Category: Review

The Butterfly Club Presents DAVE AND THE PLUSHIES

Cuddly comedy unites stunning talent and stuffed toys

By Joana Simmons

If your face is sore from smiling when you walk out of the theatre, it’s a sure sign you have seen a good show. I am lucky enough to have caught Dave and the Plushies at The Butterfly Club in his “On the Road to 2nd” show:  a bunch of his songs from his first album (1st) and a few from his second. Dave, and his band, the Plushies- a cute collection of nostalgic stuffed toys- make real talk romantic, with songs about love, dreams, pick-up lines and Lord of the Rings.

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Opening with a comical and well-produced music video projected on the back screen – the saga of “Superhero Asian” – I am caught up at once in the clever lyrics and smart storytelling. Dave emerges “(W)apping in slow motion” and immediately puts the audience at ease by connecting with them through his catchy chorus and relaxed command of the stage. Dave introduces his band, the Plushies, which don’t really serve any purpose except making the stage look good. Any band that makes a singer look good without doing anything is a great thing: not that Dave needs it.

This man’s imagination for song concepts is as grand and admirable as his vocal range. The audience is quickly tapping their toes, making monkey noises, and sighing through each song. His guitar-playing and musicality makes perfect accompaniment for this intimate evening, I loved how his audience banter was the right amount of witty and quick and the audience loved it too, participating at the right times and one even yelled out to him, “All your friends are here!”

It’s easy for a show of this genre- one man singing funny songs and playing his guitar- to get monotonous. Dave breaks it up with an animated video clip, this time a love story. Just when I think my ‘warm and fuzzy tank ‘ is full, it’s topped up with light and honesty from the heart. The energy in the room is evident, raised by moments of physical comedy and more songs with choruses that get stuck in your head. Finishing with an energetic dance number “I Wanna Dance with You, Davey”, the audience and I need no prompting to burst into applause and begs for an encore.

When a second season is announced, wait no longer and get to this show. It’s clever, honest, romantic and fun for all ages. With skillful playing, a delightful voice and vocal range, and great comic timing, it’s fair to say talent wise; Dave is a Royal Plush.

Dave & The Plushies: On The Road to 2nd was performed Tuesday 28th of June – Sunday 3rd of July, 2016 at The Butterfly Club. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/daveandtheplushies/?fref=nf

Image by Davidoff Hoanganova

Vince Milesi in LET DINKY DIE

Battlefield cabaret is farcical fun

By Myron My

Friends, cobbers and diggers, Dinky Di is here to tell you a story: a story about war and patriotism and conviction. From his flamboyant foxhole, Dinky opens up to the audience through comedy, cabaret and some interesting dance moves.

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Vince Milesi, co-founder of award-winning comedy duo Backwards Anorak, wrote and performs in Let Dinky Die and he clearly has a knack for the absurd and the farcical. While this type of humour can be hit or miss, Milesi hits all the right marks with his audience, including me. His ease and comfort in playing Dinky is evident, and with that confidence comes the pleasing element of surprise for the audience, as we never quite know what Dinky is going to say or do next

While there are plenty of laughs, the story being told seems to waver at times, with things happening or being mentioned that often don’t lead anywhere, such as when Dinky starts rifling through an audience member’s handbag: why, I wondered, are we as an audience being shown this? Furthermore, I feel there is not enough reflection from Dinky and his thoughts on the purpose of this war. If his dilemma is to decide if he should wait for reinforcements or fight a battle he is bound to lose, then that needs to be explored in more detail.

However, there are times when Let Dinky Die does move beyond the ‘just-for-laughs’ moment and brings to the surface the more serious effects of war. The letter he pens to his mother is not only funny, but also raises the issue of innocent civilians being killed and how they are manipulated or regarded as collateral damage in a war in which they have no say.

As a first-season run, Let Dinky Die is a great comedy show, but if it wants to challenge preconceived ideas of patriotism, duty and war as Milesi states, then it needs to dig a little deeper into this digger’s psyche.

