Category: Theatre

Person wearing mermaid costume
Childrens theatre, Theatre, Whats On

Peter and the Starcatcher

You’ll be starstruck as you find your inner child in this playful story about finding Neverland, By Sebastian Purcell

Before the story of Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Captain Hook and Neverland comes the story of three orphaned children, Nameless boy (Otis Dihanji), Ted (Benjin Maza) and Prentiss (Morgan Francis). Stowed away on the Neverland ship bound to the far-off Kingdom of Rundoon, they meet Molly Leondard (Olivia Deeble) and discover the precious cargo, the mysterious substance called starstuff.

Meanwhile, aboard another ship, The Wasp, Lord Leondard Aster (Alison White) has been deceived by pirates led by Captain Black Stache (Colin Lane). The pirates have taken control and plan to take the treasure, the decoy starstuff, for themselves only to discover it’s been switched out. As a battle ensues, they all end up on the mysterious island and the story of Peter Pan begins to emerge right before the audiences’ eyes.

The hero of this production is the lighting design of Ben Hughes. The design beautifully transports the audience through time and space, between swimming the depths of the oceans to soaring into the night sky. And while we never see Tinkerbell, there is a wonderful play of lights between the actors that might make you think she is actually there.  

Leslie Zink’s movement direction on the stage is fluid and is best performed by the ensemble when interacting with the sets and props. The use of the dual staircases narrows a scene into an intimate setting within the ships before splitting apart to show two worlds at once. Another clever intersection of movement and props is through wooden planks, doubling as doors to scenes on the ships, and all without a turntable on the stage.

This show has it all, there’s special puppetry guests, cats, birds, reptiles, fish that add colour, movement and humour to the show. The band, a tight ensemble of their own on stage, continue to perform as they are moved between scenes and as if part of the scenery themselves.

The 14 strong ensemble work well together to bring frivolity and fun to the stage. Each actor moving between scenes with ease using their costumes and lighting to transform with the narrative. While this is a play, there are a handful of musical numbers, and while I weren’t as fond of these moments there was a standout vocal performance by Ryan Gonzalez (Fighting Prawn) in the second act that left me wanting more.

Otis Dihanji and Oliva Deeble have a wonderful playful chemistry between them holding their own in the often silliness and chaos that descended when Colin Lane took the stage; Lane stealing almost every scene, through slapstick comedy or delivering tongue twister dialogue imbued with modern references to our current world affairs. I found it hard at times to discern where the script ended and Lane or Pete Hellier’s improvisation began. While I and the audience loved the humour, it did extend the shows running time, and I wondered whether a pacier second act would have worked better.

Overall, this is a show that invites silliness, being creative and finding joy in storytelling; which I’m sure will bring many laughs to all who see it. It also toys with themes of loneliness, otherness and the playfulness we often lose in growing up: as Molly says “things are only worth what you willing to give up for them”.

Suitable for audiences of all ages. Now playing at the Arts Centre Melbourne. Tickets available via the Peter and the Starcatcher website.

Three actresses dressed up as nuns
Feature, Musical Theatre, Theatre, Whats On

Sister Act, the Musical

A colourful, loud and joyous production, by Sebastian Purcell

You’ll be raising your voice all night long in this dazzling production of Sister Act the Musical.

Sister Act tells the story of nightclub performer Deloris Van Cartier (Casey Donovan) unwillingly joining a convent of nuns as she hides out waiting to give evidence at trial after witnessing a murder committed by her boyfriend Curtis Jackson (James Bryers) on Christmas eve.

Mother Superior (Genevieve Lemon) agrees to keep Deloris safe under the guise of a nun Sister Mary Clarence, and the two soon discover just how different their respective worlds are. Deloris is put to work to transform the struggling choir into an energised ensemble that reinvigorates the local parish and even receives an invite from the Pope to perform.

Casey Donovan is sublime in her first lead role on the stage. Her vocals are full of soul and power and despite her powerhouse renditions of Raise your voice and Fabulous—which will leave you wanting to join in— found her more nuanced and introspective performance of Sister Act during the second act to be the standout moment of the show. Donovan fills the stage with her presence, delivery and is captivating from start to finish.

