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BULLSHOT CRUMMOND OPUS Performing Arts Community Hopgood Theatre Until 5 Oct 2009

Review by Brian Godfrey

“” is a Footlights Revue style send-up of those wonderful old black and white serial thrillers of the 1930’s and 40’s: The Saint, The Falcon, (hence the title of the play), etc: where the hero was terribly, terribly British; the villain extremely obvious and usually German (or at least something horribly, horribly foreign) and the heroine was usually screaming, swooning or both.

The trouble with “spoofing” something is that the source material must be familiar to the actors and in particular the directors. As well-meaning as directors Sean Flierl and Tom Bayford seem to be, they are apparently both too young to know the attitudes and styles that the play is sending up - evidenced by the programme notes, where one of the directors refers to the play as a melodrama - incorrect: it is indeed a send-up, spoof or even good natured “dig”.

The whole production needs to be more clipped in diction, more precise in movement, slicker in the special effects area and more over-the-top (sillier, not more stupid). Using a mainly young cast does not help the situation a great deal either - again, most of them would probably not have a background of the genre they are meant to be making fun of.

However, one actor who demonstrates a flair for this style of comedy is Paul Trueack (Count Otto von Bruno, Salvatore Scalicio and Kwang Lee). With all of his characters hitting the mark in both characterisation and accent, the majority of other cast members would do well to emulate him.

As Crummond himself, Thorin Cupit is 99% there - he just needs to be a little stiffer in his upper lip. Asleigh Rathjan is quite “spiffing” as Miss Rosemary Fenton, only needing to slow her dialogue a tad and be a little more “jolly hockey sticks”.

As villainous femme fatale Lenya von Bruno, Hannah Cossutta needs to project more and ooze seduction a lot more; while Angus Robson, as a multitude of characters, needs to define each and every one of them far more - strange squeaky, wobbly voices are not enough to delineate multiple persona.

Overall, Flierl and Bayford should not be discouraged. This reviewer has seen both of them on stage and was very impressed with their obvious talents. Keep directing guys! Next time you just need to pick something more familiar to yourselves. As valiant an effort as the production was; unfortunately this “Bullshot” was more “shot” than “bull”.