Reviewed by Frank McKone
Aug 27
Cast
Louise Bennet as Tiggy Entwhistle (a prickly cactus lover)
Ella Buckley as Theresa McTerry (an anxious bride-to-be)
Yanina Clifton as Meryl Davenport (a young mother of three)
Lainie Hart as Winsome Webster (a widow longing for the unexpected)
Sally Taylor as Mary O'Donnell (a high school student entering a talent quest)
Creative & Production Team
Playwright: Joanna Murray-Smith
Director: Jordan Best
Production Design: Roz Hall and Jordan Best
Lighting Design: Linda Buck
Sound Design & Music: Jordan Best and William Best
Stage Manager: Roni Wilkinson
Joanna Murray-Smith’s play Bombshells and its presentation by Jordan Best is a tragi-comic view of women as wives. The central theme is, don’t make assumptions, expect the unexpected – and enjoy, especially in the extraordinary final scene as Lainie Hart plays the widow, Winsome Webster, reading a novel to a blind man.
I have wondered if this play should be presented to teenage boys and girls, but remembering back ten years before my 60 years of marriage, at age 15 it would probably have frightened me. I see that Murray-Smith was nearly 40 when she wrote the script – as a series of monologues by a single actress – and I suggest one needs at least that much experience to fully appreciate both the humour and the truths in the play.
Jordan Best’s stage design, with Linda Buck’s lighting, taking us to each location – and briefly showing us each of the characters as time goes on between each scene – makes the presentation of the five monologues a lively visual experience, (watch out particularly for the cactus plants!), in a different way from the single actress design – with quick changes between scenes – though I know other productions of this kind have been very successful, such as at Ensemble Theatre in 2013, ( see Sandra Bates speaking at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5vE5ETNRqs&themeRefresh=1 )
I think the variety of physiques, choreography and voices in The Q’s production opens up the play theatrically – showing us five equally stunning performers, emphasising the unexpected.
With only two more performances tonight and tomorrow at The Q, when such a quality production obviously should have an extensive run, I’m pleased to find that AI tells me:
“The production will embark on a month-long tour visiting 11 locations across New South Wales. This extensive route includes stops at the Cowra Civic Centre, Blue Mountains Theatre in Springwood, Wollondilly Performing Arts Centre in Picton, Jetty Memorial Theatre in Coffs Harbour, Glasshouse in Port Macquarie, Dubbo Regional Theatre & Convention Centre, Bathurst, Byron Bay, and Sydney.”
If you can’t get to Queanbeyan, just make sure you take a trip – whatever the petrol costs if you can't afford electric yet – since “Bombshells is featured as part of a dedicated Green Program. Artistic Director Jordan Best purposefully designed the production from its inception to minimize its carbon footprint. The entire set, props, and costumes are 100% second-hand and carefully configured to fit inside a single transport van, completely bypassing the need for heavy freight trucks.”
I can promise you can expect the unexpected will be brilliant. Not to be missed.
