Sunday Herald Sun
SUN 27 FEB 2005, Page 108
CYRANO DE BERGERAC OPENING NIGHT - Southbank
By FIONA BYRNE

EVENT
Mercurial actor David Wenham was anything but on the nose on the opening
night of Melbourne Theatre Company's romp Cyrano de Bergerac. Wenham was
in sparkling form as the swordsman, poet, philosopher and hopeless
romantic Cyrano, who is cursed with an enormous nose. The Playhouse was
packed with theatre fans who lapped up the powerful performances by the
talented cast of 13, including Asher Keddie, Alex Menglet, Bob Hornery and
Gerry Connolly. This version of Cyrano de Bergerac was adapted by Andrew
Upton, husband of Academy Award nominee Cate Blanchett. With the Oscar
season in full swing, international commitments kept the couple away from
the opening night performance. But in the crowd was Fred Schepisi, who
directed Steve Martin in Roxanne, the 1987 Hollywood adaptation of the
classic tale. Wenham, one of Australia's most accomplished actors,
admitted he was looking forward to taking a break after Cyrano finishes
its Melbourne season in early April.

"I am not going to do anything. I've got no plans. I have my head
completely focused on this at the moment," he said after his three-hour
opening night performance.

SPOTTED
Geoffrey Rush, Jane Menelaus, Gina Riley, Marg Downey, Tara Moss, Mark
Pennell, Terry Bracks, Gary Singer, John Wood, Jennifer Hansen, Michael
Veitch, Colette Mann, William McInnes, Hannie Rayson, Fred Schepisi, Nadia
Tass, Bud Tingwell, Jacki Weaver and Alison Whyte.