Review

Popcorn Goes for the Crunch

By Ryan Heath

A Sydney production attempts to bring Ben Elton's satire of film-shplatt cinema to life.

Popcorn promised much and in many respects it delivered. But when I say delivered, I mean like an Express Post envelope that didn't turn up on time. Popcorn, the new play by Ben Elton , takes a while to get going. Essentially it's a comedy thriller which sees the audience thrust into a ninety minute live hostage situation. Set in the Living room of Oscar-winning director Bruce Delamantri, Popcorn treats you to an intoxicating mix situation comedy and, at times, appallingly bad accents. Think The Nanny and be scared.

You see, Bruce has just won an oscar for the controversial, and some say downright evil, movie- 'Ordinary Americans'. The people who have issues with it (excluding the four losing nominees) say that it glorifies violence and that its depiction of life is another example of one half of America being downtrodden for the entertainment of the the other half. They would like to see it called "57 Shootings, then some drugs and fucking".

To express their personal distress at the content of 'Ordinary Americans', or so they say, si Wayne and Scout have gone on a two month, four state shooting spree. They have also ended up at Bruce's house on Oscar night to take him and whowever is with him, hostage, and then announce to America in the typical shy, retiring American style (national television), that it was Bruce's movie which made them kill those innocent people. Having thus created and provided the media with a scapegoat, Wayne and Scout hope to live off the book deal. Throw in Brooke "I'm an actress, not a nude model" Daniels who is Bruce's catch form the after-Oscar party; Farrah (played by Jane Turner form Fast Forward) Bruce's silicon powered and very bitter estate hungry estranged wife; Velvet their bratty daughter, and a Hollywood heavy bigshot tough-guy producer, and there becomes a hostage situation in which some entirely unbelievable hi-jinx could be played out with credibility. Patience is the key to enjoying this one.

In the first half Popcorn pulls a few laughs here or there, but generally it's one too many bad southern accents and not enough gaffa tape. At her best, Jane Turner can be great , in Popcorn she doesn't quite convey the true devastation that is inherent in the suffering of shopping withdrawal symptoms, but she pulls her weight well. Wayne (Steve Bastoni) and Scout (Nadine Garner) as the fun-loving redneck criminals really get into gear after the break (or maybe it was just the diluted Star City alcohol?) posing a moral question a minute -- sinking fear deep into the audiences fake pearls, plunging necklines, and wanky skivvys (it's the theatre, dahling). Steven Vidler as the lead, Bruce, overacts, but we'll live with it. Everyone else puts in believable likeable performances.

So, to make a five act play into a six hundred word review, the whole shebang comes to an almighty climax and retains a surprising amount of artisitic integrity in getting there.

  View entire issue - print all of the articles!

  Issue 15 contents

»	Labor Council Unveils New Public Face
»	Revealed: New, Meaner Breed of Body Hire
»	Unions Wins Own Safety Prosecution
»	Timor Protest Calls for UN Troops
»	Pay Equity Jitters as Report Gathers Dust
»	Paid Maternity Leave: One Step Forward - One Step Back
»	Court Victory for PNG Workers
»	First For Union With Multicultural Arts Grant
»	Cleaners Clean Up In Backpay Bonanza
»	Unions Join Sorry Ceremony

»	Guest Report
»	Sport
»	Trades Hall
»	Piers Watch

»	Concern at Timor Attitudes

Notice Board
- Check out the latest events

Latest Issue

View entire latest issue
- print all of the articles!

Previous Issues

Subject index

Search all issues

© 1999-2000 Labor Council of NSW

LaborNET is a resource for the labour movement provided by the Labor Council of NSW

[ Privacy Statement | Disclaimer | Credits ]

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW