Tell us about the concept behind The Way Things Work.
The play is a black comedy looking at the world of mates and corruption by Melbourne playwright Aidan Fennessy. It follows three scenes and six characters, all played by two performers, and looks at the difference between special concrete and normal concrete.
Why is relationship between politics and big business so fruitful an area for drama and comedy?
I think it is the size of the characters in real life that it has to draw on. They are larger than life and their situations are so farcical that they make for wonderful drama. Especially in the current climate with Royal Commissions and the ICAC starting a new inquiry ever second week.
It must be particularly special to present the world premiere of this Australian play?
It is. The Rock Surfers has a proud history of producing new writing. And this play is our first full commission, which has been made possible by CJZ (Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder).
Introduce us to the cast – who’ll be helping us navigate this world?
Ashley Lyons and Nicholas Papademetriou are the two performers. They play all six characters in the play, moving from scene to scene. It’s incredibly challenging for them and really amazing to watch as they transform through each of them.
Can life imitate art? What do you think the politicians and business types of Australia can learn from The Way Things Work?
I think there is a lesson in there for them but I’m not sure that many of them would be that keen to learn it. You get the criminals you pay for.
The Way Things Work is playing at Bondi Pavilion Theatre until Saturday November 29.