Let Dinky Die was performed at The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne from June 29 until July 3, 2016

Bare Naked Theatre Presents 4:48 PSYCHOSIS

Deeply moving and memorable

By Margaret Wieringa

Sometimes, theatre is heavy; weighed down by the topic, by the experiences of those making it and those watching it; weighed down with every line uttered, every movement. 4:48 Psychosis is one of those pieces: heavy, and difficult – and wonderful.

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Written by British playwright Sarah Kane, it explores mental illness in a variety of forms, including self-harm and suicide. Knowing that the playwright herself tragically committed suicide without ever seeing the work performed adds a whole extra weight and emotion to the performance.

The show is made up of twenty-four sections that seamlessly flow from one to another, moving through naturalistic conversations to more abstract movement pieces, and back. The script gives no specific settings or characters, but it felt to me that there were constants. Director Kendall-Jane Rundle seems to have interpreted the work to have a single patient, a doctor and two others – internal representations of the patient or, at times, possibly forces outside of the patient. Sometimes the patient is aware of them, other times not. The Metanoia Theatre was sparse, allowing the actors to transform the space throughout. Lighting designer Shane Grant used bare bulbs hung around the space at varying heights and these were attributed with meaning throughout – although sometimes, a light bulb is just a light bulb.

Kendall-Jane Rundle not only directed this performance but played the character of the patient and was magnificent in this role. She was subtle and intense, humorous on occasion, and so very real. The script has lines that are filled with overwrought poetry that could easily be melodramatic and possibly ridiculous, but Rundle delivered them with such truth that they worked. At times, it was difficult to hear her, but I felt even this was planned. Jessica Stevens and Alisha Eddy played off each other as the two mysterious characters, often echoing the patient, moving through the space, sometimes still or only very subtly moving. Their performances, both individual and together, were exactly what was needed – strong at times, but able to almost disappear altogether. As the doctor figure, Jeff Wortman was able to infuse each scene with hidden depth. While acting calm and collected, there was a sense that the character was repressing fear or frustration or anger, although every now and then, the professional facade slipped. Wortman made the character not just a tool to represent those attempting to support, help, even cure people with mental illness, but someone who was also a full person, even though we never got a name or much beyond.

Bare Naked Theatre is a new company to Melbourne, set up by Kendall-Jane Rundle. With a first show as powerful and poignant as 4:48 Psychosis, they are a company to look out for.

Where: Metanoia Theatre at the Brunswick Institute, 270 Sydney Rd Brunswick

When: Wednesday June 29 to Saturday July 2, 8pm

Tickets: Full $30/ Conc $25

Bookings: metanoiatheatre.com or called 9387 3376

If you know someone struggling with mental illness, this production recommends  visiting www.sane.org for helpline assistance, information, and donations.

Encore! Presents L’AMANTE ANGLAISE

A dark and compelling masterpiece

By Myron My

Based on Marguerite Duras‘ 1967 novella, L’Amante Anglaise (The English Lover) is on the surface a murder mystery story, but look a little deeper and it is an exploration of what happens to a person when the life they are leading turns out to be the life they never wanted. Originally performed at La Mama, this stage adaptation has been remounted for a second season at fortyfivedownstairs. Having missed it first time round, I was very thankful I managed to get to it now for this really  is a breathtaking production.

L'AMANTE ANGLAISE

The story unfolds in two interviews conducted by nameless interrogators over the brutal murder of a woman in a small town in France. The dismembered body is discovered at a railway viaduct, missing her head. Furthermore, the novella is based on true events, adding to the darkness and brutality to the proceedings.

The first interrogation is with Pierre (Rob Meldrum), the husband of the woman who has confessed to the murder. What transpires is a picture of a man who cared very little for his wife, who can offer little insight as to what could have driven her to commit such a heinous crime, and Meldrum’s portrayal of the detached husband is well-presented throughout and compelling to watch.

In the second interrogation our attention shifts to Claire, where her interrogator insists on finding out what drove her to commit murder. Jillian Murray does a phenomenal job in this role and it is not hard to see why she won the 2015 Green Room Award for Best Female Performer. Beginning as a shy and timid woman it was hard to imagine Claire viciously killing someone, but as the interview progressed, her instability and sadness began seeping through.

The intimate direction and impressively staging by Laurence Strangio allows for the words of the characters to create the visuals for the audience, and creates focus on  the hands, the feet, the eyes and the face to show the characters’ states of mind, enticing the audience to be drawn further into the intrigue and horrors of the story and its protagonists.

In its powerful intersection of fiction and reality, L’Amante Anglaise has you leaving the venue with an emptiness and sadness deep in your heart as to how these people have got to where they are in life. Ironically, it is not the dark details of the murder that have this effect on you, but the utter fascinating character study of two people who yearn for a different time. Unmissable.

Venue: fortyfive downstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Season: Until 3 July | Tue- Sat 7.30pm, Sun 5pm
Tickets: $38 Full | $32 Conc
Bookings: fortyfive downstairs

Vass Productions Presents YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN

Adorable family fun

By Narelle Wood

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is Charles Schulz’s beloved Peanuts characters come to life. From the outset everything about this musical is cartoon-esque and it is hard not to grin like a buffoon the whole way through.

You're A Good Man Charlie Brown

With book, music and lyrics by Clark Gesner, the musical is based on the life of Charlie Brown (Cameron MacDonald) the eternal optimist, despite Lucy (Courtney Glass) pointing out loudly and frequently what she labels as his ‘loser’ tendencies. The key members of the gang are there to help Charlie along the way: Sally (Sarah Morrison), Linus (Adam Porter), Schroeder (Joshua Robson), and of course the forever-faithful puppy with attitude Snoopy (Luigi Lucente). There is kite-flying, choir practice, book reports, a nail-biting baseball game and the intellectual conversation of adults interspersed with childlike behaviour that made, and still makes, the antics of Charlie Brown and co. both subtle social commentary and very funny.

The storyline has been put together through the use of Schulz’s comic strips, so some of the plot points are very familiar. And the staging is in keeping with his art style too: it looks as though to walk on stage would be to walk into the comic strip itself. The sets, courtesy of set designer Jacob Battista, are simple but impressive, making very clever use of frames and staircases to change scenes. As the show commenced, he only thing that was perhaps a bit jarring initially was accepting adults play the roles of such familiar child characters and this may have been the reason the first part felt a bit flat, at least for the adult members of the audience, though there were several kids who found it all very funny.

Once the audience and the musical warmed up, it became absolutely clear that this is an extremely talented cast. It is difficult to pick a standout when the small ensemble is so strong, but I would have to say Glass’s portrayal of Lucy is spectacular. That been said, MacDonald’s sad Charlie Brown made the audience sigh with sympathy on more than one occasion. And while Snoopy was played by human Lucente, he captured all of Snoopy’s attitude and some beguiling beagle-like behaviour as well: if only dinner time was always that entertaining.

Gary Abraham’s direction combined with choreography by Dana Jolly and Ben Kiley’s music direction has resulted in an absolutely joyful production that really showcases the singing, dancing and acting talent on stage. The intricate timings in most of the production numbers were accomplished with seeming ease; my favourite was easily The Book Report, mostly due to how well I identified with each of the approaches to work, and I don’t think I will ever think of Beatrix Potter in the same way again.

The night show might be a late time slot for any little person in your life, but the children I overheard discussing it at the end of the show were so excited at seeing these characters live on stage. Charlie Brown is indeed a good man, and this is a must for fans of the cartoon and anyone looking at escaping into the lovable and complicated world of Charlie Brown and his gang.

Venue: Alex Theatre, Fitzroy St, St Kilda

Season: Until 2nd July, Wed-Sun 7.30pm Matinees: Tues 11.30am, Wed & Thu 10.30am, Sat 1pm and Sun 3pm

Tickets: Concession from $25 | Adult from $35

Bookings: www.alextheatrestk.com/whats-on-alex/youre-good-man-charlie-brown

Image by James Terry Photography

Rachel Rai is MANXIOUS

Engaging comedy cabaret wins hearts

By Myron My

Manxious: the nerves and anxiety one exhibits while waiting for a man to text back. It’s a serious affliction and something that Rachel Rai want to share with us in her cabaret show Manxious. Despite its worrisome theme, it’s a fun show that not only showcases Rai’s impressive ability to sing and perform, but also gives the audience plenty of laughs.