Staring alongside Donovan is almost an impossible task, however, Genevieve Lemon as Mother Superior delivers her role with the poise, wit and sincerity that grounds the show, and Deloris’s transformation, in the service of others above self-interest.

Other notable performances include James Bell as TJ, who has a habit of scene-stealing as the flamboyant nephew of Curtis Jackson—Lady in a long black dress was a crowd favourite—and Sophie Montague as Sister Mary Robert, who once finding her voice uses it exuberantly throughout the second act. Montague brings a tenderness and some of the rarer softer moments of self-reflection in the Life I never had to this otherwise colourful, loud and joyous production.

Morgan Large’s set design is a kaleidoscopic, disco-themed high tech display, with slick transitions and LED arches to frame the stage. The stage itself is sparsely decorated allowing the performers plenty of room. By contrast some of the cardboard cut-out sets I felt seem out of place, and I wonder whether they were necessary against the LED arches framing the stage. The LED arches themselves, as well as the backdrop, are most impressive depicting large stain glass windows of the church. Morgan’s costumes range from 70’s disco inspired to technicolour robes and an impressive two-piece costume reveal for Eddie Souther’s (Raphael Wong) rendition of I could be that guy.

The Melbourne premier of Sister Act, produced by John Frost, was met with raucous applause and a standing ovation for Donovan before her curtain call. There are plenty of laughs to go along with the killer soundtrack, making for the perfect night out with friends and family. 

Sister Act is know playing at the Region Theatre, Melbourne

Tickets available at Ticketek from $60

Musical Theatre, Review, Theatre

The Grinning Man

“A talented and diverse cast that bring significant energy and commitment to their roles” by Sebastian Purcell

The Grinning Man is strange tale of otherness, diversity and forgiveness. The Australian production, directed by Miranda Middleton, is the first English language production outside the UK and should be commended for drawing together a talented and diverse cast that bring significant energy and commitment to their roles.

As a strange new act arrives at Trafalgar Square, Grinpayne (Maxwell Simon) explores his traumatic past to uncover how his disfigurement came to be, who was responsible and who around hm he can trust and ultimately call his family.

The exuberant performances of Barkilphedro (Jennifer Vuletic), Princess Josiana (Melanie Bird), and Lord Dirry- Moir (Anthony Criag), demonstrate the best of Middleton’s direction. The expert dramatization, audience engagement and well placed use of profanity creates laughter and light that is well needed to offset the darker moments of Grinpayne’s story. Maxwell puts his all into a commanding performance but I found that character of Grinpayne doesn’t quite reach the complex dimensions of stories with similar characters, such as Jekyll and Hyde.

Freya List’s choreography hits its highest point as Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward brings Mojo the Wolf to life in a combination of movement and puppetry, and in their on-stage support of vision impaired actress Lily Cascun. I couldn’t help but wonder if the stage was too small for such a talented ensemble, and that a bigger space would allow them to seem less cramped. 

Sophie Woodard’s set is sparse, but cleverly uses platforms and curtains within the stage to differentiate key scenes and support the dark, gothic, painful life of Grinpayne. The overall sound direction is clear and crisp. 

The cast are all accomplished performers and singers. In particular Melanie’s vocals are a delight. But like the character of Grinpayne, I found the music and lyrics to lack dynamics. Unfortunately I found it hard to walk away with a memorable tune; I would be curious to see how The Grinning Man would translate as a straight play rather than a musical.

The cast put a level of energy and passion into their performances that the two-hour run time, which felt relatively well paced.

Th Grinning Man plays at the Alex Theatre- St Kilda until 19 May.

Tickets : https://alextheatre.au/the-grinning-man/

Theatre

Wolf Play, by Hansol Jung

A passionate and intricate story of family, love, loss, queerness and otherness

By Sebastian Purcell

Wolf (Yuchen Wang) is a 6 year old Korean boy put up for adoption on the internet after his white-American-adoptive father Peter (Charlie Cousins) and his wife have a new baby. Wolf is adopted by Robin (Jing-Xuan Chan), with her initially supportive brother Ryan (Kevin Hofbauer) present. Ash (Brooke Lee), Robin’s wife, laments that the adoption wasn’t a joint decision as she is about to go pro in her boxing career. Peter comes to regret giving Wolf up, holding traditional family values and views of fatherhood and homophobia. Peter fights for Wolf’s return through the messy court system that both parties attempted were trying to avoid.

Director Isabella Vadiveloo has created a vivid, emotional work that is both complex and at the core very simple–the love of a parent for a child. There are strong themes of the fear of otherness–Asian, queerness and loneliness–that shines through in real way on stage. Sam Diamond’s set and costume design is interesting–all blue for the set (kitchen, floor, walls, balloons, couch) with the white lines of a boxing ring framing the set; it’s striking in one sense but also cleverly fades into the background allowing the actors to pull focus at all times.

Every single performer puts in standout performances. There is a physicality to Lee’s boxing performance of Ash, enhanced by the creative team’s lighting and staging, which is terrific. The emotional connection and longing for a family that Chan and Cousins each display is palpable and Hofbauer’s masculinity comes to the forefront as the play progresses as he subtly yet commandingly switches from supporter to agitator. However, Wang’s control as quasi narrator, often puppeteer of 6 year old Wolf, offers at times some of the few moments of levity. Using inner monologue and breaking the fourth wall, he breaks through the heavy material and captivates the audience from start to finish. Wang’s commitment and execution of a howling wolf is also very impressive.

The entire production is tight. It’s almost two-hour run time is forgotten; I was drawn into the detail of the relationships on stage, and cleverly at times. through a great lighting technique, off stage too. The use of a puppet connected at times to Wang, and at other times connected to other characters, is a really interesting choice; it allows the audience to feel the size and vulnerability of the puppet child and the commanding and insightful performance of Wang too.

As the play reminds us, a wolf will adapt to its surroundings, so will those cast as others in society. This is a play that would easily fit right at home on some of Melbourne’s biggest stages.

Wolf Play is showing at Red Stitch Actors Theatre until 2 April with tickets available via Wolf Play 2023 — Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre. 

Photo supplied

Review, Theatre

Review: When the Rain Stops Falling

By Kiana Emmett

A whirlwind story transcending place and time about the inherent complexities of family relationships.

Presented by Iron Lung Theatre and Theatreworks, Andrew Bovell’s When The Rain Stops Falling tells the story of two conjoined families through four generations, grappling with the secrets and stories that inextricably bind their families together. The production uses climate change and weather as a descriptor and representation of the tensions the two families face.

Andrew Bovell’s writing is nuanced, dark and shows the full depth of flawed characters dripping with humanity. The intricate weaving of naturalistic and non-naturalistic writing is refreshing and brilliant.

Briony Dunn’s direction is exquisite. She brings so much out of her actors and the result is direct, detailed work. Her staging creates a knowingness among the audience, helping them to feel almost complicit in the actions of the characters, even when they are hearing about said actions for the first time. The venue seems like the perfect choice, with the more intimate setting Theatreworks provides aiding the production through making the audience feel more readily involved in what was happening.

The set design by Greg Clarke feels like the perfect blank canvas for this story to be etched upon. The minimalistic set with ‘Off-White’ coloured walls emphasises the stark intellectual wasteland the characters are navigating themselves through. The projections of Uluru are a smart choice in theory, as they gave the landmark the grandiosity that it evokes in the text, but in execution, I found them a little out of place.

As someone who hadn’t seen this show prior to this production, the writing was thoroughly intellectually stimulating and is one of the most brilliant pieces of writing I’ve witnessed on stage. This production treads the line of taking on deep and dark material and making it more palatable for an audience, whilst still challenging them mentally.

The ambience created in the theatre through constant music and/or white noise creates an unsettled atmosphere, and, while an unsettled audience is not always desirable, I felt this was a positive, helping to maintain interest and engagement through the dense and heavy two-hour-long show with no interval.

Performances were strong throughout, with the leader of the company Francis Greenslade being utterly captivating as Gabriel York and Law. Although the production steers heavily away from comedy, Greenslade creates light and shade in his performance, eliciting a few laughs amongst the serious and thought-provoking tone of the show. Another highlight was Esther van Doornum, who was strong as Young Elizabeth, with her pinpoint accuracy and delivery raising the stakes of the production immensely. The show is an incredible ensemble piece, with an equally incredible cast to execute it. Bovell’s writing is in safe hands.

