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Get Smart
Presented
by:
Dandenong Theatre Company
Date Reviewed:
19th April, 2008
Venue:
The Drum, Dandenong
Reviewer:
Julia Roper
Dandenong have the smarts to get it right
Trying to recreate a television classic on stage can be fraught with
danger. There are so many expectations to be met – especially from
die-hard fans. Every ‘i’ and ‘t’ must be dotted and crossed
respectively.
Fortunately for Dandenong Theatre Company and the cast of Get
Smart, director Matt Caton and his production team obviously did
enough research to ensure their production stayed true to the
original series starring Don Adams and Barbara Feldon as Agents 86
and 99.
The play’s plotline combines the first two episodes of the show that
aired in 1965: “Mr Big” and “Diplomat’s Daughter”. KAOS conspirator
Mr Big steals a deadly laser and threatens to destroy the Statue of
Liberty if his ransom of US$100 million isn’t met.
But instead of The Craw kidnapping random blondes from the Cramley
Hotel, including Sweden’s Princess Ingrid, the writers have taken
poetic licence and credited Mr Big with both crimes. This decision
has made the storytelling awkward in places and Matt should be
commended for succinct direction and keeping the pace
moving comfortably.
As the opening scene made a tight segue into the Get Smart
theme music, set designer Kym Davies gave the audience something to
smile about as Maxwell Smart entered CONTROL headquarters by walking
through a
familiar series of doors before finally descending into the bowels
of a telephone box – a very impressive
sequence that was supported well by lighting designer Marcus Pugh
and the backstage crew. The remainder of the set was simple yet
effective and special mention should be made of the entrance into
The Chief’s office, Mr Big’s ‘motorised’ chair, and the cone of
silence and shoe phone which were both made by Don Bergman.
The cast as a whole gave an admirable performance, although some
performers had difficulty maintaining their accents. Without
amplified sound to rely on, voice projection was sometimes forgotten
which compromised the storytelling. But these small failings were
outweighed by strong characterisation and slick comic timing.
Special mention should be made of Rhys Martin, whose interpretation
of Maxwell Smart encompassed all the subtleties we expect to see
from Don Adams – from vocal tone and inflection to physical
mannerisms and facial expressions. Congratulations Rhys.
From the moment she mysteriously appeared on stage, her eyes covered
by the wide brim of her hat, Claire Benne was a delight to watch as
Agent 99 – as were her numerous costumes (stunning outfits – well
done to costume designers Kym Davies and Laura Ireland). Claire’s 99
was true to Feldon’s original portrayal as she effortlessly
confirmed she is indeed the brains of the partnership as well as the
beauty.
Colin Morley brought the sinister Mr Big to life with ease and was
utterly convincing as an evil mastermind, while Joe Dias’ portrayal
of Garth had the audience in stitches every time he took the stage.
Other noteworthy performances included Darren Calder as the
frustrated Chief, John Pendergast as the whining Agent 44, and the
brainwashed Wong sisters played superbly by Imat Akelo-Opio,
Felicity Zanon and Natalie Burns.
Well done to all involved in this production. It was an enjoyable
experience from beginning to end.
Julia has been an on-stage performer for many years and has also
undertaken roles in vocal training and Musical Direction.
Drawing from a professional background in media, journalism,
marketing and events management, Julia made her debut as a Director
in 2006 and hasn’t looked back since!
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