Category: Performances

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On June 6, 2013

REVIEW: Daniel Nellor’s DISTANCE

Torn apart and drawn together by an act of violence

By Myron My

Directed by Chris Thompson, Distance comes into focus over two parents who are dealing with their son having been arrested after an incident in which another child has ended up in a coma. They grapple with the repercussions of what their son has done, and attempt to deal with their own guilt and grief as parents who have ‘failed’.

The range of emotions that this estranged couple go through are brilliantly played by Margot Fenley and Kevin Hopkins. Fenley’s portrayal of Ellen, who attempts to keep herself together as she tries to fully understand what has happened, is raw and authentic. Her character is in direct contrast to Hopkins’ Andrew, who initially is more concerned about having his boy home with him and trying to justify what has happened because his son is “just a child”, rather than accepting and dealing the situation. Hopkins shows this man (who in his own way is also struggling with the events that have transpired) with great believability.

Daniel Nellor’s script, whilst predominantly a character piece, still has a strong narrative presence. Nellor doesn’t describe everything that has happened and opens the way for speculation by his audience, which allows us to be strongly included in the creative process. His writing is honest and real and doesn’t delve into melodrama. However I must confess the final scene of Distance did confuse me as to how much time had elapsed, and having been through such an emotional experience with the two characters, I felt a bit deflated by this finale.

It is worth commenting on the number of students and recent graduates who worked on this production including lighting designer, Yossi Torbiner, whose work helped create a claustrophobic and engulfing environment and delicately reflect the moods and emotions of the two leads. The musical interludes used throughout also added to the confusion and conflict felt by not only the parents but also (we are invited to imagine) their son.

Distance offers a rare look into the lives of a perpetrator’s family and how this act of violence affects them. It is a strong collaborative production that is well worth seeing.

Venue: La Mama Theatre, 205 Faraday Street Carlton

Season: Until 16 June | Wed, Fri 6:30pm, Thurs, Sat 8:30pm Sun 4:30pm

Tickets: $25 Full | $15 Conc

Bookings: http://lamama.com.au or 9347 6142

Events, Festivals, Music, Performances, Review June 2, 2013June 2, 2013

REVIEW: Melbourne Jazz Festival Presents SNARKY PUPPY

Top dogs won new fans

By Anastasia and Peter Slipper

The Melbourne International Jazz Festival audience was treated to a genre-hopping jazz-fusion spectacle by young US band Snarky Puppy at the Forum last night. Perhaps serendipitously, numbers were boosted for this still relatively obscure ensemble by jilted ticket-holders who missed out on seeing legendary New Orleans band Rebirth Brass Band after they had to suddenly pull out of the festival. However disappointed the punters may have been to miss the Rebirth second-line parade earlier in the day, they were certainly not disappointed by the end of the night!

Vocalist Alison Wedding (who was first responsible for alerting festival Artistic Director Michael Tortoni to the existence of the band) warmed up the room with a short set of her own material. “Too Tight” was a stand-out, reggae-inspired declaration against unhealthy body image.

After a short break, the band again took the stage, this time sans vocalist, lead by bass player extraordinaire Michael League. His whole body became part of the instrument, as he impressed the audience with extended virtuosic solos, and laid down some seriously funky grooves.

Each member of the band had plenty of chances to shine as they worked their way through a labyrinth of constantly changing styles and moods. Every solo was thoughtfully constructed and carefully built towards an exciting climax, and even in their supporting roles, all band members were responsive, showing how tightly knit they are after years of touring. Crowd-favourite “Quarter Master” was a highlight of the night, switching from New Orleans second line-eque grooves to gospel harmonies.

Throughout the gig, time changes and horn stabs were super-tight, but the band never drifted into vulgar displays of virtuosity. A special mention must go to Justin Stanton, who consistently excelled, whether on trumpet, moog synth or Hammond organ. An epic drum and percussion solo from Nate Werth and Robert Searight was musically and dramatically exciting, while never migrating into self-indulgence.

If you like funky grooves, a few 80s-synth effects, and exciting twists and turns Snarky Puppy are one to keep an eye out for!

Snarky Puppy performed at The Forum Theatre on Saturday 1 June for the Melbourne International Jazz Festival which ends June 9.

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On May 30, 2013June 11, 2013

REVIEW: 5Pound Theatre Present 2SHORT RUSSIANS

An excellent odd couple of short plays

By Myron My

With 2Short Russians, 5Pound Theatre has brought two very different plays to the stage of The Owl and the Pussycat.

First we have the Australian premiere of ‘Vodka, Fucking and Television’ by one of Russia’s newest playwrights Maksym Kurochkin, which is followed by Anton Chekhov’s classic ‘The Bear’. With a very capable cast comprised of Jack Beeby, Clare Callow, Susannah Frith and Dmitri Pronin, each play offers a very different experience for the audience.

In the first, our modern-day Hero (Beeby) is a struggling writer who blames three things for holding him back in life: namely, vodka, fucking and television. These three vices (played by Frith, Callow and Pronin) physically manifest, and plead their individual cases as to why they should not be discarded. An impressive entrance by Fucking provided a few gasps from the audience and the use of different forms of media to represent Vodka and Television was quite unique and kept engagement levels with the audience high. Beeby handles his conflicted character with great aplomb and provides significant insight into the problems facing man in the modern age.

With its more classical backdrop, ‘The Bear’ is a farcical tale about a grieving widow, Popova (Callow), and Smirnoff (Pronin) the man who has come to collect his debt. The direction by Jason Kavanagh is quite different to the earlier play with some hilarious monologues and wonderful play with silences between characters.

Pronin triumphantly brought down the house with his fiery Smirnoff and Frith was perfect as the exasperated and mourning widow Popova. Their interactions together were a joy to watch and their comic timing was spot on. Beeby as Popova’s manservant Luka displays great versatility as a young actor and is definitely one to keep an eye on in future.

5Pound Theatre has returned for their 2013 Melbourne season with an impressive production in 2Short Russians and if they continue to provide plays and performances of this calibre, it is going to be a fantastic year for them.

Venue: The Owl and the Pussycat, 34 Swan St, Richmond

Season: Extended until 14 June | 7:30pm, Sat 2:00pm

Tickets: $25 Full | $20 Conc

Bookings: http://www.5pound.com.au

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On May 25, 2013

REVIEW: Barry Lowe’s THE DEATH OF PETER PAN

Boyish bildungsroman and lingering love story

By Myron My

Barry Lowe’s The Death of Peter Pan is a tragic and beautiful story of growing up and becoming a man. Set during the 1920’s, it follows the life of Michael Llewelyn-Davies – the adopted (and favourite) son of Peter Pan author, James Barrie – and his chance encounter with fellow student Rupert Buxton.

Kieran McShane and Jordan Armstrong do a flawless job as the two protagonists, Michael and Rupert respectively. Rupert’s arrogance and brashness is a perfect contrast to Michael’s ambivalence and fear of what is happening, and this dynamic ultimately leads to a first kiss, first love and first heartbreak for Michael. There are some strong relationship-defining moments on stage, including the scene at the Parisian whorehouse and Michael’s swimming lesson. The affection and tenderness between the characters has a heartfelt authenticity, and this is mainly due to the talents of these two performers.

The two are supported by a more-than-capable ensemble cast including Sean Paisley Collins as Roger Senhouse, Michael’s flirtatious college friend. Collins is superb in his role: not overdone and revealing a serious and sensitive side that (when it does come to the surface) leaves quite an impact. Similarly, Ian Rooney’s J.M. Barrie is impressive as he plays out the nuances of a man still trying to live in his own Peter Pan moment.

Robert Chuter returns to the Chapel to direct The Death of Peter Pan and his focus on and image of this production is breathtaking. He has put together a very fine cast and crew, including costume designer Elissa Hullah and hair and make-up artist Rebecca Vaughan whose efforts warrant particular mention. The show does use blackouts between scenes and although I am not generally a fan of these visual interruptions, the haunting musical score by Andrew Bishop was able to keep us utterly absorbed in the moment.

The Death of Peter Pan is Australian theatre at its unrivaled best. It’s always a joy to be enveloped by a production that has brought everything so seamlessly together and its effects will still be felt long after having seen it.

