Category: Festivals

Festivals, Music, Review

REVIEW: Melbourne Festival Presents KATIE NOONAN’S VANGUARD

Evocative, experimental and enthralling

By Jessica Cornish

Kicking off her 2015 national tour promoting her latest crowd-funded record, Katie Noonan performed last weekend at Melbourne Festival’s Foxtel Hub. Back to her roots and travelling with trio of talented band mates Stu Hunter (keys), Declan Kelly (drummer), and Peter Koopman (guitarist), now known as Vanguard,  Noonan and her musicians performed a beautiful late-night set in the heart of Melbourne.

Katie Noonan

Armed with her percussive wooden cylinder, drum sticks, keyboard and an array of gaudy silver-animal bling, she belted out a mix of originals from her latest album Transmutant and some older songs such as ‘Sweet One’ written with world-famous artist Sia when they were both living in L.A. a decade ago, struggling with the image-obsessed and at times brutal music industry, and realising that they were part of each other’s strongest support networks.

It was definitely not your typical pop set – or even jazz for that matter, and I couldn’t even hum you back any melody featured in her songs. I think her works are best described as a mix of electronic pop-like ballads, incorporating many different textures of sounds and rhythm using synthesisers and pedal effects. At times the songs seemed to drift aimlessly with no real sense of purpose or direction and on reflection many of the songs seemed similar and merged into each other. However all her songs appeared to be of a highly personal nature and were reflections on those close to her life. She expressed her love for her two sons and their ability to find joy in daily life, and her distress dealing with the grief of the steady deterioration of her father’s health. Noonan’s voice is definitely a highlight of the performance, truly a stunning instrument and as perfect as any polished recording you could hear playing. She has a breathy, yet gutsy voice gliding in to her higher vocal range, so ultimately her songs trap you in the moment, and left me listening intently to every word and note she produced. To be honest it was hard to concentrate on anything else that was going on, including the funky LED-panelled backdrop and flashing lights.

Through out the evening Katie was incredibly engaging and honest with us as her audience. The night seemed more like a cabaret, providing insight in to the singer’s life and the people who surround her in everyday situations. She took the time to explain the backstory to all her songs (and I even learnt that the German super market ALDI never play music in their stores because they don’t want to pay licencing fees). That tale of continuous silence was even the springboard for another one of Katie’s latest musical creations featured in the hub that evening. Her interaction with her band mates was also really genuine and their close rapport was really nice to watch, as so often musicians go unnoticed by their well-known vocalists. She even performed a song she had written as a wedding gift for Hunter.

The Foxtel Hub was a great venue, it was intimate, had a punchy lighting rig and really clear, high quality sound. It was a real treat to see such an iconic Australian performer as part of the Melbourne Festival, and to top it off, while waiting for the doors to open, my Dad and I were inundated with complimentary alcohol and food tastings from local Melbourne restaurants. A lovely night out in all.

http://katienoonan.com/

Dance, Festivals, Performances

REVIEW: Batsheva Dance Company Presents DECADANCE

Startlingly unexpected

By Narelle Wood

It was clear from even before the show began that Batsheva was no ordinary dance company and this was going to be no ordinary performance. Company member Shamel Pitts was tasked with entertaining the audience before the curtain was raised, before being joined by fellow performers in a remarkable opening number of unique movement and style.

Decadance

Decadance for the 2015 Melbourne Festival was like no other style of dance I’ve seen. The music selection was eclectic with pieces ranging from Dean Martin, Vivaldi, The Beach Boys and a traditional folk song “Echad mi Yodea”. The dancers often performing intricate canons that slowly built until, just when you thought you knew what was coming next, would take the dance, and often the emotion, in a completely different direction.

It was, as described by the women sitting next to me, an emotional rollercoaster, the mood changing from broodiness to something more light-hearted within a couple of movements. I found their pieces to be both challenging, witty, inspirational, intriguing and most of all joyous. I’m generally not a fan of audience participation, but on this occasion the whole theatre seemed to come alive with enthusiasm, in a celebration of dance. The performance was complimented by such clever and simple use of lighting (Gadi Glik) and wardrobe (Ofer Amram and Maya Avi). At one point, , through the use of the dark backdrop, black suits and some low level lighting, it seemed as though the dancers emerged from nowhere.

