Category: Performances

Cabaret Review, Events, Performances, Whats On

REVIEW: Bethany Simons in RECEPTION

Witty and winning cabaret

By Myron My

Two-time Green Room Award-nominated writer/performer Bethany Simons is back on stage with her comedy cabaret Reception, in which she recalls some of the more interesting and memorable moments of her job as a receptionist at the Australian National Academy of Music.

Simons’ caricatures of the different customers, co-workers and people she comes across at work are brilliant, with ‘Gillian’ in particular being just hilarious. The brisk flow of plays on words and other puns is very clever, and laughs constantly filled the room in response to Simon’s witticisms.

Reception

There are a number of memorable songs throughout Reception, but the one that received most laughs – and my favourite – was the rap song, “I Can’t Help But Help”. The fabulous lyrics, along with its simple choreography and Simons’ hysterical facial expressions made it a definite crowd pleaser. Show opener “My Name is Bethany”, and “They Ring My Bell” also showcased Simons’ talent as an impressive all-round cabaret performer. My only quibble would be that her voice needed more volume at times during the songs, as there were moments when she was more audible speaking rather than singing.

Accompanying Simons on piano is Peter de Jager, whom she fortuitously met whilst working at the Australian National Academy of Music. A highly established and talented pianist, de Jager’s skills more than shine through with the variety of songs played.

As funny as Reception is, it is also a little frightening how much I was personally able to relate to Simons’ anecdotes and experiences from working in administration for an arts organisation: the constant mishearing of her name resulting in such variations as Destiny, Stephanie and Melody (Byron, Brian and Simon for me), the hazards of the “reply all” button (been there, done that), and the cursed affliction of “type fright”. Her stories are both striking and familiar, and I certainly could empathise.

Reception should definitely sit on your latest list of cabaret shows to see, especially if you want to be completely entertained by interesting stories, clever writing, great songs and lots of laughs – and who wouldn’t?

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 256 Collins St (entry via Carson Place), Melbourne
Season: Until 4 May | Tues, Wed, Sun 8pm | Thurs, Fri, Sat 9pm.
Tickets: $25 Full | $22 Conc
Bookings: http://www.thebutterflyclub.com

Dance, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Grayboy Entertainment’s GOOD BYE MISS MONROE

Hollywood starlets – and the man who moved them

By Narelle Wood

Good-Bye Miss Monroe is a short but exquisite look into the little-known life of dance director and choreographer Jack Cole, and the glory days of dance on film.

Goodbye Miss Monroe

The play, written and directed by Liam De Burca, is unusual in its construction; set in the days after Monroe’s passing, Jack Cole (played by Matt Young) recounts his experiences working with his ‘Baby Doll’ Marilyn, and includes recollections of and conversations with some of Hollywood’s greatest starlets. The story provides some fascinating insight into the creation of these iconic Hollywood actresses, including Martha Graham, Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable and of course Monroe. Cole’s character explains the difficulties of teaching these actresses to move in the ways they eventually became famous for as he laments the loss of Marilyn’s life and explains the development of the sex-bomb character that she became so famous for.

In the précis of the show, De Burca explains that Cole’s work is relatively unknown as most of it is uncredited. As a result it is hard to know whether Young’s portrayal of Cole is accurate, but what he presents is a believable, quintessentially old-fashioned choreographer who believes in the power of dance and the importance of accurately representing dance on film. Anna Burgess plays all of the female characters and her transformation between the different characters is indescribable: from the look, to the dance moves, to the voice, to each of the actress’s idiosyncratic mannerisms, Burgess portrays each of them with astounding accuracy.

The narration’s time-frame does cut backwards and forwards and Cole’s focus on what he’s discussing chops and changes regularly, making it initially a little hard to follow. This may be a reflection of Cole’s disorientation after hearing of Marilyn’s death or an attempt to explore as much of Cole’s littl- known character as possible: either way the format does do the story justice.

