14/08/2026
The Beast by Eddie Perfect is on stage in WA until Aug 15 at the Garrick Theatre. Actor Greg Ross has penned an insider's review.
"Actors of course, should never review a play they're acting in, however when the play is such absurd, theatre noir, with a script exploding in expletives and riddled with comment on cultural taboos, not to mention skewering middie class pretension and lifestyle, there comes a moment when it seems right to let others see the view from the inside out.
I write of Eddie Perfect's THE BEAST, commissioned originally for the Melbourne Theatre Company. I'm certain if anyone had tried to stage this play in the 70s, everyone would have been arrested - in the 50s, the cast and crew would have been sent to institutions, along with Eddie and given pre-frontal lobotomies.
But we're in the 20s and although free speech is being steadily strangled, strangely, in spite of increasingly demonic attempts to stop free speech by the far right and far left, thankfully, we can get away with staging this wild play.
We are under no illusions that it will win awards, although a category or two might get a nomination - the Calf and her puppet master are a twin masterpiece - but this is not a classic Agatha Christie, or a much loved musical, this can only be described as "On the limits."
Indeed, as soon as the cast had a read - through, we started making bets as to how many people would walk out by interval. In fact, it hasn't proven so - we're only aware of one older couple not returning after interval. A reviewer seemed unnerved, feeling there should have been some sort of warning - there were, but perhaps 'Strong language and themes,' is insufficient.
The much loved and admired director Lynne Devenish, had kept her eye on the script, waiting quietly for it to become available to community theatre. When it did, she swooped and deserves accolades for having both the foresight and the courage to run with it, as indeed does Garrick Theatre (Guildford).
My opinion of their boldness, having talked to audiences post shows, is that it's been a wonderful vehicle for creating interest in live theatre amongst a whole new audience. It's also been an incredible opportunity for all of us as actors to genuinely step outside of comfort zones - none of us had previously done anything like it.
Yes, the script is confronting for us as well and no, none of us is as awful as the characters we portray - our lead male, Russell, has had some accusatory comments aimed at him. I assure you ladies, he's the polar opposite of his character and it's conceivable he knows more about real estate than the Skipper.
A synopsis of events, is three mates hire a bloke and his boat to take them on a fishing trip, they're caught in a cyclone, the skipper dies, but they survive, all three have an epiphany and decide, with their wives, to make a lifestyle change, going to live ethically?? in the country. To celebrate the move they organise for a degustation meal using the meat from a calf they've chosen to be killed and butchered ethically.
To say things fall apart, is to put it mildly. If you want to know more, there are only three more performances left, this coming week.
As anyone who's acted knows, characterisation changes as you learn the script and toss lines around, both in rehearsals and at home. Then there are discussions with and instructions from the director as to how they envisage your character and costumes. Changes can happen even after opening night - I recall some years ago in THE MOUSETRAP, again with Lynne directing and at Garrick, that I suddenly felt my character should become menacing rather than stereotype. She agreed, we changed it for the second night, it was exactly the right thing to do.
THE BEAST has an extra element to costuming, in that most of the actors at one point, are covered in blood, so a lot of extra costumes were required, to allow for the washing and drying, not to mention the hurried chaos of cleaning up both stage and actors for the next scene, which segues to the backstage crew.
The sheer effort required to create so many different scenarios on such a small stage is incredible, not to mention the controlled chaos of several crew members taking off and replacing props, as well as scenery changes, within only a minute or two and in semi darkness.
There's also been a fascinating mix of generations learning to work with each other. To me, it's been very interesting to see a seriousness and desire to work in accordance with regulations and rules, that leaves older theatre people with eyes wide and reaching for a glass of wine. But somehow it has come together wonderfully.
As with every show, there's always a point where everyone is despondent - nothing seems to be working, actors haven't got their lines down, sets aren't finished, you name it, it happens. And don't forget this is all voluntary, hours and hours and hours of hard work, by people who inevitably have day jobs or university to attend, then come to the theatre several nights a week to make it happen.
We were hit with illness in the week before opening, to the point where we had to move opening night back two nights. In fact opening night was the first time the actors had worked with the finished calf puppet, but the show had to go on and those little glitches were ironed out on the job during the first couple of shows. Mind you, it's part of the pull of live theatre - the adrenaline rush, the fear and unpredictability.
To those who wonder, yes, there can be a clear difference between opening night and the second week - relaxed with the script, actors have time to fully focus on character and I find plays become more forceful. Mind you, on our second night, we all had the same feeling that we'd nailed it.
Back stage, Gene Pitney may have been lonely, but we're not - actors arrive about an hour before the show goes up, most slip straight into costume and make up, then relax quietly quoting lines to themselves, a bit of banter here and there, a quick loo stop before curtin up and all the world's a stage.
We are absolutely thriving on this play, a chance to perform a modern Australian piece of absurdist theatre that has a lot to say, something community theatre groups don't often have the chance to get to grips with.
If I may be so bold, under Lynne's relaxed, but tight directorship, the cast and crew have made this something special. I for one will always be grateful I was given the opportunity to play along."
