‘Let me finish’ is a delightful, hilarious play for adults, written and presented by WA’s Charlotte Otton; not the 92-year old, Illinois born playwright, Charlotte Fennema Otton. This one-hour Emily Stokoe production can be seen at the Blue Room Theatre Studio in Northbridge, each night at 7.00 pm until Saturday 20th October. Emily who is a WAAPA stage management graduate has shown a great deal of justified faith in her friends by producing this fine show.
The highly original set design was created with the advice of consultant, Olivia Tartaglia. Using 15 cms diameter, white plastic reticulation piping a cuboid framework has been made. It is 2 metres high, with a 5 by 4 metre base. This creates a versatile active area, with stage wings outside of the shape.
Props: There are five, white leather, padded, seat-sized 40 cms cubes. The back wall was formed by colourful ‘shower curtain’ drapes
Lighting designer, Phoebe Pilcher is one of those modest talents that only came to my notice around two years ago, when she produced exceptional lighting for ‘Tilt – 2’. Phoebe has quietly created something new, interesting and of quality for each show that she has tackled since.
The sound designer, Rebecca Riggs-Bennett has successfully brought her DJ skills to the theatre stage.
Stage manager Jessie Atkins ensured the show flowed smoothly.
Two dedicated and much appreciated Auslan interpreters were present at the show I saw.
The colourful lights throb in time to the nightclub music. A group of five girlfriends all seem to interpret the beat in their own way. One girl screamed an obscenity at someone who had just made an unwanted or bigoted comment. When things become rough on the dancefloor, then the toilet is the best retreat.
The lights rise to show the girls in a line, sitting on ‘toilets’ chatting through the cubicle walls, and doing what one does in a toilet cubicle. They gather in front of the washbasin mirror and discuss that night’s ‘talent’ along with the odd ‘undesirable’.
Next, we learn about their very different love lives, and then, with a flashback we are taken to the privacy of their childhood. With actual family photos, we see the group develop from infants to teenagers, gathering on the way, details of their highs and lows.
The group divulges all, from the joys of youth to the strange love affairs experienced whilst blossoming into adulthood.
The actors bravely, and with no-frills, lay open their lives, sexual emotions, sufferings and obsessions. At times the experiences are horrifying, but mostly we get to share the happy occasions.
WAAPA graduate, writer Charlotte Otton, who now works at the Blue Room, has produced a vibrant idea, filled with controversy.
The director, Phoebe Sullivan, who was assisted by Simone Detourbet, has chosen a strong and proven, cast and crew, all of whom have been connected with numerous key productions.
Delightful Ana Ika was seen recently at Curtin’s Hayman Theatre in major show. Angela Mahlatjie, who has appeared with the Actors’ Hub on several occasions, just radiates her character. Wonderful Izzy McDonald appeared in one of Murdoch’s ‘presentations of the year’ as Lady Frankenstein.
Since her first week in university theatre studies, Jess Moyle has been extremely busy as both a talented actor and a musician.
In a couple of scenes, the cast sang in five-part harmony. The result was outstandingly beautiful, they should form a group!
Although highly recommended, tickets may be impossible to obtain as this show was a sell-out from its opening night.