FIRST nighters at the Bridgetown Theatre were treated to an evening of fun and laughter with the theatre’s latest production “My In-laws are Outlaws,” written by Devon Williamson.
“In-laws” is an amusing look into the workings of a thoroughly dysfunctional family as they try to reclaim their son after he walked away from them and married an “Outsider”.
Dane (Brian Baker) is going straight and has disowned his family, telling everyone they are all dead. He falls in love with the Librarian Annie (Vicki Tillman) and they get married. Both of them state that they are orphans.
After many years, Dane receives a letter from his mother, the Matriarch Audrey (Jenny Zimdahl), summoning him to call on the family with his wife.
They eventually arrive at the family home in the low part of town where Annie is insulted and treated very badly. They decide to leave and Audrey realises that she is losing the grip on her son, so she proposes that the family go off to the seaside with Dane to talk to him alone, leaving Annie to look after the house.
This is where the fun starts as Annie finds that a “Contract” has been put out on her to kill her off before the family returns.
Annie meets up with Russian hit woman Natalya (Brigid Truell), an Irish assassin and his apprentice, Finn and Donal, (Peter Chilvers and Darcy Dowling), as well as the 90 year old Italian legendary assassin Rosa Botticello (Kerry Tarbuck). Then the family returns to find…what?
A gun toting Grannie is played to the hilt by Christine Chilvers as she clashes with Desiree (Meegan Cullen) the daughter with a few personal problems, and guest appearances are made by two Ninjas as cleaners played by Billie Vanderspil and Max Curry.
Director Margie Korver has put together an excellent cast with some new and some veteran actors to make this story work. Each of them carries their characterization well.
On the first night some of the voices were a little quiet which made it a bit difficult to pick up the punch line, especially when the actors were using a foreign accent. This could have been first night nerves and no doubt will be got over as the play progresses through its season.
It is certainly a play worth seeing, with good humour punctuated with poignant moments throughout the performance.
The play continues on for three more performances August 22 and 23 at 8pm, and a matinee performance on Sunday August 24 at 2pm. Tickets are available from the Bridgetown Visitor’s Centre 9761 1740 or www.bridgetown.com.au.
