Laughing at life in a share house

Living with a friend or stranger in a run-down house can be a lot of fun or a recipe for disaster, depending on how everyone gets along.

In Share House: The Musical, singer-songwriter and comedian Jude Perl has created a 90-minute show full of laughs as she explores the dynamics of her 35-year-old character Lucy negotiating life with a friend from her schooldays, Jane (Isabelle Davis) as her housemate.

Domineering Jane keeps an eye over Lucy while ensuring both adhere to the house rules covering everything from living expenses and fridge demarcation to a roster for chores.

In an effort to share the expense of renting, they decide to recruit a third housemate, Alice (Anita Mei La Terra), whose effervescent enthusiasm, especially for dancing, turns out to be in sharp contrast to their staid lives.

While Lucy embraces her new friend, Jane remains aloof and critical and the trio prepare for some challenging moments.

Perl used her 2017 Melbourne International Comedy Festival solo comedy show Roommates as the basis for Share House to explore how people can co-exist with those whose ideas are radically different to their own.

The catchy songs, written by Perl along with musical director Brendan Tsui and director Desiree Munro, feature plenty of witty lines that the three lead performers deliver in rapid-fire style.

The 15-member orchestra spread across the stage add to the entertainment and is a key factor in making the musical a success.

The early days of Lucy and Jane’s friendship are revealed in flashback form through a disastrous school concert, acted out on an upstairs balcony by Jasmine Tuvey (playing young Lucy) and Amie Zwag (as young Jane).

Props are kept to a minimum – there’s a couch and plastic milk crates – keeping the focus on the performers.

Share House: The Musical was staged at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Fairfax Studio from May 16-19. Let’s hope it can return for a much longer encore season.