Laughing at Lawyers

Sydney lawyer Tony Laumberg has written and produced 13 successful seasons of his unique brand of comic plays. The do-it-yourself theatre maker writes the plays, promotes the shows and even sells the tickets front of house. On the eve of his latest play The Good, The Bad and the Lawyer in Sydney he shared a coffee with David Spicer.

Tell me your favourite lawyer joke I asked.

“What’s the difference between a lawyer and a laboratory rat? When the laboratory rat dies at least someone cares.”

With jokes like that it’s a wonder he isn’t thrown out of his profession by the Law Society.

The suburban solicitor – come comedy writer - caught the play writing bug when he sat next to a theatre director at a birthday dinner. He was advised to think of a play he liked and write a variation of it.

The first play, based on the Odd Couple, was called Unsolicited Male. It was about a young lawyer who has his father turn up in a tracksuit on the night he has a big dinner planned with a partner, where he was poised to secure a promotion.

“I like to give my main character hell. Turn their world upside down.”

Lawyers are most often his target.

“They are so serious. It is easy to make fun of them.”

His playwriting career was almost still-born. His first producer rang him to cancel the production because he was going through a mid-life crisis.

“I decided to do it myself. I then decided you need two things, money and an audience. I made a list of everyone I knew in the universe, sent them a flyer and rang them. I sold out a two week season by ringing everyone.”

It has been so straightforward since then, but a following made up of about one third from the legal profession has kept him producing one play a year, and most of them turn a profit.

He prides himself on paying professional actors, directors and designers.

“I can’t give up my day job. When you think of the hours I put into it, sometimes I make about $1.50 an hour.”

The next production, The Good, The Bad and the Lawyer, will play at Sydney’s Tap Gallery from October 10 to 27.

The main character is one of his favourites – Henry Crowley – a senior partner with a big city law firm who lives in the Sydney Upper North Shore suburb of St Ives.

“He comes home from work to his wife who says. I have got news. I have just joined a Refugee Action Group. There is an Iranian refugee who has made an application for political asylum. He’s allowed to live in community while being considered. He is going to live with us.”

“He says no way. It’s not going to happen. She says YOU will have to tell him yourself. He says, I am not going to a refugee camp. She says no, he here in the kitchen.”

It turns out the Iranian refugee (played by Jewish actor Geoff Sirmai) is a professor of mathematics.

This comes in handy when a cousin arrives from Queensland.

“He’s the black sheep of the family who has a theory about how to turn $10,000 into a million dollars at the roulette table. The refugee points out the flaw in his mathematics and the three head off to Star City to give it a whirl.”

Add to that the involvement of the Australian Crime Commission and an outlaw motor cycle gang, who combine to make life hell for the arrogant lawyer.

Tony has dabbled in non-lawyer plays but they are not as successful for him. There’s too much fun to be had in making fun of pompous legal eagles.

The Good, The Bad & The Lawyer by Tony Laumberg

Directed by Richard Cotter, Design by Tony Youlden

Cast: Marc Kay, Mark McCann, Brigid O’Sullivan, Geoff Sirmai & Tricia Youlden

10 to 27 October 2013 - Wed to Sat 7pm, Sundays 4pm

TAP Gallery, 278 Palmer St, Darlinghurst (near cnr. Burton St)

Tickets $30* / $24* concession or group of 8+

Preview all tickets $22* * plus agency booking fees

Bookings MCA-Tix on 1300 306 776 or www.mca-tix.com.au

Images: Top - writer Tony Laumberg and director Richard Cotter, Middle - Tony Laumburg znd Lower - Mark McCann and Tricia Youlden. Photographer: Marianne Rowley.