Popcorn at Cairns Little Theatre is a well-produced and directed play with a cast of talented actors.

A satire written by Ben Elton, it centres on an Oscar-winning film-maker Bruce Delamitri (Bruce Whitehead), who gets more than he bargains for by putting his movies that glamorise sex and violence into the world.

He thinks he has trouble in his life with his surly teenage daughter Velvet (Laura Pegrum), his supercilious ex-wife Farrah (Jacki Porter), and an aspiring actress Brooke Daniels (Francesca McCarthy), who uses unusual methods to show her talent.

But that’s nothing compared to what happens with the appearance of Wayne (Lance Helms) and Scout (Tash Riedel), the mall murderers, who have a plan to sort out all their crimes.

This is a very vibrant and entertaining play under the helm of director Lynn Cropp, particularly in the first half when the characters are introduced. 

There were excellent performances from Jacki Porter and Laura Pegrum as the mother and daughter team. 

Bruce Whitehead made a competent lead debut as the film-maker as did Nader Sallam as his producer, and Francesca McCarthy as the model cum actress is a strong performer, who certainly knows how to take off a pair of tights. 

The stand-outs were the trailer trash mall murderers (Scout and Lance), who had the Southern-American Jerry Springer audience-type voices and mannerisms down pat.

Tash Riedel, who played Scout, was very entertaining as was Lance Helms as Wayne.

The only downside to this play is nothing to do with the production or the actors but the play itself.    Ben Elton`s second act begins to stretch the suspension of disbelief too far when the murderers start making speeches about the power of the media and how the justice system works so that you can be guilty in reality, yet innocent.

Not that they are not viable sentiments but that their expression seems just too wordy for the characters saying them. 

The play begins to feel too much like an intellectual debate about who in society is responsible (or not) for their actions.

It may have worked better in the book form of Popcorn rather than the subsequent play.

It is, nevertheless, a play that certainly raises some interesting, if not much argued ideas. 

Cairns Little Theatre also had some nice touches like having popcorn on sale in the foyer. 

Popcorn at Cairns Little Theatre is entertaining and has a great cast, so it is well worth a visit.

>> Cairns Little Theatre`s Popcorn runs at the Rondo Theatre in Greenslopes Street until November 19. Book on Ticketlink at Ph: 1300 855 835 or online at www.ticketlink.com.au

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