What could go wrong with a singing gorilla-gram? Plenty
What could go wrong with a singing gorilla-gram? Plenty, if you’re Melbourne playwright Charlie Ranger and you’ve written a one-act farce called It’s All Fun And Games… (Until Someone Gets Hurt).
“The show opens on four robbers in someone’s house; the owners return and eventually a pair of incompetent cops arrive to really mess up the situation.
I’ll leave it a secret as to where the gorilla-gram comes in but the show is a farce, meaning its comedy is based around the situation. Things just keep going from bad to worse to worser to worserer,” says Ranger, founding member of Long Range Theatre, who are producing the play which will be performed at Northcote Town Hall as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Having written plays for the past five years, Ranger, who is also an actor, started Long Range Theatre last year initially as a means of getting his own work produced. Already onto their third production, “now it’s become something that allows myself and peers to explore a range of locally made theatre,” he explains. The company name was chosen to reflect that idea also. “This is a theatre company without boundaries or limitations. Hopefully people feel that our shows aren’t constricted to the ‘norm’ and offer a fresh and engaging experience.”
Ranger says he’s written many plays “that made it to page ten and never went further” but FunAndGames was one that worked. British playwright Terry Johnson has been an influence on his writing. “He’s got this fantastic dry humour and while he doesn’t necessarily write farce he writes great characters in strange situations. His writing encouraged me to look at how the situation can primarily affect story and character, rather than the other way around.”
In addition to writing and producing Fun And Games, Ranger will also be flexing his acting muscles. “I play a very self-assured character who in essence is a bully. I better be careful though, I don’t want to go teasing someone and end up getting body slammed and going viral. That’d just be embarrassing,” he says.
Joining him on stage will be “eight wonderful performers”, he says. “We’ve been very fortunate in securing the talents of Jeremy Kewley who’s made a living out of comedy for more years than I’ve been alive, he was the warm up on The Footy Show for over ten years; and the wonderful Madeleine Harding who most recently appeared in I Love You Too and Underbelly Files.”
Ranger says there are three things he can guarantee audience members if they see Fun And Games. It runs for less than an hour, “so if you don’t enjoy it you’ll be out before you know it and can still catch The Pajama Men at 8.30pm.”
Charlie Ranger and Long Range Theatre perform It’s All Fun And Games… (Until Someone Gets Hurt) at Northcote Town Hall, Studio 2 from March 30 – April 10. It’s at 7pm Tuesday – Sunday. Tickets are $12 – $17 from 0414 298 836, northcotetownhall.com.au and at the door.
