Review: MOVING MOUNTAINS at Domain Theatre, Marion Cultural Centre

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Friday 10th May 2019.

The Galleon Theatre Group is currently presenting the comedy, Moving Mountains, by Lawrence Roman, directed by Erik Strauts. He has assembled a very experienced cast and ensured plenty of pace. As usual, patrons have the choice of cabaret style seating, enabling them to bring supper, or traditional theatre seating. Food and drinks are available from the café and a complementary sherry is offered on arrival. The company covers all of the bases to ensure a good night out.

Californian widower, Charlie Fuller, lives in a unit in a retirement complex and each day he announces the social events on offer. To a select few, he has other social events to offer. He fancies himself as a modern Don Juan, with a penchant for the numerous mature women living all around him, particularly Gwen, and his once a month visitor, Harriet.

Everything appears to be going his way, until Polly Adamson comes on the scene and, to make matters worse, his daughter learns of his lifestyle and is disapproving. Polly's son, Robert, is responsible for her arrival, having bullied her out of the family home in order to liquidate that asset. He has an ulterior motive in choosing that particular community, though. He is trying to initiate an affair with the wife of his business partner, and she just happens to be Charlie's daughter, Elaine. Polly's airline pilot nephew, Marc, is also a fly in the ointment.

Andrew Clark plays the suave seducer, Charlie, confidant, self-assured, and happy in his retirement. As Charlie's world changes, Clark builds the comedy through moments of his character's panic and periods of despair. This is one more in a long list of successful roles.

His current main playmate is Gwen, played with considerable energy by Lindy LeCornu, who also has great comic timing, making her and Clark a great pairing.

Polly, who has a few unexpected surprises in store to confound and confuse Charlie, and who has a good measure of his games, is played by Shelley Hampton in a cleverly constructed characterisation that garners a good share of the laughter.

The sophisticated doctor's wife, Charlie's daughter, Elaine, is played with elegance by Sharon Pitardi and financially obsessed accountant, Robert, is played by Josh van't Padje, his business focus getting in the way of his attempts at seduction bringing humour to their ongoing failures to connect.

Adrian Heness plays Marc, the lovelorn young man who seeks the advice of the older and wiser Charlie, which leads to more surprise comedy, and Kathy Strauts adds a few more laughs by arriving at inconvenient times as the outrageous, Harriet.

Brittany Daw has designed a smart set and added some fine dressing, the stained glass panel, in particular, drawing comments from members of the audience. Fill your picnic basket and book tickets for a fun night out.