Category: Performances

Comedy, Festivals, Performances, Whats On January 28, 2015

REVIEW: Midsumma Festival’s THE SPARROW MEN

Impro duo take fantastic flight

By Narelle Wood

Marcus Willis and Andy Balloch are The Sparrow Men whom each night promise to take their audience on a completely unique, completely improvised adventure. Combining the audience suggestions of ‘tennis’ and ‘hostage situation’, we were treated to what can only be described as a bizarre, funny and at times surprisingly poignant hour of improvised entertainment.

Taking us on this journey was a sociopathic wannabe-tennis player, his besotted hostage (apparently Stockholm syndrome can work out) and a restaurant with 3 kilos of Parmesan cheese. But it was the honest account of how cookbooks are actually a way for ‘The Man’ to control our lives that provided the rare, and hopefully fictional, glimpse into the inner workings of Jamie Oliver’s brain. This, coupled with a scene where a TV was literally killing a man, was what turned this performance into a social commentary on the pitfalls of consumerism.

I’m fascinated by improvised theatre and the spontaneous development of scene and story. Marcus and Andy are very talented, playing skilfully off each other’s suggestions and mostly keeping a straight face; there were moments of unusual and whacky suggestion that were clearly unexpected and made it all the more entertaining.

The only thing lacking for me was a tying-up of all the vignettes at the end of the show – perhaps it wasn’t necessary but there were some characters that I was really interested to find out how they fitted into the bigger picture and what became of them. Did Corey and Jessica get the woof whistles from the construction workers that their hearts truly desired?

Whatever your expectations of improvised theatre, The Sparrow Men presented by The Butterfly Club and The Improv Conspiracy provide a joyous frolic down whatever path the audience provides and it’s certainly a show that you could see over and over again.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, Carson Place, Melbourne
Season: Wed 28th January and Sunday 1st February 8pm, Thursday 29th to Saturday 31st January 9pm
Tickets: Full $28 | Conc $24
Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com/show/the-sparrow-men

Events, Performances, Whats On January 19, 2015January 19, 2015

REVIEW: The Australian Shakespeare Company Presents ALICE IN NEVER NEVERLAND

Fun and fantasy among the flora

By Kim Edwards

Nineteenth-century fiction is a passion of mine so I had some misgivings about this merry mash-up of children’s classics directed by Glenn Elston, but there is plenty to like in this bright and bustling show. Alice in Never Neverland sees Alice (Madeleine Somers) take a wrong turn from Wonderland and unexpectedly meet Peter Pan (Ryan Ireland) in the always-delightful setting of the Ripponlea Estate gardens. Ireland is both dynamic and endearing, while Somers balances sweetness with a wicked sense of comic timing and an unexpected flair for slapstick, and their joint charm highlights how well these two fictional characters actually work together. Plenty of familiar features from both famous novels come into play during the 90-minute performance: outstanding moments include the hilarious choreography as Pan catches up with his lost Shadow (deftly performed by Matti Middleditch), the Mad Hatter’s sterling showmanship (Dennis Manahan) especially when upstaged by six-year olds, and the reveal of the rather ingenious final set-piece as Captain Hook (Owen Little, who was equally fabulous as the Crocodile) meets his match with sword fights and cannon balls lobbed by the eager kids.

There are strong efforts to keep the lively audience engaged throughout, including this final battle, joining search parties to check the nearby paths, characters venturing out among the picnic blankets and encouraging participation, and the lovely meet-and-greet offered afterwards – the multitude of kids are clearly having a ball, and all the cast are beautiful interacting with them. I also loved the clever costuming, and admired the slick and practical use of props and the space.

