Month: June 2013

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Attic Erratic Presents DOMINO

Witnessing the fall of man

By Myron My

On its first preview night, Domino – the latest production by Attic Erratic – takes us to a post-apocalyptic world where we meet the last five people left alive.

They engage in a dangerous roleplay game where the lines of illusion and reality quickly becoming blurred, and soon lead to something more sinister…

Domino

The lighting design by Laura Harris is, put simply, amazing. Her ability to capture the mood and emotions needed for this production and the shadow play she creates reinforces the overall theme of impending doom for this group of five men. The detailed set design and use of multimedia to support parts of the story all bring the technical aspects of this production to a high level.

However, Giuliano Ferla’s script, whilst able to draw you in to the lives of these five men, is a little confusing and you would not be blamed if you walked out feeling somewhat unfulfilled by the story. Some clarity or slowing down the pace to provide more explanation would have made a huge difference.

What the script – and direction by Danny Delahunty – does extremely well though, is developing the five characters played by Alex Duncan, Joseph Green, Kane Felsinger, Matt Hickey and Spencer Scholz . In the beginning, the men are edgy, jumping around and quite physical with each other, and the set and the “simplified” language being used indicate that humanity has regressed to primal, Neanderthal ways.

As the story continues, the men then degenerate further into the most base level of man with an intensely dramatic final scene. Being preview night it’s understandable that some nerves would be apparent, but for this performance it was Scholz and Felsinger in particular who were most convincing with their characters.

Overall, the fine acting and the superb technical design guarantee to make Domino a unique and engaging night of theatre.

Venue: Industrial School, Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers St, Abbotsford

Season: Until 29 June | Tues-Sat 8:00pm, Sunday 7:00pm

Tickets: $20 Full | $18 Conc

Bookings: www.atticerratic.com

Events, Opportunities, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Live on Stage in Melbourne – KING KONG

You’ve never seen anything like this…

By Kim Edwards

Bold, breath-taking – and BIG.

King Kong

King Kong Live on Stage is a wildly ambitious and theatrically daring production that crashes through musical conventions and scales special-effects heights, but has not yet escaped being a rather lumbering and cumbersome beast of a show. However, this production is still in its infancy and therefore evolving, and meanwhile the world premiere now showing at the Regent already has theatre-goers thrilling, puzzling, and debating its merits furiously.

The famous (and admittedly thin storyline) has been reimagined for the stage in an extraordinary and contrary way. The songs are the collected efforts of contemporary artists such as Sarah McLachlan and 3D from Massive Attack: at its most successful, the music forms an exciting and unusual soundtrack that is a distinct relief after the formulaic and expositional offerings of some other musicals. At other times however, songs are jarring and uneven with their musical anachronisms and bland lyrics. The set and backdrop are primarily a dynamic blur of lighting and video effects: at its best in the scenes emulating grainy film footage, the impact is utterly spectacular, from the dance of the Skull Island locals and the moonrise lullaby, to the final battle atop the Empire State building. At its worse however, the lingering impression is of Atari video games, and b-grade music videos.

Esther Hannaford as heroine Ann Darrow is an impressively feisty and funny leading lady, and visually and vocally beautiful. The film director and plot catalyst Denham (Adam Lyon) is full of pizzazz, but has not quite settled into character or singing style securely yet. Chris Ryan is pleasant as love-interest Jack Driscoll, while Queenie Van de Zandt sings the hell out of the incomprehensible role of Cassandra.

But then there is Harley Durst, Danny Miller and Jacob Williams, and Lincoln Barros, James Brown, Adam David, Josh Feldschuh, Brett Franzi, Nathan Jones, Nathan Kell, Pussell Leonard, Brent Osborne, Troy Phillips, Mike Snow, Maxwell Trengrove and Tayo Wilson. Their collaborative emoting, movement and acting was inexpressibly moving and mesmerising – from their first moment on stage, the audience involuntarily drew breath, and they commanded our rapt attention and unstinting admiration until the very end. No – they are not the (excellent) ensemble in this production. These gentleman are the puppeteers that give life to Kong, and they and he are the unequivocal stars of the show.

King Kong Live on Stage provides just that: the sense of real awe and amazement at  what we see when it comes to the breathing, bellowing believability of Kong himself is worth every cent of the ticket price. He and his creators are a united marvel, and it is simply a bonus that the blockbuster musical is also being unleashed from its primal predictable bonds here, and let loose afresh (albeit still chaotically) into the theatre world.

Go for this – King Kong is wonder-full.

http://kingkongliveonstage.com/show-information/

Events, Festivals, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: The Seven Ages of Joyce for BLOOMSDAY

Piecing together the broken life of a brilliant man

By Ross Larkin

It is, at first, anyone’s guess as to what one can expect from The Seven Ages of Joyce, a theatrical exploration of the life of Irish novelist and poet, James Joyce for this year’s  Bloomsday in Melbourne Festival.

Best known for his 1922 novel Ulysses, many (with the exception of Joyce aficionados), may not be aware of the controversy his work attracted, largely due to his use of obscenities and interest in the abject.

bloomsday-in-melbourne

This fact alone, however, suggests a (potentially) very dry two hours of biographical examination indeed, and it was fair to wonder if much padding might be required to sustain such an engagement.

Yet, perhaps surprising to us all is the extent of Joyce’s irreverent and quirky personality, and moreover, the bloodline of torment and mental dysfunction from which he came.

Undoubtedly, director Wayne Pearn faces a challenge in staging a fragmented re-telling of Ulysses along with Joyce’s writing process and life throughout. Incidental characters are rife, as is Joyce’s famous stream-of-consciousness in a dialogue-heavy and, at times, erratic production.

Fortunately, Pearn’s casting alone saves The Seven Ages of Joyce from a potentially immediate death, for this character driven-play with music and singing relies on extraordinarily versatile actors, who must decipher and showcase some heartily challenging text and structure.

Much of his cast of nine require the skill and commitment to interchange between as many as ten characters, consistently manipulating vocal tone, accent, physicality and objective – an assignment for only the brave and experienced performer.

Kevin Dee, as the novelist in question, faces the arduous task of writing out loud and recalling passages at great length, yet does so with ease, while Corrine Davies and Stephanie Lillis, who play a variety of the major female roles, excel at moving between comic charisma and gut-wrenching tragedy.

The supporting cast, however, not only compliment and genuinely support the leads, they provide a much-needed injection of pace and spice, with outstanding performances throughout.

With a simple backdrop, ambient lighting, and intermittent live music and song, the players and creators of The Seven Ages of Joyce manage to bring to life eccentric individuals, manic colour and heartbreaking drama.

The Seven Ages of Joyce opens tonight at 7.30pm, and thereafter on Saturday June 15 at 6pm and Sunday June 16 at 1pm and 6pm.
45 Downstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne.
Bookings: fortyfivedownstairs.com or 03 9662 9966.

Events, Festivals, Music, Performances, Review

REVIEW: Melbourne Jazz Festival and CASSANDRA WILSON

Innovative, iconoclastic and exquisite

By Anastasia and Peter Slipper

The Melbourne International Jazz Festival certainly brought out the star power for their closing night last night with a standing ovation for singer Cassandra Wilson at Hamer Hall.

Cassandra Wilson

Wilson’s voice – honey-smooth, seductive and powerful – had the entire audience under her spell for two deceptively long sets, so that it almost seemed that she had the power to control time itself. Infused with the swampy blues sound of her native Mississippi, her performance showcased songs ranging from her early career to her latest album, Another Country, released last year. Wilson’s performances of covers were as heartfelt and individual as that of her own material, and the encore of Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time was a masterpiece.

She is known as a performer who transcends genre, and this performance was no exception, although the blues were never far away. The backing ensemble of bass, percussion, guitar, violin and harmonica wove elements of latin, country and folk around jazz- and blues-based grooves in a perfect synergy. Arrangements were often sparse, providing plenty of opportunities for the five musicians to show off their improvisatory prowess – exciting and very much in-the-moment.

Swiss harmonica player Gregoire Maret was an absolute stand-out, kicking off the gig with his version of Stevie Wonder’s The Secret Life of Plants. Often compared with Wonder, Maret created supple tendrils of sound from his chromatic harmonica, building into virtuosic extended solos.

The diversity of Wilson’s performance reflected the nature of jazz in the twenty-first century – it doesn’t fit into neat little boxes of genre, or exist in isolation, but is one of many musical styles constantly evolving and adapting with new influences and innovation.  Under the stewardship of Michael Tortoni the Melbourne International Jazz Festival is to be commended for reflecting this diversity in the programming for 2013 – and these reviewers are certainly looking forward to what delights next year’s festival may bring.

