Oh my Lord, I do not think I have laughed as hard at any other ANU production as I did at John XXIII College’s performance of Drop Dead. It can be summed up as literally hilarious. The characters were not only facets of ridiculous physical comedy, but hyperbolic representations of the many theatrical ‘characters’ one might face in any dramatic production. The actors played all their characters to a tee without one slip, which is especially commendable in a play that seemed quite complex in plot and technicalities.

Basically, the story involved a play within a play, a script in shambles, a $35-dollar set, incompetent but egotistical actors, and a chilling and un-suspected murderer. The play moves through rehearsals and into opening night, where the playwright, who is so angered by the changes to the play made by the borderline insane director, decides to step in. The opening night sees murder and chaos, however, the show must go on and the characters finish the play and arrest the murderer.

The set, of course, was brilliantly shabby, and the dodgy snowflakes falling outside the solo window were simply phenomenal. A special mention must go to the actors behind Candy Apple and her older special male ‘friend’ (Alex Roman and Conagh McMahon-Hogan respectively), whose performance and on stage chemistry was cringy without being decidedly sickening: bravo.

Unfortunately, by the time you are reading this the play will have ended, however, the performances of John XXIII College are always of such a brilliant quality that I would recommend attending one in the years to come.