However, while respecting the need to change characters and balance out stage time between the six busy artists, it is disappointing there is no strong storyline holding the performance together. The show is more a series of vignettes, but even then the flow of ideas, dialogue and songs within scenes is often disjointed. I didn’t understand the ‘Wallaroos’ thing at all, the clever connection of the White Rabbit’s watch and the Crocodile’s clock came to naught, the ‘find Peter’s Shadow’ plot was forgotten by the script but not the audience (which made for some awkward interruptions), the regular “I feel like a song” device felt sloppy, and Darcy Dann and Middleditch had the difficult task of navigating racial issues with the inclusion of Tiger Lily and Big Chief and their ‘tribal’ songs…

But there – I’m a grumpy ol’ reviewer, and Alice in Never Neverland remains a very fun, funny and definitely entertaining family event. $90 for four includes entry to the gardens (an adventure unto itself) – bring blankets and picnic baskets, sunscreen and hats, and costumes are encouraged!

Alice in Never Neverland is playing Tue-Fri at 10.30am and 6pm and Sat at 10.30am (also 6pm Jan 10th) at the Ripponlea House and Gardens (192 Hotham St, Elsternwick) until Jan 24 2015.

Events, Performances, Review December 19, 2014December 19, 2014

REVIEW: La Mama Presents FLASHBLAKS

Newest voices in indigenous theatre

By Myron My

With their recent residency at La Mama Theatre, Ilbijerri Theatre Company, Australia’s longest-running Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander theatrical company, performed a staged reading of a new piece of work by Jacob Boehme and directed by Isaac Drandic.

Flashblaks looked at a variety of themes revolving around identity, whether it be cultural, sexual, individual or social. Boehme used three generations of women from one Indigenous family to tell this story and despite these generational gaps, the issues and struggles end in corresponding for each woman.

The youngest of the three women, Sarah (Monica McDonald) finds her own personal culture struggle through the fact that her father is white-Irish and her mother is Indigenous. Sarah’s sexuality is also explored and her facebook chats with Craig (Christian Taylor) provided the right level of lightheartedness and comedy to counteract the more dramatic stories of Flashblaks.

As we were sitting and listening to the story unfold without any costumes, props or direction, the strength of Boehme’s writing was obvious, whereupon the story flowed with much ease as it weaved in and out of the lives of its characters. My only issue regarding the script was the inclusion of a side story between the characters played by Taylor and Melodie Reynold-Diarra, which seemed out of place with the rest of the pace and tone of Flashblaks.

Boehme has given all characters clear and distinct voices, and the talented cast (including Ian Michael and Nikki Ashby) works with the language to successfully portray believable characters. There was some brilliant reading of scenes from McDonald and Tammy Anderson as Sarah’s mother and I look forward to seeing their interactions play out fully on stage. The delivery and facial expressions in particularly from McDonald were genuine and her comedic timing was subtle yet very effective.

Flashblaks is an intelligent and well thought-out piece of theatre, and this reading showcased some dedicated performances. While a profound examination of indigenous and female experience, Boehme’s exploration of identity and the consideration of how much of our present is due to our past are themes that everyone can relate to regardless of race, sexuality and gender. Whilst no answers are drawn or any resolutions found, Boehme opens up dialogue and invites discussion on these important topics and it will be very interesting to see how this piece progresses into a fully staged production.

Flashblaks was performed at La Mama Theatre from 12-14 December.

Cabaret Review, Events, Performances, Whats On December 18, 2014

REVIEW: Yana Alana is BETWEEN THE CRACKS

Once in a blue moon

By Bradley Storer

Yana Alana, the internationally renowned self-proclaimed ‘cabaret provocateur’, returns to fortyfivedownstairs for a second season of her Helpmann Award-winning show Between the Cracks. The title of the show proves to be literal as well as metaphorical, as the cabaret diva (the alter-ego of performer Sarah Ward) emerges into the spotlight clothed in a coat of blue body paint, a dishevelled Marie Antoinette-worthy wig and nothing else.

Yana Alana is a narcissistic, self-absorbed and utterly irresistible creation, her feline grin and razor-sharp tongue making her seem (even completely naked) the most confident person in the world. Her vocals are perfection, ranging from a high classical soprano to a ballsy and bluesy belt in her lower range. Her accompanist, Louise Goh, provides the silent straight man to the flamboyant Yana, getting some of the biggest laughs of the night without moving a muscle.

