ALL SORTS 5
- Tracy Payne
- Mar 7
- 3 min read
HENRY LAWSON THEATRE
Henry Lawson Theatre’s All Sorts is an amazing celebration of theatre creatives. In this, its fifth iteration, the audience is treated to 8 original short plays performed by 22 passionate performers guided by 8 devoted directors. The plays are funny, thought provoking and delightfully Australian in their take on life.
Act 1 opens with To Be Frank, Richie, a cheeky spoof on old school cricket fans. Sue Artup and Cheryl Mason square off against Max Newbold in a backyard cricket match while Ken Fletcher and Aurel Vasilescu provide commentary paying homage to the greats of the field. The sporting and popular culture allusions strike a chord with the audience and establish an effective tone for the rest of the show.
Learning Curve, written by Sally Davis and directed by Elle Emmert, gives a frightfully realistic albeit satirical view of the relationship between parents and schools. Cindy Partridge delves into the stereotype of the private school mum opposite Darren Gibson’s very proper Principal in a fraught conversation that exposes her son’s increasingly bizarre behaviour.
Rebecca Fletcher’s Group Therapy follows, a piece she both wrote and directed. It explores
grief through a dark humour lens that’s just slightly and unexpectedly off centre. Jacqueline Felangue, Alexander Smith, Aled Stephens, Sherene B Mitchell, Ken Fletcher and Nicole Madden navigate the emotional terrain with a blend of humour and honesty that makes the whole thing feel strangely comforting.
The production then takes us into the world of A Poisoned Apple, Max Newbold’s playful take on Snow White, directed by Nicole Smith. Willow Szczygiel gives us a Snow White with plenty of spark, supported by three dwarves—because the other four are, naturally, missing in action. Aurel Vasilescu’s Grumpy is perfectly irritable, Brad Austin bounces around as Happy, and Mark Prophet’s Dopey steals scenes with impeccable timing. Stephen McCabe’s Evil Queen rounds out the fairy‑tale chaos with delicious villainy.
Act 2 begins on a more reflective note with Son or Daughter, written by Morgan Rose and directed by Sherene B Mitchell. It’s a tender exploration of regret, memory, and the lingering presence of a parent long after they’re gone. Nicole Madden, Christopher Pali, Kayla Austen and Geoff Hacker bring a quiet emotional truth to the stage that lingers.
The show switches back to the comic vibe of Act 1 with The Invaders, Dan Gillgren’s wonderfully absurd sci‑fi spoof directed by Jacqueline Felangue. Darren Gibson channels a brooding Darth Vader, while Nicole Smith plays his very patient wife, Freyda. The Star Wars allusions are plentiful, both in the dialogue and the props, bringing layers of comedy for the amusement of the audience. Sherene B Mitchell and Willow Szczygiel are delightful as the brazen invaders masquerading as the loud and bogan neighbours, Dazza and Shazza, breaking the fourth wall and winning over the chuckling audience.
The energy stays high with Straight Out of the Closet by Jye Bryant, directed by Kayla Austin. Sue Artup and Christopher Pali relish their roles as hyper‑progressive parents whose son (Brad Austin) is—much to their horror—extremely straight. It’s playful, fast‑paced, and full of knowing eye‑rolls.
Finally, we’re treated to The Big Picture by Mark Harvey‑Levine, directed by Rosie Crossing. Six crayons—played by Kayla Austin, Rhonda Hancock, Cindy Partridge, Mark Prophet, Nicole Smith and Rebecca Fletcher—wait anxiously to see which of them will be chosen to colour a child’s drawing. It’s a gentle and sweet scene that reminds the audience that there is always a choice in how we view the world.
This celebration of theatre is truly a community effort with a stage crew - Mike Rochfort, Jess Rochfort, Brad Austin and Mark Prophet - working overtime to manage the movement between the pieces. And, behind the scenes, under the leadership of Production Managers Nicole Smith and Rebecca Fletcher, supported by APs Lisa Prophet and Cindy Partridge, there are teams crafting the set, lighting and sound to ensure the stories can be told in the most effective way possible - Mark Prophet, Aurel Vasilescu, Aimee Baker-Smith, Cindy Partridge, Adrian Gan, Ian Fletcher, Ken Fletcher and Mike Rochfort.
All Sorts is a highlight on Henry Lawson Theatre’s annual calendar and well worth a look!
6-21 March
Comments