Emma Pritchard

When Mason Hell-Cat set himself a challenge to write a piece of comedy each day in 2023 and post his creations on his website, the talented Clarence Valley writer and comedian never envisioned his sketches would form the basis of a theatrical production which is set to light up the stage next month.

Encompassing a line-up of talented local performers including Matt Jenkins, Virginia Wolverine, and Dane Lentfer, The Simple Creatures explores everyday situations through the eyes of several hilariously embodied characters while humorously poking fun at bureaucracy and religion in an engaging tongue-in-cheek manner.

Speaking with the Clarence Valley Independent last week, Mason revealed he had never before considered writing for the theatre, even after enjoying plenty of success with his work on You Tube and Tik Tok, and said he is excited to see his artistry shine on a previously unexplored platform.

“A friend of mine, Margie Ramsey, who has a very experienced background in theatre, asked me what I planned to do with all of this material I’d prepared over a 12-month period, and when I told her I’d eventually love to put it all together and create a comedy, she suggested that we put it together in a show and perform it live on stage,” he said.

“I told her that I didn’t know anything about putting on a live show.

“Margie then offered to come on board and be the director, and we chose ten of the sketches we thought were the funniest and would work the best with a live audience, and after we put the feelers out and received some expressions of interest from several local performers who were quite keen to be involved with the project, it all came together rather quickly.

“We’ve been rehearsing pretty regularly since February to get the show up and running, and it’s been a really exciting process.

“I can’t wait to share it with a live audience and see how they react and respond to The Simple Creatures.”

Mason said the definition of good comedy is “comedy that makes you think, and makes you question the world around you.”

“It’s about seeing something in a different light,” he explained.

“And also, about allowing yourself to laugh at it freely.

“It (comedy) is something which has always interested and amused me, and if I can make myself laugh and make other people laugh, that’s a great feeling.”

Along with writing and creating The Simple Creatures, Mason will also have a starring role in his debut on stage production and hopes it will help to build a community of comedy writers and performers in the Clarence Valley.

The Simple Creatures will be performed at the Harwood Island Community Hall at 18 River Street, Harwood, at 6pm on September 6 and 7.

Tickets start from $10 for General Admission, and can be purchased online at  https://events.humanitix.com/the-simple-creatures

To follow more of Mason’s work and upcoming sketches, please visit his website http://masonhellcat.com