The Female of the Species; comedy farce theatre review

NO FEMME FATALE: Amanda Muggleton as Margot Mason (seated) and Rhiannon Owen as Molly Rivers in rehearsals for The Female of the Species. Image: Shane Reid.


The Funny Side of Feminism by Linh

Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith’s play, The Female of the
Species, is inspired by an incident involving famous feminist Germaine Greer, who was gagged and cuffed by a teenage girl at her country house in Essex.

That’s where the similarities end. The real dramatic thrust begins when family, friends and strangers enter the feminist’s home; forcing her to account for the legacy of her feminist polemics. The Female of the Species is about sexual politics, generational differences and the power and consequences of feminist literature.

One of Australia’s leading ladies of the stage, Amanda Muggleton, stars as the infamous feminist author of The Cerebral Vagina, Margot Mason.
Margot Mason is suffering serious writer’s block and facing deadline after deadline, as her publisher pushes for her to complete the latest best seller.
Margot is a witty and foul-mouthed provocateur, who loves French windows because they’re “slim, stylish and up themselves”.
Muggleton is superbly sharp with the puns and quick with the verbal twists, all delivered with panache; even though she performs most of the play while handcuffed to a table.

Rhiannon Owen makes her debut with the State Theatre of SA as Molly Rivers, the gun-toting teenager who takes Margot Mason hostage.
Molly Rivers was one of Margot’s students, yet her admiration turns to accusation. Molly blames Margot for ruining her life and for her mother’s death. Molly’s Mum took all of Margot’s advice and gave away her baby so as not to be enslaved by motherhood. She then jumped under a train as she was clutching The Cerebral Vagina to her breasts. Molly becomes a fan of the feminist and decides to sterilise herself in order to preserve her creativity. She becomes disheartened and angry when Margot tells her she has no talent.
Rhiannon Owen is capable of holding an audience captivated as her character holds Margot hostage. Owen handles the wordy and intelligent script with the same proficiency her character handles the handgun throughout the play. She is definitely one talented actress to watch in the future.

Adelaide’s own Michaela Cantwell plays Margot Mason’s daughter, Tess, who stumbles into her mother’s home in a state of exhaustion and confusion.
Tess has mindlessly wandered from her house, before taking a taxi to her mother’s home in order to escape the relentless noise of her children.
Tess is not too impressed when she hears of her mother’s disparaging remarks about motherhood being a form of domestic servitude. Tess has never known her father and her mother tries to keep it that way.
Michaela Cantwell is flawlessly funny and fiercely frank as the daughter of a celebrity feminist and an exhausted mother who refuses to go home until she knows “where Pokemons go for their holidays.”

The male members of the cast also have their way with the play’s questioning of the power and consequences arising from feminism.

Well-travelled Adelaidean, Peter Michell, portrays Tess’ doting and devoted husband, Bryan.
Bryan is a hardworking stockbroker who constantly spouts hilarious double entendres such as “I love you Tess, you know I’ve always mounted you on a pedestal.”
Peter Michell is a joy to watch and succeeds in making Bryan (a very sensitive new age guy) the only likeable character in the play.

Talented thespian and playwright Tony Briggs is the very masculine and macho taxi driver, Frank.
Frank enters Margot Mason’s home in order to ask Tess why she won’t listen to his problems. He also seems to know what women want and how he can give it to them.
Tony Briggs is in excellent form as the virile and ethnic young male, and adds a different level of energy to the play.

Allrounder Geoff Revell hams it up as Margot Mason’s over-the-top gay publisher, Theo.
Theo has been a long time friend and publisher to Margot, and was hassling her, over the phone, for a copy of her latest book before Molly appeared.
Geoff Revell is fabulously camp and convincing as the pushy publisher who holds a secret to Margot Mason’s past.
Although Theo appears only in the last thirty minutes of the play, Revell makes the most of every moment with his usual comic brilliance.

Production designer Mary Moore has created an awe-inspiring set where the cast is placed upon a huge open Macbook with a couple of bellowing (sacred) cows, and a living room adorned with many historical ‘female’ artefacts.

Director Catherine Fitzgerald has excelled in keeping the play engaging and entertaining for the audience and making it enjoyable for the actors.


NO ESCAPE: Margot Mason (Amanda Muggleton) tries to free herself as Molly Rivers (Rhiannon Owen) talks to Tess (Michaela Cantwell) in The Female of the Species. Image: Shane Reid.

