By Elise Hawthorne
When two worlds collide at Centrelink, a mad mad world opens up to Felicity (Catherine Moore) and Joanne (Genevieve Hegney). The new Australian comedy, UNQUALIFIED, by playwrights and actors Genevieve Hegney and Catherine Moore recently opened at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre to well-deserved acclaim.
I can’t remember the last time I laughed out loud for 90 minutes; oh what a joy it was to witness the superb acting and writing skills of this talented duo. Such a simple premise, a chance meeting, yet in the hands of these two masters of situation comedy, the audience is taken on a laugh-a-minute wild ride into the world of two totally lovable characters.
To execute a two-hander successfully, the actors need to have a powerful connection, then if you mix this essential bit of stardust with a hilarious script, which includes a touch of the absurd – think George and Jerry in Seinfeld – then you’ll understand why UNQUALIFIED nails it again and again.
Felicity is the sweet, naive best friend and business partner we all should be lucky enough to have in our lives and is the perfect comedic foil for the more hard-edged, cynical Joanne.
Genevieve Hegney said of her character, “Joanne thought she had everything until she found her TV star husband ‘stupping’ her work colleague and now lives in her car feeling a super loser. Felicity, who has absolutely nothing going on in her life and still lives with her very odd father meets Joanne at Centrelink through a crazy confluence of events and decide that if they ran an employment agency themselves, they might make money and save some face, however, between them, they have no qualifications.”
Genevieve Hegney and Catherine Moore
Perfect comic timing, connecting emotionally with the audience, this play has got the lot.
A day after seeing UNQUALIFIED I already miss the adventures of Joanne and Felicity, let’s hope that there is a film or TV series in the offer.
As my theatre date Ellen said as we were leaving, “I think we have just witnessed the next French and Saunders,” she’s spot on with that prediction.
UNQUALIFIED is a world premiere production written and performed by Genevieve Hegney and Catherine Moore. Directed by Janine Watson, Assistant Director Liz Arday, Set and Costume Designer Simon Greer, Lighting Designer Alexander Berlage, Sound Designer Thomas E Moore, all photos in this article are by Phil Erbacher.
UNQUALIFIED runs till Saturday 21st July.
To book call: 02 9929 0644 or visit www.ensemble.com.au
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