Brisbane review - Close, But No Cigar: Inspiring and Thought Provoking

By Lilian Harrington

Production: Close, But No Cigar

Writer: Samara Louise

Company: Silent Sky

Location: Back Door Arts

103 Brunswick Street Fortitude Valley

Season: March 28 - April 13

Bookings: try booking/Close, But No Cigar

It is exciting to see inspiring, innovative theatre being produced by young emerging artists. A recent graduate from QUT, multitalented artist Samara Louise is an emerging writer, who has already written some award winning work in Queensland. She has now gained recognition for her earlier work, and for her first play, “Set Me on Fire” which featured in the Anywhere Festival 2024. Her recent work, Close, But No Cigar from Silent Sky her Company, has been mounted at Back Door Arts, sponsors for this production.

Close, But No Cigar is an ensemble play, which deals with the mysterious disappearance and death of an American politician, the respected Senator A. Williams. His firm stance on organised crime and involvement in important legislative matters appear to have led to his sudden demise. The play is presented in a totally stylistic filmic black and white format common in America in the 1940-50s.A technique used in crime dramas, called “film noir”.

Cale Dennis has skilfully directed a talented cast of young artists. Over the past year the Creatives have conceptualised and designed the play which started as a short thirty five minute piece, before being developed into a full length program, supported by Back Door Arts. The Creatives have explored and experimented with movement and stylistic forms in order to present the best interpretation of the script. The Creatives have borrowed from the archetypes and clichés seen in many earlier black and white detective movies and cinema. Some of the public would be well aware of the French mime, Marcel Marceau, or early British and American gangster films.

The simple setting is a very basic, sterile, modest design; it is highlighted with black and white lighting effects, which allows for quite dramatic images and has an effective impact on the audience as each actor enters the Senator’s Office and merges into the stylised scene; as well as this there are splashes of contrasting red, used for emphasis. These visual effects complement the action, as they allow the characters to take liberties with movement, affect attitudes and extend their beliefs and behaviours, especially with vocals and physical interaction, while at the same time keeping to the stylistic form within the chosen mode.

It is the characters in this play that create the narrative. Each character builds up his or her, own poignant or cynical statement within the context of the play. For instance, Caleb Hockings played the role of Arthur Blackbird. His commanding stage presence and his ability to perform flexible movements with some attitude, gripped the audience from his initial entry where he set the scene in Senator Williams Office. Claudia Lyons as Odette Blair costumed in her grey shirt and black skirt, the only one without gloves, played out a key role as the undercover communist.  Cullyn Beckton, using a bright, red, croquet signature stick, as a weapon and motivator, and lithe stage moves, proved to be a catalyst in the ensemble. Each cast member makes their point and contributes to this dark case. Through the five characters, Samara Louise emphasises and illustrates lights and shades in human existence. She has shown that through mankind’s own personal world, humans all exhibit different idiosyncrasies that create amusement.

This is a thought provoking and inspiring program; there is no doubt that we can anticipate further work from Samara Louise, from Silent Sky.