For a long time, I was a theatre snob. I was convinced that community theatre productions could never rival the shows that grace the big-city venues. But in recent years, I’ve discovered the charm of the smaller theatre companies. While there are no household names, the performers often blow me away. There’s a beautiful intimacy about small theatres filled with the most enthusiastic audiences. Community theatre can also often take chances that major companies can’t, so there are more original works and fewer mainstream pieces. If you’re a theatre nerd like me, community theatre is often the only place you’ll find some of the gems of the past. That’s what encouraged me to visit Red Tree Theatre for the first time last weekend. I adore Stephen Sondheim, so I couldn’t miss their production of Assassins.
I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to get to Red Tree. It’s on Darkinjung Country/the Central Coast, so there’s really no excuse. I promise I’ll be back soon. It’s such a great theatre, with Tamburlaine wines at the bar, comfortable seats, and helpful staff. I was dazzled by the carnival set, an assault on the senses with patriotic bunting and twinkling lights. My phone photo doesn’t do it justice. It may be the best theatre set I’ve ever seen. It primed me for this outstanding production.
Assassins is a biting satire exploring the dark side of the American Dream through the stories of nine historical figures who attempted to kill American presidents. Some succeeded while others’ plots didn’t quite come off. Their lives intersect, breaking the rules of time and space, as they make their murderous plans against the garish carnival backdrop. Darkly funny and unsettling, Assassins is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It was so beautifully realised by this impressive cast. I was especially impressed by Brayden McFarlane-Walker playing the flamboyant and charismatic Charles J. Guiteau, Raif Colbert Smith as the volatile Samuel Byck, and Taylah Fellowes as the obsessively lovestruck Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, but there were no weak links here. What talented performers we have here on the Coast.
I’m still thinking about Assassins several days after seeing it, which proves the power of this production. It’s criminally underperformed, so it’s worth a trip to the Coast to see it. But you’d better get your tickets soon, as there are just five more performances. Catch Assassins at Red Tree Theatre in Darkinjung Country/Tuggerah from 24 to 27 September.
Photo credit: Lauren Katulka
