Laughter on the 23rd Floor

Year 11 Theatre Studies students presented Neil Simon’s rarely performed play, “Laughter on the 23rd Floor” to Year 11 students at a matinee and at two evening performances. The play is an adult comedy and is a tribute to comic writers such as Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Woody Allen and Mel Brooks. The play focuses on a group of writers writing sketches for a weekly variety show for a fictional star, Max Prince. Each of the writers is talented and the repartee that occurs between them is quick and lively. The play has memorable characters such as the hypochondriac, Ira Stone played with lively energy and physicality by Year 12 student, Max Helsing. Milt Fields was played by a Year 10 student, Daniel Martin. Max Prince was cleverly played by Year 11 student, Jake Stewart and Val Stolsky, a Russian Jew was played by Matt Kennedy. Shane Cosgrave, Alex Nikoloudis and Luke McShane were integral members of the cast. This year the boys were ably assisted by Madeline Edye and Carla Dougall from Presentation College who were a welcome addition to the cast. The students were required to use a variety of accents such as New York, Irish and Russian and worked with renowned voice coach, Suzanne Heywood. Areas of stagecraft such as set design, costume, properties and sound were undertaken by the students. All students rose to the challenege and their excitement and happy faces after each performance communicated that they, like the audience had enjoyed the experience. Ms Marg McPhee