Let Me Entertain You playwright Lindsay Fisher (left) with (l-r) Nick Kilpatrick, David Rogerson, Sally Evans and Stephen Fisher-King. Photo: Supplied.
What if being born with talent was more of a curse than a gift?
Wombarra playwright Lindsay Fisher explores the highs and lows of an entertainer’s life in her humorous new musical Let Me Entertain You, debuting in Coledale this May.
Featuring award-winning performer Stephen Fisher-King and a cast of seasoned professionals, the show blends humour, parody, and a sharp look at the challenges of making it in the Australian entertainment industry.
Lindsay said she spent a year fine-tuning the work as part of the South Coast Writers Centre and Merrigong Playwright’s Program, which draws on her experience in clubs, theatres and cruise ships.
“It examines the premise that perhaps being born with talent is actually a curse,” she said.
“The show deals with all the ‘issues’ that make it challenging to create and sustain a career as a performer in Australia – but at the same time, it’s humorous and also includes parody songs.
“For that reason, we jokingly call it a ‘playsical’.”
Lindsay said it was the first of three South Coast Writers Centre productions to be staged at Coledale Community Hall this year.
A journalist by trade, she said she had worked alongside the entertainment industry for many years.
Through the production, she draws on that experience to create a fun, yet thought-provoking look at what it really means to be a performer in today’s entertainment climate – from poker machine tax and COVID, right through to “payment” with food and exposure.
Lindsay said the show was a family affair, with husband and multiple MO and ACE award-winning entertainer Stephen Fisher-King performing in the show.
Stephen has starred in numerous musical theatre productions including Cats, The Rocky Horror Show and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Their daughter Darcy will also perform, bringing with her a wealth of experience as a WAAPA graduate who received rave reviews for her performance as Young Bonnie in the Hayes Theatre production of Bonnie and Clyde.
Lindsay said the show centred on a young girl looking to make a career as an entertainer and an older man trying to maintain his career as the world changed around him.
“It’s not autobiographical, but I have certainly called on experiences we have had or seen and fictionalised them,” she said.
Central to the show is “The President”, a mother and a leader who makes decisions which, to her, seem like a good idea, but have far-reaching ramifications.
In addition to Stephen and Darcy, the cast includes Sally Evans, Nick Kilpatrick, Tim Collins and David Rogerson, who Lindsay described as “excellent and experienced”.
“Everyone we have on board is an entertainment industry professional,” Lindsay said.
“We have people who have performed in major musical theatre productions, as well as accomplished actors and directors.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun to stage, and a lot of fun for the audience.”
Lindsay was grateful to the support of the South Coast Writers Centre in helping bring the production to life.
“I was part of the South Coast Writers Centre and Merrigong Playwright’s Program, with the support of facilitator Tom Peach,” she said.
“This was the most wonderful way to meet like-minded people and to work on fine-tuning the script.
“The centre has kindly extended its support by staging a few of the plays that have come out of the program, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for the others as the year progresses.”
Tickets are now available for Let Me Entertain You, which will be performed at Coledale Community Hall on 16, 17 and 18 May.
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