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Rai intersperses a diverse number of songs throughout the evening as she goes through the excruciating process of waiting for a response to her perfectly created text. These numbers have been reimagined in ways that give them new life and celebrate Rai’s versatility as a singer. Her inclusion of some iconic Australian songs would have to be the musical highlight of Manxious, including her audience-rousing cover of John Farnham’s “Pressure Down”. Another surprise was the theme from Home And Away, which was the last musical number I would ever expect to hear in a cabaret show, but Rai manages to make it feel like a genuine, heartfelt song.

The entire audience is able to relate to the emotional gamut being portrayed and Rai’s subtle and not-so subtle facial expressions are particularly fun to watch. Manxious is full of witty one-liners and surprises, including the star’s loving ode to what many would consider a standard late-night item for a truly great weekend. Rai’s delivery of punch-lines feels satisfyingly natural and receives many laughs, especially when she states, matter-of-factly, that she’d prefer her date to be dead than find herself being rejected. Being in the world of dating myself, it would be fair to say that never a truer or more rational thought was spoken

While the space is not huge, Rai manages to not only squeeze a bed, a three-piece band (including a piano and drum kit) and a singer on stage, but she also finds the room to smash out some pretty funky dance moves throughout the show. The idea of this band performing in her “bedroom” adds to the hyper-reality of Manxious, allowing Rai to draw on the smallest of moments and creatively explode them into a massive drama or cause for concern.

Throughout Manxious there were many times when audience members exclaimed “That is me!” and “ I do that!” While admittedly most of those exclamations came from my friends, this really is a strongly appealing show where everyone should be able to see themselves in Rai, and walk away laughing at how foolish we can be when it comes to our search for love.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne
Season:
 Until 25 June | 10pm

Tickets:
 $32 Full | $28 Conc

Bookings:
The Butterfly Club

Arts House Presents TRILOGY

An incredible exploration of modern feminisms

By Myron My

Before Trilogy begins, Nic Green appears on stage to inform us that due to unforeseen circumstances, her co-performer Laura Bradshaw would not be participating this evening. Rather than cancel it, Green has fortunately decided to make some changes to allow the show to work. I say fortunately because Trilogy ends up being a brilliant feminist performance art piece on women reclaiming their bodies and their rights, and it would have been an absolutely shame to miss out on this experience.

Trilogy

The first part of Trilogy examines how women’s bodies are presented in the public eye and how women view their own bodies. Green begins with a humorous cheer-leading routine that eventually turns into a group of about thirty Melbourne women performing a dance with a freer choreography. However, these volunteers are naked and cover all shapes, sizes, ages and race. They dance joyfully and connect with each other, allowing all their body parts to move along to the music uninhibited. These women are proud and will not conform to the expectations that they must be quiet and passive. It is a physical celebration of women and their bodies, of being a woman and of what it means to be a woman.

Part two focuses on the historical context of feminism with use of the documentary Town Bloody Hall, a debate on women’s liberation that took place in 1971 and was moderated by Neil Mailer. The panel of feminists included Germaine Greer and Jill Johnston and excerpts of their speeches are projected onto the screen. Joining Green on stage are Murray Wason, Bron Batten and Candy Bowers, and together they share their own experiences of gender roles and expectations and how these moments shape how society forms. What is revealed is the stark realisation of how much further we’ve got to go for equality and representation, despite how far we have seemingly come.

The third section, which appears to be most affected by Bradshaw’s absence, has Green giving a lecture on women creating their own “herstory”. Using the English hymn Jerusalem by William Blake, which was the official song of the suffragette movement, Green encourages women to reconnect, reclaim and re-frame their gender, which culminates in an empowering and liberating moment.

It is virtually impossible to walk out of Trilogy and not be determined to want to create change in society, regardless of what your sex or gender may be. But Green is specifically encouraging women to unite and explore their feminism, to make a stand, to fight for what they want, what they deserve, and as she declares at one point, “to start your own fucking movement”. Perhaps this is when the next revolution finally begins. 

