The Last Great Roadhouse in Paradise
Produced by Tamarama Rock Surfers

Cast: Not Confirmed

Written by: John Fraser

Publicist: Vaike Neeme

Australian Premiere: Old Fitzroy Theatre, Sydney. Tuesday, June 12, 2007.


The Lowdown:
Independent theatre production produced at the Old Fitzroy.


AussieTheatre.com Review:
Eccentric characters, bizarre behaviours, the sinister lure of the outback and a town called Paradise – if you are going to see Tamarama Rock Surfers’ latest offering, you just know things aren’t going to be what they seem. John AD Fraser’s first full-length play directed by Luke Cowling, The Last Great Roadhouse in Paradise, is a quirky set-up of elements which always go down well with Australian audiences. We love to see blatant stereotypes of the Aussie battler in the harsh elements. We love to witness them at their utmost insanity, starved of water and slowly, sense. We also love to laugh at the tragedy of it all, especially when at their wits end, the people from Paradise carry around rusty nails as ‘insurance policies.’

You see, Paradise is a lonely town. Very little happens and very little will happen – unless the residents take their future into their own hands. The events of the play centre around a sneaky tactic for luring passing tourists into the town and specifically into the roadhouse, run by Ivy and her teenage daughter Holly. Ivy, (Lyn Shakespeare) a staunch Christian and shrewd businesswoman, lives day to day with the same painted smile, spouting biblical verses in the face of doom. However with all her faith in above, she doesn’t rule out playing a hand in her own fate. Holly (Laura Pike) is her astrology-obsessed daughter, who uses words like cornucopia in her everyday speech yet cannot spell ‘sheep,’ and dreams of the exotic shores of Brisbane.

Indeed their only regular customer is the putrid, sleazy and utterly uproarious Ned, played by John McNeill. The problem is escaping from paradise is just as difficult as ordering from their set menu. If you venture anywhere near, expect to be feasted on like flies to roadkill. When American palaeontologist Cindy, played by Angela Hattersley, enters the picture all hell breaks loose. After colliding with a tree, she is even more disorientated when she comes around. Throw in some mysterious murders, more than a little peculiar deeds and Detective Davo (Andrew Bibby) arrives with a purpose, he just doesn’t quite know what he’s looking for.

The script has a great set up and potential for big laughs, however the jokes never really get off the ground. There are regular chuckles and some fantastic one-liners, though not nearly enough for such an off-the-wall idea. There is certainly a lot to like. Nick Arnold’s music is eerie and atmospheric, punctuated by electric guitars. Cowling’s set encapsulates the parched and empty expanse as well as the tacky tourist stamp on the land, through Aussie souvenirs. The performances are laudable, McNeill as Ned and Pike as daughter Holly are especially good. For such outlandish characters, they are surprisingly easy to accept. It is quite clear that the drought has addled their brains. Yet with such promise, the script simply doesn’t offer enough twists and turns. No real surprises are uncovered, at least not ones that I didn’t see coming.

Cowling’s direction seems to ignore the potential for the characters to explore their inner fears and explore their vulnerabilities. Apart from Hattersley’s Cindy who provides some moments of clarity and reality, the performances are constantly melodramatic and forced. Bibby’s performance as the wacky policeman is very funny, yet not sustaining for an audience. We want to see the moment at which they crack, at which they breakdown, at which they admit that their next hare-brained scheme may not work. In any case, there’s still something about the Australian outback, its people and their uncanny ability to survive against extreme odds that just makes you wonder…

Production Shots:



Further Information:
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