The stage is strewn with beer cans and other empty alcoholic containers. A woman on an empty crate faces away; a male patient lies on a bed with a bandage round his head; a man sits on a stool. There's a tray with medical paraphernalia; a fluid drip pinned up with red line attached; a pile of clothes, a jug of water. A collection of balloons hangs from the ceiling, partially obscuring a large banner 'RIP Jonnie Othringshaw 1950-1999 I'm not here I'm having a beer'.

John Othringshaw (Niall Spooner-Harvey) is in hospital following a drug overdose. The other man (Christopher Prior) is the doctor. The woman (Victoria Johnston) has a white coat on, she's the nurse. John asks how he looks. The doctor makes a racist remark about yellow skin and Malaysian people. It sets the tone of an offensive and poorly-written script.

There's one of many flashbacks in John's life. He is with his love interest, Priscilla (Victoria Johnston) at a party. She says she does not want to drink as her mother told her that drink 'makes you tipsy and want to lift your skirt'. Priscilla overreacts to John stepping on her foot by throwing the alcohol in her glass all over herself and the stage. They simulate sex (distastefully) underneath a blanket. John asks Priscilla to marry him.

Each flashback is indicated by the popping of a balloon. There are lots of balloons; this will be long. Pop: John as a child with his dad (Christopher Prior). There's a racist remark about Chinese people's eyes. Pop: a flashback of John and Priscilla. She refuses his amorous advances and does not want him to go drinking with his friends.

The actress has to change on stage into another costume. This involves her being barely dressed with a transparent slip on and hardly any underwear. It feels gratuitous and degrading. Both men keep their clothes on throughout; that's fine, but there is no balance. There's more (unpleasantly done) sex through the play; it feels separate from the story. There are more racist insults and remarks; all seem included for no other reason other than to offend. Four particularly nasty slurs are used and are said with apparent relish by the father character. Pop: Priscilla is with John sometime in the future. Fed up with his drinking, she throws all the beer cans and other bottles into a black bin liner noisily, obscuring speech. With four balloons left, after other expendable dialogue, the will for them all to pop at once is strong. John hears the voice of Priscilla. He is going out of his mind and thinks she has left him to be with other men; he calls her derogatory names.

The play is offensive to women; it is racist; it insults nurses and their professional status. Direction is fractured; the play does not flow; the balloon popping is irritating and breaks the play up even further; actors seem confused throughout and fumble through the scenes. It is awful.

Cast Credits: (alpha order): Victoria Johnston - Priscilla / Nurse. Christopher Prior - Doctor / Father. Niall Spooner-Harvey - Johnnie Othringshaw.

Company Credits: Writer - Eamon McDonnall. Director - Sue Dawson. Technical Operator - Laura Bozic. Stage Manager - Laura Bozic. Producer - uncredited. Company - uncredited.

END

(c) Chantal Pierre-Packer 2009

reviewed Friday 21 August 2009 / Etcetera Theatre

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com