Actors relish chance to do Alex Buzo work

KATINA CURTIS

LOCAL actors Steve Warwick and Will Worthington will transform into Alex Buzo's iconic characters of Norm and Ahmed for an evening of performance and presentation remembering the late playwright.

Kiama theatre enthusiast Dennis Koks, who was good friends with Mr Buzo, has organised Saturday's event, which will include excerpts from Norm and Ahmed and staged readings from Makassar Reef.

Three actors and director Aarne Neeme are coming from Sydney to perform.

Mr Warwick said he thought it would be a fantastic evening.

He is playing Pakistani student Ahmed to Mr Worthington's Australian man Norm in the two-man play.

"I had heard of Alex Buzo but I

didn't really know his work," Mr Warwick said.

"It's quite confronting, the play, particularly the end. Even though it's written close to 40 years ago, there's a lot of relevance now."

He said he particularly relished the opportunity to work with Mr Worthington again " they both appeared in the Roo Theatre production of Les Miserables a few years ago.

"It's a great opportunity also with the Sydney actors coming down and getting to work with them in Makassar Reef," he said.

He had not acted between high school and doing Les Miserables, but since has appeared in a number of Roo Theatre shows and Angela Quinn's productions of Sound of Music and Godspell.

As well as learning lines from Norm and Ahmed, he has started rehearsals for the Roo production of Hair, which opens in mid-November.

He described his schedule as

"hectic but good".

An Evening with Alex Buzo will be held at 8pm on Saturday at Christ Church Kiama Fellowship Centre.

Tickets are $28 or $25 for concessions and bookings can be made on 4232 2361.