Either way, it doesn't matter. Queensland Theatre Company's newest play, Managing Carmen, is a play for everyone; cross dresser, footballer, manager, psychic knot undo-er, journalist or any other profession, occupation or way of being.
From Australian playwright David Williamson (The Removalists and The Club), this play is about Brent Lyall (Tim Dashwood), one of the greatest young talents on the AFL Field. He is only 24 and has already won two Brownlow Medals and is the captain of his Collingwood team. He has the life, the apartment, the girlfriend and the success. After a terrible add shoot Brent's manager, Rohan (John Bachelor), enlists the help of Jessica (Claire Lovering) to unlock some of Brent's "psychic knots" in an attempt to get him to relax and improve his acting skills. But Jessica soon finds out that Brent has a secret. He likes to dress up in women's clothing.
To prevent the secret from getting out, Rohan swings into action and damage control as the truth would mean the end of Brent's career and the loss of a great fortune for them both. The media is already on Brent's tail and smelling something fishy but that doesn't stop Brent's irrepressible urge to take his alter ego out on the town.What ensues is a heartwarming and hilarious story about tolerance and ultimately, love.
Managing Carmen is a great story and has great characters and most of all, it's funny. And that's an understatement. It's hilarious. The scene changes are fast and the comic timing is even faster. It's such a high energy play and the actors never seem to tire but seem to get even more energetic as the play continues.
This play is so good because you lose yourself in the story world. First you are taking your seats and the lights are going down. Before you know it, the interval has come and then it is time for the second half. Then it is been and gone and you are applauding (giving a standing ovation to) the actors and stage crew for the amazing job they have done and the even more amazing journey they have taken you on.
Tim Dashwood, as Brent/Carmen, seems to relish in the opportunity to dress up and act like a woman. You can tell he is having fun. He looks right at home, from the first moment we see him in a dress in front of the mirror and that one leg pops out, you are just blown away.
Claire Lovering has a lovely presence on stage and is highly believable as Jessica. Lovering and Dashwood had good chemistry and work very well together.
John Bachelor just goes to town on his uptight and stressed out character. You can almost see that beneath this character, the real John Bachelor is having the time of his life, especially in a few dance scenes (Lady Gaga may or may not be involved). 
Anna McGahan plays Clara, Brent's girlfriend. Clara is so annoying and her accent is so grating that you hate the her but you have to respect McGahan. She does it so well.
Greg McNeill hits the nail on the head as the sleazy, slime ball journalist Max Upfield.
Wesley Enoch's direction is deft and sure and the play runs smoothly through the fast changes and quick dialogue. The design of the set is elaborate with many different locations but at the same time it's minimal. The use of a revolver to change scenes works so well and fits perfectly with the fast pace of the play. Also the use of media (iPhones, iPads, TVs and TV shows) that is integrated into the play is quite fantastic and a great capitalisation of the technology that we have access to in this modern era.
It's a great play and a great production.
On one of the practice nights I was able to have a brief chat to David Williamson. I asked him if the play turned out how he expected and he said that it was a great production. The line of people behind me wanting to congratulate him on the play spoke for itself. The audience loved it.
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