Reviews

As an avowed fan of Alfred Hitchcock, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the MTC's stage adaptation of North by Northwest, one of his most famous movies.

Meredith Willson’s affectionate salute to 1912 small-town America The Music Man with its homespun philosophies and warm identifiable characters has always held appeal for community theatre companies employing as it does a multitude of characters and large chorus. One of the major strengths of Queensland Musical Theatre’s production of it was the choral work of the company. They thrilled harmonically in “Iowa Stubborn” and “The Wells Fargo Wagon”, producing a big, glorious Broadway vocal sound.

The theatre was packed with year 11 drama students lapping up a play by a writer who was young, hip and even knew the ins and outs of computer games.  

Neighbourhood Watch, first staged by Belvoir only a few years back, has crept onto the New South Wales Higher School drama list.

A teacher with them reliably informed me that as well keeping the students thoroughly engaged with the jokes and story line, there were influences of Brecht and magic realism in the drama to study.

First staged Off -Broadway in 1987, Terrence McNally’s play has been nominated for Tony awards and adapted for the screen with Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer in the title roles. It is a play not often found in community theatre repertoires as it involves some nudity and requires very sensitive acting and directing – both of which Castle Hill Players has managed to achieve. Though the action and the dialogue are very personal and revealing, the production is evocative, and the actors achieve a realism that is disarmingly natural.