Category: Review

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

Review: VCA’s Compleat Female Stage Beauty

Stunning performances throughout

By Christine Moffat

The VCA School of Performing Arts’ production of Compleat Female Stage Beauty is a play about image and transformation, examining the very modern, yet age-old issues of gender and societal roles. Playwright Jeffrey Hatcher imagines a tumultuous episode in the life of the real-life celebrated female character actor Edward ‘Ned’ Kynaston (Tom Heath), and charts his historical journey from darling of London society to the wilderness of potential irrelevance.

Kynaston is at times arrogant, at others touchingly fragile, and requires a transformative performance. Heath deftly makes the flawed Kynaston heroic by investing him with an unwavering honesty of intention. As Nell Gwyn, Rosie Lockhart is a standout performance, succeeding in making the historically famous and notoriously fickle Gwyn a warm and vulnerable real woman.  Matt Whitty is aptly named, as his comic timing is impeccable and his Charles II is amusing without becoming a caricature. Alice Cavanagh was also especially good in both her roles, again showing a good sense of natural comedic acting, as opposed to simply playing for laughs. It has to be said that it is difficult to only make specific mention of the performers above, as the calibre of performances from every member of this large cast was superb.

The original set design by Amaya Veccellio (beginning at the theatre door) takes the audience backstage in a seventeenth-century theatre, and helps create the sense of immediacy that continues throughout the play. On the walk to your seat the actors are right there, completing their pre-show rituals of dressing, rehearsing lines, or even grabbing a quickie. The careful lighting created by Sarah Willetts augmented by the subtle sound design of Kahra Scott-James evokes a pre-electric world, whilst ensuring that the audience does not need to strain see details. Director Tanya Gerstle deserves recognition for generating a true feeling of immersion and involvement: during a bawdy tavern scene when Kynaston is at his lowest, and undergoing great torment from his ‘audience’, my theatre companion had to stop herself from heckling back in his defence.

This classic play explores the concept of self, and how it is affected by circumstance and choice. This particular production is a poetic marriage of pathos and comedy, and a credit to everyone involved. I can thoroughly recommend it as an intelligent, engaging, and most importantly, entertaining night’s theatre.

Show information:

Sun 28 October – Thurs 1 November, 7:30pm

Fri 2 November, 2:00pm & 7:30pm

Venue: Grant Street Theatre, Grant Street, Southbank

Tickets: $22 Full/$16 Concession

Bookings: www.trybooking.com

Events, Musical Theatre, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Elaine Paige In Concert

Everything the fans could have wanted

By Adam Tonking

It’s Elaine Paige. ELAINE PAIGE!

A surprising number of friends to whom I bragged to about seeing this concert weren’t familiar with her. For those who were not fortunate enough to grow up with her records on high rotation in their homes, she is the Queen of British Music Theatre, particularly around the 1980s when she originated leading roles in shows such as Cats, Evita and Chess.

Her recordings of hit songs from these shows are often among the first, the highest selling, and the best. Even though this was her most celebrated era, she’s repeatedly won plaudits for her performances from the late 1960s, all the way to her most recent role in Follies.

For a veteran performer, one tends to expect some deterioration of vocal talent. In this concert of her most classic songs, Paige delivers perfectly on numbers she has been performing for three decades, as fresh and lovely as those recordings I grew up with. Her delightful presence on stage had the oldest members of the audience cheering like teenagers, as she showed us how “I Dreamed A Dream” should be done, as she channelled Piaf even when sung in English, as she proved me wrong in that the awful songs I detest from Sunset Boulevard could be the most moving and incredible moments in an already spectacular evening.

Any complaints I have are purely selfish: I wanted more and more and more. I wanted to call out requests, I wanted her to throw in a few Sondheim numbers, I wanted her to stay on stage and sing back-to-back for me for the entire two hours. Selfish, particularly when her onstage band were so wonderful, and especially when her supporting singer Nic Kyle was ridiculously good. Giving Paige a moment to change costumes, Kyle performed a few numbers, and completely astounded us all with his rich tone, gigantic range, and accomplished performance. His rendition of “Gethsemane” was mind-blowing.

Clearly, I cannot say enough good things about this concert. And from the way the audience leapt to their feet and applauded while Paige took bow after bow, I’m not alone. Paige is a music theatre icon, and a successful recording artist. The chance to see her perform live is not to be missed. This was her only show in Melbourne, but head to Sydney, Brisbane or Canberra to catch her before she leaves Australia.

