Just Douglas is the second play by Cerise de Gelder Accidental Productions has staged at the Fringe. Following the success of The Umbrella Plays in 2010, we wanted to explore some further work of this quixotic Melbourne playwright. Cerise seldom writes a _x0018_ straight_x0019_ play, preferring to give us a series of impressions in short sketches. But these sketches are held together by connections that are not always immediately apparent or even entirely logical. This style is fully explored in Just Douglas to great effect. It is based on a series of family and social connections that are deliberately more complex than you_x0019_ d encounter in a Tolstoy novel. We, the audience, are confronted with a series of seemingly unrelated events that eventually come together in a bizarre way. Confusing indeed! Twice the barman, Ned, tries to explain how it all holds together to his somewhat dim-witted customer, Ted, but with indifferent success. Maybe you have better luck. This is what the reviewers said about our production of Cerise de Gelder_x0019_ s The Umbrella Plays: Director Joh Hartog finds every laugh possible as well as a nice little emotional moment. He understands the plays and has a finely tuned cast at his disposal. He also understands some of the pitfalls of the venue, using a very awkward, unsightly support post, situated right at the front of the stage, to very good use several times throughout the production& To paraphrase the song: let an umbrella be your smile - brighten up an already impressive 2010 Fringe with this little drop of entertainment. Rating: 4 stars (out of 5) _x0013_ Brian Godfrey, Adelaide Theatre Guide & one particularly funny piece has another woman interpreting what the other two really mean by the things that they say to one another. She is an expert in both man-speak and woman-speak. Mel Matheson does not hold back in this knockabout role, to the extent of actually sustaining minor injuries as she is thrown around the stage by the other two. This is a highly entertaining hour of clever comedy from the pen of Cerise de Gelder, directed with a fine comic insight by Joh Hartog. Put this one on your list. _x0013_ Barry Lenny, GLAM Adelaide Just Douglas promises to be even better!
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