Theatre
Tours International Incorporating Guy Masterson Productions present
six shows at this years Fringe Festival of which Reasonable Doubt is
the first I am getting to see. What first attracted me to anything
associated with Guy Masterson I just can't remember but I do know
anything he is vaguely associated with is Quality and that by going
to see it you will be viewing a superb show.
In
Reasonable Doubt we meet Anna (Emma Jackson) and Mitchell (Peter
Phelps) having met two years ago as jury members in a murder trial,
which ended with no majority decision. Hearing news of a retrial
Anna plans a reunion of all the original jurors who had spent time
together in a downtown hotel never dreaming she would end up back
in, all be it one of the plushest, a hotel room in Sydney with
Mitchell. She has had an obsession with him since their first day in
the courtroom and despite her guilty vote and his not guilty they
seemed to form some sacred link.
We hear about the actions and reactions caused by their first
meeting "justice, truth guilt, honour and courage must now be
faced by both of them". Has this unspoken love between them
shaped their lives in such a way the possible consequences could
destroy them?
Every
successful theatrical production has certain requirements, a
well-written script, sympathetic yet exacting direction and talented performers. Sets
lighting, props, sound technicians etc are also important but
without the basic backbones the rest is wasted.
Written
by Susie Miller this piece of theatre was so fascinating I was
almost straining every sense incase I missed the slightest nuance.
Guy's directions so natural paying attention to the tiniest detail
it would seem the two superb performers are not acting but reliving
some hours of their own lives over each day.
Finally
this superb piece of theatre left me wanting to stand up at the end
and scream "No you can’t leave it there!" but actually
an alternative ending just wouldn’t be as effective.
*****
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