Fourth Wheel Theatre

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The story of a Bake-Off competition to select a bride for a Prince and how goodness (and some magic) succeeds against greed and corruption.

The cast are:
· Annie as Announcer
. Helen C. as Verita
· Scarlett as Cindy and Amaretti
· Fiona W. as Esme Goodfairy
· Ron as Gareth Rella
· Fiona M. as Saccharine Cole
· Isabelle as Drizella
· Madeline as Brittle
· Stephen as Diablo Hades
· Malcolm as King Rupert
· Helen P. as No-el the Fool
· Caro as Prince Lacklustre

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The story of a Bake-Off competition to select a bride for a Prince and how goodness (and some magic) succeeds against greed and corruption.
[SOUNDBITE]

The cast are:
· Helen C. as Verita (and narrator)
· Scarlett as Cindy and Amaretti
· Fiona W. as Esme Goodfairy
· Ron as Gareth Rella
· Fiona M. as Saccharine Cole
· Isabelle as Drizella
· Madeline as Brittle
· Stephen as Diablo Hades
· Malcolm as King Rupert
· Helen P. as No-el the Fool
· Stephen as Prince Lacklustre

"Baking Bad" was written by Helen Crompton and Tim McGrath for Fourth Wheel Productions. This performance was directed and recorded by Tim McGrath for Christmas 2023.

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LOST HORIZON - a story of hope in a confused world.
Following a plane crash, Conway, a British consul, his deputy, a missionary and an American financier, find themselves stranded in the enigmatic snow covered mountains of Tibet. They are rescued and taken to a hidden valley and the monastic community known as Shangri-La.

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The Feral newspaper is owned by Kerry King and run by Terrance Weirdly the editor and his team of Shredder and Stefano Grunt. They are a middle-aged white male clique who ignore the efforts of other workers, Titania and Cindy.

Gabrielle volunteers at St Pat's Soup Kitchen with Cindy. Cindy saves her when a soup cauldron falls over. Gabrielle reveals she was hit on the head while rescuing injured orphans from a fire on Christmas Island. The accident left her with amnesia about who she was. She shows Cindy her signet ring.

Cindy connects this with the anonymous classified ad that appears in The Feral every Christmas and writes it up as story, calling for Gabrielle's family to come forward.

The Feral publishes the story but Cindy is not credited - Stefano is. Kerry reads the story, reveals he placed the ad and Gabrielle is his long-lost daughter Charmaine. The story gets praise – syndicated, and` taken up by other media.

At The Feral Christmas party Titania encourages Cindy to propose to Gabrielle. Cindy is revealed as the author of the article. Terrance, Shredder and Stefano are demoted. Cindy is appointed chief report.

Two rats who live in the office are the narrators and commentators.

Directed by | Tim McGrath

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LOST HORIZON - a story of hope in a confused world.
Following a plane crash, Conway, a British consul, his deputy, a missionary and an American financier, find themselves in the enigmatic snow covered mountains of Tibet. Here they discover a seemingly perfect hidden community where they are welcomed with gracious hospitality. Intrigued by its mystery, the travellers set about discovering the hidden secret at the shimmering heart of Shangri-La.
Act Three: Conway realises his destiny.

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LOST HORIZON - a story of hope in a confused world.
Following a plane crash, Conway, a British consul, his deputy, a missionary and an American financier, find themselves in the enigmatic snow covered mountains of Tibet. Here they discover a seemingly perfect hidden community where they are welcomed with gracious hospitality. Intrigued by its mystery, the travellers set about discovering the hidden secret at the shimmering heart of Shangri-La.
Act Two:
Conway continues his story -- a strange tale of a journey to a strange place, the hidden lamasery of Shangri-La.

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LOST HORIZON - a story of hope in a confused world.
Following a plane crash, Conway, a British consul, his deputy, a missionary and an American financier, find themselves in the enigmatic snow covered mountains of Tibet. Here they discover a seemingly perfect hidden community where they are welcomed with gracious hospitality. Intrigued by its mystery, the travellers set about discovering the hidden secret at the shimmering heart of Shangri-La.
Act One:
Stranded high in the mountains, Conway, Mallinson, Brinklow and Barnard are rescued and taken to a hidden valley and the monastic community known as Shangri-La.

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The story of a journey from kitchen to bin as experienced by a recyclable HDPE bottle (called Hope). Hope’s vision is that all Synthetic polymers achieve their true destiny:- to be recycled.

A Christmas Pantomime (video available at https://youtu.be/z7vhJdfi5k4)

Written and Directed by Tim McGrath
Cast of Characters

Narrator: FIONA MCVEY

· Hope – HDPE bottle (optimist) HELEN PEERLESS

· Polly – Polypropylene food container (anxious) ANNIE TAYLOR

· Con – PBAT foam food tray (sneaky) FIONA WHEELER

· Pete – PET plastic carton (cynical) STEPHEN MCVEY

· Bin Bag – Rubbish Bag (Friendly) MALCOLM DOUGLAS

· Crystal – Glass Vegemite jar (Wise) ISABELLE MCGRATH

Wheelie Bins:

· Red – general waste bin (Rude) HELEN CROMPTON

· Yellow – recyclables bin (Gentle) STEPHEN MCVEY

· Green – the guardian of FOGO (Sensitive) MALCOLM DOUGLAS

Recycled Song by Tim McGrath sung by Helen Peerless.

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The story of a property dispute related to the building at end of South Terrace.

Scrooge is intent on redeveloping the cafe into a parking lot. Three visions make her realise that it is better to be part of a community and that money is not everything.

Told through the timeless format of pantomime.

CAST:
Narrator .... Fiona McVey
Scrooge – Property developer .... Stephen McVey
Bob Cratchit – Café owner .... Kim Petersen
Tiny Tim – Café Patron .... Isabelle McGrath
Mister Kickie - Barista [panto donkey] .... Helen Peerless
Bridie Petite – Dodgy town planner .... Peter Hocking
Celeste Gypsy Rose Indigo Heavenly Meadow – Good fairy .... Annie Taylor
Gasket – Coffee drinking dog .... Fiona Wheeler
Ghost of Christmas Past – pre-COVID Father Christmas .... Ron Potiphar
Ghost of Christmas Present – COVID isolation Father Christmas .... Fiona Wheeler
Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come – Post-COVID Father Christmas .... Peter Hocking
Genie .... Aung Mynt

Written by Tim McGrath (oh, yes, and Helen Crompton)

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The story of a property dispute related to the building at end of South Terrace.

Scrooge is intent on redeveloping the cafe into a parking lot. Three visions make her realise that it is better to be part of a community and that money is not everything.

Told through the timeless format of pantomime.

CAST:
Narrator .... Fiona Wheeler
Scrooge – Property developer .... Peter Hocking
Bob Cratchit – Café owner .... Fiona McVey
Tiny Tim – Café Patron .... Helen Peerless
Mister Kickie - Barista [panto donkey] .... Kim Petersen
Bridie Petite – Dodgy town planner .... Annie Taylor
Celeste Gypsy Rose Indigo Heavenly Meadow – Good fairy .... Isabelle McGrath
Gasket – Coffee drinking dog .... Ron Potiphar
Ghost of Christmas Past – pre-COVID Father Christmas .... Stephen McVey
Ghost of Christmas Present – COVID isolation Father Christmas .... Aung Mynt
Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come – Post-COVID Father Christmas .... Ron Potiphar
Genie .... Aung Mynt

Written by Helen Crompton (oh? ... and Tim McGrath)

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A young shelf stacker from the Perth suburbs is met at the Australia Day fireworks by a university sociology professor who specialises in the phonetics of the English language. The professor teases her about her ambition to be sociably acceptable given her accent and coarse language. He suggests an experiment. Over 9 months she is intensively taught to speak Cultivated Australian English and behave like a socialite. She is exhibited and tested at the Melbourne Cup Lunch at the Royal Perth Yacht Club.
Based on Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (1913)
Adapted by Tim McGrath (2020)CastEliza Doolittle (bogan) | : | Helen Peerless
Professor Henry Higgins (sociology professor) | : | Stephen McVey
Doctor Pickering (friend and conscience of Higgins) | : | Peter Hocking
Alfred Doolittle (philosophical father of Eliza) | : | Ron Potiphar
Mrs. Pearce (Henry’s assistant at the university) | : | Isabelle McGrath
Mrs. Higgins (mother of Henry) | : | Fiona McVey
Mrs. Fortescue (snobby mother) | : | Annie Taylor
Clara Fortescue (snooty daughter) | : | Duncan McGrath
Nigel Fortescue (soppy romantic admirer of Eliza) | : | Isabelle McGrath
Bystander | : | Fiona McVey
Sarcastic Bystander | : | Ron Potiphar

