Category: Review

Musical Theatre, Review, Whats On

Melbourne 2016: KINKY BOOTS The Musical

Dazzling

By Jessica Cornish

In case you haven’t heard the Tony award-winning musical, I’m glad to inform you Kinky Boots has come to town. Reminiscent of Priscilla Queen of the Dessert, Rent and with a splash of La Cage Aux Faux, this musical was two hours of pure joy, inspiration and all things that glitter. It challenges the broader community to accept all people for who they are (Maybe Malcom Turnbull should grab a ticket?), and for us all to have the courage to be proud of who we are.

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With music and lyrics created by 80’s pop icon Cyndi Lauper, orchestrations by Stephen Oremus, a book by Harvey Fierstein, and direction and choreography by Jerry Mitchell, this beautiful story tells the tale of Charlie Price (Toby Francis) trying to save his family’s shoe factory by creating a new line of shoes for the transgender community inspired by an unexpected friend, Lola (Callum Francis).

The Australian cast were magnificent, giving an energetic and believable performance. But hands down, Callum Francis stole the show. This performer is a super star, his performance was flawless with silky smooth vocals, ounces of charisma and an overall incredibly strong stage presence. He was well complimented by leading man Toby Francis whose beautiful voice and vulnerability translated on to the stage effortlessly alongside Lola.

The music was playful and continuously rolled forward, and contained a balance of upbeat numbers interweaved with some beautiful ballads such as “Not My Father’s Son”, which explores the fallout of trying to live up to the expectations of those we love the most. And don’t worry, there are some more humorous numbers also thrown into the mix with the likes of “What a Man” and “The History of Wrong Guys”, the latter being a personal favourite that I feel a lot of women can relate to also.

The stage was painted with colour and beauty by the incredible costumes designed by Gregg Barnes, and further highlighted by clever lighting (Kenneth Posner), while the sound design was well-balanced and bright (John Shivers).

This modern-day musical is an upbeat, melodic pop-masterpiece that can live on outside of the walls of Her Majesty’s once the performance is done. Kinky Boots is easily one of the best pieces of theatre I’ve seen in Australia for years. If you only see one musical in the next twelve months, this is your pick!

12 October- 11 December

Ticket bookings: Call Ticketek 1300 795 012 or http://kinkybootsthemusical.com.au/

Price range: $60-$140

Her Majesty’s Theatre
219 Exhibition Street Melbourne

Image by Matthew Murphy

Cabaret, Review, Theatre, Whats On

Red Stitch Presents SUNSHINE

Dawning potential as four lives interweave

By Caitlin McGrane

There’s something about Red Stitch that always keeps me coming back. It might be the way their plays seem to be selected deliberately and with precision, or the very, very fine performances that they nearly always seem to produce. Sunshine by Tom Holloway opens with four performers lying on the ground on stage where they seem to come to life one-by-one and speak their lines lyrically and with intense musicality.

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Each player moves in their own world; even when it becomes apparent later that they’re interacting with one another, it’s like they’re in layered alternate universes. I was reminded of the ‘real’ world compared to the ‘Upside Down’ in Stranger Things in the way the characters moved around each other, near and almost touching but never quite. Direction from Kirsten von Bibra was superb and sublime – the delicate and precarious way the actors spoke and moved around each other was masterful. The four-hander cast, Ella Caldwell, Philip Hayden, Caroline Lee and George Lingard, are all tremendous, very much each making the most of their character’s individual trajectory.

For me, however, the writing was disappointing. The dialogue was highly stylised, and for a time it was really interesting and beautiful, but after about half an hour my head began to ache and I found I was having to do a lot of work to remember what was happening with each character. As my head whipped back and forth trying to keep up, I started to lose interest in the onstage goings on.

The dialogue would have been easy enough to let go if the individual stories amounted to more than the sum of their parts, but for my money the playwright missed an opportunity to look at a really interesting relationship between Man 2 (Philip Hayden) and Woman 2 (Caroline Lee). Hayden and Lee had far and away the most nuanced and interesting characters, and their limited interaction showed the kind of writing of which Holloway is capable.

Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention that embedded within the writing is the character of a homeless man who ostensibly lives in the same universe in which the play takes place. He has no lines, no face and is referred to only as a plot device (to do what exactly, I’m not sure). Homelessness is an increasing problem in Melbourne, and it was extremely disappointing to see yet another misrepresentation of homelessness as male, drug-affected and living in a park. People who are homeless deserve better and fairer representation, and it smacks of lazy writing to use people who are already socially invisible in this manner.

