Opposites attract they say and Peter Blackburn’s direction of Geoffrey Naufft’s hilarious and poignant tragi-comedic exploration of an oddly matched gay couple throws light on the current discussion about the issues of marriage equality, acceptance and openness in a well-paced, humorous and challenging performance.
Set in New York this complex story crossing between the present and flashbacks to 5 years of a loving relationship between Adam played by Darrin Redgate, a 40 year old atheist and Mark Davis plays Luke, a much younger devout Christian.
Their relationship has been hidden from Luke’s devout Southerner parents, Butch his father played by Paul Robertson as the brusque, grieving father and his eccentric mother, Kaarin Fairfax as Arlene. Such a fine performance from both actors!
One of the flashback scenes is the de-gaying of their apartment in preparation for Luke’s fathers soon arrival and Adam’s will to confront the issue of their relationship with the father. This causes some stress as Luke wants Adam to be invisible for a couple of hours but as luck would have it dad arrives as Adam swings into the lounge room carrying the picture of a large naked black man’s buttocks…it is amazing what some people choose not to see or process sometimes!
Luke lies in a hospital bed after an assault leads to brain damage. The play starts in the stark waiting room of the hospital with the couple’s bestie Holly (Sharon Davis) and Brandon (John Biasetto), Luke’s ex love interest setting the scene for the many dramatic waiting room scenes in the two act play.
The set design is an inspired use of the space, the use of the huge green draw curtains to signify the hospital and opening up to cleverly used stage props that take us through the couples 5 year relationship leading up to this tragedy.
Loved this play, a very strong statement about where society still struggles to accept equality today.
Cast: James Biasetto, Mark Davis, Sharon Davis, Kaarin Fairfax, Paul Robertson, Darrin Redgate
Director: Peter Blackburn
Set and Costume Design: James Lew
Lighting Design: Megz Evans
Sound Design: Linton Wilkinson
Original Music/Score: Claire Healy
Stage Manager: Jacinta Anderson
12-30 July
Time: 8pm Wednesday-Saturday, 5pm Sunday
Tickets: $39.50 Full, $29.50 Concession, 33.50 Group 8+ (+transaction fee)
Duration: Act 1: 50 minutes (20 minute interval) Act 2: 55 minutes