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

Season: Until 2 June | Wed-Sat 8:00pm, Sun 6:30pm

Tickets: $30 Full | $28 Conc

Bookings: www.chapeloffchapel.com.au or 8290 7000

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On May 24, 2013

REVIEW: Heaven at LA MAMA

Teen drama tackles big issues

By Myron My

What happens when we die? What happens when we are confronted with death and begin to question our own mortality? Heaven attempts to deal with these questions when a young girl (Jessica Clarke) is killed by a bakery van and three classmates attempt to bring her back from the afterlife.

It’s only been two years since Heaven was written but unfortunately it already has an outdated feel with regards to its language. I did not feel convinced 15-year olds speak like this – but perhaps I am way out of touch with the youth of today. I do understand what writer/director Kit Brookman was attempting to achieve here, but the switches from child-like behavior (playing with toy robots in one scene) to the characters dealing with profound issues like life after death ended up seeming contrived. The ending left me with many questions that did not necessarily need to be answered but would have benefited from having some clarity brought to them.

I felt the characters could also have been developed more as they appeared to be mere familiar teen stereotypes: the nerd, the goth, the jock, and the brain. Having said that, the cast do their best (appropriately) to bring life to them. Lachlan Woods as Stewart was very good in displaying not only the jock’s bravado but also his emotional insecurities. Another special mention goes to Sarah Ogden, who brings some incredibly touching scenes to the stage as Sally.

Furthermore, there are a number of great ensemble moments in this play, in particular the séance between Max (Andre Jewson), Sally and Stewart, which has some genuinely funny dialogue. There is a good blend of humour and truth in Heaven, with the final scene being quite a touching one.

On the technical side, the score by Tom Hogan and lighting design by Richard Vabre added strong emotive elements to the narrative. When used, they not only created an intimacy and the almost claustrophobic environment that Heaven required, but were able to increase the tension and heighten the mood of what was coming.

Heaven tries to cover a vast array of topics in the spectrum of life and death. Some it does quite well, and others it should have stayed away from. Overall, the admirable acting and production elements are let down by a story whose script doesn’t quite hit the mark.

Venue: La Mama Theatre, 205 Faraday Street Carlton

Season: Until 2 June | Wed-Fri 8:30pm, Sat-Sun 6:30pm

Tickets: $25 Full | $15 Conc

Bookings: http://lamama.com.au or 9347 6142

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On May 23, 2013

REVIEW: RePlay Theatre’s THE WOMAN TAMER

Ambitious production of an Australian classic

By Myron My

Originally written in 1911, The Woman Tamer by Australian playwright Louis Esson has just been given a makeover over a 100 years later by RePlay Theatre for a limited run this week at The Owl and the Pussycat.

The play begins in the foyer of the theatre with a man and a woman (Jack Beeby and Clara Pagone) dressed in period costume, singing a song with a ukulele. However, they are also covered in ghoulish make-up and at the end of the song they guide us into the theatre. The two stand in the doorway strumming away until the doors close, evoking a strong and uneasy emotional response and offering a hint of the horror that is to come.

Unfortunately, I found the story very difficult to follow due to the overwhelming visuals: the choreographed ‘dances’, the make-up and costumes, the music and at times, the two completely different scenes occurring at the same time. Whilst all this was engaging and captivating to watch, it resulted in me losing a lot of the actual narrative.

Robert Reid‘s direction is strong overall, but does allows things to get a little convoluted and left us trying to figure out what’s going on. There are some profound themes in this play including an examination of domestic violence against women, so adding all these other layers and levels to it jeopardized the focus on the issues and created a haphazard experience for the audience.

However, the cast (Beeby, Pagone, Tom Molyneux and Kate Brennan) were quite skilled in their roles. This play is peopled with emotionally and physically-demanding characters, and they were all committed, with particular mention going to Beeby who seemed to relish his character and really gave it his all.

RePlay Theatre have succeeded in producing an interesting contemporary reinterpretation of the original text of The Woman Tamer, but unfortunately have managed to also ostracize the audience in our endeavours to connect with the play.

Venue: The Owl and the Pussycat, 34 Swan St, Richmond

Season: Until 25 May | 7:00pm

Tickets: $25 Full | $20 Conc

Bookings: http://www.owlandcat.com.au/thewomantamer.html

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On May 23, 2013May 23, 2013

REVIEW: Backyard Theatre Presents UNCONDITIONED HEART

Jack and Jill reunited

By Darcy Whitsed

As most theatre-goers in Melbourne know, or should know, the La Mama Theatre is both a hub for creative independent works as well as an extremely intimate space. This was the setting for Backyard Theatre’s new show Unconditioned Heart that opened this week.

