This double bill Quiet Companions and The Bryce is Right was at the New Theatre just for a few nights, 25 - 28 August.
It was a very enjoyable Saturday night at the theatre. Both were very different from each other making it a good double bill. The first Quiet Companions starred Lyn Pierse and Marko Mustac. Set in a Victorian Salon the two characters find themselves stood up by their friends, so decide to embark on their own parlor games. These were based on many impro games and were very funny. The awkwardness between the two is very apparent and as the games progress the innocent flirting begins and ends with the revelation of a dark secret. Lyn Pierse was superb, she didn't need to speak, her face said it all. The only thing that I thought let this play down was the end, it just didn't make sense and really didn't fit with the lightheartedness of the rest of the play. The performance was enhanced by some impro music from Bryce.
The Bryce is Right, is Bryce Halliday debut as a one man show. Bryce is very talented not long out of University where he studied music and in particular Musical Theatre. He is heavily involved in Impro Australia and has provided the music for many of their Theatresports championships. His one man show was a musical journey through things that are wrong, according to Bryce! The show contained music, jokes, storytelling and more. It was a brave move by Bryce and he obviously felt more comfortable behind the piano. The electronic techniques were clever and I didn't even realise possible. Bryce is one to watch, even though this show, in my opinion still needs a bit of spit and polish, he has a long career ahead of him and I can't wait to see where he is going to take it.
