Category: Theatre

Circus, Dance, Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On February 14, 2014

REVIEW: Kage’s FORKLIFT

Femmes ex machina

By Tania Herbert

What to do on a summer’s night when Melbourne is covered in a haze of bushfire smoke? Clearly some rather disquieting contemporary performance art outside at the base of the Arts Centre.

The audience is ushered into a construction site set with a back drop of the Arts Centre spire, and tech crew are cleverly perched around the set in their construction worker fluros. A long lead-in of banter and set-exploration with some very light humour by the protagonist female forklift driver (Nicci Wilks) left a full house quizzically wondering what exactly they were in for.

When the forklift arrives complete with a pair of mannequin-esque women (Henna Kaikula and Amy Macpherson) sprawled across it, the show quickly shifts into gear. The obscure storyline appeared to be based around elements of the forklift driver’s simple worklife merging into a dream-like world the suggests a contemporary Alice-down-the-rabbit hole.

An intensely physical performance, the contortions, dance moves, circus stunts and incredible balancing were interwoven with the movements of the forklift in a mesmerising and terrifyingly dangerous spectacle of movement. The sound track, composed by Melbourne local Jethro Woodward, punctuated the ever-shifting world and gives an eerie, almost steam-punk feel.

As the performance continues, and people wandered past the outdoor stage, a ‘fishbowl’ effect added to the disquiet, with theatre-goers on their way home finding a perch on any place where they could catch glimpses of the performance.

The piece is all that is feminism, with strong, powerful, changeable women completely in control of their art. And yet, it is all that is not, as our rather stereotypically ‘butch’ female lead is gradually converted into a sexualized, scantily -lad lipstick-wearing version of her former self.

Unique, bizarre, and utterly enthralling, Forklift defies definition. It’s kind of circus, kind of contemporary theatre, kind of dance… and yet none of these things. Forklift is oh so very Melbourne, and for a very different kind of “pop up” art, KAGE is certainly a group to keep an eye on.

Forklift is playing at Arts Centre Melbourne at the Theatres Forecourt

Wed 12 – Sun 16 February – 6.30 and 9pm nightly

Bookings: www.kage.com.au/book-tickets

Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On January 30, 2014February 1, 2014

REVIEW: La Mama Presents THE GREAT GAME

Tragicomedy when Victorian poetry meets the Pussycat Dolls

By Rachel Holkner

The Great Game opens with two spinster sisters trying to establish the correct quality and volume of grief suitable to mark the passing of their “dear papa”. Their rigid social expectations dictate that they sip sherry and wait for callers. None arrive. They venture then into the mysterious room that is their father’s study in order to sort his papers. What follows is an amusing exploration of Victorian social mores with scattered commentary on modern values.

Georgiana and Elizabeth, living an isolated life on a large property somewhere in Australia, seek comfort from their situation by reverting at first into childhood games and then into more animalistic behaviours. Directed by Rosina Gannon, the superb physicality of the actors (Charlie Laidlaw and Katherine Connolly) leads most of the humour in these scenes.

Using music and out-of-character references to technology, the play explores both the strict Victorian codes of conduct expected of the women and their desires to find identity of their own. What would a Victorian lady make of a Facebook profile? Why shouldn’t she let her hair down and fling it around to the sounds of the Pussycat Dolls? This is a play of contrasts in storytelling styles and subject matter.

By reciting things by rote – long-ago received letters, poetry and Bible verses, by acting out a part, by playing with items from around the study the grown-up sisters explore aspects of themselves that have been long repressed.

The appearance of a dashing character (Bernard Caleo) found in old papers of their father’s adds another layer of dramatic storytelling emphasising a life out there that is not for them. Exotic lands of mystery, dangerous treks, and conversations with foreigners all contribute to the tragicomedy of Georgiana and Elizabeth’s life.

The Great Game is tremendous fun. The three actors do a marvellous job, covering the small stage with their fantasies. I look forward to seeing further works by Laidlaw and Connolly.

Venue: La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond Street, Carlton

Dates: JANUARY 29 – FEBRUARY 16, Wed and Sun 6.30pm Thur to Sat 7.30pm

Bookings: http://lamama.com.au/summer-2014/the-great-game/ or 03 9347 6142

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On January 26, 2014

REVIEW: Standing On Ceremony – The Gay Marriage Plays

Talented team in this topical theatrical anthology

By Myron My

Standing On Ceremony consists of nine short plays by well-known Broadway writers dealing with the theme of gay marriage. There are therefore some great writers, plus the fine directors and a talented ensemble cast involved in this production, so expectations were set high to begin with.

Unfortunately I walked out feeling somewhat disappointed, and it’s not through the acting or the directing, but the plays that were originally chosen for this work. For example, The Revision by Jordan Harrison has two men writing their wedding vows whereas José Rivera’s Andrew and Pablo at the Alter of Words has two men exchanging their wedding vows. Whilst both pieces are good, they are indicative of the strong sense of déjà vu I felt running throughout the night when thematic possibilities seemed to become recurring characters or storylines.

That said, Doug Wright’s On Facebook comes together really well, and Neil LaBute’s Strange Fruit is particularly impressive. Both stories are both unique and inherently interesting, and Spencer McLaren and Brett Whittingham’s performances in the latter are understated and honest, captured by that wonderful palpable silence in the final moments. However, among the excellent cast of actors, it is Michael Veitch who delivers the strongest performance of the night as the man mourning the loss of his longtime lover in Moisés Kaufman’s moving London Mosquitos.

In this production, the musical interludes between plays by David Ellis, Laura Burzcott and Karl Lewis are a nice touch and do well in setting the scene before the next story begins. It feels like they are part of the overall work and blend in seamlessly. Similarly, the elegant set design consists of a number of white boxes stacked up on top of each other in a tetris-like formation and having the backdrop projected onto them. With nine stories, this simply yet effectively set the scene for each one.

I couldn’t help wishing for more variety in the collection as the similarities between many of the stories and characters did not seem to express the wealth and complexity of possibilities, but Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays delivers what it’s title proclaims, this is an admirable production of it, and the proceeds go to Australian Marriage Equality.

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

Season: Until 9 February | Tues-Fri 8:00pm, Wed 2:00pm, Sat 5:00pm and 9:00pm, Sun 5:00pm

Tickets: $45.50 Full | $39.50 Conc

Bookings: www.standingonceremony.com.au, www.midsumma.org.au, 9415 9819 or www.chapeloffchapel.com.au, 8290 7000

Festivals, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On January 26, 2014

REVIEW: Midsumma Festival’s THIRD REICH MOMMIE

Disturbingly funny

By Narelle Wood

With a title like Third Reich Mommie, I knew this performance was either going to be good, bad or completely bizarre; it was all three and didn’t disappoint. The storyline centres on the dysfunctional relationship between an ex-actress turned spy turned agoraphobic mother Bridgette (Christopher Bryant) and at-times sweet and at other times homicidal daughter, Cassidy (Trelawney Edgar).

Caught in the middle of the neurosis is a sexually confused and charged boy, Jock (Nathan Burmeister), who’s captured the attention of mother and daughter, and the gestapo-esque housekeeper, Ada (Ashleigh Goodson) who juxtaposes her caring nature and sugary singing voice with random bouts of shouting in German.

The plot was initially hard to follow as it twists and turns in such a way that you know someone is up to something, but you’re not exactly sure what is afoot right up until the end when Bridgette Van Kamp’s sordid past and Cassidy’s ‘shining’ future is revealed.

The humour is, for the most part, completely inappropriate but also indiscriminate, targeting Jews, Nazis, homosexuals, Germans, mothers, fathers, and children, and the cast make no apology for this in their performance. Christopher Bryant’s physicality as well as his timing resulted in him delivering some of the show’s most controversial lines, jokes about incinerators and death camps, with comedic flair.

Daniel Lammin, the director, had warned us of some late changes due to unforeseen technical difficulties; the only thing I noticed was how smooth the lighting, scene and sound transitions were given the small number of people in the performance group. It was at times hard to hear, partly because of the acoustics of such a large room, partly the competing noise from the rest of the convent and partly the German accents.

For me Ashleigh Goodson stole the show, which was no mean feat given the strength of the other performers and the seemingly superfluous role that her character played. However it was Ada, and in turn Goodson’s portrayal of the character, that enabled me to slowly put together what appeared to be random schizophrenic conversations.

With good acting, bad characters and a completely bizarre storyline, it is definitely worth keeping an eye out for any future runs of Third Reich Mommie.

Venue: Abbotsford Convent, Rosina Auditorium CBD

Season: 16 – 25th January 2014

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On January 19, 2014January 19, 2014

REVIEW: Shakespeare in the Gardens with MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Lost in the Dream

By Warwick Moffat

The evening had three elements. Firstly, the Melbourne Royal Botanical Gardens at night, as ushers spotted spaces amongst fellow revellers where your own blanket might rest. For those bodies (like mine) which strain when too far removed from modernity, chairs are for hire. It was a welcome respite from the working day. Secondly, there is the play. It was declared that we were there to be entertained and every effort was made to ensure we were. The efforts of the cast and crew were expertly directed by Glenn Elston; the audience appeared truly lost in the world created for them.

