Month: January 2018

Cabaret, Circus

The MC Showroom Presents The Odditorium

The Odditorium entertains, baffles and delights

By Owen James

A vaudevillian cabaret night full of circus tricks and magic is hiding at The MC Showroom, just off Chapel Street in Prahan. The Odditorium is packed full of beautiful simplicity, daring feats of showmanship and pure imagination.

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Our host, Sophie DeLightful, invites us into this night of immersive entertainment with an invitation (or perhaps warning) of upcoming audience interaction, her raunchy and bold personality providing the energy and presence needed for a cabaret host – she fits the role perfectly. Her powerful vocals during songs scattered throughout the show are sensational, providing bursts of energy at just the right moment and her Buffer Boys will give any masseuse in Melbourne a run for their money.

The very talented Mr Marmalade charmed us for a solid half-hour, eliciting numerous gasps and rounds of applause from the audience. Marmalade is a highly skilled (and charming) magician who is also a truly beautiful storyteller – a simple paper bag can become an object of mystery with his carefully chosen words. His utter perfection in sleight of hand occurs just inches away from his transfixed audience, each trick as mesmerising as the last. Entering with just two small bags of tricks and a moustache with a life of its own, we get the feeling that Mr Marmalade’s act could travel and delight absolutely anywhere, street side or amphitheatre.

After a short interval, The Quizzical Mr Jeff brings his visual, prop-based comedy to the stage for the second act – and while the stage of the MC Showroom isn’t the smallest I’ve seen, Mr Jeff certainly needs every single inch of it for his dazzlingly physical finale! The Quizzical Mr Jeff is a daring performer, who uses every prop he brings onstage to its full possible extent (a personal highlight being a tango with a hat stand!). As we watch everyday objects take on a magical life of their own, this mystical man utilises audience interaction as well as a heavy reliance on precise timing of audio cues to bring his unique world to life – although further rehearsal to perfect the synchronised timing might have been beneficial.

Sound mixing and lighting from co-producer Alexandra Nel was simple but effective, LEDs creating soft washes of colour that faded into blackness.

The Odditorium entertains, baffles and delights, just like a true night of vaudeville and circus magic should. It is the perfect show for this intimate venue and a wonderful evening’s entertainment as an antidote to life outside – you will leave with pained cheeks from unavoidable smiles. I am looking forward to suggested future varied instalments of this collection of sideshow oddities!

Dates: 11 – 20  January

Venue: The MC Showroom, 48 Clifton St, Prahran

Times: 8:00pm

Prices: $22 – $35

Bookings: http://www.themcshowroom.com/event/the-odditorium-a-vaudeville-experience/

Theatre

Get Curious Over Arts Centre’s Biggest Associated Program to Date

Arts Centre’s Creative Learning Producer, Joshua Cowie on the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Associated Program

By Lois Maskiell

Arts Centre Melbourne will host its most extensive associated program to complement award-winning production, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and its Australian premiere season. Theatre Press caught up with Creative Learning Producer, Joshua Cowie to find out about this curious program and the range of workshops and talks it encompasses, which will allow the public to get involved in this ground-breaking performance.

The Curious Incident of the Night-TimeUK Tour
The Curious Incident of the Night-Time UK Tour

Based on the novel by Mark Haddon and adapted to stage by Simon Stephens, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is the winner of five Tony Awards and seven Oliver Awards. The play tells the story of Christopher Boone, a teenage boy with an astonishing mind. Christopher is outstanding at mathematics though ill-equipped to decipher everyday life. When he discovers the neighbour’s dog, Wellington has been speared by a garden fork, he embarks on a journey to uncover the truth. Using his mathematical abilities to solve the mystery of Wellington’s death, he uncovers much more than he had first anticipated.

Over the course of almost twenty years within Arts Centre’s Learning Team, Joshua Cowie has never organised such an expanded associated program. “Arts Centre has a large Arts Learning team committed to engaging and enriching the lives of Victorians in and through the performing arts” explained Joshua. “When a world class show like Curious Incident plays in Melbourne it gives us great opportunity to do this in a way commercial theatre cannot” he added.

The selection of emerging creatives workshops on offer are aimed at artists in the early stages of their careers and provide them with the occasion to work alongside industry professionals. These workshops, which have been immensely popular include Prime Composition with Curious Incident composer, Adrian Sutton. “We’re doing a two-day workshop with young composers in Melbourne, just sixteen of them” said Joshua in an interview with SYN Media. “We’re going to both talk about composing for the stage in general and using mathematics as an impetuous to create new art” he continued.

The Playwrights Incubator has Arts Centre, “bringing the actual playwright over from London, Simon Stephens” noted Joshua, “so, he’s coming to do a three-day workshop with emerging under-thirties playwrights.” The Drama Workshop, lead by The National Theatre’s Resident Director has also been exceptionally popular and for those interested in movement, acclaimed physical theatre company, Frantic Assembly (UK) will lead the high-energy workshop, Movement Unconvered.

