THEATRE: WAITING FOR GOTTERSON + NOTHING LIKE OLD TIMES
PREVIEW BY EVIN DONOHOE
From September 16 the Newtown Theatre shoots you in the face with a double-barrelled shotgun blast of delicious delicious comedy, putting on a double-bill of two hilarious one-act plays.
Fresh from its successful debut at the Newtown Theatre’s Short & Sweet Festival (the most powerful brand of short theatre in the country), Sam Atwell’s Waiting for Gotterson gives a contemporary twist on the classic [Waiting for] Godot scenario, as two aspiring actors await the arrival of their vaunted acting teacher for a class. In the process of this waiting a case of mistaken identity leads to all kinds of surreal and hilarious jams.
Nothing Like Old Times is a school reunion comedy from writer/director Malcom Frawley. From a prior season at Darlinghurst Theatre, it’s a character piece centering around Maddison ‘ the coolest girl in high school. Trouble is, high school was ten years prior. In order to relive her glory days Maddison organises a reunion party, and in order to make herself look even more super great, she hosts it at some shy chick called Debbie’s place. And then she invites only Dudes. She thinks it’s all going pretty sweet, until her Year 12 nemesis, Kelly, gets wind of the event. Kelly also happens to be an international fashion superstar. The stage is set for some hilariousness, some craziness, and perhaps also some sexiness.
As the general attention span of theatre-going audiences have gradually gotten shorter, so too have theatrical productions; and formats like the Short & Sweet play festival and Darlinghurst Theatre’s annual In the Raw season have gained epic strength and regularly attract mammoth crowds. Short & Sweet is great because if a play turns out to be dreadful you only have to wait, at most, ten minutes until the proverbial reset button is hit and you get a completely new play that could be likewise dreadful or completely mindblowingly good. In the Raw is great because the shows are only an hour long, and usually pretty great.
And thus the Newtown Theatre are thoughtfully and dutifully giving the public what they want, what they need: one-act theatre. And they’ve also done something else very clever. They have combined it with comedy, so you will get to see two whole, great short plays that will also be full of talented, experienced, sexy people making jokes and getting into mad situations that will make you laugh so hard you could hurt yourself if you are not careful. And they’re both original, and they’re both Australian. How awesome is that. You should see these shows or you will cry.
Waiting for Gotterson + Nothing Like Old Times
September 16-27
Newtown Theatre, Cnr King & Bray St, Newtown
Tickets: $20-$25, 1300 306 776 or www.mca-tix.com
