Category: Performances

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Festivals, Music, Performances February 3, 2014February 3, 2014

REVIEW: Ginger and Tonic are 50 SHADES OF GAY

Just bought their CD…

By Narelle Wood

The a cappella group Ginger and Tonic’s 50 Shades of Gay is more than just good singing of songs by gay composers, iconic gay songs and a song from Marvin Gaye: it provides a whole lot of sass and a whole lot of laughs through the group’s comedic styling and homosexual humour.

Emma, Jane, Carena and Sheona have amazing voices and not only an incredible ability to harmonize but to construct musical arrangements that segue seamlessly from one song to another: 4-non-blondes and Sophie B Hawkins, a Ricky Martin tribute, and a medley from the big six Divas of our time, among some of the best.

For most groups an ability to sing would probably enough to sustain an hour’s worth of good entertainment, but on this musical trip through every colour of the rainbow, the girls also test the knowledge of the audience in some Spicks-and-Specks style gaymes: musical trivia with a gay twist.

On the lighter side of the 50 shades are songs such as “The Love Shack”, a Lesley Gore tribute, and a Minogue sister battle, that showcases the humour with which this performance had been put together. This is mostly accomplished through the part-clichéd, part-sassy, part-sexual dance moves, some wild gesticulations and animated facial expressions.

But it isn’t all fun and games. Ginger and Tonic through their performance of Rufus Wainwright’s “Natasha” demonstrate that they can sing with the stillness of the most seasoned performers and this highlights just how good their voices are.

The night, for me, ended far too soon as I would have been happy to continue counting down (or counting up in this case) well past the 50 songs and well in to the hundreds. It’s okay though because I’ve since found their CD on I-tunes.

I would like to describe Ginger and Tonic as Pitch Perfect meets the Spice Girls, but the comparison just isn’t fair. Ginger and Tonic are definitely in a league of their own.

50 Shades of Gay was performed for the 2014 Midsumma Festival at The Butterfly Club. For more information, visit http://www.gingerandtonic.com.au/

Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On January 30, 2014February 1, 2014

REVIEW: La Mama Presents THE GREAT GAME

Tragicomedy when Victorian poetry meets the Pussycat Dolls

By Rachel Holkner

The Great Game opens with two spinster sisters trying to establish the correct quality and volume of grief suitable to mark the passing of their “dear papa”. Their rigid social expectations dictate that they sip sherry and wait for callers. None arrive. They venture then into the mysterious room that is their father’s study in order to sort his papers. What follows is an amusing exploration of Victorian social mores with scattered commentary on modern values.

Georgiana and Elizabeth, living an isolated life on a large property somewhere in Australia, seek comfort from their situation by reverting at first into childhood games and then into more animalistic behaviours. Directed by Rosina Gannon, the superb physicality of the actors (Charlie Laidlaw and Katherine Connolly) leads most of the humour in these scenes.

Using music and out-of-character references to technology, the play explores both the strict Victorian codes of conduct expected of the women and their desires to find identity of their own. What would a Victorian lady make of a Facebook profile? Why shouldn’t she let her hair down and fling it around to the sounds of the Pussycat Dolls? This is a play of contrasts in storytelling styles and subject matter.

By reciting things by rote – long-ago received letters, poetry and Bible verses, by acting out a part, by playing with items from around the study the grown-up sisters explore aspects of themselves that have been long repressed.

The appearance of a dashing character (Bernard Caleo) found in old papers of their father’s adds another layer of dramatic storytelling emphasising a life out there that is not for them. Exotic lands of mystery, dangerous treks, and conversations with foreigners all contribute to the tragicomedy of Georgiana and Elizabeth’s life.

The Great Game is tremendous fun. The three actors do a marvellous job, covering the small stage with their fantasies. I look forward to seeing further works by Laidlaw and Connolly.

Venue: La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond Street, Carlton

Dates: JANUARY 29 – FEBRUARY 16, Wed and Sun 6.30pm Thur to Sat 7.30pm

Bookings: http://lamama.com.au/summer-2014/the-great-game/ or 03 9347 6142

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On January 26, 2014

REVIEW: Standing On Ceremony – The Gay Marriage Plays

Talented team in this topical theatrical anthology

By Myron My

Standing On Ceremony consists of nine short plays by well-known Broadway writers dealing with the theme of gay marriage. There are therefore some great writers, plus the fine directors and a talented ensemble cast involved in this production, so expectations were set high to begin with.

Unfortunately I walked out feeling somewhat disappointed, and it’s not through the acting or the directing, but the plays that were originally chosen for this work. For example, The Revision by Jordan Harrison has two men writing their wedding vows whereas José Rivera’s Andrew and Pablo at the Alter of Words has two men exchanging their wedding vows. Whilst both pieces are good, they are indicative of the strong sense of déjà vu I felt running throughout the night when thematic possibilities seemed to become recurring characters or storylines.

That said, Doug Wright’s On Facebook comes together really well, and Neil LaBute’s Strange Fruit is particularly impressive. Both stories are both unique and inherently interesting, and Spencer McLaren and Brett Whittingham’s performances in the latter are understated and honest, captured by that wonderful palpable silence in the final moments. However, among the excellent cast of actors, it is Michael Veitch who delivers the strongest performance of the night as the man mourning the loss of his longtime lover in Moisés Kaufman’s moving London Mosquitos.

In this production, the musical interludes between plays by David Ellis, Laura Burzcott and Karl Lewis are a nice touch and do well in setting the scene before the next story begins. It feels like they are part of the overall work and blend in seamlessly. Similarly, the elegant set design consists of a number of white boxes stacked up on top of each other in a tetris-like formation and having the backdrop projected onto them. With nine stories, this simply yet effectively set the scene for each one.

I couldn’t help wishing for more variety in the collection as the similarities between many of the stories and characters did not seem to express the wealth and complexity of possibilities, but Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays delivers what it’s title proclaims, this is an admirable production of it, and the proceeds go to Australian Marriage Equality.

Venue: Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran

Season: Until 9 February | Tues-Fri 8:00pm, Wed 2:00pm, Sat 5:00pm and 9:00pm, Sun 5:00pm

Tickets: $45.50 Full | $39.50 Conc

Bookings: www.standingonceremony.com.au, www.midsumma.org.au, 9415 9819 or www.chapeloffchapel.com.au, 8290 7000

Festivals, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On January 26, 2014

REVIEW: Midsumma Festival’s THIRD REICH MOMMIE

Disturbingly funny

By Narelle Wood

With a title like Third Reich Mommie, I knew this performance was either going to be good, bad or completely bizarre; it was all three and didn’t disappoint. The storyline centres on the dysfunctional relationship between an ex-actress turned spy turned agoraphobic mother Bridgette (Christopher Bryant) and at-times sweet and at other times homicidal daughter, Cassidy (Trelawney Edgar).

Caught in the middle of the neurosis is a sexually confused and charged boy, Jock (Nathan Burmeister), who’s captured the attention of mother and daughter, and the gestapo-esque housekeeper, Ada (Ashleigh Goodson) who juxtaposes her caring nature and sugary singing voice with random bouts of shouting in German.

The plot was initially hard to follow as it twists and turns in such a way that you know someone is up to something, but you’re not exactly sure what is afoot right up until the end when Bridgette Van Kamp’s sordid past and Cassidy’s ‘shining’ future is revealed.

The humour is, for the most part, completely inappropriate but also indiscriminate, targeting Jews, Nazis, homosexuals, Germans, mothers, fathers, and children, and the cast make no apology for this in their performance. Christopher Bryant’s physicality as well as his timing resulted in him delivering some of the show’s most controversial lines, jokes about incinerators and death camps, with comedic flair.

Daniel Lammin, the director, had warned us of some late changes due to unforeseen technical difficulties; the only thing I noticed was how smooth the lighting, scene and sound transitions were given the small number of people in the performance group. It was at times hard to hear, partly because of the acoustics of such a large room, partly the competing noise from the rest of the convent and partly the German accents.

For me Ashleigh Goodson stole the show, which was no mean feat given the strength of the other performers and the seemingly superfluous role that her character played. However it was Ada, and in turn Goodson’s portrayal of the character, that enabled me to slowly put together what appeared to be random schizophrenic conversations.

With good acting, bad characters and a completely bizarre storyline, it is definitely worth keeping an eye out for any future runs of Third Reich Mommie.

Venue: Abbotsford Convent, Rosina Auditorium CBD

Season: 16 – 25th January 2014

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On January 19, 2014January 19, 2014

REVIEW: Shakespeare in the Gardens with MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Lost in the Dream

By Warwick Moffat

The evening had three elements. Firstly, the Melbourne Royal Botanical Gardens at night, as ushers spotted spaces amongst fellow revellers where your own blanket might rest. For those bodies (like mine) which strain when too far removed from modernity, chairs are for hire. It was a welcome respite from the working day. Secondly, there is the play. It was declared that we were there to be entertained and every effort was made to ensure we were. The efforts of the cast and crew were expertly directed by Glenn Elston; the audience appeared truly lost in the world created for them.

Thirdly, and for me this was the most memorable element, every opportunity was taken to use the garden to highlight the play’s key themes. Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream warns of how natural forces can influence human passion and endeavour. The slight and thankfully brief evening shower seemed to be Nature’s own foreword. When Titania (Shireen Morris) bellowed her intent to utilise the wind, the weather even obliged on cue and Morris’s performance as the fairy queen deserved this compliment.

The setting and performances skilfully brought out the animalism within this comedy, where other companies have sadly missed it. Impressive acrobatics (especially Tamika Ball and Liam DeJong), and dance impressed upon us the wildness and sensuality of the woods inhabitants. When the Athenians entered this world, it magnified their all-too-human qualities and made their descent under Puck’s (Arky Elston) bungled spells all the more believable. When the lightshow, the trees and the music of Paul Norton combined during the casting of spells, I became overwhelmed by this realm where natural forces and human intent meet. Elston made Shakespeare’s trickster his own, through physical comedy and a distinct Gen-Y sensibility.

The tradesmen were excellent (Hugh Sexton, Simon Mallory, Ross Williams, Kevin Hopkins and Anthony Rive). Any clown can be silly: these clowns had a depth of character that left the audience laughing but also empathising with their faults. Mallory’s Bottom was not just an Ass; he was a brilliantly cringe-worthy ham, whose need for approval left you wanting to organise a group hug. William’s Snug gets my vote overall, so frustratingly dense and yet so sweet that you would never dare yell at him. That being said, the entire cast performed with flair and enthusiasm.

The Australian Shakespeare Company delivers Dream with the maturity of a troupe who are, after all, celebrating their twenty-fifth year in the Gardens. This comic spectacle has a vitality which comes with never taking your audience for granted.

Dates: 21 Dec 2013 – 15 Mar 2014.

Location: Southern Cross Lawn, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Enter through Observatory Gate on Birdwood Ave. Gates open 90 minutes prior.

Times (for Feb 11 2014 to Mar 15 2014): Tue to Sat at 8pm.

Tickets: $25-$45

Bookings: 03 8676 7511 or www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au or Ticketmaster 136 100.

What to bring: Pack a picnic, a blanket or cushions to sit on and insect repellent.

Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On November 25, 2013

REVIEW: Tamara Saulwick’s PUBLIC

Daring theatre – in a food court

By Myron My

We all do it. We do it all the time no matter where we are. We watch – ever so subtly, so as to not to be spotted. But what happens when the art of people-watching is brought to the surface? What happens when a seemingly private moment is made public?

As part of the Big West Festival, Tamara Saulwick has created a unique and insightful theatrical experience. Appropriately called Public, the show takes places in the food court of Highpoint Shopping Centre. Provided with a pair of headphones, the twenty “audience members” disperse amongst the patrons of the food court and watch for the performance to begin.

There are snippets of conversation being played out, and it sounds as if the voices are coming from all around you. And then, out of nowhere, I spot a man (Tom Davies) who doesn’t quite appear to belong. His movements are far slower and his gestures more grand than anyone else and I wonder why I hadn’t seen him earlier. Davies is joined by three others performers (Rachel Dyson-McGregor, Nicola Gunn, Diana Nguyen) and we begin to watch and listen as their conversations go from private to public. The performers’ conversations are played out into our headphones, so even though we are not sitting next to them, we can hear every word they are saying.

There are a variety of performances and audiences occurring with Public. We are watching the actors, as are the non-audience members. We are also watching the non-audience members’ reactions to the actors and you can see them subtly trying to glance in their direction and then whisper to their friend about the “strange person” nearby. I also began to feel myself being watched by the non-audience members once they realized that we, the people with the headphones, were somehow involved with what was happening.

It was interesting to unwittingly be “on show”, and without having the ability to communicate or share my experience with anyone whilst Public was occurring, I went through a range of emotions including sadness and a feeling of emptiness that slowly enveloped me. This does not mean I did not enjoy the show, but very much the opposite for allowing me to experience such thoughts and feelings without telling me what I should be feeling.

Despite not being the easiest location to get to, Saulwick’s Public is definitely worth a trip out to Highpoint. This sort of innovative theatre does not happen often, and this is an intriguing and involving experience.

Venue: Riverbank Food Court, Highpoint Shopping Centre, Maribyrnong

Season: Until 1 December | Fri, 5:30pm and 7:30pm, Sat-Sun 2:00pm and 4:00pm

Tickets: $25 Full | $15 Conc

Dance, Performances, Review, Whats On November 24, 2013November 24, 2013

REVIEW: Chunky Move Presents AORTA

In the heat of a heartbeat

By Myron My

I’m always looking forward to award-winning choreographer Stephanie Lake’s next work. Having seen A Conversation Piece at Dance Massive in which she performed, and then her creation A Small Prometheus during Melbourne Festival this year, where both works pushed the limits of what dance can be in unexpected directions, I was expecting something big with the world premiere of Lake’s new piece: Aorta.

Instead, Lake has stripped Aorta back to basics. She uses three dancers (James Batchelor, James Pham and Josh Mu) to share her thoughts on how our interiors perform on the surface. Lake explores the notion of how blood moves and circulates throughout our systems and opens out into themes of mortality, growth and decay.

As with any work commissioned by Chunky Move, the performers themselves are of a high caliber. Batchelor, Pham, and in particular Mu remain highly committed and execute some intricate and impressive moves. They work extremely well together when remaining dynamically in sync with each other, but then also excel when performing solo parts. Pham’s segment towards the finale was a firm highlight of Aorta.

Keeping in line with this minimalist approach, the costuming by Shio Otani has the dancers wearing costume pieces constructed of thick rope, providing the imagery of veins running through the body. The sound composition and lighting by Robin Fox is also effective, with the sounds heard being reminiscent of hearts beating, blood pumping and life itself.

Despite all these elements coming together so well, I did leave feeling comparatively unfulfilled with Aorta. Perhaps it was because of my previous encounters of Lake’s work where so many aspects of the production are used to capacity to create strong emotional environments and moods. It’s still an interesting and unique piece but not something that I will remember as strongly as her others.

Venue: Chunky Move Studios, 111 Sturt St, Southbank

Season: Until 30 November | 7:30pm, Sat 2:00pm

Tickets: $30 Full | $20 Conc

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

Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On November 9, 2013December 2, 2013

REVIEW: Neil LaBute’s In A Forest Dark And Deep

The breadcrumbs stop here…

By Myron My

Winterfall Theatre’s production of Neil LaBute’s In A Forest, Dark and Deep is an analysis of human behavior and the ugly side of the human psyche, and an exploration of why we might do the things we do…

Here, a brother innocently goes to help his sister pack up her cabin in the woods that she has been renting out to a student. The evening results in a night of lies, deceit and revelations for both of them.

I’ve now seen two of LaBute’s play this year (Fat Pig at Chapel off Chapel) and I have to admit, I am not a fan. It’s as if he is trying too hard to make his point whereupon he sacrifices authentic character development and creates moments where the story just seems to go in every direction and then can’t get back on track. The prime example is the insinuation that Betty and Bobby’s relationship is not exactly “healthy” and as quickly as this is exposed, it is dropped and forgotten about.

I was especially disappointed with the final few moments of In A Forest, Dark and Deep. It’s a basic rule of modern story-telling: the audience is always going to be two steps ahead of the plot so you need to reveal it as fast as possible or turn the tables. When we have already realised what’s happened, having to then watch a scene play out where we are spoon-fed the truth is frustrating.

Michele Williams and Christopher Connelly are competent and accomplished actors but can’t seem to find the right balance to make these people believable. William’s Betty lacks the sexual confidence needed to be able to do the things she has apparently done and the final reveal just doesn’t seem plausible. She is portrayed as weak and vulnerable throughout when really she must be manipulative and narcissistic. In contrast, Connelly as the misogynistic and straight-as-a-door-nail Bobby is too obvious in all his emotions and ends up being one-dimensional.

This production of In A Forest, Dark and Deep does have its moments but the things that are wrong with the performance and the script outweigh these. It’s not the worst way to spend an evening, but it definitely is not the best.

Venue: The Theatre Husk, 161A Heidelberg Road, Northcote

Season: Until 23 November | Wed – Sat 8:0pm, Sat 4:00pm

Tickets: $30 Full | $26 Conc

Bookings: http://www.winterfalltheatre.com

Musical Theatre, Performances, Review, Whats On November 3, 2013

REVIEW: Malvern Theatre’s THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

Mi è piaciuto molto!

By Bradley Storer

The overture of Tony Award-winning musical The Light in the Piazza starts and instantly we are swept away into the wondrous world conjured up by Adam Guettel’s magnificent score (aided massively by David Dare’s fantastic set). As the sun rises on Florence, an American woman and her daughter wander onstage, eyes filled with wonder at the beauty that surrounds them as the inhabitants begin their early morning rituals, sparking one of the most beautiful openings in musical theatre.

The smaller dimensions of Malvern Theatre suit this piece perfectly, allowing the audience to approach the performance on intimate terms that draw us deep into this exploration of the human heart. Under the musical direction of Shirley White, Guettel’s score is performed immaculately and given full justice, and in particular the ensemble numbers (especially in the second act) are outstanding.

As a whole the cast don’t seem to have the operatic vocal size that the music calls for, but their acting under the direction of Alan Burrows is of such a high quality that this actually doesn’t detract from the show as a whole. Gabrielle O’Brien turns in a delicate and heart-breaking performance as Margaret Johnson, a mother on vacation in Florence with her daughter, and her ‘The Beauty Is’ perfectly fuses together speech and singing into a seamless dramatic whole. Alexandra Clover as Margaret’s daughter Clara tackles this incredibly difficult role with a portrayal that deftly balances the childishness and pure innocence of the character, and her struggle to reconcile the desires of her heart and the limitations of her mind. Daniel Mottau gives the best performance, both vocally and dramatically, as Clara’s Italian suitor Fabrizio, finding innocence that perfectly matches that of Clara along with an aching passion and youthful exuberance in a dark-hued tenor.

The members of Fabrizio’s family, his father (David McClean), sleazy brother Giuseppe (Ian Frost), and his sad-eyed sister in law Franca (Leonie Thomson) are all played wonderfully, with special mention to Sherryn Kew as Fabrizio’s mother who manages to communicate all of the character’s open-heartedness without ever speaking in English!

The quality of production and performance in this show are astonishing, and the intellectual and emotional depth summoned would be hard to beat, even by a professional production! A stunning and beautiful performance of one the great new works in musical theatre.

Venue: Malvern Theatre, 29A Burke Rd, Malvern East VIC

Dates: 1 – 16^th November

Time: 8:15pm Tue – Sat, Matinees Sat 2^nd Nov/Sunday 10^th Nov 2pm, Gala Night Sat 9^th Nov 8pm.

Price: $20/Groups (10+) $18/Gala Night $5 extra

Tickets: 1300 131 552 or at the door

Events, Festivals, Performances, Review, Theatre October 28, 2013

REVIEW: Outer Urban Project’s URBAN CHAMBER – BEYOND

Inspiring

By Tania Herbert

In a time when it can be difficult to even turn on the television without a sea of racist vitriol, what a blessing to be able to witness diversity in all it’s forms coming together in Outer Urban Project’s Melbourne Festival work Urban Chamber – Beyond.

Our thematic host for the evening, poet Komninos Zeros describes himself as a “submerging artist- submerged into a sea of emerging artists”, and we are introduced to two dozen very special (mostly young) people who hail from every continent of the globe.

There’s nothing like a confident, smiling young person telling you “you are all my family” to get a warm buzz to begin an evening, and although initially feeling a little like attending a school concert, the smooth transition of artistic piece after artistic piece soon convinced the audience that they are in the presence of a particularly unique and talented collaboration.

Based around the notion of ‘Home’ as a place and a feeling, Beyond uses a massive range of creative presentation to explore this issue, and explores concepts of age, culture, and diversity to remind us that we are all different, and we are all the same. Beat box, rap, stomp, contemporary dance, classical, poetry, lyrical – and a couple of other things that defy categorisation – were appreciated both together and separately, and the merging of people and genres was inspirational.

Were there flaws? Sure. We’re speaking about young people with varying degrees of training and professional experience. But was there an abundance of talent? Absolutely.

As a not-for-profit organisation, Outer Urban Projects includes amongst its values both respect and courage. I am not quite sure what these guys do to nurture such a warm, engaged, respectful and brave group of young people, but I certainly did appreciate the opportunity to be witness to the outcome.

Whilst it’s a short run of only two nights for the Festival, I would recommend keeping this mob on your radar, as if you are looking for an opportunity to really connect with your art or support a wonderful art-based social cause, this is a great place to start. It may not be one of the showiest pieces at Melbourne Festival, but Beyond really does encapsulate the spirit of the best of Melbourne – diverse, different, and truly welcoming.

Urban Chamber – Beyond ran at the Melbourne Recital Centre on the 25^th and 26^th of October (6pm and 8pm), and do visit the website for more info and check out your options for supporting this lovely initiative.

http://outerurbanprojects.org