Reviews

It starts with a brilliant bang, the best set-up scene I’ve seen in many a year. Two women enter the ramshackle cliff-side studio/home of Leo Bailey, famous Australian artist now gone to seed with booze and self-loathing. 

One is Margo, successful and abrupt, the only one of his several children willing to care (at a distance) for a loathed father; the other is Therese, newly released from prison, desperately needing this job as the old man’s live-in minder. She’s obviously unsuitable, but Margo is equally desperate after experiencing many failed others.

The title suggests that this play might be wholly and solely about vibrators but there is a lot more to it than that.  Set in the 1880s, it also covers the introduction of electricity into people’s homes and the medical assumption that sexually dissatisfied women were in fact affected by hysteria.  Most importantly though, this play boldly addresses the female frustration and solitude in a male-dominated society where the sexual and emotional needs of women are often overlooked.

The Matchmaker, as presented by Murray Music and Drama Club, is good, clean old-fashioned entertainment. Performed cabaret style, where you can bring your own snacks, it was clear that the audience at the matinee I attended, were having a ball. Thoughtfully and skilfully directed by debut director Rp van der Westhuizen, this was a great looking production that was performed well.

On Friday night I made my way to the Greek Centre in the city to see Sydney-based comedian Anthony Locascio perform his solo show about “some morally questionable things he’s done in his life, and how he has reconciled them with finding love and happiness”. This is an encore performance of Anthony's highly successful Melbourne International Comedy Festival show, after his 2022 show “Don’t call me a wog!” which I unfortunately didn’t make it to.