Suitcases, Baggage And Other Synonyms

It's difficult to work out whether Suitcases, Baggage And Other Synonyms is best described as a cabaret, a musical or a narrative comedy, but one thing it definitely stands out as is one hell of a good time. There is a narrative (even though the show and a lot of the humour is character-based) and the comedy is palpable, following the interaction of the characters. As we learn from actor Sarah Jackson: “the humour lies in the distractions, really; I'd describe it as an onstage sitcom. You really get to know the characters and their relationships, and the interest comes from the characters and the distractions from the narrative.”

The first brainchild from new production company Nick Of Time Productions has piqued the interest of Comedy Festival punters who are after a comedy act with a solid storyline and thorough commitment to character. And music, let's not forget the music! All of the songs are original compositions except one (which is a new arrangement of four existing songs) and hilariously cover topics from the struggles of making it as an actress to the social intricacies of Grindr. Now a full-length show, this new work started as an award winning ten-minute cabaret piece and was built, song-by-song, into a stunning 90-minute play.

The characters form the lynchpin of this narrative comedy, and are made up of an aspiring comedian with OCD, a singer/waitress on the cusp of making it, a serious actor who relates everything to Shakespeare, a gay pianist endlessly battling off heterosexual advances and a jazz musician who desperately wants to learn how to scat. We meet this group of five friends when one of them is granted annual leave for a joint holiday that nobody has planned yet, and the next hour and a half is spent following these fascinating characters as they try to plan their ideal overseas travel, while continually being side-tracked into various distractions.

“It's really art imitating life,” Jackson explains, “The audience can relate to most things in it and people feel really comfortable watching these characters on stage and relate to how they interact with each other.” The humour shifts from dry to flamboyant, with some characters really focused on the sardonic and others just wanting to have a great time. As audience members, we will grow to love these five friends, enjoy some cheeky breaking of the fourth wall (with some actors being locked in the dressing room) and adore a turning point that will stay with us for a long time after the curtain has fallen. Essentially, it's the sort of comic play that will appeal to everybody, and with five writers working in tandem on the project you can be assured that every voice is represented somewhere in the story.

WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday 17 to Saturday 20 April, Theatreworks