Play it Again, Sam

WHAT happens when the theatre reviewer (who is presumed to know it all) decides to take the director’s role, is then prepared to accept whatever fate throws and still make the vision a reality? Our scribe Roger McKenzie took that hot seat and rose to the occasion with his production of the Woody Allen classic, Play It Again, Sam for Javeenbah Theatre Company.

Classic scripts such as Noel Coward, Agatha Christie and, of course Allen come with expectations that should be treated with respect. But they must also appear to be fresh. That is partly achieved by the use of pace, energy, attack and a firm belief in one’s character. McKenzie sends his characters off on a fun-laden path to deal with neuroses, self doubt, anxiety, rejection, low-self esteem plus some misplaced aggrandisement and then calls to the rescue an apparition of Humphrey Bogart.

It is a well-dressed production with Roger’s set (constructed by Norm Stambini) providing five concealed non-entrances for the ‘Dream’ characters to energetically appear and disappear. Brett Raguse, a former Director of the Morningside College of Design, Arts and Media, returns to the stage from a long absence to do ample justice to the ‘Woody’ role of Allan Felix with a positive performance of sustained negative panic. All the female characters are fiery, colourfully dressed and vibrantly sexy.

And what game did fate play on Roger? He lost an actor only two rehearsals before opening, who was seamlessly replaced!

Joel Beskin

Photos by Damien Hussey – Iron Forge Pictures