Elaine Paige performs at the State Theatre in Sydney on Friday 26th October, tickets through Ticketmaster 136 100; at the Canberra Theatre in Canberra on Sunday 28th October, tickets through Canberra Ticketing 02 6275 2700; and at QPAC Concert Hall in Brisbane on Monday 29th October, tickets through QTIX 136 246.

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

Review: THE STAIRS ARE MOVING by Neil Triffett

Promising new theatre and impressive performances

By Myron My

The Stairs Are Moving is a new play by writer and director Neil Triffett. Combining experimental techniques with traditional theatre, the story follows two siblings who reunite due to the passing of their Aunt Petunia.

Triffett has taken the unusual course of having minimal stage direction. For most of the show, the characters would use direct audience address to further the story. It was quite intriguing to hear these series of mainly monologues unfold, however it felt like a lot of the action disappeared, as it became more and more a series of “talking head” scenes. It got frustrating watching the actors say they were doing something when I just wanted them to physically do it.

Performer Charlotte Nicdao was the shining star of this production. Her ability to switch from not only calm and diligent Tulip to erratic and obsessive Tulip, but also to one of the crazy aunts was a joy to watch. Similarly, Carolyn Masson as the recently deceased Aunt Petunia provided great insight and emotion to a character that you therefore sympathise with despite the secrets she holds.

The scenes with lewd, crude and rude Aunt Olga and Aunt Tiffany (Nicdao and Masson) were definitely needed to lift the mood and the energy of the play. Having said that, there were moments of strong conviction from Sarah Plummer and Maurice Mammoliti as the two siblings. It was evident that there was a strained relationship between the characters but it would have been great to explore that more organically as revelations came quickly and out of the blue.

The lighting played an important part in the show, illuminating different spaces on stage to designate time, place and character, and setting the different moods and tones. There were moments where the wrong area was lit up and the actors began their scenes in the dark and the dark lighting sometimes detracted from the intensity of the scene, as we could not see the actors’ faces clearly.

The Stairs Are Moving is a highly original play with some very strong performances from its cast. Although not the easiest story to follow, Triffett should be congratulated on creating something very different for audiences to see.

Venue: La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond St, Carlton.

Season: Until 3 November | Wed – Sat 8:00pm, Sun 2:00pm

Tickets: $20 Full | $15 Concession

Bookings: www.trybooking.com/bvml

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: The Window Outside

Delicately funny, cleverly truthful and beautifully told

By Myron My

Written by Belinda Lopez, The Window Outside would at first glance be considered a heartbreaking love-story, but on deeper inspection it is a celebration of life and love as a family deals with various hurdles that their relationships and circumstances have thrown at them.

The four actors truly tapped into the fine nuances of their characters, especially Carrie Moczynski with her portrayal of Evelyn as a wife attempting to hold on to the past that she once knew. Rick Burchall as Frank, sustained a strong presence on stage including the scenes where he was “stuck” in his wheelchair. His subtle facial mannerisms and shift from passive to active were very well-performed.

One thing I would have liked to see was to see some more anger and spirit in Sharon, played by Nadia Andary. One could clearly sympathise with what her character had been forced to sacrifice but I felt her outbursts and angry moments needed to be more passionate, loud and even aggressive. In contrast to Sharon however, was Mandie Combe’s Miranda: the younger daughter and the ‘white sheep’ to Sharon’s black. The two actors had a strong rapport and their poignant scenes together came with a history attached where you could easily believe that this in fact was a family.

The  music added another layer of depth to the story, with some very carefully selected songs that heightened the drama that was unfolding. The short home-video montage in the opening scene was also effective in being able to show the love that the central couple had for each other and quickly create a back-story for them without having to spend time talking about it.

The Window Outside thus struck a chord with me – and with many audience members. It opens up discussion on so many controversial issues including euthanasia, assisted-care living, the responsibility a child has to a parent and to what extent this should be taken, and the desire for living life the way you want to.

These concerns are all dealt with sensitively and honestly – sometimes humorously too, but these are the really beautiful moments – the truth in comedy. Overall, a wonderful play to help you appreciate the joy of love in all its forms.

Venue: La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond St, Carlton.

