Beer Theatre: A Frothy New Concept for Adelaide

Laughter is sure to blow the froth off the beer when Butterfly Theatre presents Mummy at the Wheatsheaf Hotel this November. Lesley Reed reports.

Mummy marks the debut of Beer Theatre in Adelaide. Described by Butterfly Theatre as a new form of accessible theatre, the company also intends to take Beer Theatre to other venues in 2015.

Bronwyn Ruciak, founder of Butterfly Theatre said, “We hope Beer Theatre will bring the fun of live theatre to people in pubs across the city, letting people who might not otherwise go to shows enjoy a short, fun play with their pint. We’ve had pop up bars and restaurants, now we’ll have pop up theatre.”

The inaugural Beer Theatre production,Mummy, is a short play by London- based writer Cynthia Dickens. She was inspired to write the play after seeing a news story about Hazel Maddock and her daughter Jasmine who failed to declare Margaret’s mother’s death when she died of natural causes. The two women, who lived together, entered a conspiracy of silence, whilst Hazel continued to collect her mother’s benefits. In exploring the choices that this family make, the audience are taken on a short, darkly funny journey as the pair’s decisions catch up with them.

Mummy premiered in London in 2012, in an east London pub, supported by Tower Theatre Company in a new writing showcase. Following a very successful run in London, Mummy was first produced by Louisa Norman in Adelaide in 2014 during the Adelaide Fringe. Now Louisa is producing it for Butterfly Theatre, for a three night run, directed by Dave Simms. Simms is an award-winning director and has had recent successes with productions such as Educating Rita and Torch Song Trilogy.

Mummy runs for only thirty minutes, an ideal length for theatre newbies, pub goers and people who like their theatre short & funny. 

Butterfly Theatre was created in 2013 to allow opportunities for local artists to perform productions in suitably sourced non-traditional and site-specific spaces. Recognising the commercial benefits that theatrical performances and audiences can bring to local venues, Butterfly Theatre’s brief is to co-create theatre in a collaborative model linking venues and artists and to provide a business model that recognises and rewards the input of the performers. Additionally, the company’s vision is to align business practice and theatre production within a dynamic approach that acknowledges the Butterfly Effect, that initial small changes in practice can have widening impacts on outcomes for all.

The cast of Mummy features well known Adelaide performers Nicole Rutty, Bronwyn Ruciak and Sue Wylie. If photographs of the cast and director enjoying themselves at the pub are any guide, Mummy is sure to be a deliciously funny nibble to have with a beer, so get along to the Wheatsheaf and enjoy.

Mummy

Dates: November 4, 5, 6 at 8pm.

Venue: The Wheatsheaf Hotel, George Street, Thebarton.

Tickets: $10, $7 Concession/groups 8+.

Bookings: http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=99295

See Mummy’s Facebook event page at:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1583682871859696/