While the title might suggest a sole focus on Monroe, Good-Bye Miss Monroe explores so much more this and offers a unique perspective of what it meant to work in film during the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s. If you love this era of film, Monroe or dancing in general Good-Bye Miss Monroe is moving, funny and simply brilliant.

Venue: Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel Street, Prahran
Season: 2nd to 4th May, 8pm, Matinee Saturday and Sunday 3pm
Tickets: Full $30 | Conc $22
Bookings: http://chapeloffchapel.com.au

Cabaret, Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: The Lepidopters: A Space Opera at ARTS HOUSE

Wonderfully weird!

By Margaret Wieringa

Aliens, in the form of moths, have invaded and are breeding with humans to create human-moth hybrids to take over the Earth starting in Jakarta. Wow.

This bizarre collaborative work has been created by Slave Pianos, Punkasila and The Astra Choir, based on a comic book commissioned from science-fiction writer Max von Schlegell.

The_Lepidopters

When the audience enters the main hall at Arts House, they are immediately confronted by what appear to be two giant, deconstructed grand pianos dominating the central space. On a closer look, these are intertwined wooden structures containing a variety of gongs, and other percussion instruments, and they appear to be playing themselves.

These it turns out, are the Sedulur Gamelan or Gamelan Sisters, made up of a variety of redesigned traditional Javanese instruments. A little internet research reveals that this amazing contraption does indeed play itself. Even before the performance begins, Slave Pianos are creating ambient music. During the performance, they play a wide range of pieces both on their own and with the other performers, and this alone would have been enough to make attending this event worthwhile, but there was so much more!

Far from a traditional narrative structure, the performance is strung together over two hours with short spoken-word sections from Richard Piper who is playing a mysterious character reporting back on the events in Indonesia. The events of the story also play out in a disjointed series of videos, mostly strange animations, that run on large screens at either end of the hall. The audience is strung along the length of the room in an unusual pattern and, during the two brief intervals, is encouraged to change chairs and experience the event from a different angle.

The stunning work from the Astra Choir begins with some extreme discordant 32-part singing, and then journeys through far more traditional choral works. In the second act, we are introduced to Punkaslia from Yogyakarta, working with singer-dancer Rachel Saraswati to create their interpretation of the Lepidopters beginning the breeding process. We also get some jazz (not trad jazz, but a sort of post-modern insane style so appropriate to this performance) from pianist Michael Kieran Harvey.

The Lepidopters: A Space Opera is definitely not for everyone as this mysterious and remarkably busy show is extremely experimental and strange. In fact, a number of patrons clearly weren’t coping and left early… but it inspired a standing ovation from those who willingly remained to embrace the weird.

Venue: Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall
Dates: Sat 12 3pm and 7:30pm and Sun 13 April 5pm
Tickets: $25 full/$20 conc/$15 student
Bookings: artshouse.com.au or 9322 3713

Comedy, Festivals, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: The Gentlemen of Deceit for MICF

Put a little magic into your Melbourne Comedy Festival this year

By Margaret Wieringa

A voice from the darkness asks an audience member to place a shoe on a stool onstage. A brave audience member complies, then three men approach with red tape across their mouths and the magic begins!

Gentlemen of Deceit

The Gentlemen of Deceit use quite a lot of audience participation throughout the show, but it is friendly and welcoming. As long as you trust the magician, of course – especially in the section of the show called Do You Trust the Magician? One part involved a young girl and balloon animals and the trick was almost upstaged by the gorgeous expression on the girl’s face throughout. Only almost, though – at the end, the audience literally gasped with wonder.

Often, I find magic shows too big and sparkly and my feminist sensibilities are concerned by the need of a scantily-clad lady used as a prop. Thank goodness that Luke Hocking, Alex de la Rambelje and Vyom Sharma rely on talent and personality to entertain the crowd without the need for all of the showy bells and whistles. This makes the magic more impressive – everything seems normal and suddenly something has disappeared or reappeared or reformed.

