Barmaids
Katherine Thomson’s economical (stagewise) and luxurious (audience satisfaction) two-hander for a couple of sheilas of uncertain age and pedigree is one of her most successful plays in a writing career which is one of the busiest and most illustrious in Australian theatre and television.
Barmaids tells the story of Val and Nancy whose jobs pulling pots behind the bar of a run-down pub in Fremantle are threatened by the winds of change. These winds, originally, were about what happened to old Freo when the Americas Cup turned the sleepy old place upside down. Typically, Thomson used this as a springboard to look at universal issues of relationships, ageing and class. And - for middle-aged women in particular - being valued in the workplace when management decide to replace them with topless popsies.
If this sounds grim and worthy - don’t be misled. Barmaids is also saturated with Thomson’s irrepressible humour, eye and ear for lingo, pathos and deeper truths. And there’s also karaoke and ice-cold beer of course.
This touring production stars the wondrous Jane Clifton and Carmelina Di Gugliemo and is directed by Terence O’Connell. Be prepared to laugh a lot and have a bit of a sniffle too.
Barmaids, Riverside Theatre, Parramatta; December 6-9 only; ph: 8839 3399 or www.riversideparramatta.com.au
