Presented by Tea Tree Players
Reviewed 21 August 2024
Okay, let’s be honest straight away: most of us find nothing funnier than a man dressing up as a woman. From Panto Dames to jocks in frocks at the local footy club; on television from the 1980s sitcom Bosom Buddies (starring a very young Tom Hanks) to RuPaul’s Drag Race; on film from Some Like It Hot to The Birdcage; on stage in musicals such as La Cage Aux Folles and Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert. Earlier this year, Tea Tree Players tickled our fancy with the cross- dressing Charley’s Aunt and now fractures our funny bone with Simon Williams’ very hilarious Nobody’s Perfect.
Williams’ play is a comedy with heart, a touch of old-fashioned romance and a laugh almost every 30 seconds. The story concerns a statistician, Leonard Loftus, who has taken to writing romance novels and submitting them to a publishing company, “Love Is All Around”. The trouble is that the company only publishes works by females. So enters Myrtle Banbury (alias Leonard). Throw in Leonard’s very cluey teenage daughter and his lovably roguish father and you have a delightful diversion from all the problems of the world.
Nobody’s Perfect admittedly, but Tea Tree Players’ production, under Director Theresa Dolman’s knowledgeable hand, would more than please Mary Poppins – it is practically perfect in every way.
Dolman knows comedy and what works and what doesn’t, and certainly knows this play having played the hard-nosed publisher, Harriet, alongside yours truly as Leonard/Myrtle, back in the late 90s. She directs the show with an obvious love for it and a huge respect for what the Players’ regular audiences want – full on entertainment. There are certainly no comedy moments missed, but Dolman knows when to share tenderness and warmth with the audience, and these are also well handled. She is also responsible for designing the fantastic and very workable split set of Leonard’s house complete with his front door leading into the auditorium, and Harriet’s office.
Being only a cast of four, each and every one of them must bond as actors and involve the audience straight away from their first appearances. Dolman has chosen an excellent cast. All four work wonderfully individually and brilliantly together.
Resembling a somewhat perkier, happier version of Wednesday Addams, Charlie Klose is great as teenage daughter Dee Dee, showing love and frustration to her father in equal measures. This is their first Senior play with the Players’ having just moved from the Juniors. Hopefully we will see them in a lot more shows. Dee Dee’s “Grampy” and Leonard’s father Gus is played with wonderful elderly accuracy and gusto by Rick Mills. He has the audience howling with laughter just about every time he opens his mouth and his love for his son is manifested extremely well.
The always reliable Hayley Mitchell plays hard nosed, feminist publisher Harriet nicely but softens beautifully when needed. It’s so good to see her showing a different side of her excellent acting skills. There is not a lot to say about Gavin Cianci as Leonard/Myrtle except that he is dynamite!! His is a brilliant performance where he does not put a foot or high heel wrong. There is no expression or word, funny or heart felt, that doesn’t hit the right emotional spot. Trust me, this role is a tour de force for an actor, and Cianci hilariously tours with plenty of acting force.
I think it’s safe to say that this production of Nobody’s Perfect is one of the Players’ best that I have seen in a long time and with their usual high standards, that’s no easy call. Very well done, all!!
Reviewed by Brian Godfrey
Venue: Tea Tree Players Theatre
Season: Until 31 August 2024
Duration: Approx 2 hrs plus a 20 min interval
Tickets: $19 – $22
Bookings: https://teatreeplayers.com/
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