Sydneysiders were in for a treat this past weekend, 17- 18 November, as three Short + Sweet plays by local playwright Adam Szudrich returned to our shores for two sold-out nights after touring the global festival circuit while winning awards and acclaim from Hollywood, London, Dubai to Manila.
“One Night Stan”
This sassy and punchy play’s tempo kept you on your toes and in suspense as you heard the love story told by three very different heroines about the mysterious “Stan” all at the same time. It’s amazing how well defined each character is considering the constraints of 10 mins to tell the tale from start to end.
Highly relatable as the subject matter is love in the 21st century, a world full of Tinder, RSVP and even LinkedIn – yes, each lady met “let’s call him Stan” in this manner.
Cheeky yet unexpected, ‘One Night Stan’ has been warmly welcomed by everyone. It even won the audience favourite award at the Short + Sweet Festival in Hollywood and then in Manila.
“Slow Dating”
This play should come with the warning to bring your tissues if you are a softy. Acclaimed New Zealand actress Julie Collis reprises her award-winning role as Esther, taking you out of your comfort zone as you experience speed dating for a more mature age bracket.
Expect to laugh out loud at some of her encounters with a variety of dapper and not so dapper gentlemen as the taxi drives through only green lights. Her performance is outstanding, transporting you to another time, another era, of love and romance.
“Slow Dating” has won 7 awards and been selected for 13 international festivals, performing to sold audiences from London to ‘Off Broadway.’
“Bachelor Gal”
Presented by Tiger Cub Media, this last play fuses cabaret with a live swing band, as the songs reveal the heroine’s vulnerability, a side she prefers to hide with sarcasm and wine. Ellen aka Leanne Smith is bold, brassy, a force to reckon with. However, on the eve of her 40th birthday, she is caught between the old relationship she’s too broken to let go of and the new relationship she’s too self-destructive to start.
Inspired by the swipe left or the right world we live in, ‘Bachelor Gal’ is a story that resonates as it examines love, loss and spandex pants in a very frank manner.
Phillip John’s expert direction brings out the best in a raw, honest comedic performance by the ever talented Leanne Smith.
Written by Adam Szudrich and Directed by Phillip John, the music was composed by the talented duo (Phillip John even playing lead guitar) with the music spanning genres from the 70’s, 80’s to present. In fact, over 70 original songs were written for this cabaret with only 6 being used to convey the emotional journey that is Ellen.
‘Bachelor Gal’ is the latest creative project by the humble Australian writer Adam Szudrich – I am sure it will gain as much acclaim as his previous short plays if not more as it reflects not only his ability to get into the female psyche in such a delicate manner, withstanding one’s age/generation but also his ability to create such real characters, with perfectly matched actors, all under 10 minutes. Szudrich’s versatility, sense of pace and distinct humour will have you lining up for his next foray, wherever it is in the world. Applause, please!