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"Pig Melon" is an Australian adaptation of the play "Pygmalion" by George Bernard Shaw (which was also adapted as the musical "My Fair Lady")

The Cast:
Eliza Doolittle (bogan) | : | Helen Peerless
Professor Henry Higgins (sociology professor) | : | Stephen McVey
Doctor Pickering (friend and conscience of Higgins) | : | Peter Hocking
Alfred Doolittle (philosophical father of Eliza) | : | Ron Potiphar
Mrs. Higgins (mother of Henry) | : | Fiona McVey
Sarcastic Bystander | : | Ron Potiphar

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A young shelf stacker from the Perth suburbs is met at the Australia Day fireworks by a university sociology professor who specialises in the phonetics of the English language. The professor teases her about her ambition to be sociably acceptable given her accent and coarse language. He suggests an experiment. Over 9 months she is intensively taught to speak Cultivated Australian English and behave like a socialite. She is exhibited and tested at the Melbourne Cup Lunch at the Royal Perth Yacht Club.
Based on Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (1913)
Adapted by Tim McGrath (2020)CastEliza Doolittle (bogan) | : | Helen Peerless
Professor Henry Higgins (sociology professor) | : | Stephen McVey
Doctor Pickering (friend and conscience of Higgins) | : | Peter Hocking
Alfred Doolittle (philosophical father of Eliza) | : | Ron Potiphar
Mrs. Pearce (Henry’s assistant at the university) | : | Isabelle McGrath
Mrs. Higgins (mother of Henry) | : | Fiona McVey
Mrs. Fortescue (snobby mother) | : | Annie Taylor
Clara Fortescue (snooty daughter) | : | Duncan McGrath
Nigel Fortescue (soppy romantic admirer of Eliza) | : | Isabelle McGrath
Bystander | : | Fiona McVey
Sarcastic Bystander | : | Ron Potiphar

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A young shelf stacker from the Perth suburbs is met at the Australia Day fireworks by a university sociology professor who specialises in the phonetics of the English language. The professor teases her about her ambition to be sociably acceptable given her accent and coarse language. He suggests an experiment. Over 9 months she is intensively taught to speak Cultivated Australian English and behave like a socialite. She is exhibited and tested at the Melbourne Cup Lunch at the Royal Perth Yacht Club.
Based on Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (1913)
Adapted by Tim McGrath (2020)CastEliza Doolittle (bogan) | : | Helen Peerless
Professor Henry Higgins (sociology professor) | : | Stephen McVey
Doctor Pickering (friend and conscience of Higgins) | : | Peter Hocking
Alfred Doolittle (philosophical father of Eliza) | : | Ron Potiphar
Mrs. Pearce (Henry’s assistant at the university) | : | Isabelle McGrath
Mrs. Higgins (mother of Henry) | : | Fiona McVey
Mrs. Fortescue (snobby mother) | : | Annie Taylor
Clara Fortescue (snooty daughter) | : | Duncan McGrath
Nigel Fortescue (soppy romantic admirer of Eliza) | : | Isabelle McGrath
Bystander | : | Fiona McVey
Sarcastic Bystander | : | Ron Potiphar

