I’m sure its not easy to co-ordinate and control 40 teens and children on the small stage of Tea Tree Players theatre, let alone have them remember their lines, cues songs and dances and create an enjoyable coherent production! The three Directors, Penny Phillips, Rhi Shapcott and Kristyn Barnes manage to do this extremely well in Patsy.
It was a bit like a pantomime, with girls playing some boys roles (and vice versa and well-hidden and disguised performers. All the cast performed very well, with few forgotten lines. At times their voices were a bit quiet to catch the words, but I’m sure that will improve as they get used to having an audience to perform to. The Mummy Dance was wonderful – with all sizes of mummies performing and singing well.
It’s not easy to pick the best, but for me the memorable actors were Zack Brittan and Olivia White as Bea and Jerr, the crazy American tourists who added lots of comedic relief to the stuffy museum curators, archeologists and film crew. Patsy, the would-be scapegoat and sassy heroine, was very well played and sung by Max Shapcott. Clinton Nitschke as Raymond/Rameses was well suited to his role as the Pharoah. Harrison Morris was an excellent academic as Professor James and Brooklyn O’Shea as his clever assistant Rosetta had some great interactions translating the ancient hieroglyphics! And the film crew played their “star” roles along with the Egyptian activists in some funny and fun scenes throughout the whole show.
You will laugh and enjoy this show as much as the Youth performers!
