One Act Season 2021

Darlington Theatre Players One Act Season was a well curated selection of Australian short plays. Lovely variety in this trio, which were nicely directed and well performed.

Harry’s Bounty, written by Western Australian author Polly Low, and directed with care by Michelle Ezzy, is about the last residents of a town and the efforts of their great niece to protect their interests. A lovely story of relationships, the characters are beautifully established and developed. Lovely gentle performances from Gail Palmer and Michael Hart as elderly couple Lexie and Stan, with lovely passion from Candice Preston as journalist Chloe and expert support from Alan Gill as Chloe’s partner Mike.

These Are the Isolate is penned by Marloo girl and former Western Australian Katy Warner and directed by her mother, Jacqui Warner. Not the absurdist drama that it first appears to be, this nicely written play has multiple twists and leaves the audience with more questions than it answers. Real life married couple Luke and Shelly Miller played the possibly married Ed and Audrey in this very challenging piece. Great teamwork from director and cast, in a show that sparked lively and energetic debate at interval.

After interval audiences enjoyed the lightest of the three plays, local writer James Forte’s Impossible Crime Trainees, directed by Chris McRae. The world’s Greatest Living Detective (GLD) (nicely played by Steve Maloney) is poised to hand over his business, but will he hand it to his keen son Wat (played with enthusiasm by Sean Wcislo) or elegant, intelligent daughter Celine (a lovely Audrey Poor). Complete with a re-enacted mystery (featuring good support from Locklen Falkingham), this is a lively, easy-to-watch show.

A solid night of entertainment with something for everyone. Great to see an Australian focus.

Kimberley Shaw