, on behalf of the Company as a whole, would like to thank Marilyn for her outstanding support for both the company and for the Hopgood Theatre.

We hope to see plenty of Marilyn in the community, and are glad that she is still a member of Opus. The management of the Theatre greatly appreciates Marilyn’s ongoing support.

Thanks Marilyn, you’re wonderful.

We will be holding a Special General Meeting in the coming months, and will be seeking a new Secretary at that time, please watch this space for details!

Fleurieu Festival of One Act Plays

Opus will be presenting a play as part of the Fleurieu Festival of One Act Plays in April.

OPUS WINS TASA MUSICAL AWARD

It has just been annouced that OPUS Performing Arts Community has won the Theatre Association of South Australia’s musiCAL Award for the recent 2010 Musical production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. We would like to acknowledge and thank everybody for the enormous efforts that were required to put on such a highly successful show. Congratulations and if you didn’t manage to see it, don’t kick yourself too hard!