Category: Review

Dance, Review, Whats On

Dance Partner Productions Presents BURN THE FLOOR

Exhilarating

By Leeor Adar

Burn the Floor is so hot you are mesmerised by the sweat and power of the dancers until the very last number.

Burn the Floor.jpg

Producer Harley Medcalf with ballroom veterans Peta Roby and Jason Gilkison, as director and choreographers respectively, have revitalised ballroom dance in a spectacular splash of contemporary style, colour and energy. I’ve had the privilege of viewing a number of dance companies, but this one really hit the ground in a way that brought audiences to their feet for multiple standing ovations. Decades into the Burn the Floor concept, this production continues to overwhelm and excite audiences worldwide.

You can expect high-calibre dancers from every corner of the globe bringing excellent technique in unique, sexy and high-energy scenarios.

We start in an eighteenth-century ballroom that is ferociously interrupted by one of the most high-energy Goth-glam numbers I could ever envisage. Costume designers Bret Hooper and Sharon Brown turned this PVC masterpiece into a significant shift in tone for the show. Nancy Xu wowed as she shifted her body fluidly in a structured skirt that could easily be mistaken for a hindrance.

Right from the get-go this production is breaking away from the chains of the past and using the very same chains to reconstruct and astonish its audience. It’s daring and racy, and as I watch with surprise my middle-aged mother grin with delight, I know we’re all in for a good night.

The musical numbers in Act One are an ode to the classics in music and feel. We visit the Latin Quarter and later take a trip to the world of swing. These swing numbers featuring iconic music such as ‘It Don’t Mean A Thing’, and Elvis-era inspired dance moves, are where the male dancers really shine – and they clearly love every minute. Italy’s Gustavo Viglio captivated in the swing numbers, but the male dancers overall were really outstanding here.

Act Two rocketed us into the world of Carmen. The classic story of forbidden desire played out in a darkly erotic setting – a ballroom variation of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ played by the band made up of percussionist Alysa Portelli, and guitarists Andrew Marunowski and Jose Madrid led the dancers. The loud and excitable move to “Schools Out” saw the troupe don school uniform, and the acrobatic style and energy of our performers really shone. A standout, Jemma Armstrong, furiously played the cat-and-mouse games of the classroom. Overall, the dancers really delivered such volumes of energy I was breathless merely by watching. This breathlessness continued up until the final numbers, including crowd pleaser, ‘Ballroom Blitz’, at which point the audience was clapping and cheering.

Throughout Act Two were performances by pairings. Whilst some of these were fluid and breathtaking – namely the performance of ‘Angels’, where England’s Lauren Oakley’s physicality was nothing short of exquisite – I felt many of the performances as segments lacked flow.

The Acts were also interspersed with live musical performances by the Italian Mikee Introna and Australian Sharnielle Hartley. Introna brought excellent comic relief at the beginning and close of the show, and his voice overall was impressive. Hartley’s performance was enthusiastic, but the ballads performed without the dance detracted from the intensity and sophistication of the dancers’ work.

Burn the Floor is nonetheless a dynamic crowd-pleaser, and you can catch this relentlessly exciting production until Sunday 15 January at the State Theatre: https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/2017/dance/burn-the-floor

Cabaret, Review, Theatre, Whats On

Clock and Spiel Productions Presents THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS

Better the devil you know

By Philip Edwards

C.S.Lewis is well known today for his series of seven novels for children Chronicles of Narnia, especially since some of the books have been made into very successful movies. But before that. he came to fame with his classic satirical masterpiece The Screwtape Letters, first published in February 1942.

the-screwtape-letters

Hailey McQueen (director, producer and writer) has brilliantly adapted the “Letters” to the stage in what is a most entertaining and engaging production. As a longtime lover of all of C.S.Lewis’ works, I was both greatly looking forward to this play and wondering how a series of letters could be made into a full-scale production. I was not disappointed. McQueen has not only presented the wonderful insights into human nature that Lewis is famous for, but she has managed to inject humour and fun into what could have been rather dry if handled differently. From the very outset the audience was captivated and enthusiastic.

