REVIEWER - BARRY BREEN

TWIST IN THE TAIL

Ballarat National Theatre's mid-year production, Waiting, has opened at the Courthouse Theatre with three thoroughly enjoyable one-act plays and three excellent groups of actors. The plays are linked thematically with an unexpected twist to each and, in each case, the cast builds effectively to that twist. In The Waiting Room, by John Bowen, Ballarat favourite Marilyn Chestnut and new talent Ben Griffiths build and sustain intrigue from what appears to be a chance encounter. Both give excellent performances.

The Interview, by Barry Bermange, has an ensemble cast of nine actors and each establishes a believable character and helps to create an unsettling ambiance, which is only explained at the end of the play. Strong performances come from Hedley Thomson and Rodger Clark. In Harold Pinter's The Dumb Waiter Leon Harahan and Brett Edgington are sometimes hilarious and always engaging in their roles, working: off each other brilliantly to, once again, an ending with a twist.

Director Julian Oldfiekl handles his three casts of both well-known and new performers with his usual sureness and each play is satisfying in its own right as well as combining with the others to create an evening theatregoers are sure to enjoy.