Written by Simon Mendes
Directed by Andrew Doyle

All families have secrets that inevitably lead to lies and complications. Lies and secrets gnaw at people's consciences and eat them up. The lies and secrets acquired as a child can lead to blame being carried throughout a person's life. Some families' secrets are more complicated than others. In Louis's family the secrets are quite extreme.

Louis (Christopher Tomkinson) is dead and his funeral is the springboard for the family reunion and reminiscences. The action hops between Louis's shenanigans with his wife Bobbie (Amanda Bishop) and paramour Bella (Octavia Barron-Martin), and the resultant progeny gathering for his funeral. The brothers Tony (George Spartels) and Reggie (Andrew McFarlane) are as different from each other as are their wives Sheila (Amanda Muggleton) and Elizabeth (Linden Wilkinson). Interestingly, Tony's wife, Sheila is lower class, crass and tarty, not dissimilar from Tony's mother, Bobbie. Likewise, the more successful Reggie's wife, Elizabeth is urbane and sophisticated like his mother, Bella.

Apparently, an arm-wrestle was the deciding factor over which brother scored Elizabeth, which then begs the question: why did Tony end up with someone so completely different from Elizabeth?

'Losing Louis' is billed as a darkly humourous comedy, but in the first act the humour, as well as the situations, is quite contrived. In the second act, the set-up and background have been dispensed with, and the generational stories slide into relaxed mode. The humour is genuinely funny and in places there is poignancy in the pathos. Yet throughout the play no character is likeable. Louis is cheating on his wife, Bobbie who is a manipulating shrew. Bella is pretending to be Bobbie's confidante while having an affair with Louis. Tony is peevish and jealous of Reggie. Sheila is grasping  and self-serving. Reggie is a pompous, unmitigated libertine and Elizabeth is a self-centred snob. So who cares what happens to any of them?

The stage setting is basic and simple - a bedroom for a bedroom farce. The lighting and sound are integrated and smooth. All the actors acquit themselves with verve and fun. Andrew Doyle's direction is assured and deftly paced.

In 'Losing Louis' sex, secrets, lies, betrayals and penises rule.

'Losing Louis' is at the Ensemble Theatre until June 24th.