Thirdly, and for me this was the most memorable element, every opportunity was taken to use the garden to highlight the play’s key themes. Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream warns of how natural forces can influence human passion and endeavour. The slight and thankfully brief evening shower seemed to be Nature’s own foreword. When Titania (Shireen Morris) bellowed her intent to utilise the wind, the weather even obliged on cue and Morris’s performance as the fairy queen deserved this compliment.

The setting and performances skilfully brought out the animalism within this comedy, where other companies have sadly missed it. Impressive acrobatics (especially Tamika Ball and Liam DeJong), and dance impressed upon us the wildness and sensuality of the woods inhabitants. When the Athenians entered this world, it magnified their all-too-human qualities and made their descent under Puck’s (Arky Elston) bungled spells all the more believable. When the lightshow, the trees and the music of Paul Norton combined during the casting of spells, I became overwhelmed by this realm where natural forces and human intent meet. Elston made Shakespeare’s trickster his own, through physical comedy and a distinct Gen-Y sensibility.

The tradesmen were excellent (Hugh Sexton, Simon Mallory, Ross Williams, Kevin Hopkins and Anthony Rive). Any clown can be silly: these clowns had a depth of character that left the audience laughing but also empathising with their faults. Mallory’s Bottom was not just an Ass; he was a brilliantly cringe-worthy ham, whose need for approval left you wanting to organise a group hug. William’s Snug gets my vote overall, so frustratingly dense and yet so sweet that you would never dare yell at him. That being said, the entire cast performed with flair and enthusiasm.

The Australian Shakespeare Company delivers Dream with the maturity of a troupe who are, after all, celebrating their twenty-fifth year in the Gardens. This comic spectacle has a vitality which comes with never taking your audience for granted.

Dates: 21 Dec 2013 – 15 Mar 2014.

Location: Southern Cross Lawn, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Enter through Observatory Gate on Birdwood Ave. Gates open 90 minutes prior.

Times (for Feb 11 2014 to Mar 15 2014): Tue to Sat at 8pm.

Tickets: $25-$45

Bookings: 03 8676 7511 or www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au or Ticketmaster 136 100.

What to bring: Pack a picnic, a blanket or cushions to sit on and insect repellent.

Events, Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On January 19, 2014

REVIEW: Mockingbird Theatre Presents THE TEMPEREMENTALS

Unmissable Midsumma fare

By Ross Larkin

“Before Stonewall, a braver bunch of us stood up to the plate… before there even was a plate”.

The Temperamentals is a curious little piece based on true events. Written by Jon Marans in 2009, it made a significant impression off-Broadway, and has maintained a cult following and critical respect since. Local favourite Mockingbird Theatre provides the perfect team to re-imagine this important story as an inclusion in the 2014 Midsumma Festival and a Melbourne premiere.

The Temperamentals is set in the USA in the 1950’s, when homosexuals were forced to lead secret lives of façade and repression in a society of bigotry. However, five young men dared to reveal their truths and confront the world around them, by founding the first gay rights organisation called the Mattachine Society. The group is accelerated into ambition when its member, Dale Jannings (Sebastian Bertoli) is arrested by an undercover cop in a public toilet.

Bertoli is exceptional as the unassuming Jannings, with the ability to maintain striking presence and poignant subtlety at once. In fact, director Chris Baldock’s casting overall is outstanding. The small ensemble of five, most of who play a variety of characters, exhibit genuine versatility and chemistry with highly accomplished direction.

Tim Constantine in particular, who plays Austrian fashion icon Rudi Gernreich, engages charisma, shame, passion and hurt with an understated three-dimensional beauty that allures audience members during his journey. Angelo De Cata, as Mattachine Society protagonist Harry Hay, is also a solid centrepiece, embodying a brave but pained man with excellent conviction, while supporters Angus Cameron and Jai Luke add a kick of colour and humour to the otherwise intense circumstances.

The Temperamentals is a slow-burner, with more telling than doing, and may not grab you until you’ve truly fallen for its beloved characters. However, it’s most certainly worth holding tight for, because fall you will – in another highly praiseworthy example of Chris Baldock and Mockingbird’s ability to stage some of the most noteworthy theatre in town.

The Temperamentals is playing now at The Brunswick Mechanics Institute Performing Arts Centre (corner of Glenlyon and Sydney Roads, Brunswick) as part of the 2014 Midsumma Festival.

Tue 21 Jan – Sat 25 Jan at 8pm
Sun 26 Jan at 5pm
Tue 28 Jan – Sat 1 Feb at 8pm

Bookings:http://www.trybooking.com/61975

Events, Review, Theatre, Whats On November 25, 2013November 25, 2013

REVIEW: Cameron Lukey’s PLAYING ROCK HUDSON

The life and death of a silver screen star

By Myron My

It always seems to shