In 2015, under the instigation of then-President Andrew Brookes (OM 1974), The Old Melburnians presented their first play. Since then, with the exception of a two-year break through the Covid-19 epidemic, a play has been presented annually.
This year, the play presented was The Great Sebastians, an American melodramatic comedy in three acts by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.
Performances were in the Old Melburnians War Memorial Hall and there were 17 actors in the cast, consisting of nine Old Melburnians, and eight friends.
The Old Melburnians in the cast this year were Nicholas Bird (OM 2005), Geoff Wilhelm (OM 1994), Christian Gronow (OM 2016), Jack Straker (OM 2022), Haydn Berry (OM 2015), Scott Stuckey (OM 1983), Mark Williams (OM 1976) and Mark Robins (OM 1980).
About the play
The play was set in 1948 Prague, Czechoslovakia, at the time of the communist takeover of the country. The Great Sebastians are a husband and wife fake mind-reading act playing at the Variety Theatre who accidentally convince a Communist General that they can read minds. They get caught up in the unsettled time of political suspicion and distrust, and only by the quick use of their wits do they manage to escape from the very dangerous situation in which they find themselves.
Written in the 1950s, the play is in three-acts, with the curtain going up at 7.30pm and coming down at 10.00pm. The leading roles of the Sebastians were played by Mark Robins (Rudi) and Bronwyn Williams (Essie). These were very large roles as the whole structure of the play rested on their shoulders and they were only off the stage for about ten minutes. But the challenge did not faze them and they gave sparkling performances, playing off each other skillfully with rapid-fire dialogue. Scott Stuckey played the General who, being convinced there is a disloyal member of the Party among his associates, arranges for the Sebastians to come to his house at a time he is having a supper party for these associates.
The role of the Political Commissar placed incognito in the General’s army staff and unveiled at the end of Act Two was given to Mark Williams. These two solid actors played against each other well and together gave strong authority figures for Rudi and Essie to fight against.
The guests at the General’s party were eight in number and were played by Amanda Morgan, Don Blasingame, Geoff Wilhelm, Anita Kwong, Jack Straker, Kate Anderson, Urska Sabec and Christian Gronow. It was with these characters that the playwrights had a little fun at the expense of the communists of 1948 as they each represented a different facet of persons in power (the intellectual, the factory worker now in charge, those nervous of change). The actors conveyed these different characters well, as they did their reactions when Nicholas Bird as the Party Authority, Bacilek, stormed in and broke up the gathering with the news of Jan Masaryk’s “suicide”. Nicholas’ strong voice and delivery suited his character.
Amanda Morgan was given a second role as the representative of the Cultural Action Committee – this role of a communist bully being totally opposite to her role as a slightly dizzy party guest. She contrasted well with David Harrington, cleverly playing the very nervous theatre manager.
Peter Newbury, Haydn Berry and Hugo Rogers completed the cast of communist soldiers.
Behind the scenes
Costumes suited the characters, especially the glittering theatrical costumes worn by Bronwyn Williams as Essie. The tunics for the soldiers were appropriate, although I did smile at the epaulettes on the General’s shoulders.
Gerry McShane deserves sincere thanks for the scenery and Haydn Berry shouldered the responsibility of Props Manager.
Simon Kennedy (OM 2006) designed the lighting and his crew consisted of Will Donohoe (OM 2012), Marcus Cave (OM 2019), James Salamy (OM 2012) and Mark Salamy (OM 2016). The sound effects were designed by Jonathan Dunlop (OM 2019).
Rosemary Wickett was the Front of House Manager. Andrew Brookes was the Producer and Stage Manager for the play.
This was a production that was happily received by the audiences, demonstrated by their generous applause. I may be a little biased in this report of the 2024 play by The Old Melburnians (if so, I beg your forgiveness) as I was the director.
Old Melburnians interested in joining the Old Melburnians Theatrical Society, please contact me on [email protected]
Richard Burman (OM 1955)
President, The Old Melburnians Dramatic Society