When asked which workshop excited him most, Joshua replied after a pause: “The Design Academy”. This program “will see a small group of emerging creatives embark on a four-day workshop to reimagine the design of Curious Incident” he noted. “Participants will work with Industry Professionals to produce new artwork inspired by the show in three design areas: sets, sound and video.” Not only will they have the opportunity to create new work in response to the show, they’ll have their work installed in the Playhouse foyer during the Curious Incident season. “To give emerging creatives the opportunity to not just work with established artists, but to be able to show their work to the public at ACM is really exciting” commented Joshua.

Preshow talks and post-show forums are a fantastic way for the general public to learn about the show directly from its cast and creatives. In a range of sessions including the General Insight Talks, Adaptation Insight and Page to Stage talk with Simon Stephens more can be discovered about the production, how it was adapted to the stage and shaped into the acclaimed production it’s become.

The Relaxed Performance makes the production accessible to those who migh not usually attend theatre. It includes, “a whole dedicated main-stage performance of the show where the house lights are left on at fifty percent (and) the auditorium doors are open” explained Joshua in an interview with SYN Media.

This all-encompassing Associated Program that complements the Australian premiere of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has something to pique everybody’s interest. Its realisation is not only thanks to ACM’s great relationship with the UK’s National Theatre and Melbourne Theatre Company, but is also a result of the spectacular nature of the show. As Joshua remarked:  “Curious Incident has such great themes to explore – difference, perspective, and incredible staging that will wow Melbourne audiences.”

For tickets and more information:
https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/festival-and-series/curious-incident-associated-program

Photo credit:
Brinkhoff/Mögenburg

To listen to Joshua Cowie’s interview on SYN Media:
http://syn.org.au/interview-joshua-cowie/

 

 

 

Circus

Arts Centre Melbourne Presents The Unbelievables

A sizzling, sensational summer hit

 By Rebecca Waese 

Las Vegas thrills transformed Hamer Hall at Arts Centre Melbourne during the opening night of The Unbelievables with a terrific variety of gravity-defying acrobats, a sword-swallowing comedian, illusionists, singers, dancers, and circus talents. American producers, Simon Painter and Tim Lawson of The Illusionists, hand-picked top performers from around the world and the result is a sizzling, sensational summer hit.

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The show begins with transformationalist, Victoria Petrosyan who changes in and out of sixteen costumes designed by her husband Sos in 120 seconds, leaving the audience in a state of incredulousness and delight. Blademaster, Brett Loudermilk was a highlight; not only captivating in his ability to swallow metal swords and a few other surprises but as a charismatic comedian who connected with the crowd. The hand balancing acrobats, Alan Pagnota and Rafael Ferreira, a.k.a Dupla Mão na Roda, (look them up!) were favourites of mine as they defied gravity and social preconceptions about what a performer in a wheelchair might be able to do with strength, grace and unbelievable muscle control.

Outstanding vocals by Emi Secrest set the jazz-cabaret mood and the band served up sultry jazz and electric guitar interludes with stunning award-winning dancers.

The Card Illusionist, Shin Lim was a champion on Penn and Teller’s television series Fool Us and is currently the FISM World Champion for Close Up Magic. His artistry with cards was mesmerising and close camera work followed his sleight of hand as cards vanished into thin air and reappeared in puffs of smoke from his mouth.

Ukrainian sand artist, Julia Kurkina tied together fantasy and exoticism creating sand art pictures of exotic locales and of the very Arts Centre we were in. 

Ventriloquist Jay Johnson, a veteran in the game, took the gag to a new level with his rude monkey named Darwin and hard-to-please sidekick, Bob. Strong man, Artem Lyubanevych and aerial hoop acrobat, Aleksandra Kiedrowicz were riveting to watch and the Mexican speed juggler, Roberto Carlos got the loudest cheers of the night.

Comic host, Harrison Greenbaum held the show together and seemed to grow more confident over the night and better in tune with what the Australian audience found funny than in his opening patter. His humour was friendly for fans of all ages and he came out to mingle after the show with diva, Emi Secrest and they chatted with spectators, hopping into a photo or two.  

The Unbelievables is a polished, well-thought out show with fabulous talent and updated references on the classic variety formula. Treat yourself to some terrific summer fun for young and old.

 

Dates: 9 – 13 January

Venue: Hammer Hall, 100 St Kilda Rd, Southbank VIC 3006

Times: 3:00pm, 7:00pm

Prices: $30 – $120

Bookings: https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/2018/theatre/the-unbelievables

Image by Jacquie Manning

Rebecca Waese is an Honorary Associate at La Trobe University in the Department of Creative Arts and English.