Category: Festivals

Events, Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Daniel Schlusser Ensemble in M+M

Daring to unravel a Russian classic

By Christine Moffat

M + M is the theatrical reworking of Bulgakov’s classic Russian novel The Master and Margarita by exploratory masters the Daniel Schlusser Ensemble for this year’s Melbourne Festival.  Approaching such a novel with reverence, and producing a slavish retelling is not in this Ensemble’s vocabulary.  Instead, this innovative group always attempt to crack the code underpinning the work of art, and present its inner workings to the audience.  Unfortunately, in this production they have taken a risk that has not entirely paid off.

M+M

Some elements of this show are truly superb.  The set design by Anna Cordingley and Romaine Harper is outstanding, and used extensively and with great effect by director Daniel Schulusser.  Every performer (Johnny Carr, Josh Price, Nikki Shiels, Karen Sibbing, Emily Tomlins, Mark Winter & Edwina Wren) bravely attacks the show with energy, commitment and obvious talent.

Deconstructing such rich source material is ambitious for when it comes to reconstructing, how do you decide which elements must be reinstated?  The attempt to connect the novel to Pussy Riot and modern Russian social oppression is disjointed.  Instead of combining these themes, the performance gives the sense of empty, barren space between them.  The program invites the audience to view the piece as “…theatrical architecture…”, but the parts are too loosely connected to achieve this.  It could be better compared to blueprints and a collection of building materials.

It is not a narrative that this production lacks, but rather any emotional resonance.  The vignettes performed on stage are diaspora; closer to resembling performance art than theatre, but not managing the shock or provocation common to that art form either.  Whether this production succeeds in affecting others in its audience emotionally, or merely works visually, the Daniel Schlusser Ensemble have achieved an outcome that can inform and feed their future works.

Sometimes parts do not create a cohesive and greater whole.  In approaching a seemingly impossible novel, this Ensemble should impress us in the attempt, and in the many successful moments it produces.  Sadly, this reconstruction still feels as if it has major elements of the original source missing.  It is like a beautiful watch that has been rebuilt without hands – each component is lovingly crafted, but it has no way of performing as intended and so we have no way of receiving its ultimate message.

Oct 12 – 16 (no show Oct 15)

Theatre Works, 14 Acland Street St Kilda

Tickets: $65 / $50 / Under 30s $35, Student $25

Bookings: theatreworks.org.au, 03 9534 3388, or Ticketmaster 136 100

Events, Festivals, Review, Theatre

REVIEW: Tell Me About Yourself for MELBOURNE FRINGE

Dating dilemmas divulged

By Myron My

Sarah Jackson and Lucy Gransbury are young, free and single women. In order to rectify the latter, they decided to bite the bullet and sign up for a spot of speed dating. In their Melbourne Fringe show, Tell Me About Yourself, they shared the experience with us, introduced us to a number of other people from their evening and reminisced about horrible past date experiences.

Gransbury and Jackson really shone when they were being themselves. They seemed wonderfully natural and their witty retorts to each other are exactly what close friends would do. Full of energy and enthusiasm, they obviously loved doing what they were doing: the audience immediately warmed to their cheeky sense of humour, and their interactions with us were fun.

Tell Me About Yourself

However, many of their impressions were not as strong. The stereotypes and clichés came thick and fast and therefore any authenticity and realness these people might have had was lost. At times, the characterisation dangerously straddled the line of offensiveness with the portrayal of Siamese twins from New Zealand and Bertha, who was of questionable mental ability. The cheap gags started to overrun the intelligent and sharp comedy from the beginning of the show and sadly that is where the humour remained.

That said, the use of the projector to flashback to various dating disasters and other moments of their lives was done well and created an added layer to the story. It’s always nice to see performers try and be different and succeed in the way they present their show.

Ultimately though, there was nothing new about Tell Me About Yourself. It’s all been done before and unfortunately in regards to this show, has been done better. Jackson and Gransbury are both talented and funny women and given some more experience, I do believe they will do well in the comedy circuit as long as they attempt to remain honest with the characters they portray and seek out more depth and sophistication in such topical shows.

