Felicity’s Score: 3/5 pantaloons
The Underpants at the Seymour Centre positions itself as a rambunctious comedy from the genius of Steve Martin, and Anthony Gooley (director) has certainly had a lot of fun with the show. The Underpants may not have the stamina required for the 90 minutes of farce, but there’s no shortage of laughs.
Louise Mask (Gabrielle Scawthorn) has provided the ultimate betrayal to her overtly mechanical and traditional (see: misogynistic) husband Theo Maske (Duncan Fellows) just moments before their one year anniversary; she has accidentally let her underpants fall to her ankles in view of plenty of people at a royal parade. Louise must then navigate unwanted admirers forcing themselves into her life by way of trying to rent a room in her home, namely a poet Frank Versati (Ben Gerrard) and a sickly barber Benjamin Cohen (Robin Goldsworthy). With a nosey neighbour Gertrude (Beth Daly) and an overly formal potential renter Klinglehoff (Tony Taylor) rushing in and out, it would seem Louise has no chance to break free from the drudgery of her marital bonds and pursue a love affair with the poet. Is all of this attention a devastating destruction of her neatly packaged life, or the spotlight she’s so desperately craved? Theo is embarrassed, Frank is in love, Benjamin is protective, and Gertrude is listening from upstairs.
The amalgamation of characters allows for plenty of giggles amongst hilariously unlikely and ridiculous situations – the foundation of the farce being in the very event causing the show; a drop of underpants. Fellows, Daly and Scawthorn create a strong comedic baseline upon which the others play around and build on. However, I find the energy throughout not quite captivating enough, or the direction not quite outrageous enough, to retain the delighted amusement so famously earned from farcical shows. There are moments scattered in which the script surprises with lines so audacious that you can’t help but laugh, but often the energy becomes dissipated. The initial scene involving Beth Daly provides the strongest moments of the show, she brings joyful buffoonery to her character Gertrude. Scawthorn is a delight as she remains detailed and earnest as the often perplexed Louise.
A night that bemuses and entertains.
Felicity Anderson, Theatre Now
30 Oct – 14 Nov 2019
Venue: Seymour Centre: Reginald Theatre
Theatre Company: Sugary Rum Productions
Duration: Approximately 80 mins (no interval)
Ticket Prices:
Full $49
Concession $43
Under 30 $43
Cheap Tuesday/Previews $40
Groups 8+ $40
plus booking fee
Tue – Sat 7:30pm
Sat 2pm
By Steve Martin
The Oscar-winning comic actor, Steve Martin, delivers a wild satire adapted from the classic German play about Louise and Theo Maske, a couple whose conservative existence is shattered when Louise’s bloomers fall down in public while watching the King’s parade. Leo flies into a panic thinking the incident will cost him his job as a government clerk. Louise’s momentary display does not result in the feared scandal but it does attract two infatuated men, each of whom wants to rent the spare room in the Maskes’s home.
This laugh-out-loud funny play is ripe with joy, humour, colour, irreverence and innocence. And hey…we can always use some more of that.