All that said, there was a lot to enjoy. The set and lighting were expertly crafted by Matthew Adey – the staging in particular showed real ingenuity. Elizabeth Drake made some interesting choices for the play’s composition and sound design; her dreamy ethereal sounds were reminiscent of Blade Runner. Costumes (Matilda Woodroofe) were simple, fitting the minimalist theme of the play, and didn’t distract from the drama. Overall Sunshine shows great potential, not least from Holloway who I hope will continue to grow and experiment as a writer.

Sunshine is now showing at Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre until 5 November 2016. Tickets and more information: http://redstitch.net/gallery/sunshine/

Musical Theatre, Review, Whats On

StageArt Presents THE COLOR PURPLE

An unforgettable theatre experience

By Sally McKenzie

The emotional impact of Stageart’s The Color Purple is something so very special. It is a show that I have known about for a very long time, have owned the cast album, sung the songs and seen the movie. Not until tonight, however, have I realized how powerful this show really is.

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Most people know the movie starring Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey, which was later brought to life on stage by Oprah Winfrey – this time as producer. The story, beginning in the early 20th century, follows the story of ‘Celie’, an African-American woman in America’s south, facing a life of abuse by her father and husband and how she struggles to maintain her faith in God and humanity.

Jayme-Lee Hanekom is an absolute shining light in this superb production – from the moment she steps on stage in the very first scene as a very young Celie, singing with her sister to the mature woman who leads the whole cast in the spine-tingling finale. Hanekom is absolutely breathtaking in this role, and her vocals are equally as magnificent Along this journey I felt her pain, sorrow, heartache, anger, hatred, joy and the overwhelming love she had for her sister, Nettie (Anna Francesca Armenia) and Shug Avery (Thando Sikwila), and I know for a fact that I wasn’t the only one in tears.

Armenia was delightful in her role, radiating joy and hope in everything she did. She and Hanekom complemented each other perfectly. Sikwila thrived as Shug: her duet with Celie – ‘What About Love’ – was sublime. Their velvet voices blended like nothing I have heard before. They were born to sing together. Sikwila was equally as impressive belting out her song at the ‘juke joint’ – ‘Push The Button’.

Noelan Petero (as Doris), Sasha Hennequin (Darlene) and Anisha Senarante (Jarene) had just the right amount of ‘sass’ as the trio providing the social commentary/gossip as the story unfolded. Their harmonies together were also on point. Kendrew A. Heriveaux (Mister) was consistently strong in his role as Celie’s abusive husband. Vanessa Menjiva was definitely an audience-favourite as the strong-willed, tough female role-model , Sofia. As her husband Harpo, Iopu Auva played the perfect ‘second fiddle’ to Sofia. There are too many roles to mention here, but this is a show with no weak links. The ensemble was brilliant! Harmonies were well-executed and superbly balanced and blended.  Whether playing an evangelical parishioner, a worker on the farm, a native African in the Mission, each and every cast member was completely connected to their character and purpose for being part of that scene.

The set was simple but completely fitting for the staging of this production: nothing else was needed with performances from the cast so astonishingly good. Lighting was beautifully designed by Jason Bovaird and Maddy Seach, helping provide an apt frame for the intimacy of the story and the focus on the personal journey of Celie. Congratulations to director Robbie Carmelotti for his exemplary creative choices. Costumes by Rhiannon Irving were also simple, but appropriate for the period and status of each character. The brightness of the traditional African garments in the second half of the show was a fitting contrast.

Sound design (Marcello Lo Ricco) was exceptional, providing the perfect balance between band and cast. It was the richest and most heartfelt quality of sound I have experienced in this space. Musical direction by Caleb Garfinkel was well-executed.  With the music in this production clearly a highlight, Garfinkel certainly had his work cut out for him – masterfully balancing the leading of the band while also playing guitar and keyboard. Diction was not always clear, however – particularly amongst the singing from the female trio. This was partly due to the heavy accents required of them. I also worry about the female cast maintaining their voices. There is so much emotional belt in this show – which can definitely take its toll. Hopefully an informed vocal coach is on hand.

