Melbourne Reviews

Having been written and rewritten for nearly 6 years now, An Actor Prepares is a polished performance that deserves focus and thought. The piece opens with strong emotion from playwright James Adler, clearly passionate to share his story. And although never described as auto-biographical, the stories he shares are told with such longing, such identification that one feels in an instant his strong connection with the subject matter.

Performers, Adler and composer Nela Trifkovic are strong in their musical ability and have composed a brilliant repertoire of compelling music that drives the show. Shifting between an interesting, yet slightly confusing narrative, they are seamless in their transition of characters and strong use of the space. Both are committed and prove engaging as they aptly portray how consequences of a damaged life can impact on an individual, provoking thought about the actions another could or should take.

The piece worked well on the performance stage at the Lentil as Anything restaurant, however the distractions of the outside environment weighed heavily on the show. In the quieter moments, my focus was lost due to the clanking of kitchen pots and scraping of plates and the intense energy built up between the performers was hard to recover. Despite this, the use of the restaurant as a whole was inventive and with never a dull moment, they certainly used the space to its full advantage.

This was an insightful piece, with two talented performers and musicians at the realm. After performing together for a number of years now, the strong relationship between the performers and the narrative is clear and makes for a touching and convincing performance.


Eagle's Nest Theatre presents
An Actor Prepares

Lentil As Anything, Abbottsford Convent
25, 26 Sept, 2,3,9,10, Oct. (all shows start at 8pm)

The Butterfly Club
27, 28 Sept, 4, 5, 11, 12 Oct. (Saturdays at 5pm, Sundays at 4pm)

Tix: $18 full price / $ 14 concession and groups of 5 and more.
Fringe booking line: 9660 9666