Cosi

Malanda Theatre Company's production of Cosi is about as professional a performance as you could get. Set in a 1970s Melbourne mental asylum, the play revolves around Lewis, a young inexperienced theatre director. Lewis is given the job of directing a motley band of inmates in Mozart's opera Cosi Fan Tutte. The comedy has crazy moments as well as some very serious ones. Issues like the Vietnam War and relationships play a big part in some of the character interactions.

Played out on a bleak set, Cosi is at times a slow-moving comedy with intellectual overtones.

All the actors look the part in what is excellent entertainment. Outstanding are Paul Newman as the manic Roy, Jake Skukan as the bewildered Lewis, Mark Baker as the crazy Doug, Jocelyn Goodwin as gentle Julie and Amanda Albon as the warm but very scary Cherry. Marg  Proctor, Sara Isherwood, Brett Turner, Grace Chapman, Mark Kerwin and Matthew English all play their part in strong supporting roles.

The play has its flaws of course. Why would a theatre director try to produce a difficult opera like Cosi Fan Tutte with people who do not have a clue about theatre? That said, the grand finale on "opening night" is well worth the wait as is the aftermath as Lewis describes what happened to each character in the months following the production.

Director Jean Newman did great work in lifting Louis Nowra's play off the page and bringing it to life.

Ken Cotterill