Doubt - theatre review

COMPELLING: Jennifer Flowers and Christopher Gabardi in a scene from Doubt. Photo: Shane Reid.


Vice and Virtue by Linh

The State Theatre Company of South Australia presents a Sydney Theatre Company production of John Patrick Shanley's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play Doubt. Set in the Bronx during 1964 in St. Nicholas Catholic Church and School, the four character play deals with a nun's case against a priest she suspects of abusing a child's trust, and her personal conflict between faith and doubt.

The controversial undertones of child abuse and molestation within the church as a subject matter, makes Doubt thought provokingly powerful and leaves the audience doubtful as to who's guilty of anything.

The small ensemble cast superbly handles the text with sophistication and every character shines in this brilliantly crafted play.

Adelaide actress Kate Box portrays the angelic voiced Sister James with much innocence and a trusting nature. She adds passion to Sister James who wishes to connect with her students and convey an enthusiasm in teaching History.

Stage, film and television actor Christopher Gabardi plays the handsome and charming priest, Father Flynn with much charisma and is consistently suave throughout. He delivers Father Flynn's parabolic sermons with some seriousness yet at times is tongue in cheek. His character's personal interest in the Catholic School's only Negro child, Donald Muller, provides the play's catalyst of doubts and allegations.

A graduate of London's Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, Pamela Jikiemi gives a strong and assured performance as Donald's mother. The only character who doesn't harbour any doubts about anyone or anything, Mrs Muller seems unconcerned about Father Flynn's involvement with her son when questioned by Sister Aloysius.

Actor, director and multi-award winner Jennifer Flowers delivers a stunning performance as Sister Aloysius, the Principle of St. Nicholas Catholic School.
Jennifer shows Sister Aloysius' faith and dedication to her Church, while revealing a sharp wit and humour. It's a fascinating creation of how one woman's tiny seed of doubt can blossom into mistrust and hurt upon others, as well as herself.

John Patrick Shanley's script engages the audience without providing any concrete answers and Director Julian Meyrick helps glide the characters smoothly from one scene to another. Doubt leaves the audience wondering if blind faith is enough to bring someone to justice if moral certainty is lacking.

Lion Pig Lion ; theatre review

STRIKING A DEAL:Brant Eustice and Michaela Cantwell in a scene from Lion Pig Lion. Photo: Shane Reid.


State Theatre Company of South Australia presents a world premiere of Marty Denniss' latest play Lion Pig Lion, which explores issues of government, corporate and individual accountability and how each interact with one another when staff discover their company may be involved with a young man's death at a water plant.

Bland Bureaucratic Bungles by Linh

Marty Denniss' Lion Pig Lion is inspired by the Bolivian Water Wars of 2000 and tells of the confusion, fear and distrust of individuals whose company is being investigated in relation to a murder.

The plot is convoluted and the dialogue has the potential to be sharp and witty if it wasn't burdened with expletives - the word f*** dominated throughout. The characters are as complex as the plot and the actors' talents seem wasted in a play that is slow-moving and stagnant in parts.

Although frustrating at times, the performances were strong and engaging enough to sustain audience interest until some answers are revealed, yet more questions arise.

Local performer Michaela Cantwell gives a commanding performance as the irrepressible, fast-talking PR guru, Virginia, whose own motives are questioned as she tries to keep everyone calm as the company undergoes another review by the Commissioner.

Stage director, drama teacher and singer/songwriter Brant Eustice is convincing as the wheelchair-bound Archives Manager, Sidney whose first impressions are not as they seem. There's a surprise and shock instore as Sidney reveals more about himself and his involvement with the investigations at the end.

Versatile thespian Carmel Johnson plays the tough-talking security officer Maureen, whose involvement with the murder is not what it seems. Carmel gives the character some light and shade, displaying a hardened exterior to many while showing vulnerability towards a few.

Other cast members' performances which added variety to help lift the play, include Patrick Frost as the soon-to-retire security guard Freddy, Patrick Graham's affable and impressionable Archives Assistant, Richard and Joel McIlroy as the nosey and manipulative Commission officer, Gerard.

Overall, Lion Pig Lion had a plot that takes too long to get started, characters who talk too much about nothing with too many expletives, and an ending which dissatisfies.