Reviews

Ballina’s Youth production this year is Dr Doolittle Jr, an adaptation of the popular Twentieth Century Fox movie and staged by and for young people.

With a cast ranging from 8 to 17, director Peter Harding has crafted the production to the talents of his large junior company.

In only his second experience on stage, the Doctor was in the capable hands of Declan Lodge, a youngster with a big future, who was suitably supported by Erica Little, Elisha Lodge, Evie Sargent, Reuben Addington, Hugo Addington, Nichole Travers and Riley Evens.

In a short, opening scene of James Elazzi’s play, Danny (Anthony Makhlouf) and Josephine (Nisrine Amine), dance as children to a tape of famed Lebanese singer and actress, Sabah. Josephine encourages Danny to “dance like Sabah” and in a “dream sequence” to the side of the stage Sabah, complete with flowing blonde hair and shimmering dress, appears briefly to him demonstrating her sinewy hip movements for him to imitate.

Two smitten lovers, one Aboriginal, the other Maori, try hard to unite their families, their cultures, behind their engagement.  

Back home in the Maori community or atop a towering Melbourne housing estate, Kane and Hera’s efforts to assimilate produces some hilarious disasters in cultural protocol.  But somehow the wedding is booked – despite possessive Mums running indigenous guilt trips, fierce racisms across the ditch, errant males and some toxic family baggage.

The setting of Geoffrey Atherden’s new play is the back room of a museum, a storage unit with many itemised boxes and a large, rolling ladder. It’s a brilliant vision for the play from Set Designer Richard Roberts, and director Wesley Enoch makes great use of the space. Enoch is also the Artistic Director of the Sydney Festival, which opened the day before, so cheers and congratulations to him. He looks pretty fit.