THEATRE: IMPLAUSIBLE PEOPLE BY PATRICK LENTON
REVIEW BY AMELIA GROOM
Implausible People is the funniest play to have graced Sydney theatres in a long time. The story follows Anthony, a man aptly self-described as ‘ridiculously eccentric,’ as he encounters a series of people who are all a little improbable.
There’s a job applicant who used to be a dinosaur, a homicidal nun in red stilettos, a highschool student who reverses the roles on careers advice day, and a jealous bridesmaid from the Sutherland Shire; but none of them are more implausible than Anthony himself.
He is a man who wants to wed the ocean; who claims to have had all his vital organs surgically removed and stuffed in his feet, as a precaution against his murderous ex-wife; who seeks advice to save his company in case they might be unknowingly on top of a volcano; and a man who believes he created his best friend Brian from scratch. Utterly wacky and unpredictable, he is also in search of companionship and meaning, in his own bizarre way.
Anthony is played by 6’7 Anthony Hunt, a well-known Sydney character actor whose spontaneity and comic skill are perfectly paired with the unpredictable offbeat humour of the script. All other characters are performed by 4’11 comedienne Sophie Webb, and the director is comic genius Adam Gelin.
For the playwright Patrick Lenton (who is also the quirkiest quarter of Bracket Creeps, ‘Australia’s Most Awesome Poetry Boyband’), this is his first full-length production – but by the looks of things we can expect to see a lot more from him in coming years.
The Gemeinschaft Dogs Theatre Company hunted him down after they saw his short play The Interview in the recent Short+Sweet festival, and demanded he create a full-length play based on the same character.
Absurd, quirky, wondrous and explosive, Implausible People is the result. With a late night timeslot at the cosy Old Fitzroy Hotel Theatre, it is a hilarious night of theatre highly recommended to those who revel in glorious sillyness.
Implausible People
Until March 14
Old Fitzroy Hotel Theatre
129 Dowling Street
Wooloomooloo
$12-16
