Farcical play premiers this Friday

TREADING the boards for the first time at the Engine Room stage on Friday night is Synchronicity’s comical and frequently absurd production of the play Leading Ladies.

The play is set inside a 1950s television studio and follows two flailing Shakespearean actors who decide to con a millionaire by posing as heirs Max and Steve, only to discover Max and Steve are actually Maxine and Stephanie.

The farce leads to many awkward moments and hilarious confrontations, made possible by an ensemble cast of eight local actors.

Jacob Amarant and Kody Austin play the lead roles of Leo Clarke and Jack Gable, donning dresses, wigs and brassieres as Maxine and Stephanie.

Austin said he was initially drawn to the idea of the material.

“I love big, loud comedies and farces, and the 1950s television show was a really interesting idea,” he said.

“To be able to be such a big character and do lots of physical performances as both Jack and Stephanie is such a wild ride.”

Director Ralph Shipard said he hopes to create an immersive experience for the audience.

“The Engine Room is quite a small space, the audience tends to get quite close to people,” he said.

“We’re going to try make it a very inclusive atmosphere, we want to make it a full thing where you walk in and it’s like you’re walking into the taping of a 1950s TV show.

“We’ll have projection on the screens with pre-recorded scenes in black and white, we’ll have some faux cameras, a stage manager escorting you to your seat, it’s the whole immersive experience when you walk in.”

Mr Shipard said he is proud of the efforts of the cast and crew to bring the characters and set to life.

“Every single person I couldn’t praise highly enough for what they’ve put in,” he said.

“Everyone’s got their clearly defined character, they’ve all put in a lot of effort on accents and a great deal of thought into the characters.”

Leading Ladies will run for seven sessions from Friday, 1 April until Saturday, 9 April. For tickets head to bit.ly/3NtStqg.