The show starred four actors: Vanessa Chapple (Woman), Lily Fish (Jill), Rob Gaetano (Jack), Paul Roberts (Man) and a puppeteer Dan Goronszy, and was focused around the return of Jack to his sister Jill after being overseas for several years.

Unconditioned Heart utilized a lot of different theatrical elements to tell its story, combining movement, shadow puppetry, scenes of dialogue between Jack and Jill ranging from realistic to non-naturalistic and story-telling monologues from both lead characters. Most of these elements blended very well together, however there were times (such as during the shadow puppet sequence) when there was simply too much happening, especially the abstract movement. On the tiny La Mama stage it became almost distracting, and hard to focus on all of the action. That being said, Lily Fish’s exquisite monologue combined with the exceptional shadow puppetry (the stage was cleverly hidden in the solitary set element of a cupboard) provided the audience with a gorgeous moment that in my opinion stole the show.

Lily Fish was definitely the stand-out performance. Her character Jill had such a sense of sadness, desperation and vulnerability in her interactions with the other characters, none of which was explicitly explored in the story but it was incredible to see the nuances of emotions and thought that had gone into her performance. The other ensemble members were also very strong with a lot being demanded of them in terms of the different performance elements that were used to convey the story, such as movement and non-verbal communication.

The technical elements of Unconditioned Heart were very well considered for the venue and style of the production. La Mama is very small so everything is extremely visible and raw to the audience members and this fact was definitely not ignored in the design of the show. The lighting and sound effects were simple but well-used and the scenes flowed together efficiently and were marked effectively with lighting changes.

The costuming was also simple, representing the different characters’ personalities, but seemed a little too random and it would have been satisfying to see a more unified decision or element within the ensemble.

Overall, Unconditioned Heart is a short, sharp, thought-provoking piece of theatre. It ambitiously combines a wide range of performance elements that for the most part work well, but at times seem to not synchronize perfectly. It is carried by strong actors and gorgeous shadow puppetry.

Where: La Mama Theatre, Carlton

When: May 22^nd – June 2^nd 2013

Time: Wed – Fri 6.30pm, Sat – Sun 8.30pm

Tickets: Full $25, Conc $15

Bookings: (03) 9347 6142 or online

Events, Festivals, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On May 19, 2013

REVIEW: The Daniel Schlusser Ensemble’s MENAGERIE

A daring exploration of the essence of a life

By Christine Moffat

Menagerie is a composite of many ideas, combining the real and imagined life and companions of playwright Tennessee Williams. This is experimental theatre, bordering on performance art, something that the Daniel Schlusser Ensemble has become known for. A circus of characters in and around a small, seedy shack create a cacophony of noise and movement. It’s a risky combination: when it worked, it created sublime theatrical experiences. When it didn’t, the result was prettily arranged tableaux better suited to photography.

There is no arc or emotional journey within this show. This type of experimental work is aiming for more than a good story: it is seeking the essence of an event, or in this case, a life. Through a controlled mayhem, director Daniel Schlusser weaves six incredibly capable actors into a tragically beautiful tapestry. Throughout the piece, the cast became a dysfunctional family. Each performance seemed to exploit the personal strengths of each actor. Josh Price (Williams) and Zahra Newman (Ozzie) both delivered powerful, potentially dominating performances. Price was particularly interesting as the many dishevelled versions of Williams. These larger roles were tempered and complimented by the subtle work of Kevin Hofbauer (Frank) and Edwina Wren (Rose). Jane Badler (Edwina) and Karen Sibbing were erratic, tragic and hilarious, and owned the audience more than once.

The set, designed by Dale Ferguson, was almost a character in itself. It consisted of the claustrophobic hut, surrounded by an assortment of rough amenities that suggested both squalor, and the enmeshed, suffocating family that plagued the real Williams. Although not emotionally affecting in the way a traditional theatre piece would be, Menagerie achieves a sense of truth about Williams’ internal world that you instinctively believe. The ensemble appear to have taken what is known about Williams the artist and worked backwards to present a valid hypothesis of how that complex man was created. This achievement indicates the method in their mayhem.