Venue: Arts House, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne, 3051

Season: Until 26 June | Thurs – Sat 8.30pm, Sun 2pm 

Tickets: $45 Full | $35 Conc | $30 Student

Bookings: Arts House

Image by Bryony Jackson

2016 Graduating Music Theatre Company of Federation University Australia Presents THE ADDAMS FAMILY

Inventive and energetic production of quirky gothic musical

By Amy Planner

That kooky family that we all know and love has been reborn in musical form in this production of The Addams Family, with book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, and music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. Presented by this year’s music theatre Arts Academy graduates from Federation University Australia in Ballarat, and based on the original cartoon characters by Charles Addams, this amusingly spooky tale is witty, unique, mysterious, spooky and altogether ooky.

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This gloriously gloomy tale follows the Addams clan as they find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Wednesday decides she wants to marry the very normal, very cheery, yellow wearing boy, Lucas Beineke. When their families meet for the first time, when basic black meets bright and shiny, something is bound to go wrong.

This off-beat musical was decisively dependent on their creative team, whose unique vision of this crazy family and willingness to step outside the box certainly paid off. Director and choreographer David Wynen and musical director Rainer Pollard proved satisfyingly that what you think you know should never be what you expect when it comes to musical theatre.

The cast were diverse, multi-talented and even controversial at times. As is often the case in large-scale productions, some performers were stronger than others and deserve special mention such as Andrew Thomas as the seductively romantic Gomez Addams, Liam Dodds as the hilariously kooky Uncle Fester, Georgia Moore as the solemn but somehow hopelessly in love Wednesday Addams, and of course Paige Easter as the slightly off-centre and forever rhyming Alice Beineke.

The ensemble is also highly engaging: long moments pass where your eyes are glued to the ghostly figures in the background and yet you are still more than thoroughly entertained. These Addams ancestors, decked out in clothing from various eras, dance and sing their way through the entire show, including most notably the Roman Luke Wilson and Equestrian Rider and show dance captain Eliza Grundy.

These sleek era-styled costumes of the ensemble were the work of costume & set designer Adrienne Chisholm, whose work was artistically distinctive in the face of the extremely iconic image that is the Addams Family.

There were a number of technical difficulties throughout the performance I attended, with a few mic fades, some lighting trouble, a couple of projection issues and a 47-minute technical-related intermission. But despite all this, the performers remained calm and in character and should be commended for their professionalism.

If musical theatre and a little nostalgia are what you’re after, this production will delight and stimulate. You really should go and see ‘em, they really are a screa-um – check out The Addams Family. *Click *Click.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: Theatre Works, 14 Acland Street, St. Kilda

Season: June 18th-25th 2016 – Wed to Sat 7.30pm, Sun 19th 3pm, Sat 25th 1pm.

Tickets: $50 Full, $40 group 10+, $35 Conc, $10 Fed Uni Students (plus $2.50 booking fee)

Bookings: theatreworks.org.au

Image by Jodie Hutchinson

Melbourne Ballet Company Presents EMPYREAN

Be transfixed

By Joana Simmons

Melbourne Ballet Company brings us the second chapter of their 2016 trilogy season: Intention and Desire. Empyrean is taken from the Ancient Greek meaning ‘highest form of heaven’, and described in the program as an intellectual light full of love. The show comprises of three separate works created by three distinctly different Australian choreographers – Timothy Harbour, Simon Hoy and Rani Luther – who have created individually fantastic works that bring life to this lofty idea.

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The first piece “Illuminate”, by Rani Luther with music by Philip Glass, explores the idea that heaven is there to be found in all of us on multiple levels. The beginning is breathtaking. Three male and female couples beautifully weave in and out, using choreographic devices, technical lifts and turns to create a world that is mesmerizing to watch. There is a great variety of movement, the partner work was solid and innovative and the dancers’ musicality and timing was en pointe (pun intended). Set on the backdrop of a projection focusing on the woman holding the lamp in Picasso’s masterpiece Guernica (which represents a world reigned over by harmony and light amid suffering and destruction) each dancer had a moment to shine, lead by principals Kirsty Donovan and Alex Bayden Boyce. You know a dance work is good when you feel the audience let out a breath when the sweating athletes stand still at the completion of the 30-minute piece.

