Category: Performances

Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Christopher Durang’s LAUGHING WILD

Slick satire performed with aplomb

By Myron My

In Christopher Durang’s satirical comedy Laughing Wild, we meet two socially marginalised people struggling to survive in the modern world. They are known as The Woman and The Man. A chance encounter over tuna forces them to look into themselves and each other and attempt to find what it is they really want.

Laughing Wild

Laughing Wild is mainly set up in three scenes – it begins with a monologue by The Woman, a mentally-ill person obsessed with television. Gradually, her fragility and vulnerability begin to come through amid all the humour and jokes. This is followed by a monologue by The Man, a queer and quaint person who is looking to better himself and remain at peace with his spirit.

The third scene is where things get a little more complicated and surreal and there are some great moments including a number of backwards scenes and a hilarious interview in the style of Sally Jesse Raphael with the Infant of Prague which was quite something to witness.

Rani Pramesti carries a certain distinct charisma with her that I’ve not seen on stage for quite a while. Her embodiment of The Woman is more than impressive and the naturalism with which she delivers her lines – often at ridiculous speeds – is testament to the time and effort she must have put in perfecting this role. Her mannerisms and movement all served to construct a woman who is slightly unhinged and erratic.

Similarly, Daniel Last as The Man does exceptionally well in humanizing a character who is hell-bent on remaining positive. While The Woman was more loud and animated, Last did well in showing the restraint of The Man and exploring many of the same fears and worries as his female counterpart but in a fascinatingly different way.

Despite being set in the 80s, the themes of mental illness, loneliness, sexuality and politics are all still prevalent issues today and Durang’s work has clearly passed the test of time. Laughing Wild is a great character piece by two strong performers who are more than capable of carrying this comedic but demanding production.

Venue: Mechanics Institute, 270 Sydney Rd, Brunswick

Season: Until 1 March 2:00pm, 7:00pm.

Tickets: $20 Full | $15 Conc

Bookings: http://www.trybooking.com/71486

Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: The Australian Shakespeare Company Presents WUTHERING HEIGHTS

Passions run riot at Rippon Lea

By Kim Edwards

Emily Bronte’s classic story Wuthering Heights under the stars and in the historic gardens of the Rippon Lea Estate is a beguiling prospect, and this production is both stylish and polished.

Wuthering Heights

With a script by Vince Foxall and direction by Greg Carroll, the torrid tale of Heathcliff and Cathy’s infamous relationship is unleashed among picnic hampers and lawn chairs, and as darkness fell, the night grew chill, and the wind ruffled the cast’s flowing skirts and shirts and the blankets over our knees, the atmosphere for the dark developments of the second act was delightfully apt.

Adapting Bronte’s sprawling problematic novel into a slim and sleek two-and-a-half hour performance is an impressive task, and there is much to admire here. The doubling of characters is well-wrought by a versatile cast who keep the complex genealogy remarkably comprehensible. The multiple narrators are adroitly managed, designer Glenn Elston has worked wonders with a limited lighting rig, and the beautiful sparsity in set and staging is highly effective.

Since the plot is remembered in popular culture as a determinedly romantic and fervent love story, the simmering sexual tension of the novel is understandably made explicit here: some characters are surprisingly handsome, relationships like that of Hindley and Francis and young Heathcliff and Cathy are slightly oddly romanticised and highly sexually charged, and much of the novel’s overt violence is discretely downplayed.

Less successful though for this production are some uneven accents, and the fever pitch at which all the characters are played. Although Bronte’s text is both epic and poetic, the Shakespearean-style proclaiming and frantic dialogue pace is sometimes disconcerting and deprives some of the minor characters of their normalcy and dignity and calmness that is needed to keep the plot’s passionate love triangle grounded.

Spencer Scholz finally remedies this with the quiet gravity of his older Edgar Linton, and his superb characterisation of the brutish but endearing Hareton, while Ciume Lochner works hard to capture the caprices, charms and exasperations of both Cathies. Michael Wahr becomes a pleasingly grim and bitter Heathcliff, and handles the transformation from outcast child to vengeful gentleman with skill.

Wuthering Heights is a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment, and if the imposing backdrop of the mansion is disappointingly unacknowledged in this production, there are torrents of drama and intrigue and an excess of love and hatred to keep an audience engaged. Dress warmly though, for the wuthering is highly realistic…

DATES: 17 February 2014 – 13 March 2014
WHEN: Monday to Thursday at 7pm (no show Monday 10 March 2014)
WHERE: Rippon Lea House and Gardens, 192 Hotham Street, Elsternwick
TICKETS: Adults $45, Conc $40, Groups 10+ $40, Children 5 -15yrs $25
BOOKINGS: www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au or Ticketmaster

Comedy, Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Parallelogramophonograph

Farce with finesse

By Warwick Moffat

Parallelogramophonograph (or Pgraph for short) are an improvised theatre troupe from Austin, Texas. All four members are experienced players, having established local reputations both individually and as a group. With a weekly show back home, Pgraph have developed a number of themes or ‘formats’ to keep their improvised plays fresh. It would normally be my duty to at least loosely describe the plot, but I am happy to assure you this show will definitely be different every night. Their French farce format is a delightful excuse to allow the silliest sense of humour to almost mask what is clearly a deep appreciation of surrealist theatre.

Parallelogramophonograph

The makeup and costume help pull off this very clever trick. What you see is four eighteenth-century French fops a-la-Tartuffe with plenty of pancake, rouge cheeks and dramatized speech. What you get is a nineteenth-century plot of middle-class listlessness, ambition and intrigue.

AND improvisation. There is no hint of any preparation, apart from the French farce style and some extra costumes backstage. Quite obvious mishaps such as a slip of the tongue or accidental contact become the basis for key changes in the story-line. There is also a charming ability for the players to allow themselves to highlight the ridiculousness of how the show is progressing without stepping completely outside it.

This work is only possible through talent, practice and teamwork. Valerie Ward artfully weaved insane ramblings with helpful plot developments. Roy Janik gleefully provoked pity and laughter from the audience in equal measure. Kaci Beeler freely adapts to anything her colleagues throw at her. Kareem Badr particularly shone as the authority figures who lacked any true authority.

The name Parallelogramophonograph suggests an absurd but smoothly crafted muddle of things that only brave people would try to combine. In the case of Pgraph, the name does say it all: both improv and play, masterful and wacky, clever and slapstick, worthy and entertaining. The Butterfly Club with its eclectic furnishings and expertly mixed cocktails is this talented troupe’s natural Melbourne home-away-from-home.

Dates:

Wed 26th February to Sunday 2nd March.

Times:

Thurs, Fri, Sat at 7pm. Wed and Sun at 6pm.

Location:

The Butterfly Club, Carson Place (off Little Collins Street), Melbourne CBD.

Tickets:

$23, $20 Conc, $18 Group (8+).

03 9663 810703 9663 810703 9663 810703 9663 8107 or online at www.thebutterflyclub.com

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: La Mama Theatre Presents THE PLAY’S THE THING

The Bard has a lot to answer for…

By Beth Cregan

Take one young, intense actor (Louise O’Dwyer) totally committed to perfecting her craft (she’s earnest in that ‘bring own thermos of tea and sandwiches’ kind of way!) Add an experienced, caffeine-powered matriarch (Maureen Hartley) who’s been around the traps. She’s seen it all but more importantly, she knows it all too! Mix in a tired theatre director, (Peppa Sindar) who would love her job, if it wasn’t for the damn actors.

The Plays the Thing

Cast all three characters in a performance, add a misplaced techie and an absent writer to take the flak and you have the makings of a playful drama set in the theatre world. From hilarious warm-up exercises to well-worn power plays, The Play’s The Thing shines the comic spotlight on what happens when words (and egos) collide. Thankfully, despite the conflict and constant coffee breaks, Shakespeare wins out in the end.

Clever writing and superb characterisation create this dialogue-driven drama. Set at La Mama’s Theatre, the close proximity of actors and audience help create the ‘fly on the wall’ intimacy that works so well for this comedy. Louise O’Dwyer and Maureen Hartley pair beautifully in this play and their strong characters certainly bring the script to life. Defined in opposition, their need to control ‘their patch‘  keeps the tension tight. Peppa Sindar as the Director skillfully balances the energy between them. Mind you, her character could circumvent a fair amount of the drama by stepping up to the plate a little sooner, but then we’d miss out on some classic and memorable scenes like Dwyer’s vocal warm-ups and Hartley’s demonstration of physical theatre.

This talented cast of actors not only earn the audience’s laughter, but they work seamlessly to perform a multi-layered, complex play within a play. Written and directed by Brenda Palmer, you won’t need any inside knowledge of the theatre world to enjoy this performance. You’ll recognise these characters anywhere.

The Play’s The Thing is playing at La Mama Theatre from February 20 – March 2, 2014. Tickets available online at http://lamama.com.au/summer-2014/the-plays-the-thing/

Events, Musical Theatre, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Theatre Works Presents PACIFIC OVERTURES

Sondheim, samurai, and scintillating theatre

By Bradley Storer

Out of nowhere a figure dashed onstage, the lights suddenly cutting out accompanied by a sudden strike of the drum. The lights slowly return to reveal a painted emblem emblazoned on the floor of the stage, the ensō – the Buddhist circle which expresses the moment of creativity uninhibited by the conscious mind. Into this symbolic void enters the ensemble of Pacific Overtures, clad entirely in white, taking their places around the ensō and beginning their first song: a choral ode to the cyclical serenity of feudal Japan, undisturbed by the outside world.

PACIFIC OVERTURES Photo Credit Jodie Hutchinson

Pacific Overtures, one of Stephen Sondheim’s more modest and lesser-known masterpieces, is an imaginative exploration of the moment in history when Japan was first forced into contact with Western civilization. Sondheim’s score, a minimalistic collection derived from the structures and principles of Asian music, is a distant cousin to the operatic scope of his work before and after, but is nevertheless a theatrical tour de force.

The cast are so strong both dramatically and vocally that it is extremely difficult to pick an outstanding performance. As a whole they perfectly capture the stylized but intensely emotionally and characterful style of kabuki theatre, and in their individual solos they all unveil beautiful and powerful voices – in the ensemble numbers they blend together in wondrous harmony. The closest would be Adrian Li Donni as Kayama, the samurai whose meteoric rise to power and subsequent corruption strings the plot together both narratively and emotionally. Donni’s open and expressive face (along with a golden singing voice) flawlessly captures the innocence and good nature of this warrior catapulted into diplomatic office.

Director Alister Smith, along with choreographer Michael Ralph, have done an exemplary job of building the striking dramatic images that make up this epic tale. A terror-stricken mob of villagers gathering as they spot the oncoming American armada, a hilarious pageant of prostitutes preparing to welcome American sailors, a traditional Kabuki dance exploding into a demented vaudevillian cake-walk danced by a demonic Uncle Sam. In a quieter moment, the song ‘Poems’ spins together the heart-meltingly lyrical tenors of Donni and Nick Simpson-Deeks into a sequence of heart-ravishing loveliness.

This production of Pacific Overtures is a seamless meeting of dramatic intensity, musical beauty and compelling story performed by a highly skilled company of actors and handled by an endlessly inventive creative team!

Venue: Theatreworks, 14 Acland St, St Kilda

Date: 19 Feb 2014 – 09 Mar 2014

Time: Tue to Sat 7.30pm, Sun 5pm

Preview: Wed 19 Feb 7.30pm & Thu 20 Feb 2pm

Price: $39 / $35 8+ / $29 conc

Bookings: Online at www.theatreworks.org.au or phone 03 9534 338803 9534 338803 9534 338803 9534 3388

Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: MTC Presents COCK

Disappointingly flaccid…

By Ross Larkin

Cock by Mike Bartlett is essentially about an egocentric, painfully nervous and confused young man named John, who ‘must’ decide whether he is gay, straight or bisexual, and more importantly whether he will choose his male partner of seven years, or a new woman who has caught his attention. Staged in one small room on a floor of wall-to-wall cushions, this production is a dialogue-driven piece directed by MTC’s associate director, Leticia Caceres.

Cock

Primarily a three-hander between John (Tom Conroy) and his two love interests (who are never referred to by name, presumably to emphasise John’s self-absorbed world), Cock is perhaps so-called to describe John in nature, and not solely in reference to the play’s sexual explorations.

In fact, the character of John, who keeps his admirers (played by Angus Grant and Sophie Ross) dangling like puppets while he agonises over what he wants, who he is and who he will choose, is so excruciatingly frustrating and unlikeable that ‘who cares?’ might seem the more apt question.This subsequently begs the question of how plausible it is then that two intelligent, attractive and grounded people would loathe themselves so fully they allow such a dithering idiot to toy with their emotions so blatantly.

This is milked to the point of the three meeting for dinner to discuss (read, ‘bitch about’) who deserves John most, who is better suited and ultimately, who will win him over. All the while a bumbling mess, John has the audacity to believe he is worthy of such idolisation, and that the situation he has created is by no means ridiculous, unfair or narcissistic.

Yet, he also has no qualms about taking Cock’s 100-minute duration to decide as the story goes back and forth ad nauseam, with the all-too-occasional laugh, and the incredulous trivialisation of sexuality which is not only insulting to women, but also bisexuals. Thankfully, Sophie Ross’s portrayal of John’s female counterpart is understated, beautiful and perhaps the only likeable character, who might put you in mind of an Aussie Jennifer Lawrence. Likewise, talented songstress Missy Higgins has provided some beautifully haunting music played throughout the odd interlude: however it simply doesn’t belong.

Unfortunately Cock isn’t dark and beautiful: it’s irritating and shallow, bitchy and clichéd and the same point has never been drilled home more than it is with the disappointing Cock.

Cock is playing now at the Arts Centre, 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, until March 22, 2014 at 8pm with some 4pm Saturday matinees and a 6.30pm performance on Tuesday March 4. For more information or to book tickets go to www. artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on or phone 1300 182 1831300 182 1831300 182 1831300 182 183.

Circus, Dance, Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Kage’s FORKLIFT

Femmes ex machina

By Tania Herbert

What to do on a summer’s night when Melbourne is covered in a haze of bushfire smoke? Clearly some rather disquieting contemporary performance art outside at the base of the Arts Centre.

Forklift

The audience is ushered into a construction site set with a back drop of the Arts Centre spire, and tech crew are cleverly perched around the set in their construction worker fluros. A long lead-in of banter and set-exploration with some very light humour by the protagonist female forklift driver (Nicci Wilks) left a full house quizzically wondering what exactly they were in for.

When the forklift arrives complete with a pair of mannequin-esque women (Henna Kaikula and Amy Macpherson) sprawled across it, the show quickly shifts into gear. The obscure storyline appeared to be based around elements of the forklift driver’s simple worklife merging into a dream-like world the suggests a contemporary Alice-down-the-rabbit hole.

An intensely physical performance, the contortions, dance moves, circus stunts and incredible balancing were interwoven with the movements of the forklift in a mesmerising and terrifyingly dangerous spectacle of movement. The sound track, composed by Melbourne local Jethro Woodward, punctuated the ever-shifting world and gives an eerie, almost steam-punk feel.

As the performance continues, and people wandered past the outdoor stage, a ‘fishbowl’ effect added to the disquiet, with theatre-goers on their way home finding a perch on any place where they could catch glimpses of the performance.

The piece is all that is feminism, with strong, powerful, changeable women completely in control of their art. And yet, it is all that is not, as our rather stereotypically ‘butch’ female lead is gradually converted into a sexualized, scantily -lad lipstick-wearing version of her former self.

Unique, bizarre, and utterly enthralling, Forklift defies definition. It’s kind of circus, kind of contemporary theatre, kind of dance… and yet none of these things. Forklift is oh so very Melbourne, and for a very different kind of “pop up” art, KAGE is certainly a group to keep an eye on.

Forklift is playing at Arts Centre Melbourne at the Theatres Forecourt

Wed 12 – Sun 16 February – 6.30 and 9pm nightly

Bookings: www.kage.com.au/book-tickets

Events, Musical Theatre, Performances, Review

REVIEW: Lucy Brien and Matilda Dixon Smith’s DEVOTED – A MUSICAL

Grease isn’t the word…

By Ross Larkin

Funded with campaign entity Pozible, Matilda Dixon-Smith’s contemporary take on 1978 musical Grease (this production was originally titled Grease: A Tragedy – later changed for legal reasons), Devoted is an intimate yet potentially alienating experience, not dissimilar from attending a party where one might feel included but, at times, ostracised.

Staged in a music venue, the curious space, in which the action occurs on the outskirts of the centrally placed audience, usually works well in providing an affectionate environment where one feels part of the story.

Devoted

Re-imagined as, what feels like, a combination of Grease, Romeo and Juliet and Brokeback Mountain, Devoted charts the young love of Daniel and Sally played by Zak Pidd and Hannah Denison. Daniel’s love for Sally is compromised by his feelings for best pal, Nick (Eamonn George), while Nick has impregnated Raff (Sera Duff). After some endearing encounters and stacks of awesome original music by composer and MD Lucy O’Brien, the love square eventually turns sour with tragic consequences.

Utilising the garden of the Northcote Social Club, where actors play through glass windows works beautifully, almost filmic in feel. Other scenes require the audience to turn 360 degrees to focus on the action, keeping the pace active save for some clumsy blocking hindering sight lines.

This is, perhaps, why director Justin Nott opted to endow the entire cast with radio microphones for both song and dialogue. Sadly, however, this was a mistake. While being appropriate for certain musical numbers, the otherwise cosy and interactive context was far from requiring amplification, sometimes depleting ones bearings and detracting from the engagement of plot and emotion.

Thankfully, Pidd plays Daniel with commitment and charm, providing much of the show’s laughs and sincerity, while Duff is attitude personified and Kelly Cupo as Penny has a singing voice to die for and presence to match.

Accentuated by excellent songs, Devoted generally makes it difficult not to feel included in the colourful ‘party’, and engaged in this often funny, tragic story. Emerging young talent of this ilk deserve their efforts to skyrocket and hopefully grace larger spaces where microphones will suit just fine.

Devoted: A Musical played last night at the Northcote Social Club, 301 High Street, Northcote. Future performances to be advised.

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Performances, Whats On

REVIEW: Greg Peterson’s SONGS IN THE KEY OF ME

A stage cast and songbook of significant talent

By Narelle Wood

Songs in the Key of Me does not just have an awesome title: it also has a selection of songs with music and lyrics by a very talented Greg Peterson. In just over one hour we were given a taste of a variety of musical genres from Peterson’s repertoire, including heart-break ballads, Broadway tunes and even a little bit of self-proclaimed lame country and western that demonstrates just how ridiculous country and western lyrics can be.

Songs in the Key of Me

Providing the vocals for this show are Adam Bianco and Samantha Du Rennes. Bianco starts the show with the title song, “Songs in the Key of Me”: a brilliantly-orchestrated Broadway number that explores the glitz and glamour of the stage and how easy it is for a performer to become lost in the moment. Bianco is a clear embodiment of this sentiment throughout the show, giving his all to every song no matter what the genre or performance style is required.