Menagerie (part of NEON Festival of Independent Theatre)
Venue: MTC Southbank Theatre, The Lawler
Dates: 18 to 26 May 2013
Show times: Tues – Sat 8pm, Sun 5pm (duration 90mins + interval)
Tickets: $25
Bookings: 03 8688 0800 or www.mtc.com/neon

Comedy, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On May 17, 2013May 17, 2013

REVIEW: True Love Travels on a Gravel Road

Exciting new theatre is right on track

By Christine Moffat

True Love Travels On A Gravel Road is billed as a comedy-drama, but this interesting new work leans more towards a modernised tragic-farce romance. This is by no means a bad thing.The play was entertaining, funny and surprisingly moving.

The key to this work succeeding (and it does) is the skilful collaboration of writer Jane Miller and director Beng Oh. With the assistance of a very capable cast, they have created a world where the characters can exist and be real. These characters rely heavily on classical theatre archetypes and as a result are all slightly larger than life, leading to many comic moments. Interestingly though, they are also well-drawn human beings, especially demonstrated through the use of everyday dialogue which on the whole made them very relatable. The set (by Christina Logan-Bell) is a stylised, neutral-coloured corrugated iron shed, allowing the location to be anywhere at any time. This clever device results in some great plot reveals that could have been pre-empted if the set had given too much away.

The stand-out performances on opening night were by Elizabeth McColl (Glenda), David Kambouris (Richard) and Glenn van Oosterom (Jake). All of these actors pushed the scope of their performances to the outer edge of realism, but their risk paid off with three of the most affecting characters in both the comic and dramatic moments. That being said, all performances were strong. The entire ensemble filled the piece with energy and emotion, and the audience responded positively to every character.

Unfortunately this reviewer feels that by inserting an interval at a critical point in the action the sense of tension was lost, and it took time to regain that atmosphere once the show recommenced. The play is roughly standard length (90 minutes), and modern audiences are well accustomed to sitting through an entire performance without interval. The production is compelling enough to risk removing the interval to keep its pace, for overall, True Love Travels on a Gravel Road is inventive and fresh, and a great blend of comedy and pathos.

Venue: fortyfive downstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Season dates: 17 May to 2 June 2013

Show times: Tues – Sat 8pm, Sun 5pm

Tickets: $37 Full, $30 Conc, $33 Group 6+

Bookings: 03 9662 9966

www.fortyfivedownstairs.com

Comedy, Events, Performances, Review, Whats On May 15, 2013May 15, 2013

REVIEW: Michael Burke and CUBEHEAD

A show that thinks outside the square

By Myron My

In Cubehead, Michael Burke creates two characters, each with their own existential crisis. One is the eponymous extra-terrestrial Cubehead, and the second is… well, Michael Burke.

Burke fuses the stories of two very different beings as they search for something more to life than what’s just around them. The respective narratives were strong but the transitions between Cubehead and Burke’s tales were a little awkward.

Initially the device was quite humorous, but continually having a recording advising the audience when to open and close their eyes to allow Burke to prepare for the next scene forced us to come out of the experience and reminded us that we are watching a show.

The pre-recorded narration also posed an issue with pace and flow in Cubehead. At times, Burke would be standing on stage, waiting for the narration to be completed before continuing on with the show. Even though he would sometimes be waiting in character, it was very difficult as an audience member to remain engaged with the performance in this way.

However, there are some genuinely funny moments scattered throughout, and a good level of creativity (seeing what Burke can do with some old Nokias was a highlight).

Naturally, Burke seemed very relaxed and more comfortable when he was himself, especially when reminiscing about the ten-day silent ‘retreat’ he went on. The people he met there and things he experienced had us all intrigued and could easily have been a show on its own.

Cubehead is not a performance where the laughs are fast and loud: Burke is not jumping around being wildly animated and attention-seeking. He has a quiet persona on stage and it is ultimately his subtle and intelligent humour that wins the audience over. This is a gentle comedy show that will have you thinking (and surprised four times). Oh – and bring a Furby…

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 256 Collins St (entry via Carson Place)

Season: Until 19 May | 9:00pm, Sun 8:00pm

Tickets: $23 Full | $20 Conc

Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com