Q44’s Spike Heels Hits the Boards

The gloves are off and the heels are out, Q44 pumps up the volume with this razor-sharp, raunchy number.

A racy-red stiletto kicks off the drama in Q44’a latest production – a searing rendition of Theresa Rebeck’s Spike Heels. Its owner, the fiery-haired and tempered Georgie, enters Andrew’s apartment, stomping holes in his meticulously ordered life (and relationship with the relatively prudish, Lydia). Georgie’s pissed, having been sleazily propositioned by Andrew’s friend Edward, her new boss. And so the warped waltz of this foursome begins, delving into power play between the sexes, the American class system, feminism and sex sex sexy sex.

Q44 have temporary flown the coup – fleeing their Richmond-based loft to stretch their legs (and vocal cords) at Chapel off Chapel. But when dealing with high-voltage theatre, they’re in very familiar territory. The budding new company (synonymous with everything but subtlety) has cracked out another screaming doozy with this one – in no small part due to the insatiable talent of leading lady, Nicole Melloy, as feisty femme Georgie.

Not only does she successfully execute an onstage seduction akin to that of an exotic dancer, her banter with offstage partner Anthony Scundi (as Andrew) and Michael Robins (as sleazy lawyer Edward, a la’ better call Saul Goodman) is also satisfyingly sassy.

Making the gender division all the more apparent is a set shift between acts, when the drama vacates Andrew’s apartment and goes ‘upstairs’ to Georgie’s structurally identical, vastly different dwelling. Director Gabriella Rose-Carter has taken full advantage of a great script here, riddled with cutting one-liners and a bunch of home truths.

Be sure to get your shoe in.

Spike Heels
The Loft, Chapel off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran
Wednesday August 27 – Sunday September 14
q44.com.au/spike-heels