“Dear Cate, I Want My Money Back.”

The latest STC play starring Cate Blanchett may well be a crowd puller, but it is not necessarily a crowd pleaser. Meanwhile business is booming for the MTC with Geoffrey Rush packing them in ‘earnest’ in Melbourne.

David Spicer reports on a tale of two theatrical cities.

In Sydney I was given a review ticket for the opening night of Gross and Klein. In Melbourne for The Importance of Being Earnest Stage Whispers was – how should I say – surplus to the MTC’s requirements. This happens when a production sells out before opening night. Shame, shame, shame. Unmiffed I paid $30 for a standby ticket, albeit I had to stand at the back.

The two productions are in different entertainment universes.

Here is one response we have had to Gross and Klein. It came from Tom Sweeney, President of the Willoughby Theatre Company, and avid theatre-goer across Australia, Broadway and the West End.

David

I have just read your review of the above and applaud your critique. I found the play BORING and TASTELESS.

I wrote to Cate at the STC and asked for my money back. I was that annoyed at the crap that was dished up as 'theatre'. How dare she expect us to accept that sort of 'theatre' when amateur groups are serving up more palatable entertainment – that’s what was missing - entertainment.”

On the phone Tom added that he is sick of going to STC plays and having ask his friends, ‘What was that all about?’

For Tom’s sake we can only hope that Cate Blanchett never attends a performance by the Willoughby Theatre Company.

Tom, though, is not on his own. Gross and Klein has prompted some walk-outs.

In the STC’s defence, the play was not made out to be a comedy. In the promotional material you get the impression it is one of those ‘crazy’ German plays and it is a work which showcases Cate’s immense talents - as I wrote in my review.

But there is no such problem for the superlative production of The Importance of Being Earnest in Melbourne, the final play for outgoing MTC Artistic Director Simon Phillips. The play sold out and has extended into mid January. It could tour Australia for years.

The production opens with a delightful story-book set that turns to different pages for different scenes.

Three cast members of the MTC’s smash hit production of the mid 80’s have graduated to older roles.

Geoffrey Rush was commanding and divine as Lady Bracknell.

As for the younger brigade, the girls sparkled, especially Christie Whelan as the snobbish Gwendolen.

But the boy leads were not quite up their standard. I hear that Toby Schmitz, playing John Worthing, was struggling from a serious cold.

That was just a small blemish in a delightful evening, apart from those legs of mine which began to ache half way through the second act.

No-one walked out on The Importance of Being Earnest.

Image: Toby Schmitz and Christie Whelan in The Importance of Being Earnest. Melbourne Theatre Company (2011). Photo: Jeff Busby.

Share your thoughts - http://www.stagewhispers.com.au/contact

Some Other comments from our Facebook followers.

Vicki Watson: Personally I found Gross und Klein immensely satisfying- as theatre, as a virtuoso vehicle for Cate( and others such as Richard Pyros) and yes- as Entertainment. So did the two young actors I attended with.I have also enjoyed a number of pr...oductions at Willoughby theatre Company but take them as the enthusiastic and straight down the line community theatre productions they have been. I applaud Cate and Andrew for programming a play as intellectually and creatively challenging as Gross und Klein and doing it so well. There is plenty of material of the ilk of "Earnest" done in Sydney throughout the year, and community theatre groups often produce excellent versions of more conventional theatre entertainment too( I saw some in melbourne last weekend at 1812 theatre- very fine)It can take the resources and risk-level of a top professional company to attempt and succeed with more challenging plays such as Gross und Klein - though I have seen some equally crazy plays in brilliant productions at Belvoir and Griffin ( Woyzeck was a recent triuph in the german idiom) If you can't handle contemporary European post modernism- do the homework beofre you buy the ticket- then perhaps stay at home rather than blame a fine cast, management and a very clever play you just don't happen to "get".That there is such disagreement about the play alone suggests it is worthy theatre to promote such vigorous debate!

Darby Turnbull: I saw the play when I was in Sydney last week...Cate of course was a tour de force but I wouldn't expect anything less the novelty is seeing a living legend showing the extent of her talents (much like Earnest) but the play itself is over l...ong, repeats itself and is almost insufferably pretentious which is a pity because the premise was quite touching and interesting. It just doesn't know when to stop. The contrast is-Earnest uses what it has to maximum effect but Gross Und Klein doesn't. This play would never have hit a melbourne stage if it didn't have cate in the lead-it's worth pointing out that the translation hasn't even been published. It had some enjoyable moments but eveb I, who can find something to love in almost anything found it hard to stay awake. Cate Blanchett delivers on her promise but the playwrite it seems couldn't care less. It's not that I didn't 'get' the play, I didn't find the execution as powerful as iut could have been. I have to wonder if it would have been better as 90 minute one woman show. great actors like Robert Menzies and Richard Piper I felt were wasted in thankless parts that were limited at best.

To keep up with the latest news and reviews at Stage Whispers, click here to like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Subscribe to our E-Newsletter, buy our latest print edition or find a Performing Arts book at Book Nook.