8 Women

People trapped by deep snow in a country manor; phone lines and car fuel lines cut; one dead patriarch; so many classic Agatha Christie tropes are crammed into this show.  8 Women (originally Huit Femmes) by French actor and director Robert Thomas is a satirical take on the classic English whodunnit. It has been broadcast on French television twice and adapted into three movies, but only translated into English a smattering of times. The play makes fun of the 50s whodunnit genre, incorporating farce and slyly referencing class and sexual politics. This new translation is a lot of fun and will keep you guessing until the end.

This production’s translator Céline Oudin is a native French speaker who has lived for a decade in Australia. I can’t speak to the previous English versions, but Ms Oudin’s translation feels very French in the characterisations, mannerisms, vanities and humour. As well as translating, Ms Oudin also was assistant director, did costuming and props, and played Gaby, the vain and haughty wife of the victim, all of which she did very well. All the of the acting was good, with standouts being Liz St Clair, whom Canberra audiences will recognise as a Canberra REP stalwart, and Liz Caddy who put in a spirited performance as firebrand teenager Catherine. Some of the humour was lost in missed timing or lack of emphasis on things that could have been overt farce, but enough worked to make this show funny and entertaining throughout.

Director Chris Baldock and co-director Ms Oudin jointly cover almost all of the design and crew positions, giving the show a very cohesive look, from a gorgeous 50s palette, notably a pinky red shade repeated in the costuming and throughout the set and make-up, and the simple but effective light and sound design. The first twenty minutes are a bit static, but the action soon ramps up, with each revelation increasingly absurdly funny.

This is a great opportunity to see a play that has not often been seen in Australia. Go see it, it’s a romp.

Cathy Bannister

Photography by Ned Swann