Speechmaker makes its mark

When you combine one of Southbank’s most popular theatre companies with probably Australia’s most successful ever production company you’re a good chance of being on a winner.

Throw in some of Australia’s finest television actors like Erik Thomson, Lachy Hulme, Kat Stewart, Jane Harber and David James and you only increase your chances

So it is with The Speechmaker, a collaborative effort between Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) and Working Dog, the company responsible for classic Australian films The Castle and The Dish and multiple successful television programs.

The Speechmaker is the laugh-out-loud comedy experience we’ve come to expect from the Working Dog team, focusing on an Air Force One flight and the politics behind the president of the United States of America.

The president (Erik Thomson) is forced into an ethical dilemma by his national defence team.

One of the risks of this production is the mostly Australian cast is asked to maintain American accents for the duration of the play and, for the most part, they pull it off.

Lachy Hulme is a stand-out within the cast and is surely considered the pre-eminent actor in Australia right now. His one-on-one scenes with Thomson are a treat and combine powerful stage acting with comedic timing brilliantly.

Thompson too is outstanding as the president and the centerpiece of the production. He conveys the, at times bumbling but strong-willed, president to a tee, and delivers speeches worthy of any modern day politician.

The Speechmaker is a telling look inside modern day politics, the tactics and cynicism behind it and just how far a president is willing to go for the good of his campaign