Laughs galore in festive show
Hāwera Repertory’s A Christmas Crack Up is providing some muchneeded light relief this silly season.
I laughed harder and louder with each joke, exactly the experience you want during an evening of one-act comedies.
The comedic timing is perfect in all three performances – Gingernuts written by Carole Hosie, When Harriet met Sally written by Cheryl Filbee, and Dinner for One written by Lauri Wylie.
All are directed by Hāwera theatre legend Charles Pittams and I applaud his casting.
In Gingernuts, Olive is everybody’s favourite grumpy rest home resident.
Carole Hosie brings her to life so authentically that you’d think the character truly reflected Carole’s personality.
Olive is the first resident Maude meets at her new ‘temporary’ home.
Maude, as played by Felicity Willis, presents as a ‘chocolate biscuit kind of woman’ but turns out to be just as down-toearth as Gingernut biscuit-loving Olive.
Their competitive synchronised dunking patterns could be an Olympic sport, getting more hilarious as the play continues.
When Harriet Meets Sally, the audience is held captive.
Georgie Graham plays Sally. Georgie is a newcomer to the stage who presents as a seasoned professional. Her character Sally is preparing for a weekend away with a new boyfriend when she meets Harriet.
This long-suffering older woman, played by Greer Gibbs, is the perfect balance of mirth and disdain in the face of Sally’s bright-eyed naivety and hopefulness.
There are moments of genuine support and counsel. The tone, acting and storyline flow so well that it leaves the audience wanting more.
Dinner for One is the perfect closing performance.
The eccentric Miss Sophie, played by Jenny Perry, hosts a dinner party at which she is the only visible guest.
Her elderly butler James, played by Stuart Perry, keeps his audience anxiously and emphatically on the edge of their seat. I can’t describe the beauty of his comedy without ruining it for you. You have to see it for yourself.
The season closes this Saturday. Held at the boutique Repertory House theatre on Collins St, seats are very limited. Doors open at 7pm and the shows start at 8pm.