Image supplied by Blue Room Theatre
By Emma Horak
Wanting to add a bit of flavour to your night out in the city? Then look no further than Pull the Pin. Written by Rebecca Fingher and packed with plenty of Boorloo talent, this production provides a plethora of gags and spanx-splitting, laugh-out-loud comedy.
The show centres on Angela (Tegan Mulvany), Jules (Caitlin Beresford-Ord), and Donna (Elisa Williams). A trio of friends who spend their spare time letting loose on the lanes with the added company of a few bottles of red and a basket of chicken nuggets. However, when the opportunity arises to win a sizable cash prize, get even with an old foe, and immortalise themselves in the Mid-Year Tenpin Bowling Championship- the ‘Old Hags’ will need to channel more than their best spin to win the competition. With the addition of a wisecracking pin, a couple of musical numbers, and magnetic performances from each member of the cast, the result is a hilarious and heartfelt show which is guaranteed to have you in stitches.
As the play unfurls, it is revealed that for some characters the championship is not just about fame or money, the performance at times takes a beat to discuss the cruxes of age, relationships, and identity with a beautiful sincerity. With scenes that reach outside of the bowling alley and into the lives of each of the women, including their own struggles for inclusion and the frustrations and tribulations awaiting them at home, Pull the Pinhighlights that the bowling player is made both off the lane as well as on it.
An absolute stand-out of the show is its masterful utilisation of the performance space nestled within the Blue Room theatre. Centred around a long strip of stage, each scene is brought to life through the inclusion of a colourful and retro set design, which provides a beautiful testament to the timeless nostalgia of the bowling alley. And with the placement of the audience on either side of it, the show boasts a panoramic view of each performance, both embedding the viewer, and providing opportunity for a unique experience based on your seat placement.
The performances by each member of the cast are equally engrossing, with an on-screen chemistry that leaves it hard to pick a single favourite character. Although the play focuses primarily on the ‘Old Hags’, a special mention must be made to the two supporting cast members: Hannah Davidson as one of the trio’s much younger foe, and Isaac Diamond as The Pin. Davidson, who addresses the women only through catty rebuttals and snarky retorts, oozes a charisma that makes for a fun, campy villain and provides a playful extrapolation upon the enmity often harboured in the generational gap. Diamond, wielding an electric guitar and strong vocals, also acts as the musical vessel guiding the audience from scene to scene, before finally harbouring at its climax.
Whether you’re a youngin’ or sixty-years young, Pull the Pin is a show providing the perfect warmth to keep the cold Boorloo Winter at bay.
Pull the Pin is presented by Just Friends Theatre Company, with shows at the Blue Room theatre until the 2nd of July.