Moonlight Theatre Company has debuted at the Theatre Royal in Castlemaine with a very funny, clever radio play called The Wrong Box.
Director John Rowland adapted the radio play from the original story by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne.
The Theatre Royal was transformed into a 1940s radio studio and the actors looked like they had just stepped out of the golden age of radio.
Set in Victorian London, this dark farce involves two brothers, each standing to inherit a fortune so long as the other dies first.
Living right next door to each other they have not spoken for 40 years but now ageing, frail and close to death, the race is on.
Enter the families. Two scheming brothers, two star-crossed lovers. There is also a corpse, a corrupt doctor, a box, a statue, a bag of money and a butler who actually didn’t do it. But then it starts to get complicated.
The show tours to Macedon this week and audiences can expect a polished, entertaining production featuring a very talented cast playing a variety of roles.
This is a very strong ensemble and includes: Daniel Keohan, Donna Steven, Michael Treloar, Stephen Mitchell, Kevin Dee, Tony Harvey, Bridget Haylock and Babs McMillan.
Melinda Ralph and Bronwyn Lamb didn’t miss a beat delivering the live sound effects.
The Wrong Box was beautifully directed by John Rowland, who ensured the intricate timing required for this show went like clockwork.
On the other side of the ledger, radio plays often move with such pace that at times they can become confusing. The recap of the storyline near the end of this show was perfect, and it set everything up for the hilarious climax.
All in all, The Wrong Box was a lot of fun and very well done; the audience laughed throughout and gave the actors a strong round of applause at the end.
The Wrong Box will now tour to the Mountview Theatre in Macedon for three shows only (Friday, December 7-Saturday, December 8). Showtime is 7.30pm on both nights with a matinee on Saturday at 2pm. Bookings: moonlighttheatrecompany.com
