‘Gunsmoke’ // New Farm Nash Theatre

‘Gunsmoke’ was nostalgic.

Holster your pistols and light up one of L&M’s strong, but mild, cigarettes as New Farm Nash Theatre transports its studio audience to the wild west.

Almost 72 years on from when ‘Gunsmoke’ first hit the airways in America, it is ‘on air’ again, in the least likely of places, a Uniting Church nestled into the leafy riverside, New Farm suburb of Brisbane. This modest backdrop only served to showcase the passion of its cast and crew as they delivered an amusing hit of nostalgia for everyone who grew up watching the classic Westerns and a great night out for those that did not.

The year is 1952, Westerns are still in their prime and colour TV is yet to make its appearance. A new radio show, ‘Gunsmoke’, is making its debut. The series later inspired a television series of the same name, focused on Marshall Matt Dillion and his adventures keeping the peace in Dodge City. It was not long before ‘Gunsmoke’ made a name for itself among some of the best radio series of its time. Not being previously familiar with the work, I did have my reservations about how well the script had aged in this modern climate. However, the three plays I saw on Friday night, ‘Start of a Legend’, ‘Bloody Hands’ and ‘Chesters Dilemma’ were anything but dated. The writing of John Meston and Norman MacDonnell was as sharp as ever, from its dry humour to its subconsciously thought-provoking plot. It was a strong choice to commission these plays.

If technical simplicity were a show, it would be New Farm Nash Theatre’s ‘Gunsmoke’. From the moment the audience walked in the lights were on. That being said, the Foley Tech team were working overtime to bring Rob Crook’s detailed sound design to life. No stone was left unturned when it came to the soundscape of the show. If you closed your eyes, it was impossible not to see a vivid scene of the Marshall and Deputy making their way to the office, spurs, belts and guns clinking with every step on the dry rocky dirt road. Closing your eyes, however, would be a grave mistake when it came to the antics of the Foley Tech team. Headed by the seasoned Mark Corben and assisted by Aiden Carey, a young percussionist on his theatrical debut, the Foley Tech Team was a comedic stroke of genius from director Eddie Bruce.

A mention must be made for the stage design, which fully transported the audience to a 1950s recording studio, from the light-up applause and on-air signs to the old-style microphones. I never thought that the best prop for an old-fashioned microphone I have ever seen would be a series of kitchen sieves; I think this speaks to the magic and tenacity of community theatre. This was the handy work of none other than the committee president, Phil Carney, plus, I am sure, the numerous club members who tirelessly devote themselves to this passion.

When it comes to devotion, it would be amiss of me not to mention the cast. Without the technical tricks of elaborate scene changes, dramatic lights and swelling physical action, there was nothing to hide behind. And this ensemble was definitely not hiding. As with all studio performances, the cast remained seated on stage throughout the show, only standing up to the microphone as their character entered the scene. This transition was seamless as the ensemble operated like a well-oiled machine. The cast even provided a vocal soundscape to the crowd scene, in which you could occasionally catch a word or sentence. This was a refreshing directorial choice as opposed to the indistinct mumbling that so often is seen in the portrayal of a crowd. The cast, for their part, were vocally captivating with their use of the southern accent and rhythmical pacing of the dialogue.

The cast was led by the consistent performance of Stuart Loudon as Marshall Matt Dillon, who brought a no-nonsense, quick-firing and disenchanted Marshall to life. Loudon gracefully handled the bulk of the show text with poise and captured Dillon’s dry humour. Dillon’s sidekick, Chester, played by Tyson Hagreaves, was a perfect balance to the Marshall. Hagreaves stood out in this role with his talent for making the audience laugh from facial expressions alone. The rest of the comedy in general was handled particularly well by the cast. A special mention has to be made to Bruce Edgerton for their work in the L&M ad, which had the audience in hysterics. In fact, the L&M ads were another great comedic offer from Eddie Bruce, as well as a credit to the performers for capturing the tongue-in-cheek, satirical nature of these poorly aged ads.

This show reminded this reviewer of why I fell in love with theatre in the first place. It was clearly a community effort from people who were passionate about their craft. Whilst the show was great comedic entertainment for a night out, it also hides some messages about the current climate. A quote that stuck with me was a remark by Dillion, “hopefully in the future we won’t need to wear guns”, which seems a haunting hope, considering that gun violence is still prevalent in America.

‘Gunsmoke’ performs until Saturday, 15 March 2025 at New Farm Nash Theatre on Merthyr Road Uniting Church. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit their website.