A decades long friendship between Peter Goers, Rob Cusenza and Robin Schmelzkopf comes together in Adelaide Repertory’s The Sunshine Boys, proving that comedy is serious business and this is seriously good comedy.
Director Goers has also designed a brilliant set that perfectly captures the vaudeville theme. His sense of history and understanding and love of showbiz in general and vaudeville in particular, comes through in this perfect vehicle for The Rep with its own century-plus tradition.
Cusenza and Schmelzkopf are proven song-and-dance men over their long careers in Adelaide theatre and Goers gives them a chance to strut their stuff with a joyful duo at the end. Otherwise, they play two ageing, antagonistic curmudgeons making one last reprise of their 43-year famous vaudeville double act: ‘Lewis and Clark’. ‘Cusenza and Smelzkopf’ are also a class act and utterly convincing as old partners with their sharp comic timing and an underlying respect for each other.
The Sunshine Boys by Neil Simon
Presented by The Adelaide Repertory Theatre
Directed by Peter Goers
September 10-19, 2026
The Arts Theatre, 53 Angas St, Adelaide
Cusenza who plays Willie Clark blames Al Lewis (Schmelzkopf) for splitting up the act 11 years ago and they have not spoken since. Clark is condemned to a life of professional irrelevancy, scrapping for bit parts and commercials and is lonely and isolated. Lewis seems to be happier in retirement but deeply affected by their acrimonious split.
Clark’s nephew and theatrical agent, Ben Silverman, played by Tom Tassone, tries to bring these two performers together in one last recreation of the ‘Doctor Sketch’ for a TV comedy special. Tassone brings great warmth, energy and comic timing to his character’s obvious admiration for the obstinate duo as he negotiates a volatile reunion.
Penni Hamilton-Smith as Clark’s nurse makes it all look so easy. Her comic timing, as she spars with her patient, ensures every line lands perfectly with the audience and we feel her genuine affection for Clark.
Lauren Thiel plays the blonde bombshell nurse with flair in the actual TV vaudeville skit. Her entrance on opening night elicited some gasps and extra laughter as we were reminded of the stereotypical portrayal of buxom nurses in comedy that those of us from older generations have grown up with. Comedy is a valuable and effective mirror to society, in this case reminding us of the norms of a certain era and Thiel brought commitment and a comfortable understanding of her role’s context.
For this reviewer, the scene would have been just as funny if there had been an extra eight centimeters on the length of the dress to hide her intergluteal cleft from rows A to M.
Seth Gilmour and Jonathan Holds complete this strong ensemble.
Neil Simon had a long, multi-award-winning career in plays, screenplays, radio and TV, coming up through the ranks as a writer on the iconic TV show, Sid Caesar’s ‘Your Show of Shows’. His plays included The Odd Couple, Barefoot in the Park, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Biloxi Blues and Brighton Beach Memoires.
The Sunshine Boys is one gag after another but its real strength lies in how Simon’s unique, witty dialogue draws his characters. We look at friendships, professional and family relationships and old age with great pathos and affection through the lens of his insightful humour. There is so much to like and laugh about in this terrific, joyful revival of Simon’s classic.
– Vicki Arnold
Tangents & Trivia
Dedications and Aussie
variety performers.
Peter Goers dedicated this production of The Sunshine Boys to the memory of actors Graham Duckett and Phyl Skinner. Phyl was the last living Australian vaudevillian and a legend to all in showbiz and Graham, a talented ‘trouper’ of the stage, director and much-loved generous soul.
Another vaudevillian who called Adelaide home was Chic Arnold. Arnold was a vaudeville performer in the 1920s and 30’s, known for comedy, song-and-dance acts and what was called ‘patter’.
In the 1920’s he formed a partnership with Charles Norman (‘Australia’s Gentlemen Wags’) and worked on the Harry Clay and Tivoli circuits.
They worked alongside one of vaudeville’s brightest stars, Roy Rene and also a beautiful young ingenue called Phyl Skinner was often part of their act in comedy sketches.
Chic sailed to New York in 1925 to work on Broadway. He reminisced about the time he went to see the first ‘talkie’ movie, The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson in 1927 on Broadway. He recalled standing on the sidewalk with other variety performers after the film was over predicting the end of vaudeville and their careers due to this amazing new entertainment.
Through the 40s and 50s Arnold worked in Australian radio, TV and film and in the 1950s and 60s he managed the Majestic Theatre in King William Street, Adelaide which presented live theatre as well as films.
