On the Thursday the 1st November I attended a performance in the premiere season of Australian playwright David Williamson's new comedy for The Queensland Theatre Company 'Managing Carmen' at the Playhouse QPAC. Since receiving a standing ovation at the first preview evening (the first ever at a preview claimed David Williamson) this play has been universally praised with glowing reviews from critics and audiences alike.
Starting with the premise that 23 year old football hero Brent Lyall with the beautiful girlfriend, two Brownlow Medals and captain of one of the most powerful football clubs in Australia has a secret. He likes to wear a dress.
The evening began with loud laughter and continued that way for the next two hours. Tim Dashwood as the handsome football star looked fabulous in a dress and had the legs to impress anyone. His manager played by John Batchelor was a brilliant fool. All in all the cast were fantastic and the quick lines of Williamson were delivered at times frenetically on the revolving set with scenes as short as a few seconds. It was brilliant how the play went with great pace from one scene to another so seamlessly in this inspired set and under the insightful direction of the QTC Artistic director Wesley Enoch. I met some people who were returning again to experience this wild ride. A play about tolerance and a happy ending is a great night out. We were also doubly rewarded by a lively Q and A with the director and all 5 cast members on stage after the show while two thirds of the audience stayed for an extra half hour getting to know some background for the show and their experiences. It was fun to find out how to jump on a revolving stage in high stilettos when you are a boy in a dress.
70 year old David Williamson has been writing some of the most successful plays in Australia for over 40 years. Around 44 plays and 23 screenplays and teleplays in all. He has received dozens of awards and honours. Over the years I have been to several premiers of his new works and they are almost guaranteed of being wonderful nights out.
