New theatre company performs

A new theatre company called The Wild Party will perform the play Lamb of God at the Peninsula Theatre from September 5 until September 20.

Shows will play on Thursdays at 8pm, Fridays at 8pm, and Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm, and Sundays at 5pm, bookings can be made by calling 4323 3233.

"Lamb of God" is a relatively little-known Australian play by John Summons, and was the first play to be written about the Vietnam War.

It was first produced by the Ensemble Theatre in 1978, then twice by the Iron Cove Theatre Company and now by the coast's newest production company, The Wild Party Inc.

Pauline Wright, who was involved with both productions at Iron Cove, decided "Lamb of God" would be the perfect play to open her new company with.

She will direct the production as well as play Ruth, Jim's mother.

Pauline has been seen recently in "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" as Nurse Ratched, for the Ad Hoc Theatre Company, with which she directed "Burn This" and "The Archibald Prize".

She also portrayed the nurse in the Central Coast Shakespeare Company's "Saturday Night in the Shakespeare Ward".

Jim, the protagonist, is an overly imaginative boy of 15 who is suffering from an opressive schooling and family life, and he is afraid of being conscripted and going to Vietnam.

The play, a warm and hilarious piece which is by turns tragic and poignant, follows Jim's growth from a boy into a man.

Jim is being played by 20 year old Steven Hopley, director of the Central Coast Shakespeare Company, who has been seen in Ad Hoc Theatre Company's "Equus" as Alan Strang and in "The Wizard of Oz" (GMS) as the Tinman.

Hopley says "This is a dream role for me. I think the play is a masterpiece, a real find, and Jim is an amazing character."

Press release, August 22