Category: Events

Events, Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Dorian for MELBOURNE FRINGE

Things are about to get Wilde…

By Myron My

Flashing lights, thumping music, crazy costumes and a catwalk. You might be thinking you are at a fashion show but instead it is a new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, simply titled Dorian.

Dorian

Director Adam Grima has created a modernized queer reading of the text and, through this queer culture lens, looks at its obsession with remaining youthful, narcissism and vanity.

The show takes place on the catwalk, with the cast strutting and performing along it to give the impression we are constantly on display to others and being judged by our choices. However, this set is painted completely white and left bare, juxtaposing this notion with being truthful and baring all.

Dorian is low on dialogue and high on visual stimulation. The costume design by Emma Howchin is brilliant with her play on sexuality and masculinity strongly evident. There are also some confronting scenes of simulated sex and murder as we see Dorian slide into debauchery and vice. Being in such close proximity to the performers, there is a level of intimacy you are unable to escape and it’s another reason why the end reveal of the ‘painting’ of Dorian is so gripping and horrific to watch.

With there being such little dialogue, when it does happen it needs to have an impact and whist the words are strong I don’t feel the delivery of the lines by the cast is. Francisco Lopez is able to bring some life into his dialogue but more work was needed from the other two leads, Johnathon Duffy and Tommy Doyle.

Dorian is not the Dorian Gray we have come to know, so ensure you leave any preconceptions at the door. This is WAQ Productions’ debut at Melbourne Fringe Festival and despite being a little rough around the edges, this play is a unique and interesting interpretation of a well-known text.

Venue: Lincoln Art Centre, Basement 24, Lincoln St, Brunswick East

Season: Until 05 October | Tues- Sat 8:00pm

Tickets: $24 Full | $18 Conc

Bookings: http://www.melbournefringe.com.au or 9660 9666

Events, Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: MKA – Kids Killing Kids for MELBOURNE FRINGE

Violent art exploited and explored

By Myron My

MKA: Kids Killing Kids is about four people – David Finnigan, Georgie McAuley, Jordan Prosser and Sam Burns-Warr – who went to the Philippines and created a play called Battalia Royale. It was an adaptation of the infamous Japanese novel/manga/film Battle Royale, where a group of children are drugged, wake up in a forest armed with an array of weapons, and are told there can be only one survivor, which results in a gruesome kill-or-be-killed fight. The worldwide response the play-makers received for their stage adaptation was something they never imagined, and in MKA they share their story with us.

MKA Kids Killing Kids

Kids Killing Kids starts off in a quite humorous and naïve manner – possibly emulating how these four theatre-makers felt during the initial creative process of Battalia Royale. It feels like you’re listening to a friend return from a holiday, with their jokey insights about random slogans seen on t-shirts and watching six-year-olds crump. Slowly, the tone changes to a more serious and thoughtful discussion on the after-effects of the play and the political situation in the Philippines.

The quartet repeatedly ask us – and themselves – what responsibility do they have as theatre-makers to their cast, the audience and the wider community, especially when their art involves a group of children violently and bloodily killing each other? Can they get away with it because it’s not real? Can such a play have a purpose, or is it just glorified violence? Perhaps there is no definitive answer for these questions and indeed, the creators here don’t pretend to know all the answers and seem just as lost and confused as we do when it comes to any final enlightenment.

The production of Kids Killing Kids is slick: the writing is sharp and the flow of information is smooth and well-thought-out. However, I did have a problem with the emotive but obvious pauses and silences and questioned their dramatic purpose being in conflict with their authenticity. I don’t doubt the sincerity of the four people involved, but such theatrical devices remind me I am watching a deliberate performance rather than sharing this real-life experience with them.

But perhaps this is the point. Is it a documentary? Is it theatre? Either way, MKA: Kids Killing Kids is going to leave any artist with a lot of questions about the complex roles we play in creating theatre and what boundaries we should and should not cross.

MKA: Kids Killing Kids is showing as part of the 2013 Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Venue: Fringe Hub – The Warehouse, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne

Season: Until 3 October |Tues-Sat 9:00pm, Sun 8:00pm

Tickets: $20 Full | $15 Conc

Bookings: http://www.melbournefringe.com.au or 9660 9666

Events, Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: A F*#king Mad Tea Party at MELBOURNE FRINGE

They’re all mad, there…

By Myron My

To enter A F*#cking Mad Tea Party at Melbourne Fringe Festival, one must first take a test. Only when the task is complete to the guard’s satisfaction is permission granted to head on upstairs and join the party. Upon having passed, I am greeted by a number of characters including a French0speaking woman and a man in a wooden chest, seemingly stuck there.