Season: Until 21 October| Wed – Sat 8:00pm, Sun 2:00pm

Tickets: $20 Bookings: www.trybooking.com/BVLU

Events, Musical Theatre, Performances, Review, Whats On

Review: THE PRODUCTION COMPANY presents Promises, Promises

A rare chance to see a superb show

By Adam Tonking

The Production Company’s Promises, Promises stars Matt Hetherington as Chuck Baxter, a low-level accountant in a huge corporation, struggling to be noticed both by his bosses while the girl of his dreams, waitress Fran Kubelik is played by much-loved Marina Prior in ever-reliable form. The show itself is genius, taking a filmic masterpiece in Billy Wilder’s The Apartment, and adapting  it to the stage with glorious music from Burt Bacharach, complete with his exciting and idiosyncratic shifts in meter and harmony. Add to this Neil Simon’s witty and skilfully crafted dialogue, and Hal David’s heartfelt lyrics – how could this show not be amazing?

Hetherington turns his Jack-Lemmon charm on the audience from overture to finale, particularly in the number “She Likes Basketball.” The supporting leads, Chelsea Plumley and Robert Grubb, also gave stellar performances. Plumley was either sorely underused, or used to perfection, playing a small cameo role in one of the most entertaining scenes in the show. She trod a beautiful line between dignity and a complete shambles, all delivered with perfect comic timing and fully-realised characterisation. Grubb was perfectly cast as Dr. Dreyfuss, turning something of a sourpuss into a loveable curmudgeon.

I was delighted to see the orchestra on stage. Half the joy of music theatre for me is the visceral experience of live musicians, and watching them under the tight direction of Guy Simpsonwas pure bliss. The ensemble were spectacular – and aren’t the ensemble the most underappreciated aspect of any show?

Here though, “Turkey Lurkey Time” and “A Fact Can Be A Beautiful Thing” were beautifully executed, and two of the best numbers in the production thanks to the energy and enthusiasm of the ensemble. Particular mention should be given to Hester Van Der Vyver, who with her small but pivotal role as Miss Olsen, came close to stealing the show.

The Production Company has enjoyed a brilliant year with its inspired choices, and their production of Promises, Promises ends it beautifully. In excitedly looking forward to their 2013 program, I can only suggest that you quickly rush to see this too-seldom performed, absolute gem of a show.

Promises, Promises is on at the State Theatre, October 3 to October 7. Book at artscentremelbourne.com.au or call 1300 182 183.

Events, Festivals, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: The Lichtenstein Nursing Home Massacre

More puppet blood!

By Christine Moffat

This rollicking Punch-and-Judy-inspired puppet show is an entertaining little murder mystery.  Billed as a 60-minute show, on preview night it clocked in at closer to 90 minutes.

The puppeteers run the entire show in the dark from behind the set, and I think the technicalities involved needed a bit more breaking in.  The show suffered from the delays, as the gaps where the audience faced a quiet, darkened stage strung out the plot, and frequently diminished the suspense that the puppeteers continually worked very hard to create.  In a more serious show this would have been disastrous, but as this show is designed to be a lot of horrible fun, it managed to keep the audience engaged.

The crowd at Lemony S Puppet Theatre are very skilled at creating atmosphere, and the show benefited from many a foggy, suspenseful night scene.  What you see and what you don’t is always a tantalising element of a whodunit, and this was particularly well staged and performed.  I loved the novel way that we were made privy to the view through a character’s binoculars.  The audience is also provided with individual binoculars so that we can enjoy the detailed interactions between characters.  Use these especially for the fabulous mad scientist’s lair, which provides a lot of chuckles, plus a few clues.

Part B movie, part gruesome medieval puppet show; be prepared for a bit of mystery solving and a good laugh. Despite the long running time the show delivered almost everything it promised.  This is a well-written show, with a fabulously tied-in sound and music scheme, and the puppeteers were fantastic.  It appears a little rough around the edges, but I got the sense that this was deliberate.  It’s ripped like a cool kid’s pair of jeans.

The show was full of intrigue, adult content, including plenty of saucy puppet quickies, and lots of murders.  The only thing it did not deliver enough of was blood, “more puppet blood!” I say.  If you have ever watched The Rocky Horror Picture Show and wondered what sort of puppet show Dr Frank-N-Furter would write; book a ticket to The Lichtenstein Nursing Home Massacre and enjoy the ride.