Ohad Naharin’s choreography is powerful and intriguing; both the movement and use of music is generally not what you expect. Sometimes it is simplistic and repetitive and at other times there are so many different movements and shapes it is hard to know where to look. But that might be the genius of Naharin’s work, no matter how complex it is, the elements don’t seem to compete, instead perfectly complement each other to tell the most interesting stories.

Decadance was the complex expression of genius at work. I can’t pinpoint why I found it completely enthralling, only that I did, and that when I left I knew I needed to see more. It is contemporary dance in a style and league all of its own.

Venue: State Theatre
Season: 17th and 18th of October (Batsheva presents Last Work)
Details: http://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/dance/last-work

Festivals, Music, Performances

REVIEW: Melbourne Festival Presents BABYLON CIRCUS

Dance music explosion

By Narelle Wood

Babylon Circus was a little late in kicking off thanks to Melbourne’s stormy weather, but when it did the elements were just as wild inside the venue as they were out.

Babylon Circus

It’s hard to classify the genre of Babylon Circus; they are French Ska (think big band meets punk) with rock, French, gypsy, Israeli, Reggae, Dixie Jazz and slightly heavier punk, influences. The band itself is a 10-piece ensemble that includes all your regular instruments with a piano accordionist, and some brass and woodwind thrown in. For the most part the music is upbeat and extremely boppy, the constant vigorous bounce by the fans in the audience was a testament to that.

The first three or four songs were fantastic and all of the solos showcased the immense musical talent within the band. Unfortunately the beginning was also marred by some sound issues, which did make it hard to hear all the different instruments at times. Most of the songs were sung in a combination of French and English, and as my French is non-existent and the sound was very large, I found it difficult to work out what they were singing about.

As result of not being able to work out the songs, and also due to so much going on on stage, I found that by about half way through the set, things for me started to sound very much the same – though it was clear from the still bounding audience I was probably in the minority. The only other thing that I struggled with was the lighting; it was really cool and matched the high energy on stage, the problem was there was a lot for such a small space and I was still seeing lights in front of my eyes after I left the venue.

While some of Babylon Circus’s music probably won’t make my play list, there were some pieces that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was also really refreshing to hear a group that so cleverly mixed together a whole range of musical influences to produce a unique perspective on the Ska genre: I would have liked more of that.

Despite my reservations towards some of their music, I couldn’t help but tap my foot and get caught up in the enthusiasm and energy of both the band and the crowd. Babylon Circus knows how to have a good time on stage and that is completely infectious. Their run at the 2015 Melbourne Festival was one night only, but if you like the sound of a melting pot of musical genres that makes you want to dance, be sure to catch them next time they’re in town.

Circus, Festivals, Whats On

REVIEW: Melbourne Festival Presents LIMBO

Circus with flare

By Myron My

Presented as part of the 2015 Melbourne Festival, Limbo is an exhilarating blend of circus, acrobatics and cabaret that will have audiences speechless and leave them wanting much much more. With a strong nod to the 1920s and performed in a Spiegeltent, Limbo transports its audience into a seedy underworld of no barriers or rules, a place where everyone can come and play, no matter what your tastes and likes may be.

Limbo

Its international cast ensures that they have the best of the best in its skilled performers including fire-breather sword-swallower Heather Holliday who at one point literally has the stage in flames and the near-impossible contortionist act by Tigris. Other highlights include Danic Abishev‘s hand-balancing act and Mikael Bres‘ Chinese pole act, which left audiences gasping throughout.

There is a great sense of play and cheekiness coming from the performers, which adds to the excitement of Limbo. While they are clearly focused and very careful in what they do, they never let this emotion show and except for one of two moments, you can never actually tell if anything doesn’t quite go according to plan.

The interludes between acts are well thought-out that not only assist with the set up of the next act but allow the audience to catch their breath and compose themselves from the excitement they’ve just witnessed. Scott Maidment has directed a very tight show that has no unnecessary lulls among the incredibly highs of watching these talented people creating intense and jaw-dropping acts with their bodies.

Sxip Shirey‘s live score – including some brilliant beat-boxing by Bres – is a great accompaniment to the acts. The music and the performances come together in unison, to the point where the movements of the acts are in perfect sync with the beats and rhythms of the music.

The charisma and genuine playful nature of the performers ensures that Limbo is an intense yet highly enjoyable experience. There are a number of “need to be seen to be believed” acts that will have you exiting the Spiegeltent in awe and wonderment of what has just been witnessed.

