Funny side of floods
JUST five months ago Townsville was in the grip of a “once in 500-year” flood event. It was something residents will never forget but for many it was catastrophic.
So, to write a musical cabaret that sends up every aspect of the disaster may seem to have come too soon.
But it definitely has not. The clever lyrics set to well-known tunes had the preview audience catching on to every subtle – and not so subtle – reference, laughing uproariously throughout.
NQOMT’S I Can’t Stop Lorraine has been written by locals Brent Lamass and Susan Mattocks. They have taken a natural disaster and turned it into sheer enjoyment.
NQOMT’S hall has been transformed into an intimate theatre that suits this cabaret. The audience feels they are inside a family home, taking empathetic pleasure in watching them almost lose their house to a group of visitors who soon outstay their welcome.
Homeowners Anne and Dale (say it quickly) Ville are played to absolute perfection by Nancy Nicholson and Richard Price.
They are waiting for the arrival of family friend Lorraine (Shelley Keehn), who is a force of nature. Their fiveyear-old son Douglas is a dream role for Adam Blake, suitably attired.
The family is completed by Granny Idalia, played with cheeky sassiness by Bronwyn Creedy.
When Lorraine finally arrives, she brings with her some uninvited and unwelcome guests. Hugh Midity (Daniel Hill), boozy friends Evian (Sasha Holmes), Aqua (Kimberly Murphy), Electra (Tina Seiferling), Lorraine’s promiscuous boyfriend Floody (Jonathan Bell), the inevitable Mouldy (Shari Lazzaroni) and Muddy Rivers (Roymata Holmes). All these characters are cleverly played with side-splitting comic timing.
The music is totally appropriate, from I Can’t Stand the Rain, I Can See Clearly Now, Have You Ever Seen the Rain and so many more, with inventive, monsoonal-appropriate lyrics. A few songs were kept with the original words, Shelley Keehn belting out Cabaret is a showstopper, while spectacularly costumed Roymata Holmes performs a most delicious song miming in traditional drag style. When the audience heard All the Single Girls begin they couldn’t help but happily join in.
Every character has been wonderfully created and is superbly acted.
Director Brent Lamass has crafted a musical that will probably be performed only once, while the floods are still in our recent memory, and would be baffling to an audience anywhere but Townsville. It is a great addition to The Fringe Festival.
There are only six performances. Booking early is recommended because it would be surprising if it doesn’t sell out well before the final performance.
I Can’t Stand Lorraine is at the NQOMT Hall in Gill Park behind Pimlico High. It plays today at 4pm and 7pm, with the same times next Friday (7pm) and Saturday. Tickets can be booked through ticketshop.com.au or by phone on 4727 9797.