28th September – 7th October for Melbourne Fringe Festival

Thu, Sat, Sun 6:30pm | Wed, Fri 8:30pm (Tue performance 6:30 Oct 2)

La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond Street, Carlton

Bookings: www.lamama.com.au

Tickets: $25 Full | $15 Concession

Performed and created by Jacob Williams, Kirstian Bagin and Tim Denton with Sarah Kreigler

Written by Sarah Kreigler and John Paul Fischbach

Sound design by Steph O’Hara

www.lemonys.net.au

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

Review: POLLY’S PARTY at La Mama

Become part of the party!

By Myron My

Upon entering Polly’s Party you are asked to make a choice. Do you want to be inside Polly’s Party or outside Polly’s Party? My friend and I instantly decided to be inside Polly’s Party, not quite sure what that would entail.

We are taken away from the rest of the audience and to a white room with eight green stools, a projector, Lady Gaga music playing and the lady herself, Polly (Renae Shadler). Dressed in bright-multicoloured tights and a sexy, silver “spacesuit” top to rival Gaga, Polly greets us with punch and dance.

The outside audience watches through a one-way mirror and it is from the very beginning the idea of social media watching us and how we put on performances for our fans, followers and friends is explored. We are even encouraged to use social media to make comments, take photos and post videos during the performance.

A big variable for a performance piece such as this is audience participation. In my experience, audience members can be very shy about participating and of the five who did, two absconded to the outside party and one created a few awkward and uncomfortable moments for others. However, Shadler does not break character at all and it is obvious and admirable she has developed Polly so well that she can just be her without a need to “act” like her.

Polly’s Party broaches the subject of self-worth and how that has lately been defined through social media and our increasing need to create a cyber personality for the world to see. Her desperation to have more friends on Facebook and to have a higher Klout score than Justin Bieber touches on society’s crumbling wall of realism.

Unfortunately, Polly’s Party doesn’t really dig any further. It’s a fun and energetic ride with 110% energy levels but insight and depth into social media and its effects is lacking. Once Paula, a shy, introverted suburban Aussie girl, is introduced, you can see the sadness and the eagerness to be accepted into society and it would have been great to see more of that vulnerability and need explored.

Venue: La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond St, Carlton.

Season: Until 23 September| Wed, Sun 6:30pm, Thurs – Sat 7:30pm

Tickets: $25 Full | $15 Conc

Bookings: 03 9347 6948 or www.lamama.com.au

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Hoy Polloy & Baggage Productions Present RHONDA IS IN THERAPY

Moving and masterful cast performance

By Myron My

Rhonda Is In Therapy by Bridgette Burton is the latest production from Hoy Polloy Theatre Productions and deals with a young mother’s grief and loneliness since the tragic passing of her child.

The four actors all find the subtleties of their characters and flesh them out into life. Jamieson Caldwell as the naïve young student who begins an affair with Rhonda brings a sense of innocence to the proceedings, which is a great contrast to Kelly Nash’s therapist who subtly attempts to break down the defensive wall created by Rhonda.

Louise Crawford is brilliant as Rhonda, a mother who can’t let go of the guilt that is eating her inside. The scenes showing Rhonda at different periods of her life when things were more happy and simple, and then switching to the present with all her emotional conflict, are compelling to watch. Ben Grant’s portrayal of a loving and supportive husband who is quietly struggling to keep it all together for his family is superb and made him the shining star of this production.

The subtle comedy still implicit in pain and human suffering is captured beautifully here and there are some truly honest moments presented; the scenes between Rhonda and her therapist boast some sharp and witty dialogue. However, Rhonda Is In Therapy could have done with some tightening, especially towards the end. There were a few scenes that didn’t add much to the story and slowed proceedings down a little.

The other minor downfall was the scenes that involved the ‘children’. The performers would “imagine” the child being present as voiced by one of the other actors. At times, there were voice recordings played which had the dialogue of both the adult and child. Both these devices really detracted from the intimacy the play was striving for, and reminded the audience that they were in fact watching a performance and not something that was otherwise powerfully real.

Despite these issues, Rhonda Is In Therapy is a thoroughly engaging performance piece with some stellar acting from its four stars.

Venue: fortyfive downstairs, 45 Flinders Lane.

Season: Until 23 September| Tues to Sat 8:00pm, Sun 5:00pm

Tickets: $40 Full | $35 Conc

Bookings: 03 9662 9966 or www.fortyfivedownstairs.com

Dance, Events, Performances, Review, Whats On

Review: EIFMAN BALLET’S Tchaikovsky

The fervid life in dance of a great artist

By Bradley Storer

In addition to their season of Anna Karenina, the Eifman Ballet also presents their original production Tchaikovsky, an expressionistic journey through the composer’s life and imagination set to his own music.