The show opens with the demon Screwtape (Yannick Lawry) assisted by Toadpipe a lesser devil (George Zhao), addressing a gathering of junior tempters in Hell at the annual dinner of the Tempter’s Training College for Young Devils. This is part of a speech taken from “Screwtape Proposes a Toast”, Lewis’ 1959 sequel to the Letters which first appeared as an essay in the Saturday Evening Post.This was a clever move by McQueen as it serves to introduce the role of Screwtape as a master Tempter whose job is to guide his nephew, Wormwood, in his task of tempting a young man who is in danger of becoming a Christian.

From then on Screwtape dictates letters, addressed to Wormwood, via Toadpipe which are then sent by some fiendish mailing system (wonderful sound and lighting effects), whereupon a reply is received which prompts another letter. The process appears quite simple, but the added humorous antics of the somewhat dimwitted Toadpipe ensure that there is never a dull moment.

Lawry and Zhao are the only actors on stage, and they are both there for the entire 80-90 minutes of the performance without a break. Lawry delivers the text of the letters with great skill and fluency. His performance is flawless and I was awed by the dedication that was required to memorise practically the whole book.  Occasionally Screwtape allows Toadpipe (Zhao) to present a section of his letter to Wormwood, sometimes as a blackboard lecture,which has the whole audience laughing at full volume. Screwtape’s frustration with Toadpipe and his antics results in some quite violent treatment of the poor creature which are staged beautifully (at one point Toadpipe’s head is jammed in a stool) and provide a dynamic relief to the dictation phases of the presentation.  Toadpipe is clearly bored by his miserable existence and does a variety of crazy stunts to break the monotony of his life of servitude. Zhao excels in this role and is a delight to the whole audience.

The theatre was packed with people of all ages from twenty-something to eighty-something and we were completely engaged the whole time.   The whole production team is to be congratulated on a memorable and captivating show that has brought the brilliant wit and insights of C.S.Lewis to the stage and to even greater accessibility for a modern generation.

The music, sound and light effects when each letter is delivered are wonderful.  Adam Jones (music and sound design) and Ben Anshaw (lighting design) are to be commended, for what they did fitted the mood perfectly.  I particularly liked the little tune that tied the production together: it had the right balance of quirkiness and lightheartedness that kept the show from being a heavy “lecture”-type of production that could easily have occurred when presenting a series of letters.

If I have any complaint it would be that the season is not long enough.  I recommend that you do all that you can to get to see it before it ends this weekend.  Forget the Christmas shopping.  This is more important.

(If you do miss it in Melbourne it is moving to Canberra next week.  That’s not too far to drive!)

The Screwtape Letters is now on at The Loft Theatre, Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran until Saturday 17th December 2016.  Bookings: Ph. 03 8290 7000.  More information at: www.chapeloffchapel.com.au

Cabaret, Review, Theatre, Whats On

Christopher Samuel Carroll in EARLY GRAVE, FASHIONABLY LATE

Erudite, eloquent and deliciously fast and funny

By Joana Simmons

 Wax your moustaches and tighten your bowties, the dandiest and most daring storyteller has made his way across shores, through jungles and fantastical places to grace The Butterfly Club for one week only. Early Grave, Fashionably Late is a rollicking, rousing, intellectual one-man show set in the Victorian era – a time of tweed and all things twee. Writer-performer Christopher Samuel Carroll is Bennet Cooper Sullivan; fearless explorer, raconteur a charming gentleman, a reluctant detective. He creates a wondrous world with the most colorfully-crafted language I have heard in a while: it’s almost word-porn.

Early Grave Fashionably Late.jpg

Opening with an epic adventure soundtrack and an equally epic moustache, Carroll’s experience as a physical performer is clearly defined. The wordy beginning is not for the slow-witted, so make sure you are on the ball and ready to roll with it as the words drip off his tongue like the smoothest cognac. The ever-so-charming Bennet Cooper Sullivan passes his business card to the ladies in the audience and tells us he is a man of the world, having been to lost civilizations and secret passages, and wound up in Dublin, 1889, where our story takes place. We are darted from word to world, memory to moment, guided by Carroll’s energetic and expressive storytelling and physicality. The plot thickens, amusing asides and witty one-liners leave us in laughter and keep us on the edge of our seats. Without giving too much away, there is blackmail, adultery, murder, lions, cigars and a hilariously mimed penny-farthing chase. Carroll’s finesse is like I’ve never seen and this show is truly classy comedy. Tongue-in-cheek moments abound, but it is so refreshing to see that the art form of wit and fabulous writing is still alive.