A Mad Tea Party

We are free to roam the space – which is amazing – and interact with the other “guests” at the party.  The Wonderland transformation affects the whole performance space (even areas that are not specifically used), inevitably adding to the authenticity of the evening.  It may have taken two days to set everything up but it clearly took a lot longer to get everything together and prepared.

The performers – Cassandra Belfrange, Jack Bennett, Rachelle Harvey, Ryan Lovat, Timothy Christopher Ryan and Samantha Wojcik – are brilliant and each one of them embraces and embodies their character with much gusto and love. They are all so dedicated and committed that it is impossible to pick a favourite or standout.

The music throughout the show has a variety of songs ranging from Marilyn Monroe to Laura Marling and some dreamy musical scores to name a few. Each one adds a unique element to the show depending on the individual act we are seeing. However it is through most of these acts that I feel A F*#cking Mad Tea Party suffers. Interspersed throughout the story are dance routines, circus acts and even a touch of burlesque but these performances needed tightening. There was much potential in each of them, but they all seemed to finish before they peaked. Perhaps in a more traditional performance these pieces would have satisfied, but this is Wonderland and I was hoping for something more adventurous and daring.

That said, immersive theatre seems to be popping up more and more in Melbourne (there are quite a few such shows during the Fringe Festival), but there’s something special about A F*#cking Mad Tea Party that requires viewing. It’s silly and strange and captivating and innocent and dangerous and I suspect you will not be able to find anything even remotely similar to experiencing a unique evening like this.

Venue: Norm. 34 Breese St, Brunswick

Season: 24-28 September | 8:00pm

Tickets: $27 Full | $22 Conc

Bookings: http://amadteaparty.com.au and http://www.melbournefringe.com.au

Events, Festivals, Music, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Freya Bennet and THE POSSIBILITY OF FALLING

Charming and disarming

By Tania Herbert

The Possibility of Falling is the story of a girl – and her cat.

The Possibility of Falling

A Melbourne Fringe festival show in combination with album launch of Freya Bennett’s first album The Marvellous Reject Girl, Freya and her lovely four-piece accompanying band take the audience on a whimsical journey of story and music. The show is beautifully back-dropped by a moving visual slideshow of work by American photographer Sophie Pellegrini.

The little tale of The Marvellous Reject Girl has hints of The Little Prince and Emily the Strange in equal measure, and the children’s storybook-style of the script is full of sweet sentiment as a tale of loneliness, lost love and self-acceptance. In between times, we are treated to the soundtrack to the reject girl’s life.

Heavily instrumental, the music is very much like a movie soundtrack for some little American indie film with a bit of a Frenchie feel. The cellist, trombonist, guitarist and drummerwere a wonderfully cohesive unit, and filled out the simple lyrical feel of the piece.

Long Play must be one of the more unique spaces in Melbourne’s north, a mini-cinema with loads of personality, and a well-chosen venue for the show.

Personally, I’m a bit of a fan of a story album, and I found this to be an extremely pleasant evening of Fringe. Evocative of Aimee Mann and Camille, I hope we see Freya Bennett some time to come, as I’d love to see her music as it matures over the years, with some extra depth to add to the sweetness. The Possibility of Falling is a lovely little pat to the soul. And did I mention it was sweet?

The Possibility of Falling is playing for Melbourne Fringe on
Wednesday 25th September , 7:30 PM
Monday 30th September, 7:30 PM
Wednesday 2nd October, 7:30 PM

Tickets: $14/$18

Book at:
http://www.melbournefringe.com.au/fringe-festival/show/the-possibility-of-falling/
Or call (03) 9660 9666
Or at the door

Events, Music, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Stewart D’Arrietta’s MY LEONARD COHEN

Public acclaim for this personal tribute

By Christine Moffat

Leonard Cohen is the master of sexy, dark revealing lyrics and music that sweeps you away. Stewart D’Arrietta has been swept away, but it hasn’t overpowered his unique performance of this selection of Cohen’s powerful works.

