THIS WEBSITE/BUSINESS/DOMAIN NAME IS FOR SALE. We will sell it with its sibling sites. Instant traffic and business model. See About Us Page to make Contact.

CASABLANCA
As presented by the Lux Radio Theatre in 1944
Directed by Sandra Harman
New Farm Nash Theatre
Merthyr Road Uniting Church
52 Merthyr Road, New Farm
Brisbane

FIRST I must confess to being a Casablanca tragic. I watch the movie almost every year at some time and know most pf Rick’s lines, so to go to see Nash’s production of the American Lux Theatre radio play based on the movie script seemed a natural thing to do.
It was then I discovered that I was not alone in my addiction – the hall was so full the company had to bring in steel chairs from the courtyard to fit in the late-comers.
So the production was a hit even before the first line was delivered.
The play, as they all did in the old days, ran for an hour, with a commercial break between two acts – and we even got the live commercials!
The cast was already on stage, big pretend studio microphones front and centre, chatting to each other, as they watched the “studio” audience assemble, There were nine of them, all dressed in black tie dinner suits or evening gowns – apart from Paul Careless who, as Rick got to wear a white tux and Nigel Munro-Wallace, who played Louis Renault the debonair crooked cop. Apparently because he was supposed to be a Frenchman he was allowed to wear a black polo-necked jumper.
Ce la Vie.
It was all part of the fun and he had a great time :”rounding up all the usual suspects”
Where the lead actors only had one role to play, most of the others switched from role to role and did it very well – especially Damien Danaher who had the glorious job of playing Sidney Greenstreet’s fez-headed Senor Ferari, the proprietor of The Blue Parrot, Rick Blaine’s night-time competition and the unctuous Franz Ugarte as played by Peter Lorre in the movie. He obviously had a ball and was one of the best of the night.
Paul Careless was a good laconic Rick Blaine and he delivered all the famous lines with panache.
Then we had Gary Kliger as the villainous nazi Major Strasser who had the strongest and most constant accent of the night, but he did sound a lot like Colonel Klink from the old TV show Hogan’s Heroes! Then there was Brian White, playing the stolid Paul Henreid role of resistance hero Victor Lazlo.
The best character interpretation of night though went to Barbara Thomas in the Ingrid Bergman role of Ilsa Lund. She never dropped out of character and maintained that quaint Bergman accent throughout.
Generally though the accents were a over the place with proper English and Aussie accents breaking out regularly according the pace of the dialogue, but it didn’t matter, the truth is all the actors got into the spirit of the piece and gave the audience what they wanted – good fun and a touch of nostalgia. Playing all th other roles from doomed immigrants to French policeman and a Hollywood reporter were Ruben Francis, Peter Webb and Jillian Rawlings.
But while the actors were strutting their stuff on stage just below them was the true star of the night – June Balfour who created all the sounds effects, from doors banging to fist fights and police sirens, with great gusto. She also held up the applause sign and stood in for pianist Sam as she played As Time Goes By and the rest of the theme music.
She was a busy bee and gave the audience a good chuckle throughout the evening.
It is recommended viewing, not for a great piece of acting art, but as a flash of enthusiastic fun in a sometimes dreary world.
The show runs until March 21. Adults $20, Concession $15, Members & children $12
Bookings: phone 3379 4775 or e-mail nashtheatre4 @bigpond.com
www.absolutetheatre.com.au

PHOTO9: Casablanca the radio show, the cast gather for curtain calls.