Venue: The Genesian Theatre (Sydney NSW), Oct 18 – Nov 16, 2013
Playwright: Denise Deegan
Director: Mark Langham
Actors: Anna Hitchings, Amylea Griffin, Bianca Bradey, Laura Genders, Anita Donovan, Monica Smithers
Theatre review
Originally staged in the 1980s, Denise Deegan’s Daisy Pulls It Off is a modern parody of adventure stories from the early twentieth century about English boarding schools. With the passage of time, Genesian’s production has the difficult task of referencing those old adventures that have all but faded from our memories. On the bright side, director Mark Langham and his cast have crafted a crisp and well-rehearsed piece of light entertainment that accommodates audiences aged 8 to 80.
Amylea Griffin’s performance as Trixie Martin is by far most memorable. Her portrayal of an adorable and playful youngster is vibrant and extraordinarily effervescent. She brings a great sense of fun to the proceedings, and keeps the show lively whenever she appears. Laura Genders is one of the funnier actors in the show, who performs the postmodern elements of the comedy most effectively. She demonstrates that realism has very little place in Deegan’s writing, and it is in the madcap and absurd, that her humour is found.
Langham is very strong with his details in the construction of the play, and even though the laughs are not always riotous, Daisy Pulls It Off is filled with wonderment and good old-fashioned cheer, which are of course the hallmarks of the great Genesian Theatre.
Suzy Goes See 