The Boys Next Door

The Boys Next Door by Tom Griffin (published in 1983 under the name Damaged Hearts and Broken Flowers) centres around a share house of mentally impaired or mentally ill men and their burnt-out social worker Jack. Jack seems to have more problems than his charges which speaks volumes about the idea of mental capacity and who indeed display it.

Direct audience address by both Jack and Arnold, one of the co-habitants, introduces and narrates the story – a plot device that seems a little overused at times and at two and a half hours, the play runs too long. It was unclear as to whether this was due to the script itself needing tightening, or the pace of the performance.

The tone of the play is set very early on, as the cast very convincingly establish themselves as handicapped adults with all the trimmings; hilarity ensues. The characterisation was so convincing that one could be forgiven in believing that these were not actors at all. Director, Shaun King has done a wonderful job in creating a real and believable world, steeped in mental illness and disability. The audience was delighted at the ensuing antics of these characters bumbling through day to day life and stand-out supporting performances by Francesca Gasteen (as Sheila) and Cindy Nelson (as Clara) had us giggling along until suddenly we were hit with an unexpected moment of poignancy; A moment that was very well executed by newcomer Jake Connor Moss, impressive in the role of Schizophrenic, Barry.

The performances on opening night were unfortunately let down by some sloppy technical issues (in lighting/stage management) in an otherwise well-done production design. There is nothing worse for an audience member than being confronted with a stage hand when she/he is caught on stage during ‘lights up’. Off they scuttle, back into invisibility while the audience is left bewildered and trying to re-immerse themselves into the compromised reality of the play. This wasn’t just a one off occurrence during Saturday night’s opening show; I saw the crew almost as much as the cast.

A professionally designed programme is available for sale, but unfortunately lacks information about the plot or the writer, opting instead for a lengthy Director’s Note and a page of advertising. Considering Artistic Director John Boyce has expressed a desire to showcase unknown works and lesser known playwrights, some background on the play and Tom Griffin would have been a nice inclusion.

Despite these small things, it was an enjoyable night. I always feel great after making the effort to see community theatre staged by passionate and professional actors. At $31 a ticket, audiences may be more likely to go to one of the larger theatres for a comparable price, and less likely to forgive those little technical hiccups if they do decide to attend – a shame, as this theatre has so much to offer.

Membership to The Brisbane Arts Theatre subsidises tickets to a more rationally priced $20 so it may be worth checking out the rest of the 2012 offerings and taking up a membership. As Brisbane’s longest running community theatre, the historic Brisbane Arts Theatre is worthy of your support.

On a side note, avoid bringing the car during sports seasons as the parking rules change (without noticeable signage). The theatre is just a short walk from Roma street train station and given that The Boys Next Door is a late show, you can arrive early and take advantage of the great dining opportunities in the area (Tibetan Kitchen is just next door and always bustling). Before the show starts and at interval, you can also enjoy a beverage in the charming court yard of the theatre and yes, the bar takes credit card – always a win for smaller venues and cashless punters alike.