Devised and performed by PYT Fairfield 2023 Company
Fluid and dynamic, this hugely enjoyable comedy by a diverse and talented troupe was a great find
Reviewed by Juliana Payne, 1/8/25
PYT Fairfield
Played on the 2nd August
Type: Social Dramedy, Social Commentary, Inspired by…
If you liked: The Family Law, Upper Middle Bogan, Colin From Accounts, White Fever
Tuân’s Party is a hugely enjoyable, light-hearted comedy with social commentary threaded throughout, which thankfully doesn’t hit you over the head with. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, and there’s plenty of classic screwball banter and visual gags to sweeten the more serious messages.
Neda Taha’s directing is fluid and dynamic and pulls the audience’s attention to where it needs to be. She keeps a cracking pace which is just what the director of films like His Girl Friday, Howard Hawks, would have approved of. He always prided himself on making scenes that ran 20 per cent shorter than normal, with fast wise-cracking dialogue and non-stop action. That approach serves this play well.
The title and setting riff on David Williamson’s 1976 satire Don’s Party, and the writers similarly have used the setting of a 2022 election night party with four friends to create a very modern ever-so-Sydney comedy with plenty of in-jokes about house prices, the east-west divide, Antony Green and ethnic families’ cultural quirks. With more writing talent than a Stephen Colbert writers’ room, the play moves rapidly along its arc to its more meaty themes: the secrets and lies that are inevitably in the background of most people’s lives and, more importantly, how we deal with them.
The four leads share a wonderful chemistry and carry off the comedy and the bittersweet moments well. It’s a shame the play is not running longer, as more performances and practice would smooth out the small raw edges and they’d really find their flow. Charnel Rizk shows a natural instinct for comedy and timing and is really outstanding in her role. Sarah Gattellari’s style is natural and authentic and though rather more serious she still carries off the comedy with style. Terence Nguyen and Nathan Niguidula create genuinely funny characters who are still believable in the serious moments; no easy task.
The play is structured along the usual dramatic arc but has some great comedic set pieces peppered throughout to replace straight dialogue. The musical piece to Running Up That Hill is a stroke of genius, and the charades interlude is hilarious. Olivia Xegas’ cameo as Kristina Kenneally giving her concession speech was absolutely marvellous.
Most of all, it was so pleasing to enjoy another wonderful production by a diverse and talented troupe. Following in the steps of writers and performers like Michele Lee, Michelle Law, James Elazzi, Merlynn Tong, Michelle Lim Davidson and Slanted Theatre Company, these bright young talented theatre makers bode well for the future of the arts sector.
Directed by Neda Taha
Assistant Director – Kobra Sayyadi
Producers – Tammy Dang & Olivia Xegas
Written by Kobra Sayyadi & Bina Bhattacharya with Tammy Dang, Sarah Gattellari, Terence Nguyen, Charnel Rizk, Neda Taha, Rennard Velasco and Olivia Xegas.
With dramaturgical support from Donna Abela.