My Leonard Cohen

D’Arrietta nurtured a connection with the audience and took them on a very personal journey through the world via Cohen’s songs. Nothing makes a show duller than a show based merely on impersonation, but with his gravely voice and laconic humour, D’Arrietta’s performance was only reminiscent of Cohen.  What the audience was treated to instead was a collection of confident and original interpretations.

Sensitivity to the composer and actual musical skill are all very well and good, but the most important test a show like this must pass is “Was it a good time?”  The answer is a most definite “Yes!”  The ensemble played like a bunch of old-fashioned romantics, giving the music all of their energy and style.  Frontman D’Arrietta adapts his persona song after song, holding nothing back.  In the end he is the embodiment of a Cohen song: sexy, funny, sad – human.

The music was interspersed with bite-sized insights into Cohen’s life, titbits about the composition of various songs, and importantly, D’Arrietta’s personal connections to those songs.  It made for an entertaining one-and-a-half hours of live music, performed by accomplished musicians.

The exquisite leadlight window of Chapel Off Chapel‘s theatre was the perfect backdrop for a show bringing to life Cohen’s emotional lyrics of god and love, men and women.  When I left, a crescent moon was hanging low in a dark starless sky, seemingly imbued with a poetic connection to the moving performance that had just finished.

Dates: Sept 11 – Sept 15

Venue: Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran

Times: Tue-Fri 8pm / Sat 7pm & 9pm / Sun 5pm & 7pm

Tickets: From $49.50

Bookings: 03 82907000 or online at chapeloffchapel.com.au

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Arts House Presents WHELPING BOX

An audience left fascinatingly at odds…

By Myron My

After the latest Arts House production Whelping Box was over, I overheard one woman describe it as “dirty smelly boys doing naughty things”. But my experience with this show had me both appreciating and feeling so much more.

Upon entering the Arts House Meat Market I am led to a 9m x 9m blackened square wooden arena. Sitting in the square, I am very close to the action and eventually I can’t help but feel like I am part of the action, which is quite confronting at times.

Whelping Box

The two performers, Matt Prest and Lee Wilson, appear from the darkness and despite their playfulness with each other, there is a strong undercurrent of something more sinister and primitive lurking beneath. With each activity or task they move through, the atmosphere deteriorates to a level of primal instinct and human baseness. The visual transformation of Prest and Wilson, with their matted hair, fierce physique and aggressive movement further strengthened this idea.

Sound and light plays a major part in creating the mood for Whelping Box. Performing in various states of darkness, brightness and coloured light, you do feel almost helpless as others control what you can and can’t see. The sensorial experience of this production includes pre-recorded banging and clanging being played from various points around the square that Prest and Wilson have previously made in rehearsals. Along with the sounds they make in the performance, I did feel quite enveloped and disoriented by it as I tried to distinguish what was real and what was not.

It is interesting to note that what I experienced as intimidating and affecting during much of the show, other people found funny, which made me wonder if I was missing something? I was having quite a visceral response and the laughter ultimately made the experience even more intense, and made me speculate if that was what the creators had actually been hoping for here.

However, I did get confused during their Norse mythology scenes and struggled to connect what I was seeing to what had earlier transpired and consequently lost some of its impact. Eventually Whelping Box found its way, and I was able to reconnect with the performance again.

Along with collaborators Clare Britton and Mirabelle Wouters, Prest and Wilson have certainly created something unique with Whelping Box. I will confess I am unsure if I am feeling what they wanted me to (or whether the woman I overheard or the laughing audience were, perhaps) but my experience was definitely an unusual range of emotions that I don’t often get to feel in theatre.

Venue: Arts House, Meat Market, 5 Blackwood Street, North Melbourne.

Season: Until 8 September | Wed- Sat 9:00pm, Sat 3:30pm, Sun 6:30pm

Tickets: $30 Full | $20-25 Conc

Bookings: http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/ArtsHouse or 9322 3713

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Red Stitch Presents STRAIGHT

Finding the comedy in modern relationships

By Myron My

The title of Red Stitch’s latest production Straight comes with a double meaning. It plays on the notion of being stuffy and predictable but also brings up questions about intimacy and sexuality between a group of late-twenty-somethings.

