The lies we tell

The world’s a bit confronting at the moment. Nourishment is what we need… and a laugh. Bittersweet Productions has curated a season of one act comedies that focus on affairs of the heart. In a trio of one-act plays, we present the genius of GB Shaw and Ferenc Molnar and, for the first time in Australia, Alice Gerstenberg’s glorious work ‘Ever Young’ showcasing the triumph of four women in their seventies. Each give us characters who speak with wit and generosity but sprinkled occasionally with tartness.

Our evening begins with George Bernard Shaw’s How He Lied To Her Husband. It an astringent take on an extra-marital affair, with verbal and physical comedy a plenty.

Shaw explores romance between the sexes but never forgets about the combustible nature of human feelings and desire – perhaps reflecting his own complicated intimate relationships.

The one act comedy we’re presenting has rarely been performed in Australia, although his works are often in production because audiences continue to find relevance in them for their lives. ‘How He Lied To Her Husband’ is all delicious wordplay and high jinks.

Then we dive into a tale of jealousy, deception, and clever twists as an actress and a wife unravel the truth about a mysterious affair. Ferenc Molnar’s A Matter Of Husbands is full of elegant and witty writing that displays a lover’s verbal ingenuity. Molnar himself had his own notorious affair with a married and very famous actress, the Hungarian Irén Szécsi. This 10-minute comedy was last seen in Australia in 1930. 

Our evening closes with the Australian premiere of Alice Gerstenberg’s uplifting play, Ever Young, exploring the humour and poignancy of aging, friendship, and self-discovery.

Gerstenberg is celebrated in America as an early experimental and feminist dramatist but she is hardly known in Australia. ‘Ever Young’ – the title is rich with nuanced meaning – showcases the triumph of women in their seventies, as well as introducing a little-known woman writer’s voice.

‘Ever Young’ explores the humour and poignancy of aging, friendship, and self-discovery. It is an uplifting narrative that explores the lives of four women who have journeyed through decades of love, loss, lies, and transformation.

This play is not a story about aging; it’s a celebration of resilience, generosity, and the indomitable spirit that defines every woman.

Bittersweet Productions is dedicated to promote the performing arts by presenting rarely performed short theatrical works by famous and forgotten authors. We curate and perform one act plays from across the centuries with innovative productions that enrich, educate, and celebrate cultural diversity.

Love and all its permutations is ripe for comedy

Come and laugh with us