Presented by Red Phoenix Theatre
Reviewed 25 February 2020
If Michael Eustice ever gives up theatre, he could make a good living as a salesman. His portrayal of Hank in The King is great. He sold the audience a large slice of comedy. This very amusing play by Jimmy Lyons is ostensibly about a very big grill (barbeque) but really about selling masculinity by convincing a man that his manhood is in question. Lyons’s script is confrontingly funny, insults and jibes as sales technique, but frighteningly real.
As the hapless customer, Roger, who only came to look, Nigel Tripodi is pummelled by the sales pitch and convincingly gives in to Hank’s sneers and taunts despite his fear of his wife’s reaction. When he gets the grill home to Melissa (the wife played by Sharon Malujlo) Roger has to face more insults and denigration leading to an argument with interesting outcomes. Both Tripodi and Malujlo handle the interesting dialogue well.
The play opens with a ditty or ode to the barbeque sung by Pat Wilson with a further tune sung by Adrian Barnes, both add to the tongue in cheek irreverence. Besides loaning his voice Barnes directed this new work on a simple set leaving the visual comedy to enhance the script. This politically incorrect production hits the right mark for a Fringe show and is well worth a visit.
Reviewed by Fran Edwards
Twitter: @franeds
Rating out of 5: 4.5
Venue: The Arch, Holden Street Theatres
Season: 25 Feb – 15 Mar 2020
Duration: 50 mins
Tickets: $15-$25
Bookings: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/the-king-af2020
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