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A young shelf stacker from the Perth suburbs is met at the Australia Day fireworks by a university sociology professor who specialises in the phonetics of the English language. The professor teases her about her ambition to be sociably acceptable given her accent and coarse language. He suggests an experiment. Over 9 months she is intensively taught to speak Cultivated Australian English and behave like a socialite. She is exhibited and tested at the Melbourne Cup Lunch at the Royal Perth Yacht Club.
Based on Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (1913)
Adapted by Tim McGrath (2020)CastEliza Doolittle (bogan) | : | Helen Peerless
Professor Henry Higgins (sociology professor) | : | Stephen McVey
Doctor Pickering (friend and conscience of Higgins) | : | Peter Hocking
Alfred Doolittle (philosophical father of Eliza) | : | Ron Potiphar
Mrs. Pearce (Henry’s assistant at the university) | : | Isabelle McGrath
Mrs. Higgins (mother of Henry) | : | Fiona McVey
Mrs. Fortescue (snobby mother) | : | Annie Taylor
Clara Fortescue (snooty daughter) | : | Duncan McGrath
Nigel Fortescue (soppy romantic admirer of Eliza) | : | Isabelle McGrath
Bystander | : | Fiona McVey
Sarcastic Bystander | : | Ron Potiphar

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A young shelf stacker from the Perth suburbs is met at the Australia Day fireworks by a university sociology professor who specialises in the phonetics of the English language. The professor teases her about her ambition to be sociably acceptable given her accent and coarse language. He suggests an experiment. Over 9 months she is intensively taught to speak Cultivated Australian English and behave like a socialite. She is exhibited and tested at the Melbourne Cup Lunch at the Royal Perth Yacht Club.
Based on Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (1913)
Adapted by Tim McGrath (2020)CastEliza Doolittle (bogan) | : | Helen Peerless
Professor Henry Higgins (sociology professor) | : | Stephen McVey
Doctor Pickering (friend and conscience of Higgins) | : | Peter Hocking
Alfred Doolittle (philosophical father of Eliza) | : | Ron Potiphar
Mrs. Pearce (Henry’s assistant at the university) | : | Isabelle McGrath
Mrs. Higgins (mother of Henry) | : | Fiona McVey
Mrs. Fortescue (snobby mother) | : | Annie Taylor
Clara Fortescue (snooty daughter) | : | Duncan McGrath
Nigel Fortescue (soppy romantic admirer of Eliza) | : | Isabelle McGrath
Bystander | : | Fiona McVey
Sarcastic Bystander | : | Ron Potiphar

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Cast:
Daniel McGrath | : | Jonathan Brewster | - | surgically scarred criminal on the run (brother to Mortimer and Douglas)
Helen Peerless | : | Mortimer Brewster | - | effete theatre critic for a Perth paper (brother to Jonathon and Douglas)
Isabelle McGrath | : | Abby Brewster | - | scatty elderly spinster (sister of Martha)
Fiona McVey | : | Martha Brewster | - | resolute elderly spinster (sister of Abby)
Tim McGrath | : | Douglas Brewster | - | eccentric fantasist (lunatic brother to Mortimer and Jonathon)
Peter Hocking | : | Doctor Edelsten | - | criminal cosmetic surgeon with germanic accent.
Ron Potiphar | : | Constable O’Hara | - | friendly local policeman
Annie Taylor | : | Constable Brophy | - | tough traffic policeman
Mitch McDonnell | : | Mr. Witherspoon | - | officious mayor of Joondalup

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COMING SOON:

The play revolves around the Brewster family, composed mainly of maniacs, some of them homicidal. The hero, Mortimer Brewster, is a drama critic who must deal with his crazy, murderous family and local police in Fremantle, Western Australia as he debates whether to go through with his recent promise to marry the woman he loves.

His family includes two spinster aunts who have taken to murdering lonely old men by poisoning them with a glass of home-made elderberry wine laced with arsenic, strychnine and "just a pinch" of cyanide; a brother who believes he is General Haig and the cellar of the Brewster home (which serves as graves for the aunts' victims) are the trenches of Gallipoli; and a murderous brother who has received plastic surgery performed by an alcoholic accomplice, Dr. Edelsten to conceal his identity, and now has a face "like dropped meat pie".

Arsenic and Old Lace is a play by American playwright Joseph Kesselring, written in 1939. This adaption is based on the 1946 screenplay by B.S. George and has been contextualised to Australia by Tim McGrath in 2020.

Title music: Bandas Sonoras "Sad Clown" (Licensed under Creative Commons CC BY)
Incidental music: Igor Leontyev "Don't Be Sad" (Licensed under Creative Commons CC BY)

Fourth Wheel Theatre: Recent Episodes

The cast and company of Fourth Wheel Productions.