It was a full audience at the Spring Street Conference Centre – not at all a traditional Comedy Festival venue, far more like a lecture hall, but a space that worked extremely well for this style of show. It was a little bit of a challenge to find the correct entrance in the rain, but was worth the perseverance! The conference room had audiovisual facilities that the magicians took advantage of during a section where they compared stage magic to that of television. It didn’t matter whether you watched the live or screen version, it was impossible to figure out the trick.

I’m not the kind of audience member who craves the answers on how a trick works. I am just happy to watch and enjoy. What I want is comedy; and The Gentlemen of Deceit definitely provide that. Funny, mysterious and totally delightful.

Venue: Spring Street Conference Centre, Melbourne Theatrette, Mezzanine Level, One Spring Street, Melbourne
Dates: March 27-29, April 3-5, 10-12 and 19, 7:30pm
Tickets: $23 full, $19 concession, $18 – groups of 5+
Bookings: http://ticketbooth.com.au or at the door

Events, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: The Australian Premiere of BARBIE LIVE! The Musical

Pretty in pink, and playful pre-teen fun

By Margaret Wieringa

The Palais Theatre in St Kilda was decked out in pink and ready for the hundreds of excited little girls who attended the Australian premiere of Barbie LIVE! The Musical. Celebrities were spotted with their young families, including Shane Jacobson and Neighbours’ Ryan Moloney.

The pink, sparkly curtain opened to reveal a movie set, where Barbie and her friends were shooting her next film. Her co-star and best friend Teresa was experiencing a slump in confidence, so Barbie took her on a journey, revisiting her old films to inspire her.

Barbie Live The Musical!

The first act saw them visiting Swan Lake with some questionable ballet and then Mariposa, a land with lots of crystals. The set for Mariposa was impressive, especially the use of UV effects for the crystal cave and the mayflower pole. The transitions however, using clips from the Barbie movies, were very clunky and not totally necessary. By the end of the first act, I was getting restless. Thank goodness for Act Two!

It was like the show had drunk a whole lot of red cordial, because everything perked up and had more life. There was a whole heap of audience interaction that the children loved, the story was more engaging, the music was more exciting, and it was far more fabulous!

I wondered a little about the morals of the show, however. Bad girl Raquelle (Courtney Cheatham) wanted Teresa’s role and was prepared to go to great lengths, including sabotage, to get it. At the end there was no comeuppance for her, which left me thinking that the moral must be that if you are being bullied, just put up with it: you might still win. I couldn’t actually see the need for a ‘baddie’ in the show, and feel it would have been as engaging for the kids without one and could have ultimately offered a better moral.

Kristina Miller, playing Teresa, had a strong voice that really belted out her numbers. The ensemble was fantastic, totally committed to the performance with magnificent, cheesy smiles the whole time. Even though it was very clear they were people, there were some doll-like movements throughout the dancing that were a lovely touch. It was a little odd that a show called Barbie LIVE! had Barbie as a less important character in the performance, but beautiful Chelsea Bernier still got up there and gave the little girls exactly what they wanted. A real live Barbie.

Venue: Palais Theatre in St Kilda
Season: Sunday April 6, 11am, 3pm and 7pm, Monday April at 11am
Tickets: $49.90/$69.90/$99.90
Booking: http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/ or call 1300 660 0131300 660 013

Musical Theatre, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Manilla Street Productions Presents BLOOD BROTHERS

Tragic tale impeccably told

By Bradley Storer

Blood Brothers, the award-winning West End musical about a tale of twin brothers separated at birth, has come to Chapel off Chapel in a strong new production by Manilla Street Productions. This modern tragedy, directed by Chris Parker, explores the classic ‘nature versus nurture’ debate and the great divide between the English upper and middle class.

Blood Brothers

Chelsea Plumley in the crucial role of Mrs Johnstone is the emotional touchstone of the entire piece, producing a portrait of a flawed, poverty-stricken woman of fierce maternal love and indomitable spirit, slowly bowed down under the tragic consequences of an impulsive decision. Her expressive and earthy singing voice perfectly captures the essence of the character, and she is to be applauded especially for flawlessly maintaining the extremely challenging Liverpool accent for the entire show. Glenda Linscott as Mrs Lyons, the rich housewife whose adoption scheme sets the plot in motion, turns in a compelling and complex performance that travels the gamut from heart-warming to bone-chilling as the character’s initial sweetness and good nature crumbles frighteningly under the pressures of anxiety and guilt.

