Miss Fox and I went along to the Arts Centre to see Bell Shakespeare's latest work,
The Government Inspector.
During an early-evening in-theatre-foyer dinner of ice-cream (Fox) and coffee (me) we watched theatre patrons both come and go to and from theatre sessions in the velvet'd underground theatre complex (not that it's very complex, just that is the word I choose to use at this time). As time for the performance drew closer, we joined company with the ever-pleasant Mr and Mrs Fox and took our fine seats in the theatre.
A dazzling blend of farcical characters and all-too-real situations, Gogol's masterpiece has lost none of its bite. This unflinching send-up of institutional greed, stupidity and sloth is not to be missed.
Bell Shakespeare Company
The Government Inspector was written with 19 different characters and has been adapted by Roger Pulvers for two actors. I'm not sure if you're any good at math, but where I come from, 19 doesn't go too well into 2 - but these guys managed it.
Fabulous set, great little play, outstanding performances by Darren Gilshenan and William Zappa. Get along to see this at the
Arts Centre in Melbourne - it's a hoot and you'll have a good time.
Bart - Subnormal drummer and comment-hicupper - tonight proved to me that his local chippery did the best hamburgers in town. I can now attest to their groaning goodness, after mangalising one that was jammed-packed with "The Lot" PLUS beetroot PLUS pineapple (cos those are extras).
It's important to know where to get a good beef burger in a new town and now I know. Thanks Bart!
With bellies full of beefy goodness, we ambled to The Afterdark bar in Northcote to see Arj Barker and sip a little beer. Apart from being funny, Arj showed exceptional taste by consulting a small, Moleskine storyboard notebook which contained his neatly printed joke list.
Arj is playing at the Lithuanian, on Errol Street (every night except Mondays) throughout the Fringe Festival.