The show itself, seemingly centred on the eternally self-involved Yana’s attempts at self-improvement, deliberately (and hilariously) pushes at the boundaries of acceptability, with songs on topics ranging from anal sex to the inability of celebrities and political figures to say the word ‘sorry’. Scattered throughout are chapters from Yana’s self-help book (whose name is unprintable here) and her witty and winning self-penned poetry. The journey to the show’s surprisingly touching ending, while making sense on an emotional level, is hard to trace intellectually, which makes one wonder if the show has a point or purpose at all – although with a star as charismatic as this, it hardly matters.

Don’t miss out on the return season of this ferociously talented, endlessly provocative and unquestionably hilarious cabaret performer!

Venue: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
Time: 7:30pm Tuesday- Saturday, 3pm Sunday
Dates: 16 – 21st December
Tickets: Table Seating $45, Full $42, Conc $35
Bookings: Online at www.fortyfivedownstairs.com, Phone: (03) 9662 9966

Circus, Performances, Whats On December 15, 2014December 18, 2014

REVIEW: Circus Oz Presents CLOSE TO THE BONE

Wit, whimsy and wonder

By Myron My

When I go to the circus I often can’t help feeling like a child again as I watch in awe, wonderment and envy at the acts on display. Fortunately for me, these feelings continue to be felt at the Melba Spiegeltent with the current show from Circus Oz, Close To The Bone.

The first thing you notice upon entering is the surprising size of the Spiegeltent. It’s a small and intimate space, which works well from an audience member perspective because no matter where you sit, you can more or less hear the heavy breathing of the performers, see the sweat dripping down their faces, and really see the strength and flexibility on display. These are highly talented professionals who are pushing themselves to their limits, and possibly even further.

I particularly enjoyed Lilikoi Kaos and Dale Woodbrige-Brown’s mischievous interactions during the hoop act, and Olivia Porter’s hacky-sack segment had everyone’s eyes glued on her from beginning to end.

The highlight of the night however belongs to Matt Wilson and his extremely high risk-balancing act, about which the less said is better so as to not ruin the surprise. What I will say though, is the tent was filled with tense excitement as Wilson went about performing this and the collective sigh of relief and cheers from the crowd upon completion was resounding.

There is a strong emphasis on music throughout Close To The Bone, which is led by the skillful Ania Reynolds and Ben Hendry. However, the cast also joins in throughout the night on a variety of instruments including guitars, piano and trumpets and even squeeze toys. The impressive “unconventional” drumming performance by Hendry further enhances the relationship between the two art forms.

Circus Oz’s Close To The Bone is an evening of good old-fashioned acts with just a touch of edginess and cheek that will most certainly entertain even the harshest circus show critics.

Venue: The Melba Spiegeltent, 35 Johnston St, Collingwood

Season: Until 21 December| Thurs-Fri 8pm, Sat 5:30 and 9:30pm, Sun 5.30pm

Tickets: $45 Full | $40 Conc

Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100

Performances, Review, Theatre November 20, 2014November 27, 2014

REVIEW: La Mama Presents TROLLS

Under the bridge and behind the keyboard

By Myron My

In 2013, four writers (Alan Grace, Nic Stevens, Elaine Cope and head writer Neil Triffett) created fake online personas and went on the internet coaxing out trolls and exploring what freedom of expression can actually mean. Most of the dialogue in Trolls is a verbatim conversation the actual writers had, and with this core material, Triffett has created an absorbing and discussion-provoking play.

The whole cast (Scott Gooding, Cat Commander, Gabriel Partington, Emma Tufrey Smith and Laura Jane Turner) – must be congratulated on their efforts. No-one missed a beat with their almost frenetic performances of the various characters they played, from the reenactments of the interactions the writers had, to portraying the writers themselves and presenting their findings to us. Commander and Turner were particularly impressive in their achievements.

Fleur Kilpatrick’s effective direction is evident throughout Trolls. As with her writing, Kilpatrick has a knack for creating sophisticated experiences for audiences which allow us to see and to consider things we wouldn’t otherwise. She has clearly given the actors the confidence and support to further explore their characters and successfully take us along for the bumpy ride.