When the Rain Stops Falling is an intellectually stimulating, at times overwhelmingly clever, production full of stellar performances, and is a must see.

When the Rain Stops Falling is running at Theatreworks through March 18.

Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.theatreworks.org.au/2023/when-the-rain-stops-falling

Photo by Joshn Wayn

Opera, Theatre

Review: La Cenerentola (Cinderella)

By Sebastian Purcell

La Cenerentola was a wonderfully staged concert by Victorian Opera in the beautifully sounding and designed Elisabeth Murdoch Hall of the Melbourne Recital Centre. La Cenerentola (or Cinderella) was a really accessible opera for new and experienced opera goers alike.

From composer Gioachino Rossini and librettist Jacopo Ferretti the story of Cinderella takes a slightly different approach to the modern fairytale many would know. In this version, it is the Prince (Mert Sungu) that is in disguise as a valet, unbeknownst to the townsfolk, rather than Cinderella (Margarita Gritskova). The Prince sends his loyal companion Dandini (Stephen Marsh) to court Don Magnifico’s (Teddy Tahu Rhodes) daughters Clorinda (Rebecca Rashleigh) and Tsibe (Shakira Dugan) and bring them to the palace ball so he can then chose a wife. However, Cinderella, who is initially denied her request to attend by her stepfather (another change from our modern fairytale), is whisked away to the ball in a magnificent gown by a transformed beggar-come-tutor Alidoro (Michael Lampard).

While sung in Italian, there are English surtitles; I did feel these were not really necessary with such a familiar storyline, emotive score and performance from the cast. It’s a comedy and love story at the heart, with ample levity for an enjoyable night. The cast shine with their impeccable vocals, and the acoustics of the theatre makes listening the soaring tones of Margarita Gritskova such a joy.

On a production note, the costuming was detailed and vibrant. The lighting design (Peter Darby) is bright with the biggest change occurring during a storm scene where, between the orchestration and the lighting, I felt as though I was in the middle of the storm. The direction and staging (Elisabeth Hill-Cooper) was simple and clean but effective for the cast to deliver.

The Victorian Opera Chamber Orchestra gave a flawless performance and were such a joy to listen to, tightly conducted by Richard Mills. You could see their enjoyment throughout and it was lovely to see them centre stage and lit for the entire production.

A highly enjoyable evening, showing why Melbourne is the cultural and theatre capital, where local and international talents combine to produce a vibrant operatic concert for all ages. 

For Victorian Opera’s 2023 Season visit https://www.victorianopera.com.au/season/2023

Photo courtesy of Victorian Opera

Theatre

Review: Ghost Stories

Spooky symposium
Owen James

Endowed in hazard tape and festoon lights, the bellows of Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre make for the perfect location for a night of Ghost Stories. The intimate yet cavernous space is superbly transformed into numerous locations through extremely effective Lighting Design by James Farncombe and stunning Production Design by Jon Bauser; the production looks a million dollars.

Penned by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, the play was a long-running smash hit in the West End, and it’s easy to see why. Designed purely to elicit screams and yelps from audience members tempted by a ghoulish evening, the text relies, as all good horror does, on capacious sequences of suspense, exploding into heart-palpitating jumpscares. This is a very fun night at the theatre, and hearing the packed Athenaeum scream together is a delight.

Taking the form of a horror anthology ala Creepshow or Tales From The Darkside, three seemingly isolated stories are framed by the conceit of a lecture dissecting the history and mythology inherent in Ghost Stories themselves. Steve Rogers masterfully leads this ongoing lecture as Professor Phillip Goodman, whipping through sometimes extraneous passages with delight, and coping with building horrors of his own.

While staving clear of spoilers, it’s safe to say the first story featuring Jay Laga’aia as unnerved nightwatchmen Tony Matthews is undoubtedly the strongest. Laga’aia lulls us into a tense sense of calm as his horror draws closer and closer, milking the building stress in a realistic and cathartic performance that is the highlight of this production. Laga’aia’s exquisitely paced storytelling is aided by, again, superb Lighting Design from James Farncombe.

Darcy Brown plays stranded motorist Simon Rifkind with delightful dread, and Nick Simpson-Deeks is perfectly cast as smarmy businessman Mike Priddle, tormented with infantile terrors. Strong Direction from original creative team trio Jeremy Dyson, Sean Holmes and Andy Nyman successfully lands each tale and its alarming climax, rewarded with screams from the baited crowd.

Mastering horror on the stage is a difficult and admittedly rarely explored feat, and Realscape’s production of Ghost Stories tackles this challenge with tremendous design and absorbing performances. Sure, the scares are silly sometimes – but isn’t that the point of a good ghost story?

For the next couple of weeks, every time a streetlamp flickers, I’ll think of Ghost Stories, playing a limited season until November 5: https://www.ghoststoriestheshow.com.au/

Photography courtesy of Charles Alexander

Review, Theatre

Review: The Meeting

Enter a dreamer and a revolutionary with a plea for equality still missing today 

By Sebastian Purcell

The Meeting is an outstanding theatre play depicting a fictional dialogue between American Civil Rights Activists, Dr Martin Luther King Jr (Dushan Phillips) and Malcom X (Christopher Kirby) in February 1965. Playwright Jeff Stetson brings events that occurred nearly 60 years ago alive and transforms them into contemporary issues that are at the forefront of today’s political discourse; he play was conceived nearly 35 years ago yet is strikingly relevant now.  

The Meeting explores Dr King Jr’s and Malcom X’s opposing views of how to bring about societal change and equality to African Americans, one dedicated to non-violent means and peaceful demonstrations and the other advocating an advance to freedom through revolution with the ends justifying the means, even if that includes violence.

Peter Mumford (set and costume design) and Richard Vabre (lighting design) immediately place you into what feels like the Audubon Ballroom, New York, where Malcom X was assassinated on February 21, 1965, and later transitioning to the balcony in which MLK Jr was assassinated three years later. The staging, while sparse, cleverly uses a large wooden table as the centrepiece depicting the meeting, the balcony and even competing ideals of the two activists. The lighting and sound (Justin Gardam) works to transport the audience to what feels more like a memory, using almost sepia tones as if to say the movement, and those who fought for its ideals, are beginning to fade like an old photograph with the passage of time.

Director Tanya Gerstle has excelled in all elements here, firstly through casting. Not only do Phillips and Kirby go toe to toe for 60 minutes in both a verbal and physical contest, but Kirby’s towering and athletic physic adds to Malcom X’s heightened sense of willingness to use force to create change. It is a wonderfully paced play and the addition of Akkhilesh Jain as Malcom X’s body guard offers levity in what is a tense and thought provoking story. Jain had the audience laughing out loud with his well-timed quips, and serves as a physical representation of the pawns which Malcom X is fighting to protect in his game of chess.

Phillips and Kirby as Dr King Jr and Malcom X respectively are captivating. Their verbal sparing is delivered with conviction and clarity. The energy from both is cleverly aligned to their characters; Phillips is calm, stoic, patient, non threatening, aligned to that of his beliefs in civil protest, while Kirby is more rash, forceful in delivery and bold and physical in his performance.

Some of the clear messages that arise from The Meeting include: that non-violence does not equal non-action; that we all have to put in to create a better, more equal society; and that while the systems and laws may change, if those who wield power and hold privilege don’t change then the application of those laws and systems will continue to disproportionately affect those they were intended to uplift.

The Meeting is a timely reminder that even when our philosophies differ, pushing in the same direction will support achieving equality for all, much sooner and with far less resistance.

The Meeting is presented by Red Stitch until to 23 October in St Kilda, tickets available at Red Stitch or via Melbourne Fringe Festival 

Promotional photo by Robert Blackburn & Work Art Life Studios

Circus, Theatre

Review: Circonoclasm – NICA

An enthralling exploration of art

By Leeor Adar

Always in for a treat, NICA delivers an enjoyable romp with a message from its second-year student ensemble.

Directed by David Woods (Ridiculusmus Theatre Company, London), Circonoclasm is a sharp and fun take down of the sacredness of the arts space. In the National Australia Gallery, the artwork’s shelf life is brief as elastic thieves swing, bounce and flounce between the bored security guards. As the nation collectively yawns, bored by the art perhaps, or bored by the way in which it is displayed, the capable hands of thieves go to work.

“Not our fault” is repeated by a gussied-up Maya Davies, who in a transatlantic accent delivers a history of all the failed attempts to preserve past works. In Woods’ own words, the “deadpan physical theatre schtick” is the mode for which iconoclasm is explored by the students in this 70-minute performance. The messaging is clear: the arts has given way to excuses and corporate sponsorships, where art for art’s sake is preferred to quality. One could say we experience Circonoclasm as shtick for schtick’s sake, but I like that Woods has injected something deeper into the showcase of NICA’s talent.

The talent is indeed on display, which is a hard feat to pull off when you have a 23 strong ensemble with their own unique skill to showcase. We cycle through Seurat (with a magical nod to the circus), Michelangelo and Munch to name a few, as works of art come to life through the physical expression of the performers.

Dominating the performance is a series of heists that toy with physical boundaries, but the plot thickens (as does the humour) with enquiring characters, a dog-pigeon, and some fantastically mind-bending backtracking. In an attempt to uncover the architects of the heist, we are treated to a series of hysterical vignettes where the guards interrogate one another. Notable mentions to Dean Moran’s compelling relationship with an orange, and Harrison Sweeney’s great seduction.

Overall, I was enthralled with NICA’s talent and Woods’ vision.

Circonoclasm was performed at the National Institute of Circus Art. For more about NICA visit https://www.nica.com.au/

Musical Theatre, Review, Theatre, Whats On

Review: Freaky Friday

Family, love and hard truths, by Kiana Emmett

Theatrical’s Victorian Premiere of Freaky Friday is a fresh new take on the Disney movie we all know and love, bringing a familiarity and an updated viewpoint on the story of Mother and Daughter who switch bodies.

As the two leading players, daughter Ellie (Lyla Digrazia) and mother Katherine (Stephanie Powell) are both strong. The score is a big sing, and they both do well to keep up with it throughout the piece. Powell’s comedic timing as the daughter Ellie trapped in her mother’s body is well executed and highly entertaining, she manages to perfectly execute the differentiation between the physicality of mother and daughter. Her solo moments including ‘Parents Lie’ and ‘After All of This and Everything’ were heartfelt, and these emotional ballads are where she seemed to thrive the most.

Digrazia’s performance was deeply grounded and was a strong presence on stage, setting the precedence for those around her. Her vocals were strong, and she was at her best during ‘Oh Biology!.

The standout of the production however was Michael Gray as Katherine’s husband to be Mike. His vocal prowess was undeniable but felt underutilised in a score that so heavily featured mother and daughter. 

Vocally, the highlight of the show was ‘Bring My Baby (Brother) Home’ near the top of at two with Digrazia, Powell and Gray all at their strongest and most impressive.

The supporting cast gave strong performances, with Jessi Neilsen Carreno, lending her strong voice to play Ms Meyers during ‘Watch Your Back’ as well as a multitude of other cameo roles. Jack Lear’s comedic timing was brilliant, with small interjecting lines throughout the piece that had the audience in stitches. Tach Sutton was also strong as Katherine’s assistant Torrey.

There were a few issues and malfunctions of set and props throughout the show, and I felt the transitions were at times a little clunky, but as a whole the production was strong in its delivery of story above all else. The intimate setting of Chapel off Chapel was perfect for the scale of the production and the lighting design was crucial in the believability of the magical aspects of the show. The lanterns used in the opening of the second act were also effective, with cast members heading into the audience, enhancing the relationship between story and audience.

Musical direction by Peter Pham Nguyen was strong, with harmonies being clean, and packing a punch when it really mattered. The work done with leads especially in their vocally demanding performances was clear, and helped to further the story more.

Theatrical’s Freaky Friday depicts the importance of family and love, accepting hard truths in life and coming together despite it all. It is a hilarious, heartfelt night out!

Freaky Friday is playing at Chapel off Chapel until the 18th of September. Tickets are available at:

https://chapel.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/76184