Venue: Spiegeltent, South bank of Yarra River, east of Princes Bridge.

Season: Until 1 November | Tues-Sat 8pm, Sat 3pm, Sun 7pm.

Tickets: $35 – $69

Bookings: Melbourne Festival

Image by Tony Virgo

Festivals, Music, Performances

REVIEW: Melbourne Festival Presents THE LONDON HAYDN QUARTET

Impeccable

By Narelle Wood

It has taken three years for the Melbourne Festival to complete its ambitious undertaking of performing all 68 quartets composed by Franz Joseph Haydn. As part of this plan The London Haydn Quartet In their Melbourne debut contributed an astounding performance of three of Haydn’s string quartets (No 17 Op 17 No 2, No 37 Op 50 No 2 and No 3 Op 54 No3).

The London Haydn Quartet

It would be easy, at first glance, to mistake this sort of performance as simplistic; there is after all only a stage, the four musicians and some lights. But the simplicity of the surrounds only highlights the complexity of the music and the attention to detail in what can only be described as an incredibly nuanced performance of Haydn’s works. The intricate composition of Haydn’s music moves from moments of quiet almost stillness to furious duelling as the four string instruments answer and talk to and over each other in the most animated musical conversations.

Catherine Manson (violin), Michael Gurevich (violin), James Bord (viola) and Jonathan Manson (cello) make up the quartet and are as every bit as animated as the music. It was clear from both their performance and the brief moments Manson spoke that Haydn is their passion; Manson describing their dedication to Haydn’s works as something akin to dwelling in the unique musical universes that Haydn created. What was perhaps even more evident though was the mastery that these four musicians exhibited, especially in the ways they seamlessly moved through the pieces, each instrument and musician perfectly connecting to each of the others.

The music was beautiful and I found it to be an extremely relaxing and a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend some time on a Friday evening. The only disappointing thing was that it was over so quickly. But the good news is the Haydn for Everyone Series does continue throughout the Melbourne Festival. If you can, make sure to catch The London Haydn Quartet next time they visit for a remarkable classical music experience.

Haydn for Everyone Series

Venue: Various locations and times. See website for details
Season: Until 25th October
Bookings: www.festival.melbourne

Festivals, Performances, Theatre

REVIEW: Melbourne Festival Presents BRONX GOTHIC

She is mesmerising

By Christine Young

Bronx Gothic is a deeply personal performance that is captivating from the outset. In a quiet corner of the stage, which is shrouded by a curtain, Okwui Okpokwasili shakes her butt for the longest time. All the while, her shadow lurks on the curtain and becomes a character in its own right. It’s spellbinding.

Bronx Gothic

The spell is broken with the clamour of a big city soundscape crashing in and Okpokwasili’s body mirrors the traffic, voices and general hullabaloo of the street. This is the world of her younger self growing up in the Bronx, New York City, during the 1980s. Throughout the performance, the music and other sounds enter Okpokwasili’s body at an invisible point and subtly seep out in her lithe movements.

With the scene of her childhood set, Okpokwasili approaches the microphone and picks up a pile of handwritten notes she passed with her unnamed best friend when they were eleven years old. These notes contain a disturbing dialogue of innocence lost with Okpokwasili’s friend revealing a knowledge of sexual activity beyond her years. They are notes that haunt and follow Okpokwasili into adulthood with the realisation that her friend was probably being sexually abused.
Bronx Gothic is richly symbolic and filled with juxtapositions of light and shade; the public and the private; love and hate; perceived beauty and ugliness; and fear and yearning. Okpokwasili evokes the intensity of childhood on the brink of adolescence with carefully choreographed movement, in-your-face poetry and stirring song.

Director and visual and sound designer Peter Born helps artist Okpokwasili reach and create her vision by deftly synchronising the lighting, sound and choreography. Bronx Gothic is clearly the result of a creative partnership where two minds click in all the right places. This is experimental theatre at its best.

Bronx Gothic is playing at the Arts House as part of the 2015 Melbourne Festival and an exchange between the Arts House and Performance Space 122 in New York.

