Leopardskin

Leopardskin follows two con artists, politicians, police, an eccentric Italian billionaire, and some carnies, as they all seek their own priceless fortunes. Those fortunes might be love, charity, justice, comeuppance, or just sweet old cashola. 

Leopardskin is a lollapalooza of puns and character. The new Australian work by Michael McStay has a lot to say about profiteroles, and a lot to say about the growing range and promise of the Kings Cross Theatre and JackRabbit Theatre collab. 

As the collective says, they're bringing “new, fast, loud theatre to Sydney” and there’s not a moment that any audience member wishes for the volume and pace of this show’s action to quieten or slow. 

Samantha Young’s direction is stellar. She finds surprising comedy in careful stagecraft (watch for the carnival scene after interval). Taking on set and costume design as well means that she has had mammoth involvement in the show, and its success relies to a great extent upon her. 

The con artists Luka Maxwell and Val Desmond are played by Guy O’Grady and Zoe Jensen. And they’re an absolute hoot to watch. O'Grady plays his over-the-top sob stories to the audience’s titters again and again. Jensen at first seems to play the straight man to O'Grady, but evolves beautifully, embodying just as farcical a genius. Nick Gell plays various caricature-like characters (Suit, Rich Man, Beardy, Sergeant) and the stage lights, designed by Martin Kinnane and Jasmine Rizk, seem energised by the energy in his renditions. Ella Watson-Russell plays Olive Darling, the senator with enough seriousness to let her foolishness undermine her for comedy gold. Emma Kew (Officer Beaks, Rich Lady, Vendor, Bouncer) imbued a bloke-ish UK bouncer with a pathos we never knew they could have. She deserves an absolutely special mention for nailing such an absurd variety of parts to such effect. 

Travis Jeffrey as Dick Tims and especially as Giuseppe Monterverdi, the eccentric Italian billionaire, is the show’s very own priceless fortune. The first 20 minutes or so, it must be said, while undeniably clever, becomes almost fumbly. From the second Giuseppe makes his appearance, though, every part of the show lands where it always knew it should be. Joke after joke after twist after turn after throwback after throwback, Jeffrey simultaneously delivers and facilitates the delivery of the rest of the team. 

Leopardskin is thick with fun, rapidfire comedy, and we want to see it again right now.