On a chilly and blustery Melbourne night, as most people were snuggled up under a blanket, safe in their homes, I found the trip out to the Retro Café in Fitzroy to be well worth it. The warmly lit upstairs area, with its comfortable couches and tables where you can enjoy a meal, all make for a homely yet groovy ambience and the perfect setting for this entertaining piece of musical comedy theatre.
I first came across Lou Pardi and Jacky Claff as Fran and Roxanne in their 2006 festival show, Fran and Roxanne are Best Friends and was happy to see that this talented duo were performing together again this year. Waiting to go into the show, I recalled the dysfunctional yet dependant relationship of the pair and wondered how far they had come in the last two years.
Thankfully, the blissful ignorance of Roxanne (the dreamer) and the neurotic tendencies of Fran (the librarian) are still very much a part of their respective personalities, which makes for more of the same humorous banter between the two that I have come to expect. I got constant chuckles from vain Roxanne’s incorrect metaphors and mixed-up vocabulary.
What came as a surprise was the inclusion of two male actors in the show, one playing the role of an electrician named Frankie and the other playing a prospective room mate, Guy – whom both ladies were interested in. While they both displayed impressive performances, the main plotline revolved around these two characters and I felt that the big revelation of the story was way too drawn out.
I believe this would be a stronger show if more time was spent on exploring the relationship between Fran and Roxanne and how the arrival of a shared romantic interest affects their status within the friendship.
All actors involved possess beautiful singing voices and there are many catchy tunes to enjoy throughout the show. Spontaneously breaking into song at various points in a show is not for everyone, but I believe this joyfully shared habit is what helps to remind us why Fran and Roxanne are actually best friends despite their polar opposite views on life.
Visit the comedy festival website for bookings and further details