The central triangle of the piece, the two brothers Mickey (Gareth Keegan) and Eddie (Matthew Bradford), and Linda (Lisa-Marie Parker), the woman who comes between them, are a powerhouse trio – their chemistry is palpable, and they perfectly embody each stage of their character’s respective journey from child to adulthood (kudos to them for avoiding cringe-inducing caricature while playing children). The second act, where the harsh realities of life begin to take their toll on the three and their relationships, is wrenching to watch after the honest simplicity of the actors has won our love. They are ably supported by a small but talented ensemble who swap between multiple roles. Simon Wilton as the Narrator does his best with a role that is essentially one-note and continuously repetitive, but the fault lies with the character rather than the actor in this case.

This dark, tragic tale is engrossing theatre, and the catastrophic finale which ties together all the themes of class division and destiny proves the overall success of the production, leaving the audience with a gut-wrenching sense of loss that won’t fail to bring tears to the eyes of anyone who sees it.

Venue: Chapel off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran.

Dates: 20 March – 6 April (Preview 19 March)

Times: Tues-Sat 8pm, Sat (5 April) 3pm, Sat (29 March) 3pm,  Sun (30 March) 3pm, Sun (6 April) 2pm

Price: $49 Full, $45 Concession, $40 Group 10+, $40 Preview (19 March), $40 Tuesday Performances, $60 Opening Night (20 March)

Tickets: www.chapeloffchapel.com.au, Phone: 03 8290 700003 8290 700003 8290 700003 8290 7000, Email: chapel@stonnington.vic.gov.au, at the venue.

Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Mockingbird Theatre Presents THE JUDAS KISS

Bravado and betrayal in the fall of Oscar Wilde

By Ross Larkin

The Judas Kiss

It can be difficult to associate one of the world’s most iconic, hilarious comic writers with tragedy and betrayal, and as such, a play about Oscar Wilde’s life behind his witty penmanship is confronting, and a harsh reminder of how brutally he was treated.

The Judas Kiss, written by David Hare, has been staged by Melbourne’s own Mockingbird Theatre, and directed by company member Jason Cavanagh. The play examines the hours leading up to Wilde’s arrest for partaking in consensual sex with another man, followed by post-prison life in a filthy, run-down apartment in Naples with former lover, Lord Alfred ‘Bosie’ Douglas. The before-and-after contrast surrounding Wilde’s two-year sentence is stark as the audience are made privy to the life and mind which was drained from him for supposed crimes and the consequences thereafter.

The initial scenes of The Judas Kiss are driven and ‘bolshie’, as Wilde’s comrades argue about whether he should flee to the continent or not, while Wilde, after feigning indifference, finally admits he lacks the will to try. As these quieter moments set in, the script becomes more engaging and the ensemble cast begin to showcase just how rock-solid they are.

The challenging, changeable role of Wilde is played to perfection by Chris Baldock, who simply nails the part, capturing beautifully the witty and charming bravado of the man prior to his arrest, and the pained, tortured soul thereafter. Oliver Coleman as Wilde’s literary executor and long-standing friend Robert Ross is equally impressive, cleverly demonstrating presence and commitment with an understated fury.

Nigel Langley as Bosie and the supporting cast are all worthy of mention in Mockingbird’s version, which director Cavanagh has succeeded in reimagining with simplistic charm and poignancy. The lighting in particular is beautifully designed by Rob Sowinski and made powerful use of.

The Judas Kiss is another fine example of why Mockingbird Theatre continues to fire along with the big guns, and save for the excessive duration of the final scene, this production is one of Melbourne’s not-to-be missed theatrical experiences.

