A COLLISION of comedy and music will leave people laughing in the aisles as Limelight Theatre’s latest offering spends a day in the dysfunctional supermarket Greenwicks.
Written and directed by Craigie resident John McPherson and James Marzec, Greenwicks is an original musical comedy exploring three different storylines in an independent grocery store.
The managerial team tries to uncover a thief who has driven store profits into the ground, causing Mr Greenwick himself to arrive and threaten the store’s closure.
Meanwhile, the checkout chicks try to get some dignity back, prove they are more than just pretty faces and teach their lecherous line manager Kevin a lesson.
At the same time, disgruntled grocery boy Jude devises an evil plan to get rid of the lovable and charismatic “supermarket saint” Malachi – who has stolen the heart of Amy, his so-called “deserved love”.
The three stories intertwine and collide over the course of one long day, exploring how our work family may not be the one we choose but is the family we grow to love and hate.
McPherson and Marzec formed their own writing team, M&M Productions, and own the theatre company Showroom Theatre, having staged numerous original productions.
Greenwicks their third original show was first staged in 2009.
McPherson said since then they had written bigger and better productions and, after each show, they always asked themselves what if they re-wrote a previous show with the experience and knowledge of the first run and the years they had since perfecting their art.
Greenwicks is the result of that question – their first revival of one of their productions.
“As musical director and composer, I’ve completely rewritten and orchestrated the show, which means the music has been scored using a program and some sort of organisation,’’ he said.
“Back in 2008, I was scribbling charts onto paper and working with pub musicians but this time around I have a 12-piece jazz band and actual musicians.
“Greenwicks was good the first time around so this should knock your socks off.”
While studying music education at the University of WA, McPherson acted with the University Dramatic Society from 2005 and put on his first show Fresher: The Musical in 2007.
In 2009, McPherson won best musical director at the annual Finley Awards for the original production Bullet Betty Vareska: The Directive of Six – the show also picked up awards for best choreography and best newcomer.
Greenwicks plays at 8pm on June 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16 and 17 with a 2pm matinee on June 17.
