Anywhere Theatre Festival: Get Lucky

The fun thing about the Anywhere Theatre Festival is that you just don’t know where you are going to end up. It’s like a treasure hunt and the gold at the end is a unique theatrical experience and a great night out.

Tonight my GPS and I ended up at a garage adjoining an industrial building in Donkin St, West End. Seated outside looking in, the garage was transformed into a living room, gym, and nite club with the re-arrangement of a few chairs, tables, and draped cloth. A makeshift marquee above the audience protected them from the wet weather. The seating was tight but comfortable enough, with cushions provided.

Brien has a problem. He finds it hard to get … well … hard. After his girlfriend dumps him due to his ‘dick anxiety’, Brien will do anything to find the solution. However, Brien suspects it has more to do with chemistry than anatomy.

Matthew Peacock (pardon the pun), is well cast as Brien who the audience both laughs at, and sympathises with, in his quest for his own special girl. His gym buddy Greene (played by co-creator Edwin Zigterman) offers a sneak peak into the locker-room banter about secret men’s business, while crude Danny (James Adams) tries to teach Brien about dirty men’s business by taking him to a nightclub to pick up. The problem is Danny doesn’t seem to know the difference between pulling a chick and molesting one.

There is a ray of hope when Danny meets psychology student Elizabeth (Tara Jade). Gorgeous and smart, Jade plays the role with a vulnerable strength. All the other female characters, including Brien’s ex-girlfriend and various nightclub patrons, were played by Samantha O’Connor. Each of O’Connor’s characterisations was distinctive, well drawn and enjoyable to watch, the dance fiend being the favourite. Rounding out the cast was Adam Berridge as David, playing the bar tender Brien meets only briefly.

Director Brendan Glanville created a fully satisfying performance, with moments of empathy and depth amidst the constant laughs.

It was so enjoyable that I was surprised when it suddenly ended, and I’m not the only one. Not because things had gone unsaid, but because it was so much fun that we would have gladly sat through more. At sixty minutes, the play definitely has legs for a longer run.

Although the show is noted as 18+ in the promo material, it probably should also be accompanied with an offensive language warning. The C-bomb was used liberally by one of the characters (who was a bit of a C himself). I personally didn’t have a problem with it – just giving you a heads up so you can be forewarned.

Grey Matter Collective’s Get Lucky is an hilarious romp through love, lust, and everything between the sheets.