Four Flat Whites In Italy @ Arts Theatre, Adelaide 22/3/2023

Four Flat Whites in Italy is a play written by NZ playwright Roger Hall and first performed to great acclaim in 2009. Therry updated the story to set it just before Covid in 2019. The story is about two couples who travel for the first time to Italy and the compromises and stresses that follow. This is a play that cleverly shows only some of its cards at the beginning. There were many great punchlines in this play and I had expected this to be similar to the last few comedies that Therry has produced (like the excellent Bedside Manners).

Four Flat Whites in Italy is different in that as the play goes on both pathos and poignancy are added to the story to excellent effect. Early on, I found myself making assumptions about what the characters’ motivations were but was pleasantly mistaken by this wonderful story and how it was resolved.

The cast was awesome which is usual for a Therry play. Lindsay Dunn as Adrian and the narrator never disappoints and I have seen him in many excellent Adelaide plays over the years. Sue Wylie’s role as Alison really resonated with me as she played the over-organiser of the trip which is something I have been known to do. Sue was the director of the brilliant Therry adaptation of Death of a Salesman I enjoyed in 2016. Frank Cwiertniak played neighbour Harry and Anita Zamberlan Canala played his wife Judy and both of the actors have performed in many magnificent plays like Twentieth Century and the Pitmen Painters in the last 2 years. Their role as the other couple was crucial to the play and they and the rest of the cast were all impressive.

This is another outstanding play from Director Kerrin White whose last two plays, Humble Boy and Twentieth Century, were equally as impressive.

Congratulations Therry Dramatic Society on your 80-year anniversary this year.

Theatre Review By Richard De Pizzol

Details to see this superb production that is playing until Saturday the 1st of April are at TryBooking