Comedy in a caravan

Press, 2 July 1986, Page 20

Comedy in a caravan

A room on wheels, only 150 cm by 280 cm — this is the set for the comedy hit, “Caravan.”

It is, in fact, a caravan, or was — the chassis has been sponsored by the S.I.M.U. for the forthcoming production by the Comedy Actors Touring Company. As a cutaway caravan, it will set the mood, atmosphere, and general ambience for a play that looks laughingly at being on holiday with friends whom you wish had stayed away. “Caravan,” by Donald Macdonald, takes the

audience down a little beach track, where the “regular spot” has been taken by someone else, and introduces five friends, all on the wrong side of 40, and hating it They are having their first holiday together, in their 20-year friendship. The caravan belongs to Parkes Robinson, (Lex Matheson) and his wife Penny, (Judie Douglass). Elaborate preparations are taking place to make sure all is smooth for the arrival of the guests, but after everyone has smashed their heads against the door frame, staggered around the all-too-small space, argued about who is to sleep where, and with whom, they are in no mood to discover that the fifth member of their party, and a bachelor, (Stuart Devenie) has brought along a trendy new girlfriend, half their age. Monica, (Elizabeth

Moody) arrives dressed more for a garden party than a camping holiday, and her husband Rodney, (Jonathon Elsom) gets caught between a good book and the bedclothes. It pours with rain, the annex falls down, the cars stick in the mud, and there is only sleeping room for four of the six. “Caravan” raises many questions, and answers none. "Caravan” toured Australia for seven months, playing to capacity houses, and enjoyed success at the Mercury Theatre, Auckland. The Comedy Actors production will be directed by Alison Quigan, and introduces audiences to Kassie McLuskie, of Wellington, who is making her South Island debut The Christchurch season will be in the Theatre Royal from July 9 to 19, with matinees on Saturdays.