Living Together ~ St Jude’s Players ~ Theatre Review

St Jude's Players Thur May 2 St Jude’s Players, remarkably, is celebrating 75 years of community theatre! It’s first offering for this milestone year is Living Together, one of a trilogy of plays by prolific English playwright, Alan Ayckbourn. All three of the trilogy are set in the same house at the same time but are typically viewed as separate plays. Having seen this one I’d like to see the others. Living Together is the second of the trilogy and takes place in the living room of a house on a weekend in the south of England. The stage set is detailed and homey – fireplace, couch, paintings, desk, lamps - all conveying a cosy if somewhat dowdy feeling. This play’s success rests squarely on the shoulders of a cast with an impressive and extensive record of previous participation in community theatre groups across South Australia. Though playing a relatively minor role Adrian Heness was the stand-out for me as the tall, awkward, bumbling, well-meaning Reg who would love nothing more than for people to play the game he’s invented. Alas, others in the house were more interested in gossiping about the affairs of others. Rose Harvey as Sarah is imperious and clueless about what’s really going on in the house, while Carla Hardie’s Annie deftly displays the skills of subterfuge and deceit. Larry Waller is perfect as the harmless and inoffensive Tom. The depiction of Norman is curious. As something of a Romeo who fancies his chances with all women one might expect him to be suave, dapper, or oozing a degree of sexuality, but this Norman is none of these things and yet seems to get women to fall for him somehow. On the surface Living Together seems to be an innocent and entertaining look at a group of people squabbling over relatively mundane details of their lives. I suspect viewing the entire trilogy might help provide more clues as to Ayckbourn’s intentions in writing this play. But just like a good sitcom, in the hands of a good writer and an experienced cast a single episode can be witty and amusing in its own right. Directed by Les Zetlein. 3.5 stars MIchael Coghlan Living Together continues at 444 Brighton Rd, Brighton at various times until Sat 11 May. Purchase tickets HERE.