Category: Review

Musical Theatre, Performances, Review

REVIEW: Life Like Company Presents CITY OF ANGELS

Cy Coleman’s classic beautifully and stylishly revisited

By Myron My

Life Like Company‘s 2015 production has been the much-loved, Tony-Award-winning musical comedy thriller, City of Angels. Paying homage to the 1940s era of film noir while also taking a swipe at the Hollywood film industry, it is a heavily engaging and engrossing meta-story of betrayal, love, passion and murder.

Dress rehearsal photo from the Life Like Company production of City of Angels. Photography by Ben Fon - http://fon.com.au
Dress rehearsal photo from the Life Like Company production of City of Angels. Photography by Ben Fon – http://fon.com.au

Despite being first performed 26 years ago, the book by Larry Gelbart still come across as fresh and relevant. It may admittedly be a little politically incorrect and chauvinistic for current times (despite being mediated through characters we’re invited to critique) but the cheeky wit and cleverness of the script and the direction of Martin Croft ensure you still enjoy watching the relationships being depicted on stage. Led by Musical Director Kellie Dickerson, the live band superbly bring to life the upbeat challenging jazz score by Cy Coleman, and the cast certainly do justice to David Zippel’s sharp lyrics in their performances.

For those unfamiliar with the work, City of Angels offers two stories simultaneously told on stage. In one, mystery writer Stine (Anton Berezin), is attempting to perfect his latest film noir script while at the mercy of Hollywood film mogul, Buddy Fidler (Troy Sussman). In contrast, the second story (depicted entirely in black and white costumes and set pieces) has the audience entering Stine’s fiction where private investigator Stone (Kane Alexander) is hired by Alaura Kingsley (Anne Wood) to locate her missing stepdaughter and from there on, the plot thickens and the lines between reality and fantasy start blurring.

The whole cast is exemplary in their portrayals of their characters, including elegant body language and accents, with many playing dual roles as they cross over between stories. Berezin and Alexander are highly entertaining to watch as each character faces his own personal struggles, as well as having to deal with each other. Their famous duet, “You’re Nothing Without Me” is a powerhouse number and stays with you long after the curtain drops.

Amanda Harrison as Donna and Oolie, while not having much stage time, is a consummate scene-stealer and her spectacular renditions of “You Can Always Count On Me” and “What You Don’t Know About Women” (with Chelsea Plumley) are highlights of the evening. Wood is a superb choice as the sultry femme fatale Alaura and her chemistry with Alexander has you hanging off their every word and action.

City of Angels has much love and respect for the film noir genre while poking fun at its tropes. This particular production is a sharp and highly amusing show with some stunning performances from its cast. The only thing criminal about Life Like Company‘s latest theatrical creation is that it is on for only four nights, as many more people should be given the opportunity to experience its bite and brilliance.

City of Angels was performed at the Arts Centre between 5 – 8 November 2015.

Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Platform and Straightjacket Productions Presents SOMEONE LIKE THOMAS BANKS

What we dare and defy defines us

By Myron My

Meet Thomas Banks: he is 24, gay and single – but hopefully not for too long. He also lives with cerebral palsy. Beginning as a short piece in 2010 that has since been developed to this full-length and predominantly one-man show, Someone Like Thomas Banks focuses on Bank’s own experiences with online dating, hook-ups, and not only discovering his own voice and identity but holding on to it.

Someone Like Thomas Banks

Banks uses a variety of cleverly executed multimedia tools to share his story, such as projected text, a Lightwriter, animation, social media and pre-filmed segments. The projections of closing doors throughout the show speak volumes as to the rejection that Banks faces in his want for love. At another point, an audience member reads out Banks’ experience of being bullied as a student on the school bus. As this is happening (and in relation to the story), Banks augments the narrative by walking around the stage dropping coins on the floor, clearly showing his resilience and determined nature.

Banks depicts a number of relationships to show the various sides of his personality. Scenes with his psychologist provide the opportunity for Banks to share intimate moments of his life, while the conversations with his mother show his vulnerability and loving nature. Despite the story being a little repetitious during the first half of the show, its use of different media and contexts prevents the audience from ever feeling the pace is slowing down.

Bank’s personable nature and outgoing manner shine throughout, especially when he greets each of the audience “volunteers” with a hug and a selfie. However, when he delves into darker territory, and sometimes unexpectedly so, our instinct is to dwell on that and wonder how he overcame such adversity. Banks chooses not to focus on these stories any longer than necessary though, and moves on to better things, as if to emphasise bad things do and will continue happen, but these moments only define us if we let them.

Someone Like Thomas Banks is not about a gay man living with a disability looking for love. It is a story about a someone like all of us, looking for love, looking to connect with other people. It is a well-crafted and appealing reminder to enjoy the life we have, to take chances, and have fun with everything we do. We should all be fortunate enough to have the outlook in life of someone like Thomas Banks.

Venue: fortyfive downstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Season: Until 8 November | Wed- Sat 8:00pm, Fri 10am, Sat-Sun 5pm

Tickets: $40 Full | $20 Conc

Bookings: fortyfive downstairs

Image by Gemma Osmond

Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Little Ones Theatre Presents DRACULA

Bloody and beguiling

By Myron My

Little Ones Theatre is back with bite in their nearly all-female, silent production of Stoker’s classic 1897 gothic horror story Dracula. It is a brilliant homage to previous cinematic adaptations of the novel, with nods to Bela Legosi, Gary Oldman and Catherine Deneuve, while also including the company’s trademark exploration of sexuality and queerness.

Dracula - Amanda McGregor and Zoe Boeson -photo by Sarah Walker

The seductive Dracula is ‘brought to life’ by Alexandra Aldrich and Catherine Davies, with Davies playing a more youthful transformation of the bloodsucker. As one expected with films made during the silent era, on-screen performances need to be more emphatic and expressive, and on stage, Aldrich and Davies (like the rest of the cast) do not falter. Under the strong direction of Stephen Nicolazzo, their movements and actions are large and telling while still maintaining a menacing air of mystery around Dracula.

Janine Watson as Jonathan Harker, Mina Murray’s fiancé, who in turn is the obsession of Dracula, convincingly shows the emotional turmoil her character goes through, beginning with his initial hapless meeting with the Count. The only male cast member, Kevin Kiernan Molloy certainly nails it (so to speak) as vampire hunter Van Helsing. Molloy portrays him with much bravado and machismo as here to save the day, but ultimately it is he who poses a threat to those around him; intriguing in this case, he is shown to be the destabilising force.

All the various stage elements of this production seamlessly come together and work extremely well in supporting each other. Katie Sfetkidis‘ dramatic lighting design is a highlight with some memorable moments created from its play with darkness and shadows. Along with Daniel Nixon‘s original score, the emotion of both music and light heighten the tension as the story builds to its climatic conclusion. The sparkling all-black stage design by Eugyeene Teh paired with Tessa Leigh Wolffenbuttel Pitt’s and Teh’s mostly black-and-white costume designs pay further homage to the silent film era.

The Little Ones Theatre‘s winning streak of creating unique theatrical experiences therefore continues here with this production of Dracula. While we may be familiar with the gothic and erotic nature behind the famous story, the striking camp and queer elements the company explores ensures that this retelling retains a high level of surprises and entertainment for audiences.

Venue: Theatreworks, 14 Acland St, St Kilda

Season: Until 14 November | Wed- Sat 8:00pm

Tickets: $35 Full | $25 Conc

Bookings: Theatreworks

Image by Sarah Walker

Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Avid Theatre Presents TENDER

Abandonment, emotion and mystery unfold

By Myron My

We all love, have loved and have lost: these are the times where we are at our happiest, but also then our saddest and most vulnerable. But when you open up to someone and plan a life together, what happens if your partner strangely disappears and you have no memory of what happened? Presented by Avid Theatre and written by Nicki Bloom, Tender is a tale of moving on when it seems impossible to do so.

Tender

The past/present/future structuring of the narrative is used effectively with scenes shifting adroitly between before the event, the night of the event and after the event. This gradually provides pieces of information to the audience to draw us into the unfolding narrative, and also shows the characters in different and revealing lights. This in turn builds on the intense emotional states explored throughout Tender, which would prove challenging and rewarding roles for any actor to take on.

Unfortunately on the evening I attended, Tania Knight and A.J Steele as Sarah and Michael never seemed to quite grasp the complexity of their characters, especially with the difficulties of Sarah. This was their preview night so understandably, nerves may well have been the cause here, but I felt there were not enough nuances in their respective characterisations and the ensuing lack of chemistry between the two resulted in lessened emotional investment for me in the audience. Hopefully the actors can find that spark as the season progresses, as there is certainly potential there. On the other hand, Josie Eberhard and Peter Hatherley’s portrayals as Yvonne and Patrick are highly convincing as the desperate parents trying to find out what happened to their son. Theirs is a very natural and instinctive dual performance that resonated strongly.

Despite its compelling premise, the prose of Bloom’s script is quite difficult to connect with its constant shift between full sentences and natural conversations to rapid firings of short incomplete dialogue. For most of the show, I felt this prevents the characters from coming across as real people going through a genuine loss, which was an additional pressure for the performers. Many scenes are also question after question, and while I don’t expect everything to be revealed, it is frustrating when you can’t even have one answer.

Tender is an ambitious piece of theatre, both in its writing and in the demands on the actors. While the promise of these  aspects in this preview performance from Avid Theatre is not quite there, as the actors become more comfortable with the text and each other, I am confident this will improve greatly.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne
Season: Until 25 October | Thur – Sat 7pm, Sun 6pm
Tickets: $32 Full | $28 Conc
Bookings: The Butterfly Club

Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Melbourne Writers’ Theatre Presents THE MELBOURNE MONOLOGUES

Six glimpses into secret lives

By Margaret Wieringa

Melbourne Writers’ Theatre has been around since the early eighties, with a vision of developing Australian plays and playwrights, and The Melbourne Monologues is part of their annual Page to Stage season. Six monologues were featured, performed by five actors, all directed by MWT Resident Director and Dramaturg Elizabeth Walley.

Melbourne Monologues

Each monologue was extremely different to the others, yet there were some strong similarities; damaged people, often putting on a strong face to the world whilst things fall apart behind. At times, the performances could have used more space to let the drama of each situation settle. Certainly, each performer captured a particular essence of the character and while no character was totally lovable, the audience was on the side of each and every one. Christine Croydon’s take on Post Traumatic Shock Disorder in returning soldiers, with Alec Gilbert as the soldier attempting to settle back into civilian life, churned from calm and almost collected to explosive outbursts of distress and anger. Similarly, I’m a Certainty by Bruce Shearer had Sean Paisley-Collins, a wannabe winner lurching from affable and hopeful to aggressive and pained.

Lost saw Miliyana Cancar playing a somewhat undefined character who seemed to be totally in control and yet without any power at all, and it seemed the ambiguity in the writing allowed Cancar to take the character wherever she wanted. Many of us have experienced the Cry of a Forgotten Woman – whether it be dementia, or abuse, or simply age and incapacity, the plight of the aging woman is often ignored, and it was curious to see Brenda Palmer play a woman who celebrated both the good and tragic parts of her past.

It is always a challenge to have a character that is quite unlikable pluck at our heartstrings. Carmen Saarelaht has written a woman who has a powerful husband and stands by his side, regardless of her regrets. Carolyn Masson played up both the strengths and flaws of the character, but for me she took the night with her delivery of her final line.

The evening was rounded off with the humorous I Love You, written by Neil McGovern. Alec Gilbert returned to the stage rapidly firing lines through a wire door to a mysterious, unseen character who he both loved, yet could not let in.

It’s important to support these emerging and established playwrights, and I looked forward to seeing where their future endeavours take them.

Where: The Carlton Courthouse Theatre
When: Tuesday October 20 – Sunday October 25
Tickets: $20-$25
http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=156074

Festivals, Music, Review

REVIEW: Melbourne Festival Presents KATIE NOONAN’S VANGUARD

Evocative, experimental and enthralling

By Jessica Cornish

Kicking off her 2015 national tour promoting her latest crowd-funded record, Katie Noonan performed last weekend at Melbourne Festival’s Foxtel Hub. Back to her roots and travelling with trio of talented band mates Stu Hunter (keys), Declan Kelly (drummer), and Peter Koopman (guitarist), now known as Vanguard,  Noonan and her musicians performed a beautiful late-night set in the heart of Melbourne.

Katie Noonan

Armed with her percussive wooden cylinder, drum sticks, keyboard and an array of gaudy silver-animal bling, she belted out a mix of originals from her latest album Transmutant and some older songs such as ‘Sweet One’ written with world-famous artist Sia when they were both living in L.A. a decade ago, struggling with the image-obsessed and at times brutal music industry, and realising that they were part of each other’s strongest support networks.

It was definitely not your typical pop set – or even jazz for that matter, and I couldn’t even hum you back any melody featured in her songs. I think her works are best described as a mix of electronic pop-like ballads, incorporating many different textures of sounds and rhythm using synthesisers and pedal effects. At times the songs seemed to drift aimlessly with no real sense of purpose or direction and on reflection many of the songs seemed similar and merged into each other. However all her songs appeared to be of a highly personal nature and were reflections on those close to her life. She expressed her love for her two sons and their ability to find joy in daily life, and her distress dealing with the grief of the steady deterioration of her father’s health. Noonan’s voice is definitely a highlight of the performance, truly a stunning instrument and as perfect as any polished recording you could hear playing. She has a breathy, yet gutsy voice gliding in to her higher vocal range, so ultimately her songs trap you in the moment, and left me listening intently to every word and note she produced. To be honest it was hard to concentrate on anything else that was going on, including the funky LED-panelled backdrop and flashing lights.

Through out the evening Katie was incredibly engaging and honest with us as her audience. The night seemed more like a cabaret, providing insight in to the singer’s life and the people who surround her in everyday situations. She took the time to explain the backstory to all her songs (and I even learnt that the German super market ALDI never play music in their stores because they don’t want to pay licencing fees). That tale of continuous silence was even the springboard for another one of Katie’s latest musical creations featured in the hub that evening. Her interaction with her band mates was also really genuine and their close rapport was really nice to watch, as so often musicians go unnoticed by their well-known vocalists. She even performed a song she had written as a wedding gift for Hunter.

The Foxtel Hub was a great venue, it was intimate, had a punchy lighting rig and really clear, high quality sound. It was a real treat to see such an iconic Australian performer as part of the Melbourne Festival, and to top it off, while waiting for the doors to open, my Dad and I were inundated with complimentary alcohol and food tastings from local Melbourne restaurants. A lovely night out in all.

http://katienoonan.com/

Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Melbourne University Shakespeare Company Presents THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

Ambitious production has deliberate sting

By Caitlin McGrane

For my money, The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare’s most challenging plays for modern audiences; it is difficult to reconcile what is essentially the story of a strong women being abused and subjugated into an emotional wreck with modern politics and female emancipation. Melbourne University’s Shakespeare Company’s production of the play is an ambitious undertaking that seeks to draw out the darkness beneath the humour that so often goes unnoticed and shine a bright and unflinching spotlight on domestic violence.

The Taming of the Shrew

The story is that five suitors compete for the love of the two Minola sisters; one, Bianca (Bridie Pamment) is a mild-mannered ingénue, and the other Katerina (Amelia Burke) is ‘shrewish’ and tempestuous. Their mother has decreed that Bianca may only marry when Katerina is wed, which may prove a difficult task because she likes to shout at men and doesn’t consider any of them interesting enough to bother with (Katerina and I have this pastime in common).

The whole cast did an excellent job with a difficult text and an even more challenging brief. Shakespearean text is thorny, because each performer needs to be on the same page, feeding off other cast members, while delivering their own lines with vim and vigour. There were moments during the performance where the performers fell slightly short of this – acting well as individuals, but not quite forming a cohesive whole. Katerina and Petruchio (Lewis McDonald) worked well together, and I particularly enjoyed McDonald’s Australiana-inflected interpretation of the male protagonist.

While the production was well directed by Fiona Spitzkowsky and Declan Mulcahy, I found the play overlong and tonally uneven in places when Katerina’s abuse became almost unbearable to watch. Certainly this kind of frankness can be a useful device, but in my mind modern audiences have seen abuse on stage and screen enough times to know what it looks like. It would moreover have been good to focus on one thing happening on stage at a time; sometimes it felt like Lucientio (Oscar Shaw) was in a play of his own creation. The minimalist set was well designed by Gabrielle Lewis, and the lighting (Jaiden Leeworthy) was used to great effect. Costume designer Bec Poynton also did a terrific job injecting modernity into the outfits referenced in the script.

I enjoyed the play more thinking about it after I left the theatre, when I could appreciate its creative ambitions. It will certainly be interesting to see what else the cast and crew go on to do.

The Taming of the Shrew is showing at the Guild Theatre in Union House at the University of Melbourne until 24 October. Tickets: http://goo.gl/kUGjLZ

Performances, Review, Theatre

REVIEW; La Mama Theatre Presents US

Polished and poignant new work

By Myron My

Presented as part of La Mama Theatre‘s Explorations season of works in various stages of development, Margaret Hickey’s Us provides an insight into six very different lives bound by one thing in common, a connection to others. Through six ten-minute monologues, these stories are explored in a light-hearted yet truthful way that has us questioning what it is we are seeking from other people.

Us

Hickey has struck gold in assembling the cast that she has for this show. Natalie Carr, Travis McMahon, Ned Napier, Daniel Rice, Sally-Anne Upton and Janet Watson Kruse all find the essence of their characters and their individual displays of equal bravado and vulnerability are perfectly captured. It is clear that each has put in much thought as to how their particular character carries themselves, and their individual state of mind.

Of course, the great acting is complemented by Hickey’s strong writing. Each story begins somewhat predictably with the actors playing to the stereotype of their character, however Hickey creates a twist to each story that has us considering these people in a very different light. There is an incredible emotional depth to the monologues that allows us to connect with each and every story.

Hickey ensures the idea of an “us” is felt throughout the show and highlighted by her call-backs and references to the other monologues. There are a number of characters who mention football or scrap-booking for example, and at one point, Upton refers to herself as an “old bird” and soon after we are introduced to Rice’s character who is a bird-watcher. It is this elegant attention to the smaller things that help make Us such a rich and rewarding piece of theatre.

The direction by Matthew Emond further pushes this idea of interconnectedness with all characters remaining on stage for the whole show. They are always present, surrounding the individual whose story it is, watching and listening just as intently as we are.

It’s hard to believe Us still a work in development because this production seems to be almost flawless. It is a beautiful piece  that explores humanity and what it is that connects us with other people. You can’t help but walk out of the theatre feeling like there is no longer an I or you or him or her or them but a we, that despite our differences, we really are an us.

Us was performed between 16 – 18 October at La Mama Theatre.

Image by Mary Helen Sassman

Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: The Owl and Cat Presents BORDELLO

The brothel is open

By Myron My

Bordello, the newest production from The Owl and Cat Theatre, is an immersive theatrical experience revolving around one fateful evening at a brothel. We are free to explore the three-storey building of the well-known venue and follow the interlocking stories between the two owners of the brothel, Yvonne and David, its three employees, Trisha, Frankie and Cherry, and two of its clientele, Harry and Matthew.

Bordello

This is very much a voyeuristic experience as the audience wanders around the premises, watching secret conversations and some highly intimate moments take place. Audience members are required to wear plain black masquerade masks (in the style of the famous New York installation production Sleep No More) throughout the course of the evening, which feels like a buffer between passively watching the story unfold and actively spying on these character’s lives.

Even though the story unfolds via multiple scenes being acted out simultaneously from various rooms in the venue, the script written by Thomas Ian Doyle and directed by Gabrielle Savrone is so well constructed and thought-out we can gradually put the pieces of the story together and understand the nature of the relationships between the characters. The pacing of the story, along with the snippets of intriguing conversations and scenes we watch, allows us to be absorbed by the world around us. However, the script itself needs some work in placing us in the time period in which we are supposed to be located. Despite the costumes indicating a 1920s environment, the words and language used were more suggestive of a modern vernacular.

Aly Calder is brilliant as Frankie, one of the employees at the bordello. Despite the character’s roughness, Calder very clearly shows her innocence and naivety allowing Frankie to come to life. Similarly, John Frankland as Matthew also does well with his characterisation and building on his character’s emotional development. However, I feel the rest of the cast need to work on creating more authenticity in establishing their characters’ thoughts, words and actions. There are many scenes that lack the passion or the rawness that a piece of work such as Bordello requires to be a success.

Bordello is definitely a great concept and offers an immersive entertainment opportunity I’ve not been able to experience for quite some time. It is a unique piece of theatre that is worth watching, but ultimately requires a clearer creative process underpinning its development in order to elicit a stronger response from its audience.

Venue: The Owl and Cat Theatre, 34 Swan St, Richmond
Season: Until 17 October | Fri-Sat 8.30pm and 10pm
Tickets: $39 Full | $32 Conc
Bookings: http://www.owlandcat.com.au

Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Red Stitch Presents JURASSICA

Impressive cast in family saga

By Caitlin McGrane

Jurassica is a familiar Australian family story of immigration and assimilation. Ralph (Joe Petruzzi) and Sara (Caroline Lee) came from Italy in the 1950s to begin a new life in Australia. As immigrants in a foreign land they attempted to adjust to a new way of life, while trying to maintain their familiar traditions and customs. The play is told through flashback sequences as Ralph’s son Ichlis (Jordan Fraser-Trumble), grandson Luca (Edward Orton) and daughter-in-law Penny (Devon Lang Wilton) attempt to deal with his rapidly failing health. All the performers in the ensemble cast give exceptional performances as individuals and work well together. Fraser-Trumble and Orton both do a particularly good job of playing men/boys at a variety of ages.

Jurassica

However, for me the play did not hang together exceptionally well: the script was slightly tired and took a well-trodden path that was not aided by the addition of the interpreter Kaja’s (Olga Makeeva) Serbian background story, which seemed slightly clumsily included. Director Bridget Balodis has done a terrific job in the six weeks she had to put the play together, but the story was not quite up to the standard I have come to expect from Red Stitch. However, the writing was not without merit, and the play maintained a steady and relatively engaging pace throughout.

As always at Red Stitch the staging and lighting were excellent: Romaine Harper (Set & Designer) and Amelia Lever-Davidson (Lighting Designer) have both done a wonderful job of evoking a variety of environs on stage.

In some ways this is a story of fragile masculinity within a family, and while it was certainly told with its heart in the right place, it unfortunately did not strike a chord with me. This may have been due to the heavy use of Italian, which I do not understand or speak. Luckily I attended with someone who does so she was able to translate, but this somewhat distracted from the intentions on stage. I look forward to seeing what playwright Dan Giovannoni does next.

Dates: Until Nov 9th 2015

Red Stitch Actors Theatre
Rear 2 Chapel Street
St Kilda East, Vic 3183, Australia

Bookings: http://redstitch.net/gallery/jurassica/

Image by Jodie Hutchinson