Walking into the foyer of the Margaret River Cultural Centre, cheery chatter, laughter, the clinking of glasses and smiling faces abound.
This is already an event, not for those to express their high culture tendencies, but rather an environment to be entertained by friends and family.
This set the tone for Don’s Party, with the entire audience being completely involved in the affair (s) from the get go.
Cheering, cat calls and even narration accompanied the majority of local actors who took to the stage, the familiar mood adding to the homely environment from the late 1960s the play easily created.
A 1969 federal election, a gathering to celebrate it, two Liberals and the other attendees Labor, this is the essence of the new production from the Margaret River Theatre Group.
The group on stage were paired off immaculately with each actor playing off the strengths off their counterparts.
The small details of the characters made the performance, with the pursed lips of the frustrated and usually, downright annoyed females, the casting eye of Nicolette Lefebvre as Kerry, the outrageous laughter of Jaimie Werren as Susan and the pure camaraderie of the gents are some of the examples of the way the entire theatre group embodied their characters.
In terms of the play’s content, it was absolutely hilarious. Always cheeky without everyone being uncomfortable for the audience, the actors once again played off each other in such a way where they were believable, yet still familiar.
A few actors onstage even occasionally let their characters slip to crack a grin at the antics of their fellow cast.
The one thing to take away from the evening, if you were forced to pick but one, was the enthusiasm of the cast, with the hours of work and the clear friendship existing between the theatre group members shining through.
Leaving Campbell Madden’s directorial debut was like leaving a really fantastic party. You know you have to, you probably should, but you already need to discuss the highlights with those you love.
For Don’s Party, I’m not sure I’d want to be a guest.
But to be a fly on the wall, that would be promising.
