An Illustrated Talk
British writer Nick Perry gives us a fairytale about royalty, fish, longing and transformation. The writing is snappy, the performances engaging and the illustrations provided by Barbara Boyce are beautifully done. The costumes are pretty good too. My pick of the evening.

Mission Unaccomplished
Jim's mates are throwing him a welcome home bash, but it quickly becomes apparent that he hasn't been on holiday. Mission Unaccomplished looks at the effects that a forced absence has on those left behind as well as the reluctant traveller. The topic is timely, the performances are done well, but overall it was a little flat.

No-One Punches The Mediator Anymore
He and She are engaged in an emotional boxing match, where various infidelities are used in attempted knockouts. The script by Jemma Nickels is interesting, but the overall performances were a little too deadpan to convey any sense of emotional turbulence.

Huntsmen
An amusing tale of a slightly wimpy son-in-law's attempt to impress his burly father-in-law with feats of bravery. This involves negotiating personal space with a large huntsman spider. The script has its moments, but being a confirmed arachnephobe myself, I just wasn't feeling the terror.

Call Me Comrade
Situations involving the clash of Communist and Capitalist ideals aren't exactly new, but this one was pretty funny. Professional Eurotrash Sergei has decided to sell Lenin's body to the highest bidder, and he's getting a few nibbles from American fast food companies. Dimitri, who still likes to be called Comrade, is appalled, yet manages to have the last laugh. A great script and spirited performances, complete with impressive accents.

Same Old Scene
This play attempts to convey the impact of a fatal car crash on all involved, but it falls short. I could see what they were trying to do by weaving back and forth between characters and events, but unfortunately the emotional impact suffered. By the end I was expecting a rapid voiceover to announce "AuthorisedByTheNSWGovernmentSydney".

For a Nun
This was an odd monologue about a nun's relationship with a troubled young woman. Jenny Tibbitts gives a very good performance with difficult material. The story about her character's terrible upbringing is all too believable. Unfortunately her interactions with the nun were less so. Sister Mary Margaret is an ethereal character who shows up unannounced whenever needed. Unfortunately the audience is given little insight into her character, meaning that there is a strange disconnected feeling in the story.

The Gravediggers
A nice little dialogue about life, the universe and everything between two gravediggers. Forced to dig with shovels instead of machinery (to give the graves a nice handmade touch), the two debate the pointlessness or otherwise of human activity. There are clever references to the role of the gravedigger in culture and philosophy, punctuated by a few loud and entertaining outbursts of disgust.

A Convenient Youth
A tale of Global Warming and Capitalist super-villains, with a young man striving to rescue his sweetheart and her formula to save the world. Whacky satire is the aim here, but it doesn't quite gel; the anachronisms are pointless and the comparison of Al Gore with an evangelical preacher doesn't hit the mark.

Date With a Samurai
What happens when sisters date Ninja/Samurai arch enemies? How high will the body count be when they meet the young ladies' parents? The idea behind this play is excellent, but its potential is not fully realised.