extraordinary, unusual III - New Theatre Sydney

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Posted 2015-05-15 by lilbusgirl ⇒ follow

Wed 13 May 2015 - Wed 27 May 2015

(extra)ordinary, (un)usual III - New Theatre Sydney

The Monologue Project's stage show '(extra)ordinary, (un)usual III' showcases Australia's leading monologues and featuring the award-winning work of author/playwright Pete Malicki performed by Sydney's best stage actors.

The doors open and guests take to their seats, greeted to the sight of an actor asleep in a chair with a blanket draped over on top. Another curious sight is the body curled in the corner of the room.

With good advice to turn off the phones during the two acts of 4x monologues each and an intermission to refill our glasses. We settle into our comfy seats, sip our wine and await for the first act.

The sleeping actor, Luke Reeves in the chair wakes and we are introduced to Gordon's life filled with perpetual noise. The neighbour's annoying leafblower (I can relate to this), his loud work colleagues, crying babies, loud TVs, noisy possums and the hooting owl. His only saving grace is the one silent morning each week. Quiet Friday. But when the neighbour starts renovating their kitchen and bathroom, Gordon starts losing the plot.

The lights go out and Miss Suzie Q in her first ever acting role is on the stage. Suzie immerses herself into the role of someone suffering from severe social anxiety. Voicing the perils of stepping out of the house into the harsh sunlight and the listing the possible dangers of walking to the nearby bus stop. Re-telling excepts of her psychologist's advice, she pushes forward to her goal of buying her favourite Lindt dark chocolate. An eye opening performance to social phobia.

Leaping into action is Captain Everything (played by Matt Friedman), the superhero of all superheroes, on his quest to rescue Princess Prettyface. His wild fast paced adventure will keep you literally on your toes as he swings between scenes of Star Wars, Batman, fighting Kraken only for the story to end with a terrible twist but that is for you hear and not for me to tell.

It's a change of scenery with Yannick Lawry who plays Paul, an English everyday family man. Married with two kids, works in accounting, watches the cricket and loves a good chutney. But when he (accidentally) goes to a gay bar and meets the charismatic Ian, he is seduced into the world of his new friend. A dangerous consuming obsession starts to grow but who will have the last laugh?

The world of speed dating won't be seen the same again as Glenn Wanstall who plays Harold Borgenstein is unexpectedly possessed by not one but nine Greek Gods. The constantly changing personalities shine through their host who only comes to and is bewildered at the confrontation he's subjected to.

Pretty in pink, Rosemary Ghazi is Princess Peach of Mario Bros fame. Throwing a party at her Mushroom Kingdom, Peach's personality which is generally sweet and well mannered, lets her hair down to see her true colours. Often seen as the damsel distress, and kidnapped on a weekly basis, will she thwart Bowser's latest kidnapping attempt and keep her real persona under wraps?

A wedding day is the happiest day of a bride's life or is it? Is it a let down when the day's over? Debbie Neilson plays out the story of a young woman's desperate search for happiness or is she destined to be the serial bride.

Wearing the universal black and white uniform, actresses Tiffany Hoy, Raechel Carlsen, Rosemary Ghazi all work at Coles. Appearing to hate their jobs you come to learn they have done far worse. Working for Coles is the top of the bottom. Conveyed to be nothing but a robot being phased out by other robots, a timely reminder of where things are heading.

Unbelievably riveting performances. Drawn immediately into each and every actor's world through their well scripted monologue. Whether it is of the anguish of sleep deprived Gordan to what would seem to be a schizophrenic Harold, the twists and turns of Captain Everything or revealing the real Princess Peach.

I seriously recommend you buy tickets to the show. Be taken into another world and step into their shoes for the next hour or so and see how it ends.