Chris Parker stars in Dynamotion's Top Town, top entertainment for the silly season. Photo / Reuben Raj
The zany dancing actors from Dynamotion, directed by Tom Sainsbury and Lara Liew, have created a new version of the TV reality show Top Town for this year's silly season entertainment, once again delighting audiences with sit-back-and-laugh high energy fun set to rocking 80s pop songs.
Dynamotion has collapsed an
entire television season into a single jam-packed 70 minutes for a jocular look back at the Top Town series which screened from 1976-1990. It's 1989, and we meet and follow the team of 10 which stalwart Twizel promoter and netball coach, "Grunta" Thompson (Sainsbury) believes will "put Twizel on the map".
The team includes committed, in-shape competitors (Ravi Gurunathan, Zak Enayat, Cat Fawcett-Cornes), local entrepreneurs AJ Hackett (Arlo Gibson) and hairdresser Sonia (Jennie Robertson), initially hapless brothers Lee and Glen (Harry McNaughton and Chris Parker), overworked barmaid/cleaner/ accountant Desiree (Karamia Muller) and her unemployed, down-at-heel husband Terry (Roberto Nascimento).
Dressed in red and white, the team is coached by Grunta's estranged wife, Tracey (Liew), who whips the team into tiptop shape with a training regime featuring running, skipping, swimming and coordinated drills delivered to driving disco music and spectacular flashing lights.
Voiceover commentary keeps the story rolling along, offering humorous insights into life in a small rural town, alternating farm, town and pub scenes with training, travel and competition. Highlights include sheep shearing, synchronized swimming, mass skipping, rugby ball touchdowns and Grunta's solo in the spotlight to Total Eclipse of the Heart.