The Judas Kiss is playing now at TheatreWorks, Acland Street, St Kilda until March 22, Tuesday to Friday at 8pm, and Saturday 2pm and 8pm plus Sunday March 16 at 5pm.

Bookings at www.theatreworks.org.au or (03) 9534 3388(03) 9534 3388(03) 9534 3388(03) 9534 3388.

Comedy, Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Insite Arts Presents THE LONG PIGS

Hilariously dark and frighteningly funny…

By Myron My

Firstly, if you have a fear of clowns, then this show is probably not for you but it doesn’t mean you still shouldn’t go see it. The clowns in The Long Pigs are not your traditional-looking clowns (for the most part).

These guys are dirty and dark with black noses, and are hell-bent on collecting the red noses of other clowns…

LONG PIGS

The uncanny ability that performers Clare Bartholomew, Nicci Wilks and Derek Ives (who along with director Susie Dee, also devised the show) have to use something as small as a facial expression or taking a step to make their audience get actual stitches from laughing is testament to their darkly funny skills as clowns.

Even with minimal dialogue and the unsettling atmosphere, the cast are able to both convey a strong story and evoke sympathy and empathy from us over their individual and group plights. In fact there are some very suspenseful moments interspersed throughout The Long Pigs which form a great contrast to the more ‘traditional’ clowning that occurs.

All the stage elements blend perfectly in the performance to help create this grim world that is thrust upon us – especially Jethro Woodward’s excellent sound design and composition, as the constant changes from cheery to eerie amplified all the action that was going on on stage.

Furthermore, Anna Tregloan’s nicely creepy set design reminded me of a haunted house-cum-butcher shop with variety of seemingly random objects just strewn about covered by bloody white sheets, and the atmospheric lighting design by Andy Turner was reminiscent of a carnival freak show tent with dim lights casting larger sinister shadows in the background.

So even if you do have that fear of clowns (or coulrophobia), The Long Pigs is a show that still needs to be seen. Even though it’s only March, I can confidently say that this is going to be one of my highlight shows of the year, because how often can you simultaneously be completely entertained and utterly creeped out by the one show?

Venue: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Season: Until 23 March | Tues- Sat 8:00pm, Sun 5pm

Tickets: $35 Full | $28 Conc

Bookings: http://www.fortyfivedownstairs.com/events or 9662 9966

Circus, Comedy, Events, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Spiegelworld Presents EMPIRE

Beautiful, bawdy – and breath-taking

By Kim Edwards

Empire has returned to Melbourne after its sell-out season last year, and it is a sumptuous spectacle to behold. In the ever-delightful space of the Spiegeltent now perched atop Crown Casino, vaudeville has run away to the circus as contortionists, acrobats, balancing acts, strip-tease artists, musicians and comedians converge for our entertainment.

I loved the casual, classy chaos as the performers mingled merrily with the audience before the show, willingly stepping in as ushers, posing for photos, striking up conversations, or attempting silly or sexy pseudo-seductions. The effort to establish memorable and iconic characters meant our favourites were greeted like old friends when reappearing on stage for their respective acts, and made the reveal of their actual talents all the more jaw-dropping.

EMPIRE Miss A in a Bubble _PhotoCredit Karon Photography_

The show plays out on a tiny stage in the round, and there is a real sense of risk in this immediacy and intimacy when dangerous routines are being performed just inches away from or above the audience. Crowd-charmer Yasu Yoshikawa countered his cute antics and pigtails with terrifying spinning and springing in and over giant hoops, while Vlad Ivashkin and Aiusha Khadzh Khamed performed an acrobatic balancing act of impressive strength and skill.

The opening act with contortionist and aeralist Lucia Carbines suspended in a perspex bubble was utterly beautiful, and Denis Petaov and Mariia Beseimbetova actually made me forget to breathe with their ferociously fast spinning routine. I was not the only one to gasp aloud in horror at the lifts and speeds they achieved, but I also delighted in the beautiful choreography that held the piece together and the couple’s intense self-involvement: there was something wonderfully private and poignant in their lack of audience acknowledgement.