The Color Purple is showing at Chapel off Chapel from 15th October to 6th November. If the immediate standing ovation after tonight’s performance is anything to go by, this show is sure to be a sell-out. Don’t miss out! I have already booked my ticket to see it again.

http://www.stageart.com.au/the-color-purple

Image by Belinda Stodder

Circus, Review, Whats On

The Wonderland Spiegeltent Presents SCOTCH & SODA

Gorgeous and gritty circus theatrics

By Leeor Adar

The Wonderland Spiegeltent’s Scotch & Soda is a riot of mad-hatter-esque lunacy and junkyard jazz. It’s definitely more than a little something, something, and encapsulates the grassroots of carnival whilst injecting that dirty, depression-era feel.

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Elaborate costumes and performances litter the circular stage and one genius act after other flows, much like the scotch and soda. Having witnessed several other circus performances as of late, what sets Scotch & Soda apart is the style and theatrics presented to us. It’s rambunctious, wild and pretty much guaranteed to have audience members gasping and laughing at the same time.

We are presented with a diverse range of acts which twist the classics. Balancing at obscene heights on even more obscene objects, the performers often use one another with assured physicality to push the limits of their bodies and our racing hearts. Definite highlights include watching a ‘drunken’ tango of sorts between performers turn hilariously violent, and one performer dangle and contort himself precariously over a toilet with mad abandon.

There is however the occasional slip, but I expect this is the usual business of opening night. Hopefully the drum kit will not tumble off stage! Yet given the highly physical and wild quality of Scotch & Soda, there is the expected element of uncertainty.

Setting the night further alight is the incorporation of the Uncanny Carnival Band, which features some of Sydney’s best jazz musicians. The band were evidently enjoying themselves as part of the night’s theatrics, and at one point we were treated to a sax solo whilst a performer spun the musician in circular motions, only adding to the absurd wonder of it all. Scotch & Soda certainly gave every band member a chance to shine, whether it was a drum or sax solo, and a hilarious incorporation of the cellist who at one point walked down the aisle with his curvaceous instrument.

Scotch & Soda is not your average fun night out, but I guarantee you will enjoy every minute of it as you are lured into a world of carnival and mayhem.

Scotch and Soda is performing most nights at 8pm until the 23 October at the Wonderland Spiegeltent (Docklands), you can purchase tickets here: https://www.wonderlandspiegeltent.com.au/whats_on/event/4d558803-8cbb-4351-9218-e2be71c6ff4a

Cabaret, Festivals, Performances, Review

Melbourne Festival 2016: THE SECRET NOISE

Hidden music is brought to light, movement and sound

By Joana Simmons

In our world full of commercial pop music all sounding the same (looking at you, Taylor Swift) we are rarely challenged with sounds that are out of the ordinary. Sydney-based company Ensemble Offspring brings us The Secret Noise as part of the esteemed Melbourne Festival, with concept and composition by Damien Ricketson, and direction by Carlos Gomes. In a performance that sits somewhere between music, dance and installation, the multi-talented cast of seven (including Narelle Benjamin, Katherine Cogill, Katia Molino, Jason Noble, Claire Edwardes and Bree van Reyk) creates a world full of secret music; sounds that have slipped under the rug.

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The beginning of the performance is small pop-up scenes and installations around the North Melbourne Town Hall where we have intimate exchanges with the performers. They take our drawings we coloured in upon arrival, and use them as inspiration for their contortion or composition. It’s a wonderful connection and exchange that gives each individual something different – not “we are performing this for everyone”, but “this is just for YOU.” The audience roams between these, and gathers in their seats. For the next hour, the cast plays a range of instruments – some of which I don’t know the name – but all make interesting sounds. There’s sacred forms of ceremonial music, legally extinguished compositions, a DJ playing an LP backwards, love songs and my favourite, whirling different tubes and pipes around really fast like helicopters that made interesting bird-like wind sounds. Strong fluid and flexible contemporary dancers integrate the interesting sounds and music to bring the whole thing together. Their incredible strength, technique and stamina captivates us.

The well-designed lighting (Fausto Brusamolino) gives the intimate installations at the start a special glow, and lights the full performance in a way that makes us feel like we are in a secret world. The costumes are simple and effective. I did find it difficult to see sometimes, as we were all sitting on the same level and some of the dance was on the floor or down one side of the room, so if you are vertically challenged, try and find a spot close to the front, but there is still plenty to listen to if you can’t see.

It is unclear what the journey of the show is, if there is one, but the skill level is so high and varied that is pay-off enough. It’s one of those performances where it resonates as something different with everyone: some moments weren’t quite my cup of tea but there were many that were. Challenge yourselves to explore something brilliantly different, The Secret Noise is defying genres and discovering magical creative gems for audiences of all ages to share and enjoy.

