Standing on Ceremony plays for same-sex marriage

Standing on Ceremony plays for same-sex marriage

ProductionImage_StandingOnCeremony_1_Credit - John Shelbourn_Caption – Olivia HoganStanding on Ceremony – the Gay Marriage Plays is a stellar production of nine individually written, creative, and moving – yet short pieces.

All very different, representing each of the playwrights various styles, the collective program focuses on the celebration that love and marriage is, and should be for all.

These nine vignettes are an absolute talent-fest, requiring little to no introduction. Spencer McLaren, Pia Miranda, Michael Veitch headline with an exceedingly strong ensemble cast including Helen Ellis (Executive Producer/Director),  Brett Whittingham, Olivia Hogan and Luke Jacka.

Laura Burzott, resident songstress and her band present a lovely interlude, serenading the crowd with song between each presentation which makes the overall format seem seamless, polished and intimate.

Where often the conversation of same-sex marriage bogs down under the weight of the political, Standing on Ceremony side steps this to the larger degree to provide a candid, refreshing, often uplifting window into the lives, hearts and minds of their individual gay and lesbian characters.

On Facebook, the fourth item in the program is a prime example. It is an adaptation from an actual Facebook thread which chronicles one long fight amongst six characters on the topic of gay marriage.

Presenting two sides with strongly held opinions and assumptions about each other, this straight vs gay, take-no-prisoners battle is executed in such a way as to resemble an online chat, with the nice use of light used to illuminate the dominant speaker where all others fall to shadow.

Emoticons projected onto the backdrop and chat sounds absolutely nail the effectiveness of this very clever, funny presentation.

The strength of the writing cannot be understated, the crowd thrilled with clever semantics, not dissimilar to word porn.

No matter what your persuasion, there is a lot here to move you; to make you laugh, to provoke thought and to fire your emotional sensors.

Think multiple tasting plates of your favourite foods, equally delicious, yet with distinct flavours.

Laden with quips witty one –liners like “Gay marriage? They want everything, they already took Ricky Martin” evoke laughter and even a tear (or two).

Standing on Ceremony distills the essence of a great theatre night, you’d best check it out!

For more information and bookings click here.

Shows up  until 9 February except for Mondays. No Performance on 26 Jan

The Star Observer is a proud Midsumma Media Partner.

 

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