Reviewed by Jude Hines
The Adelaide Repertory Theatre (The Rep), the longest continuously operating theatre company in the southern hemisphere, has spent 118 years building a reputation for ambitious community theatre. Its new production of George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart’s The Man Who Came to Dinner continues that tradition, taking on a sprawling 1930s comedy with a cast of 22 actors, period design, layered social and political satire, and a gallery of Hollywood-inspired characters. At more than three hours, however, the production would benefit from tighter pacing and more judicious editing. On opening night, several scene changes were long enough that audience members appeared to mistake them for unscheduled intervals.
Gary Anderson’s spacious set establishes the 1930s period with style, giving the production room for its bustle, entrances and comic business, including Whiteside navigating the set in an antique wheelchair. The glamorous, period-appropriate grand piano becomes a memorable focal point when Michael Griffiths plays it, adding a touch of cabaret polish and reminding the audience why he is such a respected Australian performer.
Veteran director, radio icon and actor Peter Goers is cast in the titular role, as the witty, eccentric and self-centred broadcaster Sheridan Whiteside. Known as a sharp-tongued theatre critic for over 20 years, Goers seemed a perfect fit, but the real Goers is also known for generous philanthropic work. This is a role that naturally invites comparison with Monty Woolley’s famously biting performance in the 1941 film, but Goers takes a lighter and gentler path, leaning into the character’s wit rather than his cruelty. His playful charm is especially clear when he cheekily reveals to the audience that Whiteside may be more able-bodied than he lets on. His choice shifts the production’s energy away from menace and toward comic chaos, confused relationships, political point-scoring and a succession of charmingly improbable subplots.
Directed by award-winning Adelaide actor Sue Wylie, this deliberately stylised 1939 comedy demands pace, precision and a confident grasp of its shifting comic rhythms. Wylie’s production is at its strongest when the performers fully inhabit that period style: Michael Griffiths as Beverley Carlton, Helen Geoffreys as Lorraine Sheldon and Rob Cuzenza as Banjo, originally played by Jimmy Durante, each bring flair, assurance and an instinctive feel for the era. Their appearances lift the energy of the stage and vividly capture the audience’s imagination, with Griffiths and Geoffreys especially memorable for their deliciously over-the-top displays of theatrical vanity and self-aggrandising grandeur.
The plot hinges on Sheridan Whiteside’s enforced stay in a respectable Ohio household after an accident on the front steps. From that simple premise, the comedy spirals into a battle of wills involving romance, professional jealousy, celebrity vanity, family rebellion and a steady stream of absurd intrusions. The challenge for this production is to keep those threads moving briskly without allowing the play’s elaborate machinery to overwhelm the humour.
Several smaller roles provide welcome highlights. Penni Hamilton-Smith gives Nurse Preen a sharply delivered final word, Linda Lawson brings period charm to Sarah’s Betty Boop-style housemaid, and Rebecca Kemp’s Mrs Stanley is carried off with a wonderfully expressive display of panic and confusion, using wordless comedy to excellent effect.
Jess Corrie anchors the show as Whiteside’s long-suffering secretary, giving a balanced and believable performance. She handles the comedy with subtlety and confidence, finding opportunities for humour without overplaying them. Her work is measured, consistent and well-judged alongside the larger comic turns around her.
Opening night with a large cast is always challenging, and at times the production’s pace, confidence and consistency varied noticeably. Individual scenes often had energy and promise, but the evening did not always cohere into a fully unified whole.
Small details can be distracting in period pieces. Dr Bradley’s worker-style kitbag, rather than a doctor’s bag, stood out, as did the paperback novels used on stage. While paperbacks did exist in the late 1930s and 1940s as cheaper alternatives to hardcovers, they felt at odds with the well-to-do household the production was trying to evoke.
Costuming a large community theatre cast in period clothing is no small task. The wigs were appropriate, and suitably glamorous where needed, but the costumes themselves were uneven: some choices suggested careful period accuracy, while others appeared to be character-based additions rather than 1930s designs. Several men’s suits looked distinctly modern, and some Asian-inspired patterns felt historically out of place for an American household of the period. Even so, Geoffreys’ theatre-star glamour was captivating enough to overcome any doubts about exact authenticity.’
It must be noted that, the crew supporting this show, including backstage crew, lighting and sound, show impressive commitment to this demanding play.
This remains a charming night at the theatre, sustained by a large ensemble of talented performers, a madcap script and The Rep’s evident commitment to high-quality community theatre. Hurry in to enjoy performances by some of Adelaide’s best community and professional performers.