The Secret Noise was performed as part of the 2016 Melbourne Festival.
14-15 October
North Melbourne Town Hall

www.festival.melbourne.com

Musical Theatre, Review, Whats On

Playback Productions Presents THE WEDDING SINGER

Joyous nostalgia and amazing mullets beckon

By Jessica Cornish

Growing up idolising Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore in the 1998 motion picture that inspired this musical, I was a little sceptical as to how it would translate onto the stage, but from the moment the lights went up I was hooked. Playback’s production of The Wedding Singer was vibrant, energetic, hilarious and oozed with the colourful spirit of the 80s.

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Composed by Matthew Sklar, with lyrics by Chad Beguelin, and a book by Beguelin and Tim Herlihy, The Wedding Singer’s music is what you’d expect, a contemporary/pop musical laced with incredibly catchy melodies – and don’t worry, Adam Sandler’s infamous songs from the motion picture are both there! And if you like gory 80s’ chiffon dresses, plastic crucifixes and curls, this musical has you covered. Stand-out musical items of the night were “It’s Your Wedding Day” and “Casualty of Love” which had electric music and really fun, high-energy movement using a diverse ensemble.

The main cast were all terrific in achieving the difficult task of recreating well-known characters from the screen while bringing their own twist to it. Lead sweethearts, played by Leighton Irwin (Robbie Heart) and Katlin O’Keene (Julia Sullivan) were well cast.  Irwin brought a constant high level of energy to his performance whilst belting out pitch perfect notes, and Sullivan had beautiful warmth to her voice and a gentle stage presence that contrast well to her 80s counterparts. The supporting roles were equally excellent and special mention needs to be made of the musical and comedic skills of Dion Kaliviotis (Sammy), Rosie Alexander (Linda), and my personal favourite, the sassy and flamboyant Danny Nercessian (George).

With such a strong performance this means an equally strong production team. Monica Cioccia needs to be commended for her excellent role as director, similarly musical director Allan Hessey for ensuring a night of strong vocal performances supported by impressive live musicians. And of course what good is an 80s’ musical without some dancing? Grace Madderm was the hard-working production choreographer and also played the promiscuous and bubbly Holly.

Unfortunately, there were a lot of sound issues through the entire opening night, which was frustrating for audience and cast alike, no doubt. It was a shame as some key vocal lines were lost to white noise, or were overpowered by the band when microphones would completely cut out. There were a few missed lighting cues and performers not finding their light, however I am confident as the performers and tech crew continue the run, these initial issues will soon iron themselves out.

This is such an incredibly fun and entertaining musical at a intimate venue hidden away on Acland St, St Kilda. Defiantly worth squeezing into your busy schedule!

Venue: Theatre Works, 14 Acland St, St Kilda

Date: 14 Oct 2016 – 23 Oct 2016
Time: Thu to Sat 7.30pm & Sat/Sun 1pm
Price: $38 full / $36 conc / $34 group 10+ [plus booking fee]

Bookings: Please call 03 9534 3388

Review, Theatre, Whats On

Matchstick Theatre Presents TRUE WEST

Fraternal feuds and open emotions

By Margaret Wieringa

The audience enters to see a tidy, perfectly-kept kitchen and lounge with an array of houseplants on one side and the entrance hall on the other. Haunting country music plays as the lights dim and the actors enter. Austin, played by Charlie Mycroft, sits at the typewriter, working, while his brother Lee, played by Michael Argus, drinks beer and challenges him from across the room.

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Sam Shepard’s True West is a play about relationships and families, as shown through these two brothers. Seemingly opposites, Shepard’s work takes us on a journey where each brother is challenged to question his relationship with each other as well as their place in the world.

And it is a journey that leads to intense emotions for the characters. This was difficult to capture in full in this performance as everything started at such a high level of energy. Mycroft did start the show quiet and restrained, with only very subtle movements, and this needed to be contrasted by  Argus – and he did play a very opposite character – but right from the start, he was loud to the point of almost shouting, not leaving either character far to go. It felt as though we had arrived at the climax of emotion and it took the story a while to catch up. Des Fleming was great as Saul, the powerful producer who could make their dreams come true. He had a cheesiness that only just hid his power, and a flash of that charming smile could win just about anyone over. The end of the play should leave the audience somewhat exhausted, but I think it would have had even more impact had there been a gradual build-up throughout the performance.

Jacob Battista, who put together the beautiful set in a way that could be slowly destroyed quite spectacularly, was also responsible for the costuming. While I felt that the homeless look for Lee was a bit much for the character, especially the rope belt, the rest of the costuming was spot-on in creating a sense of middle America in the late 70s/early 80s.

This production of True West is an interesting and intense interpretation of this modern American classic, and is well worth a watch.  The performance was thoroughly enjoyed by its sold-out audience, and tickets are selling fast. Matchstick Theatre has only been around for about a year, and so far they are proving themselves to be a company to watch.

When: October 12 – 22, Tues-Sun 8pm

Where: Metanoia Theatre, Mechanics Institute, 270 Sydney Rd, Brunswick 3056

Tickets:  $20 – $30

Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=193998

Dance, Performances, Review

Melbourne City Ballet Presents DRACULA

Popcorn, cos-play – and ballet

By Narelle Wood

Melbourne City Ballet, under the artistic direction of Michael Pappalardo, brings gothic and grace together in a recreation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

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The ballet hits all the major plot points: Jonathan Harker leaving a worried Mina behind as he goes off to meet the formidable Count Dracula. Malevolent Dracula decides a trip to London is in order, his vampiric brides attempt to feast on Harker, and of course there are the scared villagers who the heroes encounter along the way that offer helpful tokens such as garlic and crucifixes. It even includes that awkward moment when Mina takes Dracula to Lucy’s party, and Dracula’s infatuation begins, as well as Lucy’s demonic demise. Blood-sucking chaos ensues before humans triumph over the undead.

Overall the dancing was really strong with some extraordinary bits of choreography courtesy of Brendan Bradshaw who also stars as Dracula. The brides were menacing and seductive, often appearing on stage as if out of nowhere. The opening of the third act was one of my favorite ensemble performances of the night as female vampires, along with the brides, welcome Lucy to their fold, dancing in front of an eerie and turbulent grey backdrop. But by far the standout moment was the pas de deux between Dracula (Bradshaw) and Harker (Matthew Dillon), showcasing the strength of both the leads as they performed some very complex and intricate choreography. The other standout was Caroline Pais as Lucy. She epitomized transformation between her two characters; sweet as a human and completely menacing and in her vampire form. Yuiko Masukawa as Mina was also very strong but her character didn’t have a very large storyline.

The costumes were spectacular with lots of color and movement across the stage. The sets were also spectacular but there were a lot of transitions, some of which seemed a little superfluous and distracting, but nevertheless looked amazing. Kudos must also go to Bradshaw for lying in a closed coffin, albeit fake. There were some opening night bugs with lighting and a few awkward moments where the audience wasn’t quite sure whether the act had ended or not. The score was well chosen with a combination of music from Liszt and Rachmaninov: it was dark and brooding and everything you would expect, but I did find the transitions between movements a little abrupt at times.

Despite the horror genre and the dark nature of some of the characters, this is a fun ballet that’s well executed. It was definitely a good excuse to dust off the Halloween costume a little early, and was well-suited for fans of the ballet, gothic tales or both. I look forward to the Melbourne City Ballet’s performance of Madame Butterfly in December.

Dracula was performed from Oct 7-9 at Plenty Ranges and Darebin Arts and Entertainment Centre. For more information about upcoming performances, visit melbournecityballet.com.au

Review, Theatre, Whats On

Bitten By Productions Presents THE CRITIC

Reviewing the play about reviewing

By Margaret Wieringa

Imagine this: you are attending a theatrical performance written, directed and starring a close friend… and you hate it. What can you tell them? Be honest, or be polite? Now, raise the stakes: you are a theatre critic writing for a well-respected newspaper. Ouch. This is the situation that Jamie finds herself in, having begged to be allowed to review a friend’s performance only to discover it is appalling.

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Gabriel Bergmoser hits the spot with his script, challenging the characters to look into themselves and search for their truth. The dialogue had a level of awareness and blunt honesty that made for deliberately uncomfortable moments for both the characters and the audience. The opening scene, with Susan reading a scathing and horrible review must have had creative folk in the audience cringing with familiarity, or perhaps just enjoying that it is about a fictional performance.

Director Ashley Tardy has gathered a strong cast who work well to capture the warring personalities onstage. Jamie, played by Louise Cocks, talks her thought process out while balancing on the edge of self-confidence and anxiety. Her high-energy performance captures the stress of Jamie fighting her way through this dilemma, and is beautifully countered by the hardened, cut-throat attitude of her boss. In this role, Angelique Malcolm struts the stage, owning it and everyone on it. She can own another character with a single glance – and knows it. Then there is Emma: as cocksure and self-centred as any performer putting on a solo piece, but also overly sensitive and self-deluding. Alicia Beckhurst captures the intense emotional state of Emma, from post-performance high to the anger of feeling betrayed. Thank goodness for Ellie, Jamie’s housemate who has seen the performance and been along for the ride.  She provides much needed humour to break up the tension (or sometimes, to add a whole extra level of stress). Rosie Flanagan delivers her hilarious dialogue with great timing, punctuating the piece.

My only real issue with the performance was that it felt rushed. As a very dialogue-heavy piece, much of it needed to slow down and allow the audience to keep up. My favourite moment of the performance was watching Jamie and Ellie react to the magnificently strange noises being created off-stage by Emma as she performs her terrible show – beautiful teamwork and absolutely hilarious.

Where: Club Voltaire, 14 Raglan St, North Melbourne

When: October 6-15, 7pm

Tickets: $18-$20

Book: www.trybooking.com or acopa.com.au/voltaire.

Music, Performances, Review

Tinalley String Quartet and John Bell in SPEAK LESS THAN YOU KNOW

The letters of Beethoven, alive in words and music

By Leeor Adar

A Tinalley String Quartet and John Bell collaboration is an iconic pairing that would excite any theatre or classical music aficionado.

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Tinalley’s Adam Chalabi (1st violin), Lerida Delbridge (2nd violin), Justin Williams (viola) and Michelle Wood (cello) are exceptional. Thirteen years of performing worldwide and multiple awards later, it is unsurprising Tinalley have reached the status of one of ‘Melbourne’s Most 100 Influential People’. The precision, intensity and elegance of their music do justice to the brilliance of Felix Mendelssohn and Ludwig van Beethoven.

Tinalley first treat us to Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in a minor, Opus 13. Without a doubt, this is Mendelssohn’s journey through the soaring heights of passionate love. Further inspired by the passing of Beethoven, Mendelssohn’s Opus 13 features the occasional tribute to the old master, whilst carving his own fervour into the Quartet tradition.

One can imagine walking in the night air, bathed in the moonlight during the Adagio – Allegro vivace. Into the second movement, the Adagio non lento, there is a maddening energy that is both overwhelming and reminiscent of Beethoven’s Quartet, Opus 95. Succumbing to the varying moods of Mendelssohn’s romantic Quartet so far, the third movement, Intermezzo: Allegretto con moto – Allegro di molto, is an insistent melody that intertwines rapturously. The dazzling Quartet closes with the intensity of Beethoven’s leaning, and forms an amalgamation of all previous movements with Mendelssohn’s distinct flair.

When Tinalley finishes the Quartet, I am under Mendelssohn’s spell. It is fitting that Mendelssohn’s Quartet, so inspired by Beethoven, should be the splendid gatekeeper to Beethoven and his letters.

Enter Bell, letters in hand.

Bell’s timeless, cool voice embodies Beethoven’s deeply personal letters, reflecting his tempestuous temperament. From the earnest longing for the company of his friend Karl Amenda at age 31, to a different kind of longing for his Immortal Beloved at age 42, the insight into Beethoven’s lonely, and intense emotional inner life is palpable. It is not difficult to hear how Beethoven’s music reflected the torment and passion he experienced within himself.  The audience was given some comic relief in Beethoven’s letters to his nephew’s boarding school owner. The letters show the intensity of Beethoven’s hatred towards his sister-in-law, and later, a copyist who dared fail his expectations.

Interspersed amongst the reading of the letters, Tinalley performs Beethoven’s String Quartets, with each reflecting the mood of the letters read by Bell. Conceptually devised by Anna Melville, Melville brought Beethoven to life in a way that his music alone could only do in suggestion. The rich insight his letters provide confirm the temperament of the man who shared so much in his music.

Speak Less Than You Know was an outstanding and enjoyable insight into the Quartets of two masters. I, like others in the audience, left the Melbourne Recital Centre with a renewed passion for the men and their music that existed almost two hundred years before us.

‘Speak Less Than You Know’ was performed at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Recital Centre across three nights.