Straight

D. C. Moore’s fun script is strong and I had only a few quibbles with it. For example, the opening scene between Lewis and Morgan (Ryan Gibson and Rosie Lockhart) feels quite contrived and grated on my patience with the “cute and adorable” relationship speak. Fortunately, this issue is rarely repeated. There are a few instances where the story seems to slow down with some hedging preventing any progression, but when the audience is generally two steps ahead of what is on stage, sometimes it’s best to just get on with it.

However, Moore does exceptionally well in keeping the story and characters honest and grounded. It’s a topic that could easily end up becoming full of badly-made sex and porn jokes but there is real heart evident in all facets and throughout the comedy of Straight. This is mainly through the scenes with Waldorf (Ben Prendergast) and Lewis but the final scene between Morgan and Lewis is quite heartbreaking and touching.

Guest actor with Red Stitch, Gibson is perfectly cast as Lewis and plays his nuances and anxieties well. Christina O’Neill is a delight to watch as Steph, Waldorf’s Amy Winehouse-esque one-night stand. I would have liked to see more of her but Moore knows the story he wants to tell and sacrifices have to be made. Rounding out the talented ensemble were Lockhart and Prendergast who both do well with their roles. The cast excels in their English accents and they all remain natural and consistent with them throughout.

I’m generally not a fan of blackouts between scenes but in Straight they work effectively in keeping us engaged with the show. In particular, the set change from cramped living room to swanky hotel room is a spot of genius and you do not even notice the the time it takes to make the transformation.

Straight is an enjoyable show with some great performances and a script with plenty of moments that will have you laughing out loud.

Venue: Red Stitch Actors Theatre, 2 Chapel St, St. Kilda.

Season: Until 28 September | Wed- Sat 8:00pm, Sat 4:00pm, Sun 6:30pm

Tickets: $37 Full | $20-27 Conc

Bookings: http://redstitch.net

Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: MUST Presents COLUMBINE

Thought-provoking art examines atrocity

By Scarlett Harris

The Columbine High School massacre of 1999 is a tragic watershed moment in school shootings—the one everyone refers back to—and that’s what Monash University Student Theatre (MUST) played on with their two-and-a-half-hour performance simply entitled Columbine.

Directed by recent NIDA graduate Daniel Lammin, Columbine uses interview transcripts from witnesses, articles written in the aftermath, and even a speech given by then-President Bill Clinton to shed light on the myriad feelings the massacre brought up for people the world over in a sort of doco-meets-immersive art amalgamation.

Columbine

The ensemble cast, all dressed in blue jeans and black singlets, did a stellar job at—I wouldn’t call it acting, but—making the audience feel as opposed to just observing. Columbine was more like an art installation or a live think piece than a mere theatre production. The minimalist staging, lighting and costuming allowed for those in attendance to draw their own conclusions and ensured questions about Columbine, violence, the media, youth, parenting, religion, guns and pop culture were left on our lips as we exited the theatre. So much so that one doesn’t necessarily even need to watch what’s going on onstage; you can just close your eyes and open yourself up to the emotion.

Columbine also employs the use of the 1990s cult music the school shooters, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, listened to (remember Marilyn Manson as scapegoat for their actions?) which was performed to rousing perfection. “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails was a revelation.

While the show did go a little longer than was ideal (props for the comfy seats, though, MUST!), with all the content that allegedly inspired Harris and Klebold and all that has been spawned from their actions, I dare say Columbine could have gone on forever. No doubt their crimes will continue to reverberate and affect ever more artists and their audiences.

Columbine runs from Tuesday 3rd to Friday 6th September at 7:30 at MUST Theatre Space, Campus Centre Building, Monash University Clayton. Tickets $18 full, $14 concession, $12 Monash Student Association members via msa.monash.edu.au/must or at the door (subject to availability).

Dance, Events

REVIEW: The Australian Ballet Presents PAQUITA and LA SYLPHIDE

Richly romantic

By Jennifer Coles

The Australian Ballet continues to pursue perfection and pure entertainment with each new production they take on. This ‘romantic double bill’ is no exception.  Exquisite and technically masterful, the pairing of Paquita (1847) and La Sylphide (1836) is a wonderful joy to experience.