Venue: Arts House, 521 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne
Dates: Until October 12, 2015
Tickets: $39 Full / $25 /$15 students
Booking: www.festival.melbourne

Image by Sarah Walker

Festivals, Kids Theatre, Opera

REVIEW: Melbourne Festival Presents THE RABBITS

Powerful and poignant family opera

By Rachel Holker

Based on the acclaimed picture book by John Marsden and Shaun Tan, and the winner of several Helpmann Awards, The Rabbits (adapted and directed by John Sheedy) comes with high expectations and does not disappoint. An unsubtle commentary on the colonisation of Australia and the consequences for the people and the environment, this production for Melbourne Festival 2015 is no pantomime for the kids.

The Rabbits

The story remains very close to the original text, with the addition of Bird (Kate Miller-Heidke) as a narrator of sorts, calling on high various warnings and dire predictions yet pointlessly declaring her inability to assist with the Marsupials plight as the Rabbits invade.

The Rabbits is masterpiece of staging and design. Tan’s illustrations are utilised sparingly, yet effectively to portray the land of the Marsupials and the encroaching impact of the Rabbits. The costumes (Gabriela Tylesova) cross the line into puppetry and are so emotionally effective (the Marsupials in particular are gorgeously haunting) that the performers’ own faces become superfluous.

Miller-Heidke’s score is very good and, the small orchestra on stage was a delight – I would have liked to see even more of their interactions with the other players. All the performances were strong, especially the Marsupials Hollie Andrew, Jessica Hitchcock and Lisa Maza who brought genuine grief to some heartrending scenes.

The libretto is a touch uneven and jarring at points, particularly where it tries to play to the adults in the audience. This was not necessary and detracted from the story rather than lightening the mood as was the intent. However where the words and music combine at key emotional points is where The Rabbits excels.

I hope The Rabbits represents the beginning of a trend in children’s productions that speak up rather than down to their audience.

Tickets to The Rabbits, produced by Opera Australia and Barking Gecko Theatre Company, in Melbourne are sold out.
Sydney performances:14-24 January, Roslyn Packer Theatre, $47-$98

Bookings: https://opera.org.au/whatson/events/detail?prodid=113130

By Abbey age 11.

I really liked The Rabbits, but it was really sad at some parts. The costumes were amazing and the way they used their headdresses’ mouths when the Rabbits were drinking tea, instead of their own, was really cool. The use of props was awesome with some reaching the top of the stage such as the boat.

The story was told extremely well with one of the Marsupials from the book replaced by a narrating bird and I thought that was effective. The interpretation of the book was really good for the book has no dialogue, but the show does. The character’s speeches were made up but what they said still made sense to the story. The operatic side was amazing but loud.

I wouldn’t recommend this for young kids because it is so sad and emotional.

Festivals, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW; Jimmy Chinn’s A DIFFERENT WAY HOME

Double monologue was a hit with delighted audience

By Margaret Wieringa

We start in the living room of Leslie. He is an old man, or perhaps he just seems older than he is because of his lingering cold, awful breathy wheeze and the difficulty he has at getting around. But he wouldn’t complain, instead, he’d welcome you in for a cuppa and a natter. Though don’t expect to get a word in!

A Different Way Home

Michael Dalton is Leslie, who tells us about his life; his mother, only recently passed away, his sister and brother who’ve migrated to Australia and Canada respectively, and ‘Our Maureen’, the evil sister who lives around the corner. We’ve all met a Leslie – welcoming and friendly, but bitter and full of anger and regret.

His home is sweet – old, furniture that is clearly well-loved, trinkets to fill an op shop, and a real sense of cosy. The set welcomes the audience as much as Leslie does. Throughout, the lighting subtly directs our eye across the stage, but also creates a real melancholy when required.

In the second half we meet Maureen (again played by Michael Dalton). We’ve come to expect a real piece of work from Leslie’s description, and there is certainly a sense of that. Similarly to Leslie, she is bitter, but perhaps slightly more aware of the world around her – though possibly equally as deluded about her place in it.

Michael Dalton plays both characters with the black humour, yet genuine sadness that playwright Jimmy Chinn requires from his words. Dalton and director Zoe Warwick have created two distinct yet clearly interwoven characters that connect instantly with the audience.

And did I mention that it is funny? The play carries a lot of emotional weight, but the audience with whom I enjoyed the performance roared with laughter many times during the show. The show is part of the Victorian Seniors Festival this year: festival participants were well-represented in an audience who clearly loved this show as particularly suited to them.

