Managing Carmen by David Williamson. Directed by Denis Moore. HIT Productions. The Q. Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre. Tues-Sat, June 24-28 at 8pm. Matinees Thurs June 26 and Sat June 28 at 2pm.
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Deft, snappy, slightly surreal and ultimately compassionate, Managing Carmen could be seen as David Williamson’s return to the territory of his 1977 play The Club. Manager Rohan (Brandon Burke) is trying to fathom how to turn AFL star Brent (Jamieson Caldwell) into an even more commercial success than he is. But for some reason Brent does not cope well with being the presence in a TV ad. Hoping to free up his performance on screen Rohan brings in psychologist Jessica (Hannah Norris) to unearth the trouble and fix it.
Turns out it’s more than nerves. Brent is, in the privacy of his own lonely luxury apartment, a spectacular cross dresser. He’s not gay; he just likes dressing up. Rohan’s attempts to contain and manage this in traditional club style are complicated by the sleuthing of sleazy sports journalist Max (Trent Baker), the brassy independence of Brett’s token girlfriend Clara (Annie Last) and by Jessica's strong honesty.
Burke’s nervy Rohan, in horribly unstylish brown shoes, is a throwback to The Club but time and issues have moved on and he is unprepared for Brent’s secret. Norris as the ‘girlfriend’ brought in to provide a respectable cover turns out to be a splendid ally for Brent and a lover of high fashion to boot. Last as Clara gently probes Brent until he reveals the reasons for his situation.
Baker’s Max is also a Club throwback and a dinosaur and the character stays pretty static but there’s a deal of fun in his duels with Rohan as he tries to get Brent’s story and Rohan tries to feed him publicity rubbish.
But it’s the ultimate dignity of Caldwell’s Brent that leads the piece. There’s certainly some broad comedy in the role but the performance and the writing moves the character somewhat beyond the stereotypical footballer he could have been.
Denis Moore’s brisk direction, Shaun Gurton’s economical set and Jason Bovaird’s often cunning lighting make sure that transitions are brisk.
There are long theatrical traditions of cross dressing and gender confusion. The play toys with such elements but ultimately goes somewhat beyond laughs.
The cast revel in the chance to play these characters and the conflicts that ensue. Brent’s ‘secret’ and the ‘managing’ of it becomes more than simple comedy. How this all develops should stay something of a surprise.
