Humanity and Humour That Tugs at the Heartstrings

A PROVOCATIVE human story about life, touched with glistening moments of humour, form the basis of The Actors' Hub Fringe World production Dolores.

Written by Edward Allan Baker and directed by Amanda Crewes at The Laneway Lounge, the 50-minute play sees Dolores escape her dangerously abusive husband and get help from her sister Sandra - but she doesn't want to get involved.

The sisters go head-to-head in a fast-paced drama about the punishing love of family.

"Their story is essentially a search for love, after looking in all the wrong places," Crewes said.

"Baker writes with such humanity and humour that every woman who is a mother, daughter or sister will connect with these women and recognise something of themselves in them.

"But it's not just a story for and about women - Dolores is a moving story with touches of humour that come up against harrowing moments of reality in a single moment of existence."

The main challenge, according to Crewes, is not letting herself or her actors get in the way of truthful storytelling.

"This piece deals with deeply personal and relatable issues that reveal us," she said.

"We need to be brave enough to tell these stories authentically, even when there's a persistent, niggling desire to bury our heads in the sand and pretend humanity can't be loving, nurturing and hateful in the same instant."

After graduating from the WA Academy of Performing Arts in 1998, Crewes went on to work professionally with Handzon, Kompany M, Melbourne's Playbox and Barking Gecko Theatres and the Perth Theatre Company, as well as several professional independent theatre groups.

With more than 20 years' experience teaching and directing, she set up The Actors' Hub in 2012 to provide a serious focus for those wanting to learn more about the acting profession.

"I was inspired to direct Dolores because it captures the authentic truth of what it means to be human," Crewes said. "There is no escaping it - the play magically tells everyone's story.

"You cannot watch it and leave saying 'I really don't understand what that was about'.

"You leave feeling a part of yourself has been exposed and understood.

"I can only explain it like the song Killing Me Softly, when the lyrics say: 'as if he found my letters and read each one aloud.'"

Dolores plays at 6.15pm February 3, 4, 10 and 11. Tickets are $25, $23 concession - book at www.fringeworld.com.au.

The Laneway Lounge is at 414A Murray Street, Perth.

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