“Zealots”, by Timothy Harbour and with music by John Adams, is a dynamic contrast to the previous piece: the dancers in their yellow high neck costumes, black socks and shoes do not touch or manipulate each others’ bodies, yet still are rarely apart. There are moments of strong company unison, because they were separate you could appreciate the tricky choreography, with its quirky hip placement and arm lines. The music is electronic and choppy, and the powerful sharp movements blended it to make it bounce off the stage. I loved how you could see each dancer’s unique contribution to the work, and how the women and men were dancing the same, powerful steps. Samuel Harlett’s incredible, almost rubber-limbed movements show impeccable control. “Zealotry” is defined in the program as “fanatical commitment and belief” and you can definitely see the dancer’s full commitment to this hard-hitting sharp movement. The 15 minutes feels like longer as it is dense with complex dance.

The final work hit the nail on the head. In “Lucidity”, by company director Simon Hoy and music by Olafur Arnalds, Max Richter captivatingly combines complex floor work and sharp technical movement. The projections on the giant backdrop synchronised with the electronic beats and hard-hitting movement making it a full physical sensory experience. The thing that stood out for me was how there was real connection between the dancers, making me feel them, not just watch them and it was – dare I say it – sexy.

Hoy and Alisa Finney have put together a delightfully varied and high quality production. Lighting designed by Craig Boyes and costumes by Santha King add so much to make this show memorable. There’s a lot of sad things happening in the world at the moment; this is why we are lucky to have the theatre, where we can escape and be mesmerized by stories and talent. Make the most of it, and look out for the Melbourne Ballet Company‘s upcoming productions.

Empyrean was performed at the Alex Theatre from June 17-18, 2016.

 

Gail Louw’s BLONDE POISON

An engrossing and triumphant performance

By Myron My

Seventy-one year-old Stella Goldschlag is nervously anticipating the arrival of a visitor. It is 7am and he is expected in just under four hours. Her anxiety stems from her past as a Nazi collaborator, where in order to save herself from the horrors of Auschwitz, agreed to inform on other Jews in hiding to the Gestapo. Presented by Strange Duck Productions, Blonde Poison is the intriguing yet disturbing true story of Stella and the cost of her survival.

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Belinda Giblin as Stella is an example of when casting is perfection. The accent is flawless, even when Stella’s emotions sometimes get the better of her as she recalls the more horrific moments of her life. The poignant facial expressions and wide eyes made up with the iconic black eyeliner are still printed firmly in my mind. You can’t help but sympathise with this character, but at the same time, she is responsible for the death of thousands of Jews. Giblin’s portrayal of the desperation and defeat enveloping Stella in the final moments of the show are so powerful and conflicting that they leave you wondering if Stella has managed to manipulate yet again. It truly is an amazing performance.

Jennifer Hagan‘s careful direction shows Stella’s gradual unraveling, as it becomes clear that she is slowly losing herself to the horrors of her past: lamps are turned on despite it being morning and picture frames are placed backwards on coffee tables. The script itself, written by Gail Louw, does lose its momentum at times, but Hagan and Giblin work hard at overcoming this with that masterful finale.

The set design by Derrick Cox is well thought-out and subtly links in with Stella’s life and ideas raised in Blonde Poison. The full-length mirror that Stella occasionally looks into and speaks to visually reproduces her inner self-reflection and her external confessional, and the suitcase full of dolls is a constant reminder of not only of Stella’s own child, but also the naivety and innocence Stella had when was doing what she did to stay alive. Jeremy Silver‘s hauntingly captivating score is paired well with Matthew Tunchon‘s adroit lighting design, both which build on the intensity during Stella’s interrogation scenes.

Blonde Poison‘s overarching idea – what would you have done? – is a difficult demand to answer and fortunately, one that we are unlikely to ever face. While it’s easy initially to condemn Stella Goldschlag for these crimes, the growing impact of her protestations of  innocence are difficult to ignore. Blonde Poison is a thought-provoking production that is both relentless and powerful in its execution.

Venue: Southbank Theatre, 140 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank
Season: Until 11 June | Tues – Sat 7.30pm, Sat 1.30pm
Tickets:
From $52.90
Bookings: Melbourne Theatre Company