THEATRE REVIEW: GASP! Presented by the Black Swan Theatre Company

Shane | 6 November 2014 | Reply

THEATRE REVIEW: GASP! Presented by the Black Swan Theatre Company
25 Oct to 9 Nov, 2014 at the State Theatre Centre of WA, Perth
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar

The Black Swan Theatre Company have taken one of Ben Elton’s earliest plays, Gasp!, and – with the author’s help – given it a fresh lick of paint to update its relevance.

Now, Lockheart Mining realise that their aggressive policy of digging up Australia’s natural resources has led to the country itself running out. Put simply, there’s no more Australia to dig up. The billionaires who run the show need to find a replacement income stream – and fast!

3IC Phillip (Damon Lockwood), whilst pursuing the lovely object of his affections, the asthmatic Peggy (Lucy Goleby), stumbles upon a plan to harvest and sell the most basic resource of all – the air we breath.

Lockwood carries a lot of the weight here, and performs with talent and style, and a manic energy when necessary. He’s afforded great support from Steven Rooke, who plays the company 2IC yes man, demoted in favour of Phillip after his idea reaps billions, and the ruthless and amoral Kirsten, played by Caroline Brazier. It’s the Greg McNeill who steals most of his scenes though, playing Chifley Lockheart, clueless head of the company and pillager of the country.

The humour is VERY Ben Elton. The heavy handed and one-dimensional moral message is sprinkled with a little clever satire and the occasional bum joke, and as the show goes on, the message gets louder and the gags thinner on the ground.

That said, the cast do well with the material, squeezing it for every ounce of humour, and even get a bit of emotion welling up when the consequences of the abhorrent business plan become horrifically apparent.