STRATTON resident Kallum Mansfield plays an over-confident, manipulative lawyer in his latest foray on the stage.
Mansfield plays the role of Mr Andrews in Phoenix Theatre’s Bargain Burials, which opens at Hamilton Hill Memorial Hall tomorrow night.
He says the character is completely different to his past roles.
“He’s a lawyer that comes into any situation expecting to win the argument, and when he sees himself slipping, he resorts to any tactics necessary,” Mansfield said.
Presented by A lad in sane productions, Bargain Burials is a story of the little guys taking on a much bigger opponent and is set in the cemetery of an outback Australian town in 1976.
Two locals tend the town’s parks and cemetery until the funeral parlour buys a backhoe and makes them redundant. The men decide to open their own cut-price funeral business to take on the competitors.
Mansfield has been treading the boards since he was 13 and starred in The Karaoke Twist Christmas Special at Phoenix Theatre last year.
“I have worked with the writer/director before and loved the process and I also thought the script for Bargain Burials was funny and had some really interesting parts to play,” he said.
Writer and director John Grimshaw said Bargain Burials had themes of mateship, loyalty and standing up for what you believe in.
“What people might enjoy about the play is that it’s set in Australia and features atypical Aussie larrikin characters,” he said.
“Australian audiences generally like stories about the little Aussie battler taking on the big guys.”
Bargain Burials plays at 8pm tomorrow, Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well as March 25, 26 and 27. There will also be 3pm matinees on this Sunday and March 28. Tickets are $20, or $15 concession, and are available from BOCS on 9484 1133.