Kevin-Jackson-and-Madeleine-Eastoe-in-La-Sylphide-Photography-Georges-Antoni-Make-up-by-Napoleon-Perdis

To begin, Paquita as a performance piece (music by Ludwig Minkus, choreographed by Marius Petipa and special note must be made of the grand pas de deux, Leanne Stojmenov and Daniel Gaudiello) made excellent use of the space and was accompanied by a charming, minimalist set. The ensemble moved well together, and were completely dedicated to each gesture and movement. The piece also features a lot of pointe work, which was a treat to watch and relish in.

This elegant professionalism continued throughout the performance of La Sylphide (choreographed by Erik Bruhn after August Bournonville). It tells the tale of James (a young Scottish farmer, preparing for his upcoming wedding), who is distracted by the appearance of a woodland sprite called La Sylphide. After his attempts to catch her are unsuccessful, the fairy disappears. He returns to the wedding and angers the local witch, Madge. However, the reappearance of La Sylphide proves too strong to resist and he follows her into the woods. What follows is an extremely unfortunate set of circumstances brought about by the very witch James just wronged.

The set perfectly created the optimism of a romantic wedding in the first act, and a lovely open woodland in the second. Lighting (William Akers‘ original design, reproduced by Francis Croese) was charming and character-reflective (a nice blue hue spotlight for La Sylphide was a terrific touch), and costumes (designed by Anne Fraser, who also created the set) were of course functional and beautiful. As James, Adam Bull was charismatic, and as La Sylphide, Lana Jones was endearing and elegant. Particular delight was the choreography itself , in which La Sylphide (as had Paquita) made use of the musical phrasing excellently and appropriately. The orchestra was also in fine form, responding well to the artists just as the artists responded to the lush music by Herman Lovenskjold.

The Australian Ballet will no doubt have another successful season with this lovely production. After having the privilege of viewing it, it isn’t hard to see why.

Paquita and La Sylphide will be playing until September 7: tickets bookings can be made online.

Events, Opportunities, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Side Pony Productions Presents THE CONFIDENCE MAN

Like nothing you’ve ever experienced

By Tania Herbert

When an audience sees a show, and then afterwards won’t leave because they are too engaged with talking about the performance (frequently, it appeared, with people they had never met before), you know something pretty special has just happened. And last night was the night where I picked my hands-down winner for most engaging and original piece of theatre for 2013.

 Side Pony Productions took a huge risk on this one. The creativity to just come up with the concept is phenomenal, much less to have executed it..  There are three possibilities for audience members. Before the show begins, they may be invited to don a magnificent puppet mask (by designer Rebecca Bauman) and perform as one of the six characters of the show with instructions being fed to them through headphones.

Photo Credit Ponch Hawkes

For the rest, they can select whether they would like to hear the narration of the story from the sidelines, or they can choose an interaction option, where they can don the headphones and switch between channels of characters, hearing that character’s inner thoughts, outer dialogue and stage directions.

On entering the venue, you can choose your seat and headset, and the stage is marked out into rooms. Each character begins on their own story, finally coming together to a terrible conclusion. Even as a modern thriller, this is a great show. The characters are intriguing, and the inner monologues are poetic and powerful. The whole effect is something like watching a giant, sinister dollhouse after the children have gone to sleep.

The whole piece is beautifully soundtracked, and switching between channels was absolutely flawless. The timing and complexity of weaving the stories so that you can receive a full experience no matter how long you spend with each character is mind-boggling to say the least, and the sound designer (Sam Price) must be the most patient man in the world.

As expressed by the director, Zoe Pepper, it was a show where so much could go wrong – and there may have a been a few missed cues, a costume malfunction, and I think there may have even been a finger pistol at one point after a prop was misplaced. However, the director also speculated that so much could go right – and right she was. This was one of the most powerful, unique, and immersive theatre experiences I have ever had the privilege of being witness to. I had thrills. Several times over.

A wise person told me that the best indicator that a show is amazing is that the reviewer will then go back independently to watch it again. I’m booking my ticket for the weekend.

Season: Wed 28 Aug – Sun 1 Sept

Time: Wed- Fri 6.30 & 8.30 / Sat 4.30, 6.30 and 8.30 / Sun 2.30, 4.30 and 6.30

Duration: 60 minutes no interval

Venue: Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall, 521 Queensberry St

Tickets: Full $30 / Conc $25 / Student $20

Bookings: artshouse.com.au or 03 9322 3713