by Bonnie Collings
Warragul Theatre Company brought new life to Victorian classic "Charley's Aunt" on the weekend, enthralling audiences in a caper of romance, mistaken identity and unwilling engagements.
While many may have entered the theatre knowing little about the show, the hilarious nature of Victorian farce kept them laughing throughout the frivolous three acts.
"Charley's Aunt" follows the story of three young men who become tangled in an elaborate lie in the name of love.
Oxford students Jack Chesney, played by Andrew Smith and Charley Wykeham, played by Matthew Vale, want nothing but to propose to Kitty Verdun (Stephanie Kate Morgan) and Amy Spettigue (Taylah Bordonaro).
At the beginning of act one, the boys plan a luncheon under the supervision of Charley's millionaire aunt who is visiting from Brazil. But when she cancels at the last minute, they are forced to scramble for a solution.
The pair convince their champagne stealing friend, Lord Fancourt Babberly or "Babbs" (David Lamb), to dress up as Charley's Aunt so they have a chance to propose before the women are whisked away to Scotland.
When Charley's real aunt arrives with Babbs' true love in tow in act two, the ridiculousness ramps up. Culminating in an awkward dinner party, true identities are finally revealed in act three.
What began as a simple deception grows into an elaborate charade involving every character. Despite the antics, each lover is rewarded with their happy ending.
A standout feature of the show was the cast's portrayal if their characters. Each cast member mastered the personality, body language and facial expressions of their 1890s persona.
David Lamb captured the hearts of the audience with his hilarious physical comedy and skill at bouncing off his castmates. His juxtaposition of Babbs' clownish charm and the nervous, awkward nature of Charley's aunt, kept the audience laughing throughout the show. A favourite scene of many in the audience was the tea pouring at the end of act two. Feeling the pressure of trying to keep up his disguise, Babbs pours tea and milk into a hat instead of a tea cup.
The dedication of the cast to not break character during this scene while the audience burst into laughter was impressive.
While limited in some of their dialogue compared to the men, the show's leading ladies did an excellent job of showing their emotions and thoughts through their facial expressions and looks to each other. Stephanie Kate Morgan as Kitty showcased her determination to receive proposal from Jack by continuously using her left hand when gesturing or talking.
The set design and costuming in each act was immaculate. The furniture and background props in act one and three perfectly captured the era and the garden design of act two was beautiful.
Continuity of costume was well achieved in this show particularly through the colours of each female character. The coloured sashes the girls wore in acts one and two represented the colours of the evening dresses they wore in act three, with matching fans in hand.
The choice for the production crew to wear aprons and white shirts during the set change, instead of the traditional all black attire was a lovely touch, adding to the portrayal of 1890s wealth.
Overall, "Charley's Aunt" was an excellent and light hearted evening of laughs showcasing the talent of the local area. First time WTC director Kylie Sinclair did a terrific job exploring the crazy things we do for love, and the scrapes that we get into along the way.