Taking place in Venue on 8 March, NUTS member, Ben Stoddart’s ‘Next Please!’ was a sell-out performance. Stoddart did an excellent job of writing and directing the crazy, yet amusing play, transforming it from the beginnings of dialogue, to a complete show in just 9 months!
Stoddart did an excellent job of writing and directing the crazy, yet amusing play
The play began with us being first introduced to character, Eleanor, played by Caitlin Willis. Stressed and overburdened, Eleanor was an assistant producer, tasked with finding actors to audition for the lead role in an upcoming movie for director, Damien (Conrad Klappholz). We then follow the ups and downs of each actor who tries out for the role in the movie. Willis produced an excellent performance, perfectly portraying the frantic impulsive thoughts and strained monologue Eleanor has with herself. Her prop of an inhaler really added to the presentation of Eleanor’s delirious demeanour.
We then meet a series of characters through a set of phone calls, in which only each actor’s silhouette and body movements were visible. Idina, played by Tehya Sutton, was the embodiment of the ‘musical-theatre kid’ trope, incorporating song lyrics into most of her lines, and breaking out into dramatics at every opportunity. I truly felt like I was trapped in a room with an annoying musical-obsessed person, yet Sutton’s performance was to be admired, as she kept the audience gripped through her vocals and expressive body language. Next, and keeping in line with tropes, characters Chloe and Zoe (Lola Johnston and Cecelia Jennings), played two crystal-loving “besties”, who refused to let negative energy enter their space, or misalign their chakras. Johnston and Jennings produced great performances, effectively showcasing the relatability of their characters to the gen-z audience members, who knowledgeably giggled during their scenes of intense manifestation and crystal-exchanging. Isaac Stomper and Amalia Hay played Tom Cruise and Tom Cruise’s Assistant. Both Stomper and Hay earned their fair share of laughter, with the assistant “getting paid too much to care” and Tom Cruise’s adamance to only refer to himself in the third person, as Tom Cruise. Stomper masterfully created the persona of arrogant, American movie star, which gained many laughs from the audience.
Sutton’s performance was to be admired, as she kept the audience gripped through her vocals and expressive body language
As the play developed, we saw Anna (Kathryn Rasmussen Arda) and Jamie (Maxime Levasseur) form a friendship; Anna played a cynical yet supportive friend to Jamie, who needed encouragement to continue her acting career, especially when faced by movie director, Damien. Damien was portrayed as rude and manipulative to each of the auditioning characters, however, Jamie and his daughter Chelsea (Jazmin Anderson-Smith) particularly saw the brunt of his cold anger. Both Klappholz and Anderson-Smith effectively produced the tense, disjointed family dynamic between their characters.
Each of the actors in Stoddart’s play magnificently showcased their talents, by keeping the audience absorbed and laughing throughout. The backstage crew and technicians also did an excellent job at creating a smooth-running show, which was up to professional standards.
You can watch NUTS’ next shows on the 23rd and 24th March at Northern Stage!