Fasten your seatbelts for a hilarious night out
WARRANDYTE Theatre Company will bring the international hit comedy Boeing Boeing to the Warrandyte Mechanics’ Institute Hall from August 28 to September 12, offering audiences a fast-paced night of witty one-liners, physical comedy, and escalating romantic chaos.
The production marks the first time the play has been staged in Warrandyte and brings together a stellar cast and crew for what co-directors Tegan DeClark and Taryn Johns hope will be a memorable and laughter-filled night out.
Written by French playwright Marc Camoletti and translated by Beverley Cross and Francis Evans, Boeing Boeing is set in a stylish Paris apartment during the glamorous age of 1960s air travel.
At the centre of the story is Bernard (Mason Frost), a confident bachelor who is secretly engaged to three international flight attendants: Gloria (Frankie Photiadis), Gabriella (Rosa Leonardi) and Gretchen (Michelle Reeves).
Each woman works for a different airline, allowing Bernard to arrange their visits around carefully calculated flight schedules.
His system is simple: one up, one down, and one on standby.
The arrangement appears to be running with airline precision, assisted by Bernard’s increasingly unimpressed housekeeper, Berthe (Lisa Upson).
But when faster Boeing jets and changing timetables bring all three women to Paris at once, Bernard’s supposedly foolproof plan begins to nosedive.
His visiting friend Robert (Cormac Duff) is quickly drawn into the deception as the pair race to prevent the three fiancées from meeting.
The result is a whirlwind of frantic explanations, slamming doors, near misses, and misunderstandings, with each attempted solution creating even more turbulence.
For Tegan and Taryn, the production has a strong personal connection.
The pair first met while performing in Boeing Boeing at a regional theatre in Queensland in 2015.
“We have such wonderful memories of performing in this play together, so it is exciting to now introduce it to a new audience in Warrandyte,” Tegan said.
It is joyful escapism and a genuine night of fun.
The script is full of witty one-liners, and our actors have incredible comic timing.
Audiences can leave the everyday world behind and enjoy a couple of hours of laughter while supporting local community theatre.”
Taryn said the play had remained a favourite among those who saw their earlier production.
“In more than 20 years of performing, our friends and family still tell us Boeing Boeing was one of the best plays they have ever seen,” she said.
We hope this production will embed itself in the hearts and memories of Warrandyte audiences, and of course the cast and crew too.”
The play also comes with an intriguing piece of theatrical history: it holds a Guinness World Record.
What is the record for?
The directors are keeping that detail grounded until opening night.
“You’ll have to come and see the play to find out,” Tegan said.
A large team of community volunteers is also working behind the scenes across costumes, set construction, props, sound, lighting, and other production areas to transform the historic Warrandyte Mechanics’ Hall into the glamorous world of 1960s Paris.
For audiences planning a date night, a catch-up with friends, or simply an evening of laughter close to home, Boeing Boeing promises a lively night at the theatre while supporting the local performers and volunteers who keep community theatre flying.
Performance details
Performances run on weekends from August 28 until September 12.
Friday and Saturday nights at 8pm, Sunday matinees at 2:30pm.
Tickets start at $22, bookings via trybooking.com/DNKAB.
