The Pig Iron People
Editorial
27 October-6 December 2008
Drama Theatre - Sydney Opera House
2 Macquarie Street, Sydney
Nick, played by Glenn Hazeldine of Sydney Theatre Company's 2007 hit Don's Party, quickly becomes acquainted with his new neighbours - a nosy group of conservatives who grew up under Liberal PM "Pig Iron" Bob Menzies. And while Nick makes his best attempts to escape his prickly peers and live a life of solitude, he falls in love with capricious young actress April, played by Caroline Craig in her main stage debut.
The play is directed by Criag Ilott, of Hedwig and the Angry Inch fame, and showcases Doyle's Patrick White-esque gift for social commentary that comes with more than a sprinkling of sharp wit.
Since 1985, Doyle has received eight Australian Writers Guild awards, three Logies, an AFI Award for Best Television Screenplay and is an Australian radio and television icon. The Pig Iron People is Doyle's first collaboration with the Sydney Theatre Company.
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Michael
November 11, 2008
The characterisations and acted performances of the older people - those in the title - as uneducated, mostly miserable but "matey", old style, inner city dwellers were well done. The attempts at blaming the (Menzies) 1950s for their condition and the German - Max Cullen "acted" part, which had him goose stepping at the start of the "Howard" years were total nonsense - I always thought that John Doyle was more than a partisan hack. The great aspects of the Menzies time period - in all parts of Australia, USA and at its end, Europe, were full employment and the extension of secondary and tertiary education to many more people. The people in the play were those who missed out the education (not the prosperity). We left feeling reasonably entertained - but wondering whether our $200 investment - seats and parking - might have been better spent with a "bang up" meal instead.
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