Wayne Tunks is back. And he's still happy. Happy to be writing about his fave subject: relationships 101. More happily still, Someday Suddenly works for me. Not a masterpiece. Not without flaws. But easily worthy of a Hollywood reading, starring Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock. Billed as a multicultural romantic comedy, its focus, to take a racial tally, is on two Asians, an Indian, a Greek, a Jew and an Aussie. Predictably enough, they walk into a bar ('what is this, some kinda joke?!')
Filling the roles are a robust cast: the impossibly versatile Dr. Renee Lim, as Elle Wong, the proprietress; Ray Chong 'Giddy Goanna' Nee, as Ravi, the gay Indian barman; the accomplished Louise Fischer (erstwhile artistic director of New Theatre), as the who-knew Mrs Wong; the gutsy Barbara Gouskos, as savyy, cynical Greek bar manager, Roula; Cat Martin, as consummate Brit, Susana; Shingo Usami, as Adam, schoolboy peer and romantic interest of Elle. And, of course, WT himself, as Michael Goldman, the archetypal good Jewish boy.
Tunks & Lim have shared the role of producer, too, with veteran Helen Tonkin at the helm, as director.
It would be folly to pretend Tunks' plays aren't, in some measure, formulaic. This isn't so much a criticism as it might seem, despite the generally pejorative usage of the word. Nor a criticism singular to Tunks (some might say Williamson, for example, has a certain stylistic uniformity). Indeed, this constancy is probably reassuring to his audiences, who come, I think, to be gently amused & occasionally touched. Tunks has the franchise on both. Just when you think things are getting just a little bit too silly, or a Keystone Kops, all-in rumble goes on a bit too long (if it was necessary in the first place), Tunks will surprise, with a deftly-wrought line (like 'bitter? yes, please! with a side order of jaded'); send himself up, by pushing a melodramatic moment into Bold & Beautiful parody; or hold your attention, with a true-to-life, heart-rending encounter. The last stems from his largely unequalled capacity for human relational observation.
This time 'round, Tunks seems to have curbed his worst excesses and taken more time over script and character development. This is a well-constructed play, neither too short nor too long, and which employs a couple of clever devices: firstly, each character has a turn at stand-up, delivering self-mocking jokes; secondly, a 'freeze-frame' technique is used, in order to allow private, true confessions, with the audience 'let in' to the inner life of individual characters.
There are one or two questionable lines (even given no allegiance to political correctness) and the Jewish character isn't so very well-researched, but who can resist Tunks, as Michael, appearing, post breakup, wearing 'Doh!' pj pants, a Mr Happy top, crying into his litre of gourmet icecream? Or the bitchslapshctick standoff 'tween Roula and Susana? Or the 'cunnilingual' comedy of Adam, buried beneath a blanket, attending to Susana, while she watches the gripping conclusion of a cop show? All great ideas, very well-executed.
And this is, I think, without a shadow of a doubt, the best and most compatible cast Tunks (Lim, & Tonkin) have yet assembled. Lim is the centrepiece, with all the action finally pivoting around her rediscovered, rekindled affection for Adam. (This is where Grant and Bullock, with a bit of multicultural tinkering would shoehorn.) Lim's vitality, charisma and range ensure her believability, as the successful proprietress, about to settle for a safe, relaxed and comfortable lovelife, before Adam re-enters and upsets her emotional applecart. Chong Nee's exceptional exuberance is irresistible. Fischer's broadly-accented, invincible Aussie mum is a masterpiece of caricature. Gouskos builds a knowing into her character, while walking a knife-edge between toughness and vulnerability, all of which is generous testimony to her obviously ample capacity for finely-judged reading & performance. Martin is delightful, as the ditzy, deluded and dangerous Anglo, as comically competent as one could hope for. Usami, while stumbling a little and marked-down, in my mental notes, for the odd failure of elocution, nonetheless portrayed depth and complexity of character very successfully.
The biggest and most delightful surprise is the finale, which I wouldn't dare spoil for you. Suffice to say, it's colourful and, on a small scale, spectacular. And leaves a lingering grin, which should see you through the traffic home, without any submission to road rage. Heinz Schweers is to be congratulated on the musical composition. And who can resist Dusty's big love ballads, which sew scenes together.
Special mention, too, for lighting director, Larry Kelly, for enabling the effectiveness of the aforementioned dramatic devices.
Plus, you'll freshen-up your arsenal of racial jokes for your next pasta-'n'-plonk party.
Tunks is poised for the breakthrough, runaway, mainstream success he clearly craves and covets. This could be the very vehicle, having been responsive, rather than reactive, it appears, to criticism and reined-in his megolomaniacal tendency, which saw him writing, producing and directing everything he did. He's investing more in the core & what really counts, above all: script & characters; suppressing, at least somewhat, an appetite for trademark, signature motifs and on-stage hysteria. He seems to have moved into a much more honed and mature phase of his career, less focussed on being prolific and, while in no danger of being accused (yet) of profundity, his new work does build on his known facility for heart, sensitivity and even soul. Qualitatively, Wayne Tunks has come out of the rundown, backblock community theatre and entered the main auditorium. And he's looking pretty svelte, to boot.
Someday Suddenly
by Wayne Tunks
Venue: Sidetrack Theatre 142 Addison Rd Marrickville
Dates/Times: 1-18 July Tues-Sat 8pm
Tickets: $30 / $25 conc / $23 group 8+ / Cheap Tix Tues $15 / Student Weds $10
Bookings: 9550 3666 or on-line www.sidetrack.com.au