The show’s finale was an obvious highlight – I am still in awe. Memet Bilgin Rigolo builds and balances an amazing impromptu skeleton of branches with slow and hypnotic grace and grandeur, and the tension mounts with each addition to his structure. But it is the final moment which reminded us so powerfully of the wildly improbable feat just performed – simply unforgettable theatre.

Victoria Matlock and John Shannon provided a rich and dramatic musical backdrop to the acts, though some sound issues unfortunately affected her diction and his solos. Jonathan Taylor and Anne Goldmann provided the comic relief as husband-and-wife-comperes, and while their hen-night style humour and audience humiliation was a bit too crass for my taste, the crowd loved them, and their quick-change talents and banana routine were genuinely clever and skillful.

There’s a joke about the show not needing a story like Cirque Du Soleil, and it’s true, but if I have a criticism, it would be the New York ‘theme’ is superficial at best and it would have been nice to have something more evocative cementing the show together. Meanwhile, my special mention must go to the slick and dextrous crew, and the happy helpful FOH stuff.

Empire is both highly memorable and wondrously diverting, and there is little surprise it is enjoying a return season now with extra shows: I was entranced.

EMPIRE by Spiegelworld
From March 11 to April 20 2014
Under the spiegeltent on the Rooftop at Crown, access via Level 3, Whiteman Street, Southbank.

Performance Schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 7:30pm; Friday & Saturday 7:30pm & 9:30pm; Sunday 7:00pm

Tickets: Tue/Wed/Thu: $59.00 – $129.00, Fri/Sat/Sun: $69.00 – $149.00

Bookings: http://www.ticketek.com.au

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: La Mama Presents THE FAMILY TREE

Real-life cult survival retold with warmth and wit

By Warwick Moffat

Alicia with borders

Alicia Easteal is fortunate to possess intelligence and wit, for it seems these were needed to survive the tale she is now ready to tell. Easteal was born into the dope-smoking, Shiva-worshipping cult of ‘The Family’ (thankfully no relation to the Manson ‘Family’). Their mystical beliefs may seem like quaint naivety, or perhaps dangerous misguidance: most endeavours of love do.

Originally intended as a documentary, it was impressive to see how this non-fiction story was translated to theatre. In The Family Tree evidence is exhibited in many forms: letters, posters, photos, footage and song. This keeps the proceedings vibrant as the facts unfold. Strictly speaking, this story could quite easily have been told completely via video and voiceover. The challenge for any performer who makes these choices is to justify being in the room.

A less skilled performer may have failed. Easteal was in no such danger. Great care was taken to ensure every exhibit was either self-explanatory or an ideal backdrop for face-to-face explanation. Easteal showed that a film can tell a story, but only the warmth of human conversation can retell it.

The full media release and the program go for the big sell. The release describes a performance with the “…vulnerability of the works of Spalding Gray and the wry humour of Sarah Silverman”. These performers defined their genres. Yes, the set is in the style of Spalding Gray, and follows a similar interpersonal documentary format. Certainly, many of Easteal’s accounts of herself and those close to her are told with dry, self-effacing wit.

However, these comparisons are hard to maintain and such claims were never necessary. There is a unique voice here, with something intriguing to tell and a valid philosophy. The openness shown when describing some horrendous circumstances gave an intimacy to the show which never left me feeling like a voyeur. Recounting foolishness from brave people and bravery from fools, The Family Tree succeeds in humanising those we too easily dehumanise. If you enjoy creative non-fiction or are interested in social affairs, this gracious offering within the intimate La Mama space will illuminate and entertain.

Dates:

Wed 5th March to Sunday 16th March.

Times:

Wed, Fri, Sun at 6:30pm. Thur and Sat at 8:30pm.

Venue:

La Mama Theatre, 205 Faraday St, Carlton.

Tickets:

$25 Full, $15 Concession.

03 9347 614203 9347 614203 9347 614203 9347 6142 or online at www.lamama.com.au

Cash sales are available at the on-site box office unless sold out.