It takes a lot of skill to turn a bare stage into a wonderful world and hold an audience’s attention for just less than an hour. The lighting did a wonderful job in transporting us into dens, parks and underwater. I think sound could have taken the show to another dimension – Carroll’s language and physicality did a lot, but sounds like wind in the trees or the hustle of a Dublin cock-fight could make it a full sensory experience. Similarly, Bennet Cooper Sullivan looked delightfully dapper in a three-piece tweed suit; though some more finery such as pocket watch, a real journal instead of a mimed one and perhaps some more ‘things’ onstage, could help give the look of the show extra polish: plus, a handkerchief wouldn’t have gone astray on a scorching Tuesday like the one upon which the show opened.

I am astonished by the amount of work that Carroll has invested to give the characters so much depth and deliver such a wordy script at such a high intensity and maintained throughout the show. I do feel there could have been more time for pauses and breath however, for us the audience to digest (as most monologues are certainly meaty) and for Carroll to give more dynamic and variety in his delivery. That being said, the story structure itself was flawless.

Any fans of Oscar Wilde, Sherlock Holmes, or even Stephen Fry will delight and gush at this show. Writers, readers and story-believers: those who are sick of the song-story-song-story-joke-song-story one-person shows must get along to this fresh and fascinating creation spit-spot. There’s a show in Canberra on Dec 20th, and Early Grave, Fashionably Late on in Melbourne till Saturday. Book now.

Dates: 13 – 17 December

Time: 8:30pm

Cost: $25-32

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne

Tickets: thebutterflyclub.com

Events, Review, Theatre

Boutique Theatre Presents MERRY CHRISTMAS, BITCHES!

Festive family gathering with grim but witty twists

By Joana Simmons

Tis’ the season to be jolly. Or so they say, as for many of us, Christmas can be a time of togetherness, tinsel, traffic, terrible gifts and tension. Boutique Theatre‘s production of Merry Christmas, Bitches! written by Samantha Hill captivatingly reveals all the sides of the silly season, as told by various female members of the McDoonie family on a sweltering Christmas day between the prawn cocktails and rum and cokes.

merry-christmas-bitches

The Tuxedo Cat’s upstairs space was filled with presents of all sizes stacked amongst baubles, stars and reindeers. Breanna (Samantha Hill) held the audience in her hand as she set the scene with her colloquial monologue detailing the family dynamic, tense from Christmases gone by, which wasn’t to be bought up this year because ‘you don’t start shit at Christmas’… but they have discovered a dead body under the shed in the backyard and it’s all a bit weird. The one-liners are comical and the content is well thought-out. The writing throughout this show is extremely clever and maturely takes us down all kinds of deep paths, with great social, political, gender and satirical commentary sparkling through.

We meet Joanna (Ana Mitsikas) the divorcee, somewhat neurotic vegetarian, and outsider. Her individual story is as interesting as the last; it’s not so much about what has happened, but the details about the relationships that get us invested in each character’s story. Caitlin Mathieson’s portrayal of year 12 graduate Greyson was authentic and strong. In her Christmas pud earrings and kitschy green t-shirt, Sylvia (Emma Jo Makay) is the aunty who tries so hard to make everything perfect and doesn’t quite get it and pulls our heart strings as she cries for the 5th time that day – her first Christmas without her Dad. The matriarch, Bev (Jen Watkins) had fantastic and charming – or as Bev would probably say – “grouse” physicality. Truths come to light, some dark, some relatable, some shocking. The audience is captivated. It’s contrasted with eight year old Snow-White dressing scooter-riding Emma-Leigh (Lauren Mass) who is hilarious and dynamic.