My only concern was that the script seemed to lose itself at times and I was left feeling confused as to which story it was I was following and which ‘character’ was being depicted. I can only imagine what a huge task it was for Triffett to go through all the correspondence and conversation and whittle it down to 60 minutes but I’m sure as the work develops, the script will get tighter and more finessed.

Trolls focuses on some important issues underpinning online communities and social media usage and also explores the somewhat blurred line of when and how one actually becomes a troll, and when good intentions give way to darker motivations. I will be very keen to see how this work progresses into its next phase.

Trolls was performed for the first time as a partly-staged performance and part-reading for La Mama Theatre’s Explorations seasons which supports new works in various stages of development.

Performances, Review, Theatre November 17, 2014

REVIEW: Verve Studios Presents LOST & FOUND

Seeking a way into the heart of complex characters…

By Myron My

Having recently seen Daniel Keene’s brilliant Dreamers, I was looking forward to seeing more of his work in Verve Studios’ production Lost & Found. Performed by the second year Professional Actor’s Studio graduates and directed by Peta Hanrahan, the play looks at three short stories by Keene all dealing with loss or gain around life: “The Violin”, “Neither Lost nor Found” and “What Remains”.

By far, the most powerful performances among the three were in “Neither Lost nor Found”, in which an estranged mother and daughter are reunited. The two actors Nicole Morgan and Danelle Wynne were able to connect emotionally with the characters and offer some significant insight into the minds of these people.

However, I felt the direction needed to be stronger throughout all three stories to guide these upcoming performers more, especially in “The Violin” and “What Remains” as the actors are still learning the skills needed to be able to carry such challenging roles, and particularly with Josh Vasilev’s demanding role in the latter. Despite Vasilev’s obvious dedication to the character, the performance overall felt too theatrical and repetitive in directed reactions and responses.

The most successful aspect of Lost & Found was the various ways in which the stories were told from a visual perspective. The use of the projection screen in “The Violin” was highly emotive, with images of Jewish people in concentration camps appearing as the story was told. Similarly, in “What Remains”, the slowly rising full-moon projection as Vasilev’s character spoke into a microphone to an unknown person about what life means to him and the things he will miss such as his wife and child gave a profound sense of foreboding and fear as the speech progressed.

Technically, Lost & Found was brave and rewarding and the stories themselves are incredibly engrossing but it would seem more direction was required for the promising actors to be able to develop and fully explore these characters and their lives.

Lost & Found was performed at Theatreworks on 14-15 November 2014.

Performances, Review, Theatre October 23, 2014October 23, 2014

REVIEW: La Mama Presents HABITUAL CRIMINAL

Fascinating biography reaches a new audience

By Myron My

Amy Maud Bock was a New Zealand confidence trickster and male impersonator in the late 1800s/early 1900s. She was also the first child of Carolyn Bock’s great-grandfather Alfred. Using press articles and Amy’s own letters and transcripts, Bock attempts to bring this woman to life once more in this new work-in-development Habitual Criminal.

All the actors – Martin Blum, Chris Bunworth, Helen Hopkins and Bock – were full of energy, displaying strong commitment to their roles. The myriad of characters they each portrayed – even if only for a few minutes – was done with much gusto, especially from Hopkins and Bunworth. I can see them having more fun with the roles as they develop this piece further and no longer require the script on stage with them, giving them the opportunity to use their hands and bodies more freely and to maintain eye contact with each other and the audience.

The props and costumes, whilst kept to a minimum, did well in setting the scenes up and providing context to the story. The character changes that happened with the removal of a shawl or the putting on of a coat were creatively executed and never broke the flow of the story.

Habitual Criminal was performed as part of La Mama’s Explorations season of works in various developments and in Bock’s own words, ‘this is the beginning’ of this production. It’s a very impressive and dynamic beginning too, however I feel the pace needed to slow down a little to allow for the audience to fully digest and comprehend what was happening on stage. I often found myself working hard to keep up with the actors and the material, and felt I lost quite a bit in trying to play catch-up. The story of Amy Maud Bock is quite unique and highly interesting – as my own research as inspired by this show has shown – so it would be a shame for any of this to be lost in translation and execution.