Tell Me About Yourself was performed at Gertrude’s Brown Couch from 1-6 October as part of the 2013 Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Events, Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: The Woolgatherer at LA MAMA

Strangers meeting

By Myron My

A chance encounter between two unlikely people changes their lives forever…

The Woolgatherer

Set in Philadelphia in 1979, The Woolgatherer is about a neurotic woman called Rose (Laura Wheelwright) who has a slightly unhealthy obsession with death. Cliff’s (Lee Beckhurst) truck has broken down outside the five-n-dime where Rose works. Waiting for it to be repaired and looking for a one-night stand, he starts talking to Rose and the two return to her dilapidated and sparse apartment.

Once there, the two find themselves discussing an erratic range of subjects, including the finer points of poetry and the ability of plants to come back to life. Over the course of the evening, a few truths are unavoidably revealed and they are both forced to question what it is they are seeking, with each other and within themselves.

William Mastrosimone’s The Woolgatherer is an intense love story where there is just as much left unsaid as there is being said. It’s a strong character piece that needs much commitment, but tempered with a sense of rawness, and both Wheelwright and Beckhurst are convincingly able to bring to life these two lonely people. Their physicality and authentic accents further enhanced this but I was particularly impressed by Beckhurst’s ability to simultaneously show Cliff’s brutish barbaric side as well as his sensitive and sweet nature.

Director Kerry Armstrong has done a marvelous job with the two actors and having them dig deep and find the inner turmoil, morbidity, anxieties and desires of Rose and Cliff. There are some beautifully crafted moments early on, and the whole second act becomes a testament to this.

The Woolgatherer is the type of play that demands a lot from its director and its cast in order to be a success. Fortunately, Armstrong, Wheelwright and Beckhurst are all more than capable at ensuring this is the case.

The final performances of The Woolgatherer will be at 4:30pm and 7:30pm today (October 6) at La Mama as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. For bookings call 03 9347 6142

Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Michael Gow’s LIVE ACTS ON STAGE

Mythology unleashed

By Myron My

Orpheus is in love with Eurydice and with teaching mortals and God that we are the same. Zeus is having an affair with Ganymede. Hera wants to exact her revenge and Eris just wants her freedom.

Welcome to the world of the Gods or Four Letter Word Theatre’s production of Michael Gow’s Live Acts on Stage for Melbourne Fringe.

Live Acots On Stage

It is clear that everyone involved in the show has put much thought into its creation: the costuming by Emilija Tanner has an ethereal feel with the light, flowing fabrics on display and is complemented well by hair and make-up. Robert Alexander Smith’s set design is intelligently divided into four spaces and despite being in close proximity to each other, the distinction between each one is clear. Felicia King’s sound composition and Caitlyn Staples’ lighting design further enhance the story and are very effective in conveying the mood and tone throughout.

There are thirteen actors playing thirty-three different roles, some of these Gods appearing for a brief scene or two.  With such comings and goings on stage and along with my limited knowledge about the mythology, there were a few moments I was a little confused. However, this is fundamentally a story of the oldest themes in life and fiction: love, death, revenge and power, so it’s ultimately quite easy to fill in the blanks.

Of the thirteen actors, I was mesmerized by the flawless performances by Madaline R. Ryan and Cazz Bainbridge as Eris and Hera respectively. Even though I was not completely convinced with some of the other casting choices, these two definitely excelled. The power-play scenes between them and their taut dialogue were highlights of the show. The ensemble consisting of Danika Ray, Melissa Gardner, Kira Odling and Ingrid Taylor-Moss were also standout performances with the physical demands of their roles. It was interesting to see how they were incorporated into and utilised in various scenes, including the one in hell.

Live Acts on Stage is an intense ninety-minute journey to another time. The ancient mythology and contemporary text are perfectly blended to create a memorable evening of theatre. This is definitely a highlight of this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival and one that needs to be experienced – here’s hoping for a second season.

Venue: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Season: Until 05 October | 8:00pm

Tickets: $40 Full | $35 Conc

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

Circus, Events, Festivals, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: …we should quit for MELBOURNE FRINGE

Office slog needs a lift

By Myron My

In …we should quit two workers stuck in their monotonous daily grind find their routine broken and suddenly find themselves in a sea of chaos.

We Should Quit

The opening moments are promising with the environment being well set up and clearly placing Thomas McDonald as the straight man to Morgan Wilson’s wackiness but I feel like this show never took off.