There’s many wonderful things that hit home in this show. The structure is strong, with characters I can definitely compare to my family and who were played well. At 90mins with no interval, I did feel it was too long, as the whole time it was only one person speaking at a time. Director Michaela Bedel has done a stellar job keeping the pace through this massive melting-pot of stories, while the show was seamlessly stage-managed by Dylan Morgan. The set of presents by Nick Casey and Alicia Aulsebrook was bought to life by lighting designer Grace Marshall; before the show started I glanced around and couldn’t see a complex lighting rig but what she did with what she had was very effective.

I made it to this show only at the end of the run. I’m incredibly glad I did. It is a show for anyone who has had a not-so-festive family gathering, for anyone who doesn’t quite feel like they fit in the family mould, or feel the need to carry on with all the baubles and bull-shit. I heartily hope it comes around again next year, for Merry Christmas, Bitches! was witty, wise, and well worth watching.

Merry Christmas, Bitches! was performed at The Tuxedo Cat from 7th – 11th December, 2016.

Performances, Review, Theatre

La Mama Presents CLEAVE

Tales twice-told

By Myron My

In 1908, conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton were born in England. About 55 years later, Colleen Burke and her twin sister were born – five minutes apart separated by three years. Burke was born with two vaginas, and her sister was born severely disabled with Cerebral Palsy. Presented as part of La Mama Theatre’s Exploration season for presenting work in various stages of development, and under the dramaturgy of Doug McLeod, Burke’s Cleave explores the relationship that each set of twins had and – despite the decades between them – the similarities shared between their lives.

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Having only completed the story very recently, Burke performs a scripted reading of Cleave while placing a select number of props on the stage. There is a toy train set, a sculpture of two fused humans embracing, a photo of the Hilton twins, and a rolling pin. There are also a number of props revealed throughout the show, which – especially during a scripted reading – allow us to remain visually engaged with the performance.

At times, Burke breaks from script and describes to us how she envisions the following scene taking place, and it will be interesting to see how these various ideas are actually executed. As a skilled puppet-maker and puppeteer, Burke’s main goal is to play both the conjoined twins where she is one twin and the other is a puppet manipulated by her.

Burke’s research into the Hilton twins’ lives is detailed and the parallels between their experiences and those of Burke and her sister are well tied-in. There are moments however, when switches between the three stories could be more closely linked with the theme of the current anecdote being explored, as this would allow for not only a smoother transition into the next story but a more fluid and easy-to-follow narrative.

Cleave starts off strongly with the stories being presented as performances by the various characters within the lives of the four women, and the intended use of puppets. Towards the second half, it seems to turn more into Burke re-telling much of her life and that of the twins’, with little performance aspect to it. While the stories are engaging, that performative aspect from earlier greatly assists in entertaining the audience and taking the show to the next level. Furthermore, it may also prevent Burke from breaking “character” when recalling the more emotional moments of her own life.

While Cleave is very much a work in progress, Burke has managed to create a captivating story that deserves to get bigger and better and come to fruition on stage as a fully developed piece, and I look forward to seeing this work in its next phase.

Cleave was performed between 6 – 8 December at La Mama Theatre.

Image by Michael Camillieri

Cabaret, Review, Whats On

The Butterfly Club Presents THE ROAD TO STOCKHOLM

Riotous funny Euro-revision

By Narelle Wood

It is on my bucket list to go to Eurovision just once in my life. Until that happens, I’m very much content to see satirised cabaret versions, especially if they are the quality of The Road to Stockholm.

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This show has all the drama, glitz and glamour that Eurovision is known for, with some added bonuses such as some international intrigue, and some subtle, at least in comparison to the dance moves, political and social commentary. Boris (Matthew Hadgraft) is a Russian singer, recently separated from his very popular boy-band and hell-bent on becoming an international superstar. Lenka (Jessica Papst) is a Ukrainian YouTube star with a passion for Roxette, and Boris. Boris is so naïve, trusting and overconfident that it’s an endearing recipe for disaster. And Lenka’s desperation for everyone to like her makes her the perfect target for heartbreak. With the help of Boris’s manager, her hairdresser and Lenka’s best friend, this unlikely duo are set to become the first ever bi-country entrants into Eurovision.

