Unpack This!

Under certain circumstances, assault charges are met with a court order to attend anger management classes. This is precisely what happened to Geoff Paine, an actor in Neighbours back in the late '80s, after he head-butted his own neighbour and breaking the man's nose. Not one to waste an opportunity, Paine brought his notepad along and turned the classes into a show for the Melbourne Comedy Festival. Several months later, the show has made it west. It's largely autobiographical, with Paine playing himself in addition to two other characters. Ross Daniels also plays multiple roles, covering the other three students in the class. Paine and Daniels have attractive roles for good actors – changes occur at speed and are demonstrated by not much more than small shifts in costume and posture.

Where the acting falters is with Syd Brisbane and Michelle Nussey, who play the councillors. Nussey's role of the youthful female councillor is a subtle one, and it does not benefit from Brisbane's brutish treatment of his. Brisbane is an anger management councillor with anger issues – a fantastic concept, but one that might have stood up better with a less overt treatment.

Herein lies the pattern. It's a show of ideas and there are some brilliant ones; acutely observed, hilariously expressed, imbued cleverly with a sense of irony. There's some very funny dialogue here and this was loudly reflected in a very responsive audience. But there are some unfortunate inconsistencies and some lost subtlety that rendered it good instead of great, and which, after a season in Melbourne, can't just be put down to opening night jitters.