Review: NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH at St Jude's Hall

Reviewed by Ewart Shaw, Saturday 10th August 2025.

Neighbourhood Watch is a gift to a community theatre company, full of pathos and mystery, told with imagination. It’s easy to see how director Lesley Reed has been so taken with the story and the challenge. St. Jude’s Players have done a very fine job. It brings to the stage a year in the life of the residents of Mary Street, most particularly, Ana, an Hungarian widow, and Catherine, a young woman who claims to be an actress. It’s a gift also to Julie Quick as Ana, on stage for almost all of the long duration of the play, confident in her accent and unforgettable.

Ellie Schaefer gives a convincing portrayal of the aimless young woman ripe to be taken under Ana’s wing. The only problem is that Schaefer confuses volume with projection when she speaks. As Ana recounts her life story, Catherine becomes the young Ana, and we see her escaping a serial killer, discovering her adulterous husband, and exposing for us the challenges and heartbreaks that the older woman experienced. Sometimes, you pass an elderly woman in the street, or on the bus. You do not know what they went through to make it safely here.

Catherine has a housemate, Ken, who is diabetic and a gamer, involved in World of Warcraft with people around the world, but not so confident with real people. Dylan Megaw comes across as such a nice guy that you hope the two of them will one day get together. Actually, they do. Nathan Brown is Martin, her ex, who turns up unexpectedly, inviting her to a midnight picnic, or getting her to iron his jacket before he leaves for Brisbane. On hearing that he made the quiche he served up, Ana remarks he must be homosexual. Evidently, they just don’t eat it, they also bake it. It’s a cheap joke.

Gail Morrison is excellent as Jovanka, a Serbian, like Ana’s late husband, always turning up for ‘one coffee’ and always being shown the door. Ana is certain that she is spying on her. Taya Rose is poignant as Katrina, a neighbour with serious health problems of her own.

Matthew Chant is the local Chemist, Christopher Cordeaux the young police man, and Megan Robson, one of those invaluable organising people with a heart for the community. It’s what else they do that really shows off the skill of the company. Quickly changing costumes, accents, and identities, they fill the stage with excitement and energy. From Mary Street and environs, back, in Ana’s memories, to Budapest before the war, they add so much detail. They truly are a supporting cast.

Another feature of the production is the wistful violin music composed by Sarah Bradley, and a stirring Hungarian anthem sung live on stage.

The play ends when Catherine gets Ana and Jovanka to a showing of Mamma Mia. Of course, she gets the time wrong for the session and, finally, Jovanka gets the chance to share one coffee with them. They see the movie. The movie ends. Ana dies. Then Martin appears upstage and completes the tableau. In the final moments, we learn that Ken and Catherine have adopted Ana’s dog.

Ana’s memories are dramatically staged, but one of them has me puzzled. As a nurse in a wartime hospital, she attended to a young soldier who had lost a leg in an encounter with a Russian soldier, who, after shooting him, carried him on his back to the hospital. Certain he will die, he begs Ana to take a message to his Mama. After a long journey, Ana reaches his home to find him alive and well, if one-legged, waiting for her. It seems that the Russian soldier donated a pint of blood as well. Ah, memories. Where would we be without them?

Australia - Adelaide Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. BONNIE AND CLYDE (The Arts Theatre)

24.2% of votes

2. COME FROM AWAY (The Arts Theatre)

23.2% of votes

3. BILLY ELLIOT (Northern Light Theatre Company)

17.5% of votes

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