Describing itself as physical comedy, it was disappointing to find the show lacking in both. It took close to twenty minutes for the first circus trick to happen and this was followed by long gaps between. There are moments when the comedy and clowning works really well, such as the yawning competition but most of it unfortunately misses the mark.

A circus show doesn’t require a strong focus on story but …we should quit really needs to find some sort of structure or end-point as I ended up feeling like I was watching a sketch comedy show on loop. I understand they are showing the repetition that these workers endure but seeing the same act three times, like the button-pushing, can be trying on the audience.

Having seen these artists perform with aplomb earlier this year in NICA’s circus showcase, I was expecting more with this show. McDonald and Wilson are both skillful circus performers yet I don’t feel that they allowed their strengths to shine through. There didn’t seem to be any build-up to any of the acts and the times when things looked promising but ultimately fizzled or didn’t lead anywhere, such as the blackboard scene.

Morgan and Tom have the potential for good comic timing and they play extremely well off each other. They are endearing to the audience and have strong charm and charisma but a one-hour show not much seems to happen apart from seeing two mates goofing about and is a bit much to sit through.

Venue: Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham St, Albert Park

Season: Until 05 October | 9:15pm and Saturday 3:30pm

Tickets: $20 /$16 Conc

Bookings: www.gasworks.org.au, 9699 3253 or http://www.melbournefringe.com.au, 9660 9666

Circus, Events, Festivals, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Asore for MELBOURNE FRINGE

Balanced and poised

By Myron My

With twenty-five years combined experience between them, Kali Retallack and Zoe Robbins are the two performers of Asoré: A Series of Rare Events. They have put together a circus show that is quite unlike any regular circus event. Set in the 1920s, we experience a quirky performance that is quite simple in delivery and yet one that requires great skill, timing and strength. The show predominantly consists of two techniques, hoola-hooping and foot-juggling, with some variations thrown in throughout.

I’ve seen quite a few circus shows, but Robbins’ foot-juggling is performed with precision timing and includes tricks that I have never seen before. My anxiety levels were on high alert when she began juggling various items with her feet, including two umbrellas.

Asore

Meanwhile, the juggling of fellow performer Retallack is possibly the most impressive act of the performance.

Whilst Retallack is also hypnotising when doing her aerial work on a hanging hoop, there were a few mishaps with wayward hoops during her standing routines. However, as with any circus show, mistakes and accidents happen and the attention is then on how the performers deal with it. Retallack remained composed at all times with a smile on her face and her confidence remained high.

The girls work the audience well with their interludes allowing the audience a breather from the intensity of what we are seeing. I particularly enjoyed the archival footage of various big-top circus acts, such as the woman who is balancing a chair in her mouth whilst she dances. Although a little too long, it works well with the theme of their 1920s travelling circus. The music used throughout is also a great contributor to supporting this appealing historical theme and environment. However, there are times when the artists attempt to talk over the music and become incredibly hard to hear. They either need to have microphones on or the music needs to be at a lower volume.

Asoré is an enjoyable 50 minutes of circus acts set to a different backdrop to that which we normally see. Its polished simplicity is  what makes it stand out above the rest.

Venue: Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham St, Albert Park

Season: Until 05 October | 8:00pm and Saturday 2:30pm

Tickets: $25 /$20 Conc

Bookings: www.gasworks.org.au, 9699 3253 or http://www.melbournefringe.com.au, 9660 9666

Festivals, Performances, Review, Theatre

REVIEW: Dangerous Lenses for MELBOURNE FRINGE

Neighbourhood watching

By Myron My

We all have them: the nosy neighbours who watch your every move from their living room window. They notice when you come home late one night or spot you putting your rubbish in someone else’s bin. They see who comes and who goes. Ann is that person. In Dangerous Lenses she spies a new tenant moving into her building with a young girl who he later denies was there. This leads Ann to believe the girl is suffering from neglect and abuse by her father, and she sets out to rescue her.

Written by Brooke Robinson, the script has strong elements of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window yet still retains its own sense of originality and a good dose of intrigue. The language used is very descriptive and elicits many visual imaginings from the audience.

Dangerous Lenses

The gradual descent of Ann is paced well and we are given the right amount of information as we need it, both to progress the story and also to start making our own decisions about what is happening or what may happen.

Adding to the tight script was Ekrem Mulayim’s impressive sound design and composition. Many times, it blended in and flowed with the dialogue and action so seamlessly that I didn’t even notice it had started or finished. It amplified the tension on stage wonderfully and helped add that extra layer of sophistication into the production.

