Reviewed by Kerry Cooper
March 2014
Venture Theatre Company have set themselves a challenging task by bringing to the stage not one but three one act plays. All are home-grown scripts which would have benefited with extra workshops to tighten plot lines; however kudos must be given to Venture for giving members the opportunity to ‘have a go’ at directing, writing and technical tasks.
‘Bang You’re Dead’ written by Paul Reakes and directed by Lucy Marshallsay and David Giles, was slow to begin and never picked up the frenetic pace it needed to be authentic. With a script that had potential, the action came to a standstill many times with nothing happening on stage. Most convincing was Amelia Trim played by Susan Cherry.
‘That Might Work’ fared better, cleverly written and directed by Jaye Toetu, he wrote for a contemporary audience and produced a snap shot in time of a group trying to write a show of their own. All actors worked well together and physical comedy and musical numbers were a highlight.
Last on the program was ‘No Strings Attached’ written by Bo Anderson and directed by Luke Wagner and Nicolle Smith. The script was disjointed and I found myself wondering what was the writer was trying to convey. A children’s television show was the back drop for this play and although effort was made with the use of puppets, it needed more rehearsal and reworking of script.
Community theatre is about collaborating to bring to the stage a fun night out and Venture have succeeded in doing just that.
