Blackwood Players' second venture for 2026 was a staged reading of Brian Fox's play "A Relic of Old Decency". The staged reading was directed by Greg Elliott and Brian Fox assisted as acting and character coach. The play was well supported by an appreciative audience of 50. The performance took place in the RAAF Association's clubrooms at Mitcham which felt comfortable and intimate.
This production provided more opportunities for actors to act alongside the experienced Brian Fox who played the elderly AJ, a former, proud tram driver and who is now estranged from his wife and two adult children. Beren Carney was entertaining and animated as the young, optimistic AJ who was given his first chance to drive a tram at 14 by his father (Greg Elliott), then a lovesick AJ at 19 falling in love with Marge, played delightfully by Amethyst Mae (who also played AJ's daughter Alice), and then a more depressed AJ at 40 when Marge was pregnant (sensitively performed by Perrin Abbas) with their second child. Duncan Fairweather stormed on stage as Michael, the aggressive son of AJ, accompanied by Katie Adams as Rebecca, his vacant-minded wife. Christina Hagger was Tess, the carer who understood AJ's moods and who always watched out for his well being.
The play ebbed and flowed between the present with AJ moodily sitting in his chair, occasionally having to deal with youngsters teasing him and kicking balls through his window and flashbacks of moments in his life that were more tender and life affirming. AJ who appears initially as a sad, lonely man who has not been treated kindly by life becomes a man who is the cause of his and his family's ruin through his pride, fear of the world and refusal to compromise.
Blackwood Players wish to thank Brian for offering his play to be staged in a rehearsed reading. It gave our cast an opportunity to work with a man who has acted and directed, professionally and is now writing. Brian offered advice about how to interpret and deliver lines and how to vary the pace of delivery. Thank you Brian.
Many thanks to Kevin Gogler and the RAAF Association for allowing us to rehearse, and to present this play reading in their clubrooms.
