Shipwrecks and social satire are the subject of the Friends of Theatre Society (FOTS)’ maiden production, J.M. Barrie’s Admirable Crichton, opening at UNE on Thursday.
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Barrie is best known for Peter Pan, but there’s more to his work than crocodiles and Captain Hook. His stage works include drawing room comedies, suspense plays, comic operas, and tales of the supernatural.
The Admirable Crichton is butler to a British aristocrat who thinks the class system is artificial – much to Crichton’s horror. When the household is shipwrecked on a desert island, the relation between servant and master is turned on its head. The upper classes find themselves forced to hunt, build, and work with their hands, while the practical Crichton finds himself their leader.
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“Barrie wrote it to challenge the notion that just because you're born in one social position, you’ll never be able to rise above or below that position,” director Jono McAteer said.
“Even if it is a century old, the play has some real cutting wit, and the very talented team of actors have a great ear for comedy and comedic timing.”
The play may satirise the Edwardian class system – familiar from Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs – but it is still, McAteer said, relevant.
“The world's gotten so small through internet and social networking that we have this massive understanding of where all our friends and family and strangers sit in the class ladder, but it can all be so easily overturned when brought back to nature – and that's the biggest theme of this entire play.”
This is the group’s first major production. FOTS used to exist at the university years ago, but fell into obscurity. Now it’s been resurrected by an enthusiastic group of young actors, producers, set designers, prop makers and costumiers, who cut their teeth on variety nights and talent shows.
FOTS is already planning a second major production in the third quarter of the year.
“We want this to pave the way for more opportunities for everyone in the university,” McAteer said. “Whether you study theatre or medicine or teaching, if you have a passion to put something on a stage, we want to give you the platform to do so.”
The Admirable Crichton runs at the A1 Lecture theatre (Arts Building), UNE Campus, from Thursday April 12 to Saturday 14 at 7.30pm. Tickets $15, $10 students. Book online at https://trybooking.com/364827 or at the door.
