Left & Cover - Sophie Kelly. Photos - Mark MicallefA stainless steel kitchen bench that is almost over-populated with ingredients and utensils, a wall garnished with ladles, knives, spatulas and herbs. Finally one fridge decorated with magnets, notes and which imminently explodes open to reveal our gracious host, Miriam (Sophie Kelly), inside. One North Sydney mansion, one husband/real estate tycoon feeling the brunt of the GFC (aka Garry), twelve ‘Aesiaan’ potential clients coming for dinner, forty five minutes to prepare, a five course meal, no cooking experience per se but a whole lot of enthusiasm backed by delusion. The stage is set.
Miriam is a doll; all pink outfits, peroxide, red red lips and Malcom Turbull aprons. Kelly clearly has a lot of fun in the role and keeps the show remarkably fresh given that she’s been touring it since 2006. As the sole performer in the show Kelly has plenty of room to improvise and her complete understanding of the limits of Miriam (few as they are) allows her room to move and even flourish when things don’t necessarily go according to plan, in addition to this Kelly and co-writer/director Tessa King have updated the dialogue of the play to comment on current affairs which keeps the satire edgy.
While Miriam and the Monkfish could easily be overlooked as a pastiche of celebrity chef culture it’s the satire in the writing, along with Kelly’s energetic performance, that carries the show beyond this. What Sacha Baron Cohen did to conservative American culture with Borat, Miriam does to the conservative upper classes of Australia. My only concern being that at the Old Fitz Theatre she is most likely preaching to the converted (ifyouknowwhatImean).
That said as part of the Old Fitz’s ‘Late Sessions’ this is a great piece of theatre to catch after dinner and/or before a night on the town. Miriam and the Monkfish is light-hearted, non-PC humour, garnished with a highly animated, bordering on slap-stick performance which is served on a bed of witty satire. Lots of fun, reasonably priced and mmmmmmm tasty; the show... not Miriam’s Monkfish.
Tamarama Rock Surfers proudly presents
Miriam and the Monkfish
by Sophie Kelly and Tessa King
Director Tessa King
Venue: Cnr Cathedral St and Dowling St Woolloomooloo
Dates: 7 June – 26 June 2009
Times: Thursday – Saturday 9.30pm, Sunday & Monday 8pm
Tickets: Full $17; Concession $13; Beer, laksa and show $25
Bookings: www.rocksurfers.org or 1300 438 849