A Different Way Home is being presented by the community partner annecto and the City of Stonnington as part of the Victorian Seniors Festival 2015.

Where: Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, South Yarra, Prahran
When: 6-11 October
Tickets: $32.40-$36.50, http://chapeloffchapel.com.au/

Festivals, Music, Review

REVIEW: Helen Bower’s LOST IN THE LOOPING GLASS

Engulfed in the artistry of music

By Myron My

I’ve often said if I had the time to learn any musical instrument I would choose the violin. There is something incredibly calming and meditative about hearing an accomplished musician play such an instrument. Upon learning there was a performance by violinist and sound artist Helen Bower as part of the 2015 Melbourne Fringe Festival, I made sure I would not be missing it.

Lost in the Looping Glass

Bower’s Lost In The Looping Glass is a 50-minute violin performance played alongside a loop pedal. She records fragments or sequences on her violin from compositions by local and international composers live, and has them playing on loop where they gradually layer on top of one another to create their own music.

It is obvious from the very beginning that Bower has completely given herself over to the music. There is a somewhat ritualistic process with Bower kneeling by the violin in reverence before she picks it up and begins to strum, pluck and strike the violin to make her expressive and emotive music.

Once you close your eyes, the beautiful combination of sounds and rhythms draw you away from the venue and you find yourself wherever your mind and the sounds want to take you. I myself end up on a nostalgic journey through significant periods of my life, all the while thoroughly enjoying the musical soundtrack that evokes and accompanies these memories.

At one point during Lost In The Looping Glass, Bower speaks of a time when she was a child in Berlin. Unlike other performances where hearing the artist speak of their own experiences enhances the effect of the art, I actually found the aural impact of this work means this spoken interlude breaks into the personal reflective journey that each audience member is going on, as our thoughts are then in conflict with the visual that Bower is describing. For me, it takes away from the power of the music and carefully constructed acoustic environment, and subsequently disrupted the distinctly immersive influence the performance has over me.

Bower’s Lost In The Looping Glass is a transfixing performance and a unique opportunity to see music from a violin being created on a loop pedal. Moreover, it’s a moving experience that allowed me the poignant and powerful chance to travel back to moments of my life that I had otherwise forgotten or not thought possible to relive.

Lost In The Looping Glass was performed at Scratch Warehouse between 18 September and 4 October for the 2015 Melbourne Fringe festival.

Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

REVIEW: The Candy Topps Present FEMME FATALE

Talented trio of funny and fabulous femmes

By Bradley Storer

Flashlights in hand, blinding the audience as they crept through the curtains, The Candy Topps stole into the showroom of The Butterfly Club under cover of total darkness. After a series of comic mishaps, the three ladies – Stella, Kitty and Fifi – took their positions and launched into a dark and sinister version of Pink’s ‘Get the Party Started’ that launched us off onto a rollercoaster ride of entertainment for the 2015 Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Femme Fatale

Like a twisted version of the Andrew Sisters with a dirty sense of humour, The Candy Topps present jazzy and swing versions of popular modern songs arranged in harmonies ‘tighter than the Virgin Mary’. The evening is themed along the concept of the ‘femme fatale’ – a sexy, mysterious and powerful modern woman, represented here in works from female artists such as Cher, Beyonce, Doris Day and Lady Gaga. The strongest number of the evening (hard to pick among such rich offerings!) was ultimately a medley of Adele’s ‘Rumor Has It’ and Britney’s ‘Womanizer’ that had the audience quivering with excitement.

The arrangements are fantastic under the accompaniment of pianist Danielle Buatti, and the harmonies are impeccable: all three voices equally strong and blending remarkably well. In their stories of sexual escapades, murder and depravity the three ladies have perfect comedic timing, and execute some surprisingly intricate choreography to match their complicated harmonizing.

The performance hums along at such a pace that it all seems over too soon, The Candy Topps so fantastically appealing that it seems impossible for anyone who sees the show to have a bad time. A definite crowd-pleaser, and an evening of pure entertainment!

Venue: The Butterfly Club, Carson Place, Melbourne.
Date: 29th September – 4th October
Time: 8:30pm
Tickets: Full $32, Concession $28, Group (6+) $26, Members $26, Tight Ass Tuesday $25
Bookings: www.melbournefringe.com.au, www.thebutterflyclub.com, at the door.