Musical Theatre, Performances, Review October 20, 2014October 23, 2014

REVIEW: Australian Premiere of HAPPY PEOPLE IN CONCERT

Marvellous home-grown musical

By Bradley Storer

Australian music theatre composer Matthew Lee Robinson, after the acclaimed concert production of his musical Atlantis earlier this year, returned to Chapel Off Chapel with the presentation of his original work Happy People, a behind-the-scenes examination of the world of children’s entertainment.

The titular group, ‘Happy People’, are a Hi-5/Wiggles-style collective of children’s entertainers who, after ten years working together, are falling apart. Bobby (Bobby Fox) and Sunny (Sun Park), formerly married and recently divorced, are conflicted over residual bitterness and Bobby’s self destructive tendencies. Flamboyant Jewish boy Benny (Tom Sharah) seeks to re-invent himself as a member of a boy band pop star. Jeff (Bert Labonté), the elephant-suited mascot of the group, wants nothing more than to move to his recently-bought new home and settle down with the fifth member of the group, Sally (Gretel Scarlett) – a bright bouncy blonde with the sugary sweetness and rigidity of a Stepford housewife.

The show as a whole is fantastic – Robinson, doing double duty as composer and librettist, crafts hilarious sendups of songs that seemed almost ripped from a real-life children’s TV show, as well as some emotional ballads and duets that throb with the complexities and heartaches of adulthood, alongside well-crafted scenes that had the audience in tears from laughter.

In the cast, there are no weak points – even from behind music stands and carrying books, they delivered fully committed and individuated performances. Scarlett as the manically cheerful Sally shows off some fantastic comedic chops, as well as her stunning voice of both range and power. Sharah as Benny comes close to stealing the show with every line, and his song ‘Boyband’ is a comedic and physical tour de force of every 90’s boyband stereotype. Robyn Arthur in the small but crucial role of the band’s manager Poppy brought a solid and earthy maturity to the part, as well as a rafter-shaking belt in the touching penultimate song ‘Young’.

Happy People stands as a strong work from an established Australian composer, and is great evidence of the vibrancy and originality of the emerging Australian musical scene.

The premiere of Happy People in Concert took place at Chapel off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran on the 18 – 19th October, 2014.

Circus, Performances, Review October 16, 2014

REVIEW: Drago’s Amazing Bona Fide Freak Show

A one-man carnival

By Myron My

I knew next to nothing about Drago’s Amazing Bona Fide Freak Show before attending the show, but I was intrigued by its title and minimal show synopsis. Fortunately, Drago’s (Ilan Abrahams) declaration at the beginning of the show that he is here to entertain us and we are here for enjoyment really proves true.

Abrahams has really honed in on showman Drago’s character and personality. The physicality displayed seemed very natural and habitual, and along with his miming, Abrahams has great story-telling abilities and ensures that he always has our attention.

The tatty circus tent designed by Hamish Fletcher and the outfit worn by Abrahams and created by Amaya Vecellio are both well thought out and carefully detailed, down to the dirt marks and holes, further embracing the travelling circus atmosphere.

The lighting played a very important and effective part in Drago’s Amazing Bona Fide Freak Show. A variety of lighting techniques are used including a circus spotlight, torchlights and candlelight, with each eliciting a different emotion or mood from us. Even amongst the low light moments, the shadows bouncing off the walls and flickering within the tent added to the freak show vibe being created.

Despite my enjoyment, I did walk out of the show feeling unsure as to the purpose of the piece. What is it that Abrahams wants us to feel? The stories were enjoyable as were the songs but I felt like there was a message that got lost along the way. I was also puzzled as to the meaning of the special guest and the “big reveal”. I expected a stronger impact especially with all the anticipation for their arrival.

The elements that do work in Drago’s Amazing Bona Fide Freak Show work very well and ensure that it is an hour of definite enjoyment, even if the ultimate meaning of the work does get a little confused.

Drago’s Amazing Bona Fide Freak Show was performed at La Mama as part of its Explorations season which supports works in development.