Being a one-person play, there is always significant pressure on the actor to ensure you are able to carry the play and meet the demands of the character and Meredith Penman is more than able to do this. She disappears into Ann and her transformation from seemingly nice but prying neighbour to someone whose mental state slowly begins to unravel is subtle and gradual yet takes sudden and unexpected directions. She plays the character’s neuroses well and imbues Ann with the right amount of pathos right up until the climactic end.

Dangerous Lenses is an elegant and gripping piece of theatre and it’s a real shame that its season has ended because it really is one of my top choices for this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival.

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

Festivals, Performances, Review, Theatre

REVIEW: Domestic Warfare at MELBOURNE FRINGE

A striking snapshot of the 70s

By Scarlett Harris

Last night was the penultimate performance of Nice Productions’ Domestic Warfare at Gasworks Arts Park as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Due to illness I was unfortunately unable to attend last week but I’m so glad I got the opportunity to see this production as Domestic Warfare is a poignant and plausibly realistic portrayal of domesticity in 1970s Australia.

Domestic Warfare

The hair, costuming and set design perfectly captured the chintzy orangeness of the era and, considering the amount of physicality and energy required of the actors, the cramped performance space was well-utilised. And, coming in at about 90 minutes, Domestic Warfare got its point across in a refreshingly short but hard-hitting manner.

While the male cast members (with the exception of Stephen Laffan playing the small but affecting role of the abusive father) were mostly lackluster, the female actors were brilliant: Rebecca Fortuna, who also served as playwright, as main character Dee; depressed younger sister Lily, played by Lauren Murtagh; archetypal 70s chicks Merrin (Nicolette Nespeca) and my personal favourite Sherry (Dayna Boase); and finally Linda Zilinskas in the role of long-suffering matriarch Nance, whose part was not large enough in my opinion.

While there were hints of amateur yet gritty student theatre, overall Domestic Warfare as directed by Luci Klendo succeeded in portraying the struggle of the traditional family unit to keep up with the rapidly changing zeitgeist of the play’s setting.

Domestic Warfare was performed 19-28 September at Gasworks for Melbourne Fringe Festival 2013.

Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: It’s Happening in the Space Between My Face and Yours

Throwing surrealism to the wolves

By Myron My

A woman has gone missing and her friends are left to go on with their lives, not knowing what has happened to her. Despite attempts of normalcy and moving on, the wolves are always at their door waiting for the right moment to strike.

My latest venture into this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival was It’s Happening In The Space Between My Face and Yours. Written by Izzy Roberts-Orr, it’s a surreal look at love, sex and death through the eyes of a bunch of twenty-somethings sharing a house together. There is strong direction by Nick Fry, and the cast have done well in creating a sense of unity in their movements on stage.

It's Happening in the Space

The sound and lighting design by James Hogan and Nick Fry respectively are a highlight of the show and create an atmosphere of foreshadowing and something more sinister at play but this is not complemented by the acting or the script. The biggest issue I had with It’s Happening… is that I don’t know what it wants to be. Is it a romantic comedy for hipsters or a supernatural suspense? Either way, the two do not mesh with success here. Whenever surrealism is attempted in theatre, it either works incredibly well or not at all and in this situation, it does fall into the latter. There were also storylines that occurred very awkwardly like the introduction of a new housemate who rents out Jack’s room and the romance between El and Ali (Elle Kulesza and Rebecca Hunt).

I was captivated by Tom Molyneux and Meaghan Lawrie as the two ‘wolves’, almost to the point where I was watching them even when they weren’t actively participating in a scene. However, I was not convinced by the rest of the cast in their roles and their emotional scenes did not feel real to me. More development was required for all the characters, especially Jack (Jennifer Speirs) who needed more of a presence if she is to be the central character and theme in the play.

Melbourne Fringe Festival is about trying new things and doing something different: seeing what works and what doesn’t. Unfortunately the debut performance of It’s Happening In The Space Between My Face and Yours doesn’t quite hit the mark.

Venue: Sketch and Tulip, 364 Victoria St, North Melbourne
Season: Until 02 October | Tues – Sun 9:15pm
Tickets: $19 Full | $15 Conc
Bookings: http://www.melbournefringe.com.au or 9660 9666