Du Rennes has an amazing vocal range, and the power with which she sings the James Bond-esque espionage song, “A Secret to Die For”, would make Shirley Bassey proud. Whilst Du Rennes has a strong voice, she sometimes lacks the charisma of Bianco and their relationship seems a little more brother-and-sisterly than the intimate relationship required by the stronger love ballads. Du Rennes’ strongest performance by far is “The Things I Left Behind”, which clearly has personal meaning for her.

Danny Forward provides accompaniment on the keyboard and deals deftly with some of the very complicated, fast-paced and intricate orchestrations required by Peterson’s songs. At times the intricacy of the orchestrations do seem to be competing with the vocal performances, although this may be due to the acoustics of the room and the gusto with which Bianco, Du Rennes and Forward perform. It is great to see Bianco and Du Rennes playfully interacting with Forward throughout the show. This provides some cohesiveness to a cabaret that does sometimes feel a little disjointed with Bianco and Du Rennes coming on and off the stage.

I would have liked the show to have finished with a full encore of “Songs in the Key of Me” as this was by far my favourite number of the night along with Peterson’s ‘coming out song’; both these pieces have clear similarities to some of the great Broadway musical numbers of the past which is especially evident in Peterson’s clever use of word play. Songs in the Key of Me hits just the right note and is well worth a look.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, Carson Place, CBD

Times: Until 16th Feb, Wednesday and Sunday 8pm, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 9pm

Bookings: http://www.thebutterflyclub.com/shows

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Events, Performances

REVIEW: Sophie Miller in TIT ON A PLATE

Award-winning cabaret show isn’t for everyone

By Jessica Cornish

Last night I ventured through the ridiculous heat down to my beloved Butterfly Club, to see people’s choice award winner of the 2012 Short & Sweet Cabaret Festival, Sophie Miller. Miss Miller starred in the one-woman 40-minute cabaret, accompanied only by her keyboard and two glasses of wine.

Sophie Miller Photo Credit: Michelle Dunn

I always admire people who put in the extraordinary effort to create their own cabaret shows- and have the guts and drive to perform the piece to the public. And as much as I admire that, I hate to say it but Tit On A Plate just didn’t do it for me. I mean I can have a laugh at the misfortunes of others just as well as the next person- but some material just made me a bit too uncomfortable to enjoy. For instance, comparing Channing Tatum to someone who reminds you of a person with Down Syndrome, and other remarks about ‘handicapped’ members of our society, was frankly too much for me.

Apart from feeling awkward for most of the show, I’m happy to say I did get to enjoy a couple of comic and creative snippets: I certainly laughed at some of the twitter statuses she compiled into the #fml song when accompanying herself on a i-pad version of a keyboard. There was also a fun guided meditation that asked its audience to float off into their imagination at some beautiful seaside- just as long as it wasn’t St Kilda beach, which was pretty amusing for the locals.

Sophie had a strong and appealing speaking voice, and engaged her audience well through her short monologues, but this same presence was lost in her songs. Her singing voice seemed quite weak and lacked strength and control. The overall show also seemed like a random scrapbook of different ideas that had been cut and pasted together. I feel that I didn’t really come away with any understanding of her life as a person, or her experiences. Nor was there a any type of storyline or theme woven through the songs or mildly linking everything together. Even the title of the show Tit On A Plate had absolutely no relevance to the performance as Miller admitted herself in the opening couple of minutes.

However, there were a couple of girls sitting across the aisle from me, and were in stitches the entire show. In fact they were enjoying it so much, I sometimes found it hard not to watch them instead of Sophie. So clearly it just wasn’t a show for me – but for some, as her people’s choice award would also attest, Tit on a Plate was clearly beyond hilarious.

Ticket Price:
$20 Full
$18 Concession
$18 Group (8 or more)
Dates: Tues 4th to Sunday 9th Feb
Time: Thurs, Fri, Sat at 9pm, Tues,Weds,Sun at 8pm
Venue: www.thebutterflyclub.com