‘Woof’ is a collection of four beautifully written plays for adults, being presented by Runaway Balloon. Runaway Balloon is an independent theatre company created for the purpose of chasing a balloon. ‘Chasing a balloon’ can mean a play can pop back into your head long after the show, or it can mean that if you are chasing your dreams this theatre company will give you a chance to follow them.
Runaway Balloon presents original works of all genres by emerging writers. For this production, the writers were all given the same title ‘Woof’ and theme – dogs – and then each came up with a wildly different storyline.
This brand new 75-minute (no interval) show ‘Woof’ has its season from Wednesday 12th October to the Saturday the 15th in The Studio Theatre, Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley Road, Subiaco with curtain up at 7.30 pm.
This set of short plays is brought to you by writers from Boorloo/Perth (Megan Rundle, Tim Lorian) and Naarm/Melbourne (Matthew Nixon, Honor Webster-Mannison).
Set, lighting design and operator: Daniela Da Costa and Anaïs Popoff-Asotoff. Good atmospherics with carefully positioned lamps on stands.
The set: To the left was an old settee with blanket over it. Behind, on a high podium was a toilet bowl. Centre stage, two-metre-wide white drapes went from ceiling to floor. To the right was a garden trellis with a park café table and chairs, again on a metre high podium.
Sound design: Tim Lorian and Matthew Nixon. Some fun sound effects.
Tech/Designers: Elsa Silberstein, Nicholas Warrand and Sophie Minissale, well thought-out.
Graphic Designer: Nicholas Warrand has produced twelve outstanding colourful paintings of various breeds of dogs. These were hanging on the rear wall with spotlights picking out each picture.
Photographer: Sophie Minissale’s programme photography was unusually good, both in lighting and composition.
Costumes and properties: Megan Rundle and Tim Lorian
As a link between each story are a couple of dogs (Ben Nixon and Mikey Isitt) having a series of hilarious brief discussions about – amongst other things – the human neighbours and the toilet facilities.
Walter: written by Megan Rundle
When a couple who have just met wake up in the morning from a drunken stupor, their world collapses. The girl (Anna Harris) has been house and dog sitting for her friend, but Walter the dog has disappeared. In tears she asks the boy (Alex Hutchings) to help her find the friend’s crusty, little white dog.
Commitment Team: written by Tim Lorian
Three quite different dogs (Rebecca Collin, El Finnie, Shannon Rogers) rough, smooth and elegant have lived together for a long time and two of them have just discovered they are about to be moved. Great discussions between the three as they recall past memories.
Hit: written by Matthew Nixon
The apocalypse is about to take place. A man (Benjamin Quirk) with a gun in his hand herds his so-called best friend (Anna Harris) into a secure area. The man is about to go and live with his partner in a much safer area.
Dogterrain: written by Honor Webster-Mannison
A couple of friends a parttime Clown (Anna Harris) and dog pound worker (Rachael Chamberlain) are in a building with high security that checks their every movement.
This not a collection of 15 minutes plays just thrown together. Each is a well-conceived idea, richly developed and then had a sprinkling of humour added. The quality of the dialogue is exceptional, with up-to-date references and an insight to how the younger gerneration think and behave.
The inventive directors, Tim Lorian and Megan Rundle have gathered an experienced cast, all of whom have a dry sense of humour with great delivery. To round off the writing and cast chemistry, Dramaturgist, Rupert Williamson has ensured the four plays blend together. There are hilarious moments and dark times, but no jarring links.
A very pleasant evening with quality entertainment.