It’s 1950s America, and a new colour has been added to the Red Scare: lavender. The Lavender Scare saw LGBTQ+ people interrogated, outed, and dismissed from government service in a sweeping campaign of fear and moral panic.
Enter Bob and Norma, two U.S. State Department employees tasked with identifying and reporting “sexual deviants” within their ranks. There’s just one problem: both Bob and Norma are gay and are married to each other’s partners as a carefully constructed ruse.
Inspired by the early stirrings of the American gay rights movement, this madcap, classic-sitcom setup gradually gives way to sharp, provocative drama, as two “All-American” couples find themselves staring down the closet door — and the cost of keeping it shut.
“Usually, a playwright has to choose between writing a laugh-out-loud comedy and a very serious drama. Topher Payne has written both with Perfect Arrangement.” Theatre Mania
Now playing at the New Theatre in Newtown and led by returning director Patrick Kennedy (CEO of Sydney Fringe) the ensemble cast includes some brand-new faces, and some familiar ones. Brock Cramond (Debut), Huxley Forras (Debut), Lucinda Jurd (Debut), Dominique Purdue (The Other End of the Afternoon, Significant Other, Collaborators), Brooke Ryan (Debut), Jordan Thompson (Debut), Luke Visentin (Present Laughter, Hir, The Vibrator Play, Control, Atlantis).
CREATIVE TEAM
Director Patrick Kennedy
Associate Set Designer Tom Bannerman
Stage Manager Thomas Fullerton
Photos © Bob Seary
CAST
Brock Cramond, Huxley Forras, Lucinda Jurd, Dominique Purdue, Brooke Ryan, Jordan Thompson and Luke Visentin.
DATES/TIMES
Season Thu – Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm
Final performance Sat 7 Mar 2pm
TICKETS
Full $45
Concessions, Groups (6+) $40
New Theatre Members $30
Thrifty Thursdays $30
Preview $25
(booking fees apply)
BOOKINGS: aunewtheatre.sales.ticketsearch.com
New Theatre, 542 King St, Newtown