Play About a Greek Nursing Home: Bittersweet Comedy

Last night I had an unexpected invitation to "The Plot", a play by Evdokia Katahanas and directed by Sophie Kelly at the Mantouridion Theatre, Marrickville, Sydney. The play chronicles a few days at an aged care centre, run for the Greek community. It is about the politics of staff versus a governing board, political ambition, personal relationships in the workplace and testing the bonds of friendship.

The Play starts with the main character as a little girl singing "You'll Never Walk Alone"reminiscent of the start of "Jerusalem" at New Theater Sydney (2013), which was also about an idealistic individual battling an uncaring organization. The Plot is not as frantic as Jerusalem, with more warmth.

Most of the play is set in a nursing home, with a hospital bed dominating the otherwise mostly bare stage. The play starts well, but ends abruptly, perhaps like a Greek tragedy, where the message is that mortals come and go but the goods of fate go on.

The Mantouridion Theatre is also know as "The Greek Theatre" and usually puts on ancient Greek classics in Greek. But "The Plot" is a new work in English (altough the themes are ageless).  The Theatre is located in the Addison Road Community Centre (Marrickville, Sydney) and is worth a visit on its own. This former Army Barracks  is now home to the Sidetrack Theatre, several child care centres, art galleries and recycling centres.

The Plot, runs until 1 March 2015 at the Mantouridion Theatre, Sydney. I could not find a website for the theatre, but you can book tickets online at TryBooking.com