After Dinner

Roxy Lane Theatre travels back to the 1980s with this early Andrew Bovell play, embracing the period with Saturday Night Fancy Dress Nights and the Front of House staff in 80s fashion. 

As we expect from Roxy Lane, there was a solid box set that felt like the bistro area of a hotel, designed and built by Jim Chantry. Decorated and dressed by Kirsten Halford-Bailey, with colors and decor, nicely evoking the era. Interestingly actors were seated on chairs identical to the audience, and while this may have been a way to bring the audience into the action, I felt the visible “clip together sides” were a distraction rather than a design feature.

There is no costume credit, but clothing was true to the era, as was hairstyling and makeup, with Kirsten Halford-Bailey providing supportive sound and lighting design.

Office workers Dympie, Paula and Monika are out for the night and desperate for a good time. At the next table sit Gordon, whose wife has recently left him, and Stephen, on the prowl. I was a little confused about the ages of characters, which didn’t seem to quite match the text, but appreciate that casting in community theatre is not always easy.

Kezia George was convincing as perpetually unpleased Dympie, sporting a severe hairstyle and consistent disapproval. Lisa Duvall, possibly new to Perth, was pleasantly fresh as slightly dim Paula, while Amanda Alderson had authenticity as recently widowed Monika. Altus Vernon returns to the stage as Gordon, in a relaxed laid-back performance, contrasting with the energised Ian Fraser as swaggering Stephen. Tarek Jabado supports the cast as a silent, and elusive waiter.

While the performances are all pleasant, pace needed a bit of a boot, as this play relies on quick fire dialogue to make it work. While this appeared in moments, some laughs were lost due to lack of drive.

Nice to see a rarely performed Bovell, fast becoming one of Australia’s most popular playwrights.

Kimberley Shaw