We begin at Tchaikovsky’s death bed as he is tormented by fever dreams and hallucinations, chased by phantoms from his own creations. As he retreats further into his mind we are taken into flashbacks from his life, his disastrous marriage, his insecurities and inability to connect with others, either romantically or in society at large.

Throughout the performance, Oleg Markov as Tchaikovsky danced the role with an intense but wounded poeticism, forming the impression of a man with immense genius but an equally great terror of rejection and loneliness. He was matched in brilliant lyricism by the Double (Oleg Gabyshev) and the Prince (Ivan Zaitcev), projections of Tchaikovsky’s inner turmoil and ideals of perfection. In the dances between these male characters, there is an equal balance of wonder and veiled eroticism.

Tchaikovsky’s fear of women becomes refracted and split into figures of monstrous femininity, the dark fairy Carabosse, the Queen of Spades, and a mysteriously malevolent bride who entangles him in her wedding veil. His wife (played here by Natalia Povoronzuik) unfortunately receives little time to create a full impression, and comes off a little flat and one-dimensional.

Tchaikovsky’s patroness and lifelong friend Nadezha von Meck (played by Nina Zmeviet) receives better treatment, becoming almost as equally important in the performance as Tchaikovsky himself – she becomes the audience’s main focus of empathy as we see her supporting and reaching out to the doomed composer, and her pain as he slowly slips away from her.

Because the dreamscape of the ballet is so fractured and fluid, the narrative becomes imagistic and can be a little difficult to follow without the aid of a program. Ultimately it seems like no overall message is being communicated in Tchaikosvky’s story – we see him live and we follow him to his death, but I personally was left unmoved at the end of the ballet. However, it is a world-class production with amazing performances and brilliant dances, and is well worth a visit by any ballet aficionado.

Sept 7-9, 8pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sat-Sun

Regent Theatre Melbourne

Book online at Ticketmaster

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Thorny Devil Theatre Presents OUT AT SEA

A difficult work doesn’t quite make waves

By Christine Moffat

Three strangers (Fat, Medium and Thin) are stranded on a raft together in the middle of the ocean.  They have run out of food, and it is decided that someone must be eaten, for the greater good.  Through the tense scenario of these castaways, the play explores the justifications and machinations that people employ to get what they want.

This is also a Mrozek play, and for those new to his work, there is a always social or political metaphor simmering underneath a darkly comic surrealist plot.  In Out At Sea, the key metaphor is the exploitation of the ‘little man’ (Thin) by those capable of controlling (Fat) and profiteering (Medium) within a communist society.

Sadly, in this reviewer’s opinion, on opening night the play did not meet its full potential, as it lacked the real sense of tension required to do the piece justice.  The stage was a raft suspended by wooden pallets above the concrete floor in the space; it was primitive and greatly evocative of the characters’ bleak situation.  However, it did not seem as if the players were trapped on the raft, and in general there was not enough of a feeling of confined space in the show.

The absence of tension was also in part due to the direction.  Each character too often sat comfortably on suitcases and trunks fashioned into stools, and there seemed to be far too many pregnant pauses.  Either of these factors alone can cause the energy drain from a performance.  The combination of them both in this production created a sense of slowness that the actors were unable to properly overcome.  That being said, the four actors individually created performances that were interesting and thoughtful, and that generated some good comic moments despite the pace of the play.

The play was staged at Revolt Art Space in Kensington.  This venue has a real retro-punk vibe, and is a surreal mixture of old warehouse and gold-mine theme park: an excellent choice for staging the work of an old school surrealist like Mrozek.  Overall, this is only the second production for Thorny Devil Theatre, and Mrozek is notoriously difficult both to direct and to perform.  I believe it bodes well that they are staging challenging pieces in interesting spaces, and I look forward to seeing more work from them in future.

Show information:

Sept 5 – Sept 15

Wed-Sat 7:30pm / Sun 6pm / Saturday Matinee (15/9 only) 3pm

Revolt Productions, 12 Elizabeth Street Kensington, 3031

Tickets: Full $22.50 / Conc. $17.50 / Preview & Matinee $12.50

Book online at revoltproductions.com or by phone on 03 9376 2115

Written by Slawomir Mrozek

Directed by Eben Rojter

Performed by Carli Jones, Katharine Innes, Jacob Pruden, and Stu Duffield