Category: Review

Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Spoilt At MELBOURNE FRINGE

An acerbic examination of the over-indulged

By Myron My

Spoilt, as the title indicates, is a satirical look at the kinds of women who are spoilt: spoilt by money, vanity and the luxurious life they lead. Through parodying five such women, creator and performer Liz Skitch certainly succeeds in making her point about how the values that these women hold are heavily misguided.

Spoilt

Skitch is on stage with five wigs and five pairs of shoes placed around the performance space. There is a box next to each wig with a few additional props – a necklace for one, a pair of shorts for another, et cetera. Her transformation into each character is an interesting process to observe, with Skitch remaining completely void of expression and emotion between changes and slowly becoming the embodiment of that character as she gets “dressed”. Her mannerisms, physicality, voice and especially her facial expressions astutely define all these women. Having studied at the school of Philippe Gaulier in London, Skitch is more than capable of giving herself over to these characters but not letting them run rampant.

In terms of characters, Jackie the celebrant and fitness trainer Peta Swift, are absolutely hilarious and had everyone in stitches. Her interactions with the audience as Peta feel very natural and even when an audience member of the evening I attended revealed his unusual deepest desire to us all, Skitch didn’t drop the persona.

Nineteen-year-old Larissa – reminiscent of Chris Lilley’s Ja’mie King – is another highlight as she details her incredible journey of being the Miss Universe runner-up. However, I don’t feel the remaining characters of Sonia and Sue were given enough developed narrative to keep us interested. They have some funny moments but possess nowhere near the caliber of back story and depth that the other three have. If anything they were too similar to the other more established characters of Larissa and Jackie respectively and they suffered for that.

Skitch has created a show that keeps the audience interested, attentive and provides a ruthless and incisive insight into the lives that such people lead. With her brilliant delivery and pace, Spoilt is a well-executed tragicomedy that has something very intelligent to say.

Spoilt is showing as part of the 2013 Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Venue: La Mama Theatre, 205 Faraday Street Carlton

Season: Until 29 September | Thurs-Sat, 6:30pm, Wed, Sun 8:30pm

Tickets: $25 Full | $15 Conc

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

Events, Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: MKA – Kids Killing Kids for MELBOURNE FRINGE

Violent art exploited and explored

By Myron My

MKA: Kids Killing Kids is about four people – David Finnigan, Georgie McAuley, Jordan Prosser and Sam Burns-Warr – who went to the Philippines and created a play called Battalia Royale. It was an adaptation of the infamous Japanese novel/manga/film Battle Royale, where a group of children are drugged, wake up in a forest armed with an array of weapons, and are told there can be only one survivor, which results in a gruesome kill-or-be-killed fight. The worldwide response the play-makers received for their stage adaptation was something they never imagined, and in MKA they share their story with us.

MKA Kids Killing Kids

Kids Killing Kids starts off in a quite humorous and naïve manner – possibly emulating how these four theatre-makers felt during the initial creative process of Battalia Royale. It feels like you’re listening to a friend return from a holiday, with their jokey insights about random slogans seen on t-shirts and watching six-year-olds crump. Slowly, the tone changes to a more serious and thoughtful discussion on the after-effects of the play and the political situation in the Philippines.

The quartet repeatedly ask us – and themselves – what responsibility do they have as theatre-makers to their cast, the audience and the wider community, especially when their art involves a group of children violently and bloodily killing each other? Can they get away with it because it’s not real? Can such a play have a purpose, or is it just glorified violence? Perhaps there is no definitive answer for these questions and indeed, the creators here don’t pretend to know all the answers and seem just as lost and confused as we do when it comes to any final enlightenment.

The production of Kids Killing Kids is slick: the writing is sharp and the flow of information is smooth and well-thought-out. However, I did have a problem with the emotive but obvious pauses and silences and questioned their dramatic purpose being in conflict with their authenticity. I don’t doubt the sincerity of the four people involved, but such theatrical devices remind me I am watching a deliberate performance rather than sharing this real-life experience with them.

But perhaps this is the point. Is it a documentary? Is it theatre? Either way, MKA: Kids Killing Kids is going to leave any artist with a lot of questions about the complex roles we play in creating theatre and what boundaries we should and should not cross.

MKA: Kids Killing Kids is showing as part of the 2013 Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Venue: Fringe Hub – The Warehouse, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne

Season: Until 3 October |Tues-Sat 9:00pm, Sun 8:00pm

Tickets: $20 Full | $15 Conc

Bookings: http://www.melbournefringe.com.au or 9660 9666

Events, Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: A F*#king Mad Tea Party at MELBOURNE FRINGE

They’re all mad, there…

By Myron My

To enter A F*#cking Mad Tea Party at Melbourne Fringe Festival, one must first take a test. Only when the task is complete to the guard’s satisfaction is permission granted to head on upstairs and join the party. Upon having passed, I am greeted by a number of characters including a French0speaking woman and a man in a wooden chest, seemingly stuck there.

A Mad Tea Party

We are free to roam the space – which is amazing – and interact with the other “guests” at the party.  The Wonderland transformation affects the whole performance space (even areas that are not specifically used), inevitably adding to the authenticity of the evening.  It may have taken two days to set everything up but it clearly took a lot longer to get everything together and prepared.

The performers – Cassandra Belfrange, Jack Bennett, Rachelle Harvey, Ryan Lovat, Timothy Christopher Ryan and Samantha Wojcik – are brilliant and each one of them embraces and embodies their character with much gusto and love. They are all so dedicated and committed that it is impossible to pick a favourite or standout.

The music throughout the show has a variety of songs ranging from Marilyn Monroe to Laura Marling and some dreamy musical scores to name a few. Each one adds a unique element to the show depending on the individual act we are seeing. However it is through most of these acts that I feel A F*#cking Mad Tea Party suffers. Interspersed throughout the story are dance routines, circus acts and even a touch of burlesque but these performances needed tightening. There was much potential in each of them, but they all seemed to finish before they peaked. Perhaps in a more traditional performance these pieces would have satisfied, but this is Wonderland and I was hoping for something more adventurous and daring.

That said, immersive theatre seems to be popping up more and more in Melbourne (there are quite a few such shows during the Fringe Festival), but there’s something special about A F*#cking Mad Tea Party that requires viewing. It’s silly and strange and captivating and innocent and dangerous and I suspect you will not be able to find anything even remotely similar to experiencing a unique evening like this.

Venue: Norm. 34 Breese St, Brunswick

Season: 24-28 September | 8:00pm

Tickets: $27 Full | $22 Conc

Bookings: http://amadteaparty.com.au and http://www.melbournefringe.com.au

Events, Festivals, Music, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Freya Bennet and THE POSSIBILITY OF FALLING

Charming and disarming

By Tania Herbert

The Possibility of Falling is the story of a girl – and her cat.

The Possibility of Falling

A Melbourne Fringe festival show in combination with album launch of Freya Bennett’s first album The Marvellous Reject Girl, Freya and her lovely four-piece accompanying band take the audience on a whimsical journey of story and music. The show is beautifully back-dropped by a moving visual slideshow of work by American photographer Sophie Pellegrini.

The little tale of The Marvellous Reject Girl has hints of The Little Prince and Emily the Strange in equal measure, and the children’s storybook-style of the script is full of sweet sentiment as a tale of loneliness, lost love and self-acceptance. In between times, we are treated to the soundtrack to the reject girl’s life.

Heavily instrumental, the music is very much like a movie soundtrack for some little American indie film with a bit of a Frenchie feel. The cellist, trombonist, guitarist and drummerwere a wonderfully cohesive unit, and filled out the simple lyrical feel of the piece.

Long Play must be one of the more unique spaces in Melbourne’s north, a mini-cinema with loads of personality, and a well-chosen venue for the show.

Personally, I’m a bit of a fan of a story album, and I found this to be an extremely pleasant evening of Fringe. Evocative of Aimee Mann and Camille, I hope we see Freya Bennett some time to come, as I’d love to see her music as it matures over the years, with some extra depth to add to the sweetness. The Possibility of Falling is a lovely little pat to the soul. And did I mention it was sweet?

The Possibility of Falling is playing for Melbourne Fringe on
Wednesday 25th September , 7:30 PM
Monday 30th September, 7:30 PM
Wednesday 2nd October, 7:30 PM

Tickets: $14/$18

Book at:
http://www.melbournefringe.com.au/fringe-festival/show/the-possibility-of-falling/
Or call (03) 9660 9666
Or at the door

Festivals, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Water Torture for MELBOURNE FRINGE

Staying at the shallow end

By Myron My

We all know Melbourne summers can be absolutely stinking hot. For many of us, we don’t have the luxury of a swimming pool in our backyard or the time to drive down to the beach.

Water Torture

The only option is to head to the nearest public pool, as so many people do. There is a myriad of different personalities melding there in a way that – according to writer of Water Torture, Lauren Smith – doesn’t happen anywhere else.

There are roughly a dozen characters in Water Torture, and on the day being depicted many of them are more or less forced to interact with each other, even if the encounters are not always reciprocated.

I feel the writing could be stronger on two key points: namely, character and story development, especially when dealing with multiculturalism or making any social commentary. Those promising moments are so fleeting that they had no significant effect on the audience. The swimming interludes, whilst definitely showing great creativity with the music and choreography, were too long and occurred too many times.

Having said that, the majority of the cast does a great job with their roles, primarily the two lifeguards, played by Stephanie Evison-Williams and Nicholas Cain. Their Baywatch-esque lifesaving scene wins the award for the best moment of the show.

Set designer Kim Ritchie has flawlessly recreated the environment of a public swimming pool. The audience sits in the middle of the space, looking up to the actors so it feels like you are truly  in the swimming pool. The water action occurs at our level, strengthening the idea of how so many different types of people go to the public pools.

Having the audience sit on swivel chairs allows us to turn and see any of the characters at any time, even if they are not the current point of focus. The actors remain in character and interacting with each other the whole show and sometimes it’s more interesting to see what’s happening in the “background”.

Despite a few issues with the writing, Water Torture is an enjoyably entertaining hour to spend during the Melbourne Fringe Festival. It’s something so many of us can relate to from having experienced such characters as those portrayed here, by either seeing them, being with them or – god forbid – actually being them!

Venue: Revolt Productions, 12 Elizabeth Street Kensington

Season: Until 29September |Tues-Sat 7:30pm, Sun 5:00pm

Tickets: $22 Full | $18 Conc

Bookings: http://revoltproductions.com

Opera, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Melbourne Opera Presents LA TRAVIATA

The Lady of the Camellias blooms eternal

By Christine Moffat

La Traviata by Verdi is one of the most often performed and best beloved operas in the world.  It tells the tragic tale of courtesan Violetta Valery.  She falls for young and earnest Alfredo, but is convinced by his father Giorgio to give up her happiness for the good of his family.  When Giorgio realises he has wronged a good woman, and brings Alfredo back to Violetta, it is of course too late, and she dies of tuberculosis in her lover’s arms in the famous finale.

Antoinette Halloran as Violetta in La Traviata

This production marks the 10th anniversary of Melbourne Opera, and La Traviata was also the first opera staged by the company.  It is a great celebration of the achievements of Melbourne Opera, a company that is dedicated to providing accessible opera in Melbourne.  This production is particularly accessible for a few reasons; it’s performed in English, the ticket prices start low, and the relatively modern costuming all add up to a production that is relatable and engaging for an audience new to opera and for those eager to see their favourite works revisited .

Soprano Antoinette Halloran is particularly moving as the doomed Violetta.  Her performance was believable and touching, and her voice is superb.  Another stand-out performance came from Manfred Pohlenz in the memorable role of Giorgio, Alfredo’s interfering father.  Vocally the entire cast was strong, and the energetic Melbourne Opera chorus were a highlight.  The costuming by Andrew Bellchambers and Linda Britten was especially good, ranging from luscious ball gowns to simple country dress and suggesting each character’s place in the world and their individual lifestyle instantly.

The evening lasted three hours with two intervals, but felt much shorter – a testament to how entertaining the performance was.  If you are an opera buff, it is a fresh, lively production of an old favourite.  If you have never seen an opera, this production would be a brilliant introduction to the genre.

Performances:

Athenaeum Theatre, 188 Collins St, Melbourne

September 15 – 3.00pm, September 18 – 7.30pm, September 20 – 7.30pm

Alexander Theatre, Monash University

October 11 – 8.00pm

Tickets: $25 – $98

Bookings: www.ticketek.com.au and www.Monash.edu.au/mapa/

Events, Music, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Stewart D’Arrietta’s MY LEONARD COHEN

Public acclaim for this personal tribute

By Christine Moffat

Leonard Cohen is the master of sexy, dark revealing lyrics and music that sweeps you away. Stewart D’Arrietta has been swept away, but it hasn’t overpowered his unique performance of this selection of Cohen’s powerful works.

My Leonard Cohen

D’Arrietta nurtured a connection with the audience and took them on a very personal journey through the world via Cohen’s songs. Nothing makes a show duller than a show based merely on impersonation, but with his gravely voice and laconic humour, D’Arrietta’s performance was only reminiscent of Cohen.  What the audience was treated to instead was a collection of confident and original interpretations.

Sensitivity to the composer and actual musical skill are all very well and good, but the most important test a show like this must pass is “Was it a good time?”  The answer is a most definite “Yes!”  The ensemble played like a bunch of old-fashioned romantics, giving the music all of their energy and style.  Frontman D’Arrietta adapts his persona song after song, holding nothing back.  In the end he is the embodiment of a Cohen song: sexy, funny, sad – human.

The music was interspersed with bite-sized insights into Cohen’s life, titbits about the composition of various songs, and importantly, D’Arrietta’s personal connections to those songs.  It made for an entertaining one-and-a-half hours of live music, performed by accomplished musicians.

The exquisite leadlight window of Chapel Off Chapel‘s theatre was the perfect backdrop for a show bringing to life Cohen’s emotional lyrics of god and love, men and women.  When I left, a crescent moon was hanging low in a dark starless sky, seemingly imbued with a poetic connection to the moving performance that had just finished.

Dates: Sept 11 – Sept 15

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

Times: Tue-Fri 8pm / Sat 7pm & 9pm / Sun 5pm & 7pm

Tickets: From $49.50

Bookings: 03 82907000 or online at chapeloffchapel.com.au

Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Cheeky Theatre Company’s COME BLOW YOUR HORN

Welcome to the ’60s!

By Jennifer Coles

Set in the swinging ’60s and covered in class and charm, Cheeky Theatre Company’s presentation of Come Blow Your Horn is a wonderful return to the fast-paced action of that era. Slick, sophisticated and witty, Neil Simon’s much-acclaimed play is in good hands as handled by the Cheeky Theatre crew, with solid direction, performances and design. Telling the tale primarily of the Baker brothers, Buddy (a hilarious and endearing Simon Alderman) leaves home for the first time as an innocent 21-year-old to move in with his older playboy brother Alan (played with gusto by Antony Talia).

Come Blow Your Horn

In the wrong hands, this play could quite easily become a mess. The dialogue is fast and thick, and requires constant diction and attention. Thankfully, the cast adhere to the brash and bold Brooklyn style and are not afraid to enjoy the dialogue they’ve been given. The jokes are paced well, with clear evidence of solid direction by Craig Irons, and the characterisation is well emphasized and exaggerated for comedic effect. The subtle mannerisms of Buddy’s bundle of nerves are offset wonderfully by the smooth movements of Alan, and the pair have wonderful interplay. In fact, the interaction between the Baker brothers is the highlight of the show, as it is so expertly written by Simon and here delivered by Alderman and Talia. It was also fantastic to see wonderful performances from Lucy Gransbury as the strong and determined Connie, and lighthearted Lucinda Burney as the contrasting Peggy.

Since the Warehouse is a somewhat unusual space to work in, The Cheeky Theatre Company used it to their advantage. Because there was no stage to speak of, the actors weren’t afraid to get close to the audience, and it was like we’d been transported back to the time period and were quietly observing this little piece of history. However, this proximity did sometimes result in the actors ‘stepping out of the light’ every so often, which can be fixed easily. And apart from a few opening-night jitters, the space was used well.

For a first performance, this production of Come Blow Your Horn was incredibly strong, and will no doubt have a stellar season. So take trip back to the 60’s with the Cheeky Theatre Company- it’s a blast!

Venue: Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall, 521 Queensberry Street

Season: Until September 14
Tues – Sat: 8pm, Sun: 5pm

Price: Full $32, Conc $26

Bookings: http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=58045

Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Mockingbird Theatre Presents KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN

Raw and vibrant theatre

By Ross Larkin

Manuel Puig’s Kiss of the Spiderwoman is an iconic, unusual story of the relationship between two men in an Argentinean prison cell.

Angelo De Cata and Adam Ward in Kiss of the Spiderwoman

Incarcerated for vastly different crimes, the prisoners, whose similarities seem only to be their predicament, gradually discover they have more in common than anyone would likely foresee.

Compared to its film and musical cousins, the play is confined to one cramped location, two actors, and a hefty stream of dialogue.

Mockingbird Theatre’s version is staged in the most intimate of spaces, with the audience squeezed so tightly in front of the action that the experience teeters on awkward: fitting, for an exploration of two curiously unhinged men and the unlikely affection that surfaces amidst a rocky, emotional course.

Imprisoned for corrupting a minor, Molina (Angelo DeCata) is a flamboyant dreamer, obsessed with storytelling his favourite movie, often in denial of his situation. Molina is caged with Valentin (Adam Ward), a volatile political prisoner whose dysfunction is rife.

DeCato is faced with a particularly challenging role, having to walk the line between vicarious fantasy, and the stark reality of his circumstances. Although, at times, bordering on one note, DeCato largely succeeds in portraying a shakily optimistic, effeminate character. Meanwhile, Ward’s performance feels initially forced and unsubtle, playing anger quite liberally, when the impact and intrigue of the character would have benefited from more light and shade.

When the stakes are later raised, however, the connection between the men matures, and Ward offers a more nuanced, genuine portrayal, leaving the audience affected in all the right ways.

As usual, director Chris Baldock does justice to a richly powerful story with his tastefully simplistic trademark approach – concentrating more on the character-driven narrative, and less so on gimmickry. The colour-changing web was an interesting exception. Likewise, the stark light for the bulk of the play’s duration was a choice which may have prevented the audience being drawn deeper into a world where fantasy and reality co-exist. Thus, the enhanced lighting for the tenderly awkward sex scene provided a window to a theatrical mood which was otherwise perhaps a little too absent at times.

Kiss of the Spiderwoman has, in the past, been either loved or hated, though more so the former. Lovers of the earlier versions will without doubt not be disappointed, while those unfamiliar are urged to experience Mockingbird’s version, which is well worth the effort.

Kiss of the Spiderwoman is playing now until September 15 at The Owl and the Pussycat, Swan street, Richmond. Saturday September 7 at 2pm and 8pm, Sunday September 8 at 5pm, Tuesday-Saturday September 10-14 at 8pm, Sunday September 15 at 5pm.

Bookings: www.trybooking.com/40831 or bookings@mockingbirdtheatre.com.au

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Arts House Presents WHELPING BOX

An audience left fascinatingly at odds…

By Myron My

After the latest Arts House production Whelping Box was over, I overheard one woman describe it as “dirty smelly boys doing naughty things”. But my experience with this show had me both appreciating and feeling so much more.

Upon entering the Arts House Meat Market I am led to a 9m x 9m blackened square wooden arena. Sitting in the square, I am very close to the action and eventually I can’t help but feel like I am part of the action, which is quite confronting at times.

Whelping Box

The two performers, Matt Prest and Lee Wilson, appear from the darkness and despite their playfulness with each other, there is a strong undercurrent of something more sinister and primitive lurking beneath. With each activity or task they move through, the atmosphere deteriorates to a level of primal instinct and human baseness. The visual transformation of Prest and Wilson, with their matted hair, fierce physique and aggressive movement further strengthened this idea.

Sound and light plays a major part in creating the mood for Whelping Box. Performing in various states of darkness, brightness and coloured light, you do feel almost helpless as others control what you can and can’t see. The sensorial experience of this production includes pre-recorded banging and clanging being played from various points around the square that Prest and Wilson have previously made in rehearsals. Along with the sounds they make in the performance, I did feel quite enveloped and disoriented by it as I tried to distinguish what was real and what was not.

It is interesting to note that what I experienced as intimidating and affecting during much of the show, other people found funny, which made me wonder if I was missing something? I was having quite a visceral response and the laughter ultimately made the experience even more intense, and made me speculate if that was what the creators had actually been hoping for here.

However, I did get confused during their Norse mythology scenes and struggled to connect what I was seeing to what had earlier transpired and consequently lost some of its impact. Eventually Whelping Box found its way, and I was able to reconnect with the performance again.

Along with collaborators Clare Britton and Mirabelle Wouters, Prest and Wilson have certainly created something unique with Whelping Box. I will confess I am unsure if I am feeling what they wanted me to (or whether the woman I overheard or the laughing audience were, perhaps) but my experience was definitely an unusual range of emotions that I don’t often get to feel in theatre.

Venue: Arts House, Meat Market, 5 Blackwood Street, North Melbourne.

Season: Until 8 September | Wed- Sat 9:00pm, Sat 3:30pm, Sun 6:30pm

Tickets: $30 Full | $20-25 Conc

Bookings: http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/ArtsHouse or 9322 3713