There is so much to love about this show. The soundtrack is tragically fantastic with a number of Roxette songs, and featuring the likes of Madonna, Gina G, and a number of originals all sung with ‘authentic’ Russian and Ukrainian accents. Behind all the over choreographed and over danced dance moves, is a spy backstory and a disgruntled child performer out for revenge by taking advantage of Russian/Ukranian relationships, Russian prejudices and Eurovision fans. The result is a high body count and a Eurovision farce. The high drama works and both Hadgraft and Papst are brilliant. The humour is outrageous and self-deprecating and it’s full of great one-liners that are laugh-out-loud funny. While it is based on Eurovision, it doesn’t rely on it so you don’t need to be au fait with Eurovision to find this absurd storyline amusing. That being said, if you were playing the Eurovision drinking game during the show, you’d be very close to having your stomach pumped; the only things missing were wind machines and fire-works.

The Road to Stockholm is a genuinely good time; I laughed the whole way through. Whether you’re a Eurovision neophyte or dedicated fan, or even if you’re interested in what a sassy Ukrainian accent might sound like, this is definitely worth checking out. 

Venue: The Butterfly Club, Carson Place, Melbourne

Season: Until 11th December 7pm, Friday 6pm

Tickets: Full $32| Conc $28

Bookings: thebutterflyclub.com/show/the-road-to-stockholm

Cabaret, Review, Whats On

Emma Maye in GRUMBLE: SEX CLOWN SAVES THE WORLD

Full frontal at the forefront

By Narelle Wood

Grumble: Sex Clown Saves the World seemed like an intriguing premise for a show; the title alone peaked my curiosity. Unfortunately what unfolded over the next hour did not hold any where near the same appeal for me as the name.

Grumble.jpg

Emma Maye emerged on stage as Betty Grumble, made up to look more like a stereotypical drag queen than clown. This was the most thought-provoking it got, as I began to wonder exactly what constitutes a clown. The show consisted of a lot of shimming, slapping and shaking along with some explicit moves and some very full and very nude, full frontal nudity. To say that Maye left it all on the stage is an understatement. While the nudity might be considered part of an act that identifies itself as feminist, I thought the sexual antics were there for shock value rather than necessarily trying to make a statement, or at the very least a coherent statement. There were a number of political messages thrown out to the audience, including the evils of reality t.v. stars, mining magnates and of course the patriarchy. There certainly was no fresh perspective being offered.

For me, the combination of sex-clowning and world-saving didn’t work. The idea of sex clowning seemed to be nothing more than an excuse to turn the cabaret into adult entertainment. There was also very little saving of the world. There was a stereotypical and earnest message at the end that one person can make a difference, oh, and don’t forget to buy the merchandise on your way out.

To be fair, even though I really didn’t like this show, I seemed to be in the minority. There were some very good tone shifts and Maye certainly captivated her audience; a much younger and more alternative crowd than I represent. Maye can clearly sing but mostly favoured miming instead. She can also clearly dance, but for me naked high kicks are something I’m okay with only seeing once in my life. And I think that is another problem I have with the show; the 18+ rating in no way indicates how graphic this show is, and that feels dishonest.

I left feeling confused about the show’s purpose, a show that was only seemingly held together by the very annoying persona of Betty Grumble. In short, I won’t be rushing back, but if you fit the demographic and appreciate the exploration into disjunctive, graphic theatre then this may be, not necessarily entertaining, but an interesting adventure.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, Carson Place, Melbourne

Season: Until Sunday 11th, 8.30pm

Tickets: Full $32| Conc $28

Bookings: thebutterflyclub.com/show/grumble-sex-clown-saves-the-world

Review, Theatre, Whats On

Twelve Angry Presents BACHELORETTE

Satisfyingly dark and disturbing

By Caitlin McGrane

Bachelorette by Leslye Headland is a razor-sharp tragi-comedy that exemplifies what I have been saying for years – we need more unlikeable female characters on stage and screen. The 2012 film of the same name is a classic in my house, although its final act never quite seemed able to live up to the saltiness promised in the set up. This latest version from Twelve Angry more than fulfils those promises.

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Twelve Angry is a Melbourne-based independent theatre company with the specific aim of championing the creative voices of women. In this production, director Matilda Dixon-Smith has created something so dark and twisted, yet utterly brilliant, in its illumination of how society treats women. Bachelorette is fucked up – none of the characters are likeable and, unlike the film version, they are irredeemable in this stage show; I promise this is a good thing.

The play opens as Gena (Rebekah Robertson) and Katie (Lucie Gavanon) enter a hotel room heavily stockpiled with booze and cocaine. They mope about, complain about their lives and discuss the upcoming nuptials of their “friend” Becky (Sara Tabitha Catchpole). The repeated references to Becky’s weight (she is almost exclusively referred to as ‘Pigface’) demonstrates how women are often valued only in relation to their fuckability – none of her high school friends can believe she is the first one to get married. Gena and Katie are kind of fine as characters, but I felt the show only really got interesting when Regan (Holly Brindley) showed up. Regan amps up the chaos and brings back the repugnant Jeff (Joshua Monaghan) and the pitiful Joe (Conor Misson).

Carnage reigns supreme in Headland’s script, and set designer Gabby Lewis (supported in the construction by Nick Sanders, Eva Stacey and Hanna O’Keeffe) has cleverly mirrored the depravity in the play in the set as the place actually starts to fall apart.  Costume designer Hannah Crone and wardrobe assistant Bec Hill’s carefully chosen outfits fit the characters well. Lighting design (Siobhain Geaney) and sound design (Jess Keeffe) was fine, but could probably do with some more subtlety to help enhance the performance. There was a notable and awkward lack of sound in the opening scene, which might easily be rectified.

It’s always a delight to see productions that support women in creative fields (in fact it’s ways good to see women supported in any field), but Bachelorette does something unusual in showing how nastiness and aggression aren’t the exclusive preserve of men, and unlikeable female characters reinforce the idea that women don’t need to be likeable – we’re not here to help you deal with your feelings and/or guilt. Katie, Regan, Gena and Becky are unashamed of their shortcomings, drug and alcohol abuse and disordered eating, but rather than glorify these traits, the play shows how truly tragic it is that we expect women to shut up and deal with this stuff – our problems aren’t any easier just because they’re unseen. In fact that might be the most tragic thing of all.

Twelve Angry presents BACHELORETTE

6-11 December 8.00 PM \ The Stables, Meat Market, North Melbourne

twelveangry.tumblr.com

Bookings: chook.as/twelve-angry/bachelorette

Cabaret, Musical Theatre, Review, Whats On

Vic Theatre Company Presents THE GATHERING

Plenty of charm and intrigue in new Australian musical

By Rebecca Waese

Vic Theatre Company’s The Gathering, directed by Chris Parker, is an original Australian musical about friendship, love and loss inspired by the spirit of the Millennial generation. A group of twenty-somethings reunite in a haunted house to see their friend Tom (Joel Granger) who has surfaced after five years. When Tom runs away again, the friends stand by one another, (think of an Australian Rent meets Scooby-doo and the gang), and Tom begins to emerge from the shadows of his mysterious past.

The Gathering (James Terry Photography).jpg

There is plenty to applaud in this production (with book, music and lyrics by Will Hannagan and Belinda Jenkin) and in this company of young performers who are promising, self-possessed and leave their hearts on the stage. Outstanding vocals are delivered by Luke (Daniel Assetta), playing the camp best friend of Tom’s foster sister Kelly, (Shannen Alyce Quan), who is another strong talent to watch. Quan shows power and vulnerability in “Sweet December Feelings” with subtle and nostalgic references to the particular qualities of an Australian summer. Daisy, (Hannah Sullivan McInervey), shines in her solo, “Hair So Long” and Sullivan McInvervy’s voice brings a refreshing and unexpected Missy Higgins-type quality to the ensemble.

The vocals, however, under the musical direction of Daniel Puckey, are far superior to some of the lyrics, and there are a few weak plot points in the show. A handful of too-obvious rhymes calls out for the guiding hand of an experienced dramaturg. Yet, the open spirit of the young company made me forgive some of the clangers and the performers did well to shroud them with humour and ironic deliveries. Luke’s memorable line to Kelly, “I apologize profusely/ by making you muesli,” struck a playful note as the friends negotiated their path to adulthood amidst the chaos that growing up and apart brings.

There is some enjoyable comic work by Mia (Olivia Charalambous), and a compelling dramatic moment when Tom asks why Luke didn’t help him when he needed it most. Heartbroken Joe (Daniel Cosgrove) was delightful when Daisy’s line, “we’re on a break”, lead to a sudden realisation.

The Gathering captures a sense of the moment today for young Australians out in the world, released from share-houses and uni and beginning to make their way as adults. The big company numbers are exuberant with “Never Ever” re-living the classic drinking game, “Haunted” lit by Iphone-wielding ghost-busters, and “A Different Kind of Love” bringing resolution to Tom and his friends as harmonies fill the space. There is a distinct sense of Australian place in this musical, which, despite some awkward lyrics and plot holes, speaks openheartedly and with comic self-awareness of this moment in time for the Millennial generation. Whether this is your tribe or you want to eavesdrop on their moment, The Gathering is uplifting and has much to offer.

Venue: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Season:
Nov 30 Dec, 2, 6, 8, 11, 7.30pm
Nov 26, 4pm, Dec 3,10, 8.30pm
Nov 27, Dec 4, 3pm

Tickets: $38 – $42

Bookings: 03 9662 9966 or online

Image by James Terry Photography

Rebecca Waese is a Lecturer in Creative Arts and English at La Trobe University.

Musical Theatre, Review, Whats On

Vic Theatre Company Presents THE LAST FIVE YEARS

A performance to fall in love with

By Bradley Storer

A woman enters her apartment after a long day of work, placing her bag on the table and letting her hair down before spotting a letter left on her bed, along with a set of keys. With this heart-breakingly simple image, the complex narrative of Jason Robert Brown’s off-Broadway classic The Last Five Years begins to unwind in this production by Vic Theatre Company.

The Last Five Years (James Terry Photography)-9670.jpg

The Last Five Years is a musical that presents many challenges – along with balancing the audience’s sympathy for two people shown at their respective worsts, the concept of each character’s story unfurling in opposite directions (his forwards, hers backwards) means there is normally no direct interaction between the two characters, eliminating the chemistry needed to make the central love story work. Director Chris Parker has chosen to have both characters present in relevant scenes, which is effective in some scenes (‘See I’m Smiling’ and ‘If I Didn’t Believe In You’ in particular) but less so in others where the apparent silence of one character for the entire time doesn’t always work. Brown’s wonderful score however remains entrancing throughout, beautifully played by the band under Daniel Puckey, with the simple but intricate set by Daniel Harvey unfolding in a multitude of ways to enhance the action.

Verity Hunt-Ballard is nothing short of brilliant in the role of Cathy. She wrenches the heart in her opening song, ‘Still Hurting’, manages to make the character sympathetic and delivers pure musical comedy gold in her ‘A Summer in Ohio’ and ‘Climbing Uphill’ – even in the scenes where she doesn’t speak, Hunt-Ballard conveys powerful emotion with just a look and a cheeky smile. Her performance alone is more than worth the price of admission.

Josh Piterman as the charismatic wunderkind writer Jamie ably handles the early parts of his character’s journey, his whirlwind romance with Cathy blossoming alongside his literary career, and sensitively performs the emotionally ambivalent ‘If I Didn’t Believe in You’ before losing his footing towards the end. The character’s final songs don’t have quite the impact they could (despite a nice symbolic touch involving a memento from earlier in the piece), and the last few moments of the show lose their full weight.

A problem with the musical itself is that it never seems to fully suggest what conclusion or meaning we should draw from watching Cathy and Jamie’s relationship disintegrate – but the final image of Cathy, her face lit up by the elation of newfound love as she retreats into darkness, remains haunting nevertheless.

Venue: 45downstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000

Dates & Times: Nov 25, 27, 29, Dec 1, 4, 7, 9, 7.30pm / Nov 26, 8.30pm / Dec 11, 3pm / Dec 3, 10 4pm

Prices: Preview $43, Full $50, Concession $45, Group 8+ $43, Double Bill $80 (with The Gathering)

Tickets: www.fortyfivedownstairs.com , (03) 9662 9966

Image by James Terry Photography