Cassandra Wilson performed at Hamer Hall on June 9 2013 for the Melbourne International Jazz Festival.

Events, Festivals, Music, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Melbourne Jazz Festival’s CHUCHO VALDES AND THE AFRO-CUBAN MESSENGERS

A glorious experience

By Christine Moffat

Chucho Valdés is truly a genius.  He is an innovative virtuoso who, after more than 50 years as a pianist and band leader, is still composing and playing with panache and energy.  He also has a long history of award-winning composition and performances, and is a teacher and practitioner of Afrocuban-Jazz.

Chucho Valdes

His band The Afro-Cuban Messengers (Gaston Joya on bass, Rodney Barreto on drums, Yaroldy Abreu Robles on congas and Dreiser Durruty Bambole on bata) are labelled on Valdés’ official website as “a group of Cuban phenoms” – this is an apt description, as they are the epitome of artistry and dynamism.

The composition ‘Blues Scherezada’, one of the few songs with minimal percussion, was a masterclass in jazz fusion, with amazing bowing work by bassist Joya.  The majority of the pieces performed involved driving rhythms of Barreto, Robles and Bambole in a truly Afrocuban way, intertwinging classic African call and response vocals with a Latin beat.

Last night’s performance was a testament to the effect jazz can have on the body and mind.  Valdés’ style of Aftocuban-Jazz is a heady combination of sophisticated piano and bass with those powerful drums.

The mixture of sound sparkled and bounced around Hamer Hall like light refracting off a polished gemstone.  The audience was transported by the music, and rose for a standing ovation for the final number, and for the encore that we were given in response.

If you have the opportunity to see this act live, do not miss it.  You will be rewarded with an evening of unparalleled jazz, from a fabulous ensemble led by a man well and truly in his musical prime. Amazing.

Chucho Valdés and the Afro-Cuban Messengers performed at Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall on 8 June 2013 pm as part of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. See www.melbournejazz.com for more details.

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Theatreworks Presents PALACE OF THE END

Gritty and gripping tales of war

By Myron My

Written by Judith Thompson, Palace of the End is a touching and eye-opening look at war in Iraq and its devastating impact through three monologues that are inspired by real stories of people who have been damaged by the everlasting effects of war.

It’s a unique set design at Theatreworks: the stage is constructed into a narrow ten seat wide performance area, creating an intimate (if not claustrophobic) environment, which allows these monologues to reach us to more dramatic level. Furthermore, each performer is given a designated area where their monologue is to take place with minimal props that are simply but effectively used to create the scene.

Eugenia Fragos as Nehrjas al Saffarh - Photo credit Sarah Walker

Some interesting direction by Daniel Clarke had the actors on stage from the very beginning, remaining static in their respective environments. Occasional small movements or subtle reactions to what someone else was saying were made thhroughout, reminding us that even though these three people never met, their lives are very much intertwined and affected by this war.

As an audience member, it could be quite difficult to watch three half-hour monologues and remain engaged, but the talented cast are more than able to convincingly draw us into their world. Hannah Norris plays A Soldier, a character inspired by Lynndie England the American soldier who was involved in the abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib. The unlikeable and redneck soldier shows no remorse for her actions and sees herself as the all-American hero. Following Norris, and showing a distinctly softer and calming perspective is Robert Meldrum as David Kelly, the British weapons inspector who died upon revealing that the weapons of mass destruction were a lie told to justify the invasion in Iraq.

However, it was Eugenia Fragos as Nehrjas Al Saffarh who really imparts to us the horrors of the war. Married to the leader of the Communist Party in Iraq at the time of the Ba’athist Coup, Saffarh’s story of her and her family’s torture is a harrowing tale and Fragos captures the emotion, trauma and pain she experienced and you will find yourself hanging on her every word.

This  production of Thompson’s Palace of the End has taken a sensitive issue and rather than preaching about whether this war is right or wrong allows the stories to speak for themselves. It challenges our notions of right and wrong and demands that in all war we consider exactly what it is we are fighting for.

Venue: Theatreworks, 14 Acland St, St Kilda

Season: Until 16 June | Tues- Sat 8:00pm, 15 June 2:00pm & 16 June 5:00pm

Tickets: $32 Full | $25 Conc

Bookings: 9534 3388 or http://www.theatreworks.org.au

Dance, Events, Music, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: The Australian Ballet Presents VANGUARD

Mesmerising modern ballet reaches new audiences

By Ross Larkin

Few art forms command the same degree of discipline as that of dance. The absence of external tools, leaving solely the body as instrument, requires as much stability and fine-tuning as any solidly, hand-crafted alternative. The commitment is therefore not only a full-time one, but one which must be lived and breathed.

Vanguard

The Australian Ballet showcase this lifestyle to its full extent in their current production of Vanguard at the State Theatre. Three strikingly different pieces are presented back to back by highly accomplished choreographers George Balanchine, Jiri Kylian and Wayne McGregor with a beautifully, flawless outcome.

Opening with ‘The Four Temperaments’, originally choreographed by George Balanchine, performers are exposed under a stark, white light for the duration, with no external theatrical aids, save for the varied and glorious accompanying Orchestra Victoria. Viewers are hard-pressed to withdraw focus from the dancers’ palpable control and beautiful unity displayed with seemingly effortless execution.

Second offering, ‘Bella Figura’, raises the bar to stunning and mesmerising heights that impact the audience almost conspicuously. Rarely does one witness such effortless command of an audience’s attention. The moments of stillness and silence were breathtaking and captivating, and, unlike its predecessor, dramatic lighting and clever use of external elements were present in abundance, with particularly intriguing use of stage curtains.

The poignant direction of Kylian’s choreography encapsulated tasteful eroticism and tenderly seductive bodily engagement throughout, with unexpected comical moments in the form of puppetry dance.

Third piece, ‘Dyad 1929’, faces the challenge of following the former spectacular act, and initially feels slightly random and less focused, as the ensemble move frenziedly about a black polka-dot background to jarring, discordant music. Further into McGregor’s piece, however, the focus materialises with spirited passion and the gorgeously fluid dance proves as striking as its cousins, climaxing with the first male interaction of the evening.

The entire ensemble of Vanguard, each present for all acts, are graceful and flawless. Daniel Gaudiello, Lana Jones, Miwako Kubota and Calvin Hannaford leave impacting and lasting impressions, though every performer is worthy of mention.

Powerful and accessible, the Australian Ballet’s production of Vanguard is an experience deserving of a universal audience, and succeeds in moving viewers across all emotions.

Vanguard is playing now at the Arts Centre’s State Theatre with Orchestra Victoria until June 17, 2013

Events, Festivals, Music, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Maria Schneider and Darcy James Argue with the JAZZGROOVE MOTHERSHIP ORCHESTRA

Jazz queen reigns with a wave of her hand

By Anastasia Slipper

Maria Schneider

The anticipation was palpable as one of the world’s foremost jazz musicians walked onto the stage. Yet she didn’t hold an instrument or approach a microphone. In fact she didn’t make any sound at all. She merely held up a hand, and with a few gestures created exciting, complex and subtle music.

This mysteriously silent musician whom everyone had come to see was arguably the premiere big band composer and arranger of the last three decades – Maria Schneider. And her instrument? An eighteen-piece jazz orchestra, that she played like a puppet master, pulling all the strings to elicit finely-tuned dynamics and expressive solos.

From boisterous grooves such as ‘Gumba Blue’ to the haunting hymn-like lyricism of ‘Sky Blue’ the Sydney-based Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra effortlessly rose to the task of interpreting Schneider’s sumptuous works under the watchful eye (and hand) of the composer herself.

Members of the band were given plenty of soloistic freedom and space, resulting in some exciting improvisation, especially from sax players Roger Manins and Richard Maegraith. The blend of finely-crafted structure and precision together with sections of improvisatory exploration was exquisite, and a real feature of Schneider’s work.

Earlier in the evening, the band opened with a set of tunes by young Canadian composer Darcy James Argue, who also conducted his works. While not in the same league as Schneider, Argue’s style was innovative and energetic, using colour and effects extremely well. An early trumpet solo from Ken Allars featured half-valve techniques set against a backdrop of muted trombones, and set the tone for an enjoyable first set.

These two internationally-acclaimed composers, along with a fabulous Australian band, are proof that the big band era lives on – and has a great future ahead of it.

Maria Schneider, Darcy James Argue and the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra  performed on June 6, 2013 as part of the Melbourne Intermational Jazz Festival.

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Daniel Nellor’s DISTANCE

Torn apart and drawn together by an act of violence

By Myron My

Directed by Chris Thompson, Distance comes into focus over two parents who are dealing with their son having been arrested after an incident in which another child has ended up in a coma. They grapple with the repercussions of what their son has done, and attempt to deal with their own guilt and grief as parents who have ‘failed’.

Distance

The range of emotions that this estranged couple go through are brilliantly played by Margot Fenley and Kevin Hopkins. Fenley’s portrayal of Ellen, who attempts to keep herself together as she tries to fully understand what has happened, is raw and authentic. Her character is in direct contrast to Hopkins’ Andrew, who initially is more concerned about having his boy home with him and trying to justify what has happened because his son is “just a child”, rather than accepting and dealing the situation. Hopkins shows this man (who in his own way is also struggling with the events that have transpired) with great believability.

Daniel Nellor’s script, whilst predominantly a character piece, still has a strong narrative presence. Nellor doesn’t describe everything that has happened and opens the way for speculation by his audience, which allows us to be strongly included in the creative process. His writing is honest and real and doesn’t delve into melodrama. However I must confess the final scene of Distance did confuse me as to how much time had elapsed, and having been through such an emotional experience with the two characters, I felt a bit deflated by this finale.

It is worth commenting on the number of students and recent graduates who worked on this production including lighting designer, Yossi Torbiner, whose work helped create a claustrophobic and engulfing environment and delicately reflect the moods and emotions of the two leads. The musical interludes used throughout also added to the confusion and conflict felt by not only the parents but also (we are invited to imagine) their son.

Distance offers a rare look into the lives of a perpetrator’s family and how this act of violence affects them. It is a strong collaborative production that is well worth seeing.

Venue: La Mama Theatre, 205 Faraday Street Carlton

Season: Until 16 June | Wed, Fri 6:30pm, Thurs, Sat 8:30pm Sun 4:30pm

Tickets: $25 Full | $15 Conc

Bookings: http://lamama.com.au or 9347 6142

Events, Festivals, Music, Performances, Review

REVIEW: Melbourne Jazz Festival Presents SNARKY PUPPY

Top dogs won new fans

By Anastasia and Peter Slipper

The Melbourne International Jazz Festival audience was treated to a genre-hopping jazz-fusion spectacle by young US band Snarky Puppy at the Forum last night. Perhaps serendipitously, numbers were boosted for this still relatively obscure ensemble by jilted ticket-holders who missed out on seeing legendary New Orleans band Rebirth Brass Band after they had to suddenly pull out of the festival. However disappointed the punters may have been to miss the Rebirth second-line parade earlier in the day, they were certainly not disappointed by the end of the night!

snarkypuppy

Vocalist Alison Wedding (who was first responsible for alerting festival Artistic Director Michael Tortoni to the existence of the band) warmed up the room with a short set of her own material. “Too Tight” was a stand-out, reggae-inspired declaration against unhealthy body image.

After a short break, the band again took the stage, this time sans vocalist, lead by bass player extraordinaire Michael League. His whole body became part of the instrument, as he impressed the audience with extended virtuosic solos, and laid down some seriously funky grooves.

Each member of the band had plenty of chances to shine as they worked their way through a labyrinth of constantly changing styles and moods. Every solo was thoughtfully constructed and carefully built towards an exciting climax, and even in their supporting roles, all band members were responsive, showing how tightly knit they are after years of touring. Crowd-favourite “Quarter Master” was a highlight of the night, switching from New Orleans second line-eque grooves to gospel harmonies.

Throughout the gig, time changes and horn stabs were super-tight, but the band never drifted into vulgar displays of virtuosity. A special mention must go to Justin Stanton, who consistently excelled, whether on trumpet, moog synth or Hammond organ. An epic drum and percussion solo from Nate Werth and Robert Searight was musically and dramatically exciting, while never migrating into self-indulgence.

If you like funky grooves, a few 80s-synth effects, and exciting twists and turns Snarky Puppy are one to keep an eye out for!

Snarky Puppy performed at The Forum Theatre on Saturday 1 June for the Melbourne International Jazz Festival which ends June 9.