DOLPHIN THEATRE 28/6/26
Director – Annie Whittaker
Trudy Price – Mrs Robinson
Nicholas Yeats – Benjamin Braddock
Rose Herda – Elaine Robinson
Gavin Leary – Mr Robinson
Jake La Jeunesse – Mr Braddock
Victoria Poole – Mrs Braddock
Tia Svoboda – Desk Clerk, Stripper. And Psychiatrist.
This is the stage version of the 1967 film “The Graduate” staring Dustin Hoffman.
Basically the play is about Benjamin Braddock, coming home after graduating from University . His parents and their friends put on a party for him, where he comes into close contact with the wife of his fathers friend (Mrs Robinson)who seduces him …. because she is bored with her life.
Eventually he meets and runs off with Mrs Robinsons daughter Elaine.…. with a lot of drama in between…. but that is what this play is about.
Right away the quality of acting was what I was hoping for , and expected. The story just carries you on with it.
There is the reference to Jack Kerouac Benjamin uses and his famous book “On the Road” and how similar Bens adventures on the road are. Ben fighting a gay man who tries to seduce him and , Jack Kerouac pointing a loaded gun at a gay man in a mens toilet.
Trudy Price and Nicholas Yeats brilliant acting makes the seduction scenes Very funny and entertaining… seeing this play is set in the 1960s (like in the song “Harper Valley PTA “by Jeanie Riley) Mrs Robinson turns up at thehotel wearing a short dress (where she is meeting Benjamin).
The tension and a bored woman wanting attention and validation are brought vividly to life.
Because the publishing rights for the original Simon and Garfunkel songs are separate other sixties songs were used … eg “On the road again(Willy Nelson) “Spooky little girl”(The Classics) “Locomotion”(Little Eva) , “Can’t hurry love”(Diana Ross and the Surpremes ). “Wedding Bell Blues” (the 5th Dimension). Even a piece of a Les McCann number.
My suggestion for a suitable addition to the soundtrack would be “Pleasant Valley Sunday” The Monkees. (to explain this song would be another post altogether).
The tension when Mr Robinson and Mr Braddock want Ben to date the Robinsons daughter Elaine , but Mrs Robinson gets jealous … is brilliant.
Then when everyting comes apart and the affair is discovered. Gavin ,Jake ,and Victoria bring the tension and drama to life.
Through all this Ben is the classic bad boy taking Elaine to a date at a strip club…. where Tia Svoboda part as a stripper teasing a male customer (Ben) in front of Elaine is very funny and clever. Reminds me of a time when my wife and I were in Tauranga during the 2011 rugby world cup, My wife wanted to go to a dance club after the game but we wandered into a strip club by mistake …. as soon as the girls started showing me extra attention …. my wife took me by the hand and took me out of there.
Elaine is set to marry Carl (a promising medical student) but runs off with Ben at the end of the play rather than marry Carl. Carl is the safe option but Ben is uncertain about what he wants to do with his life. Elaine like many women enjoy uncertainy … and Ben gives her the butterflies in the stomach,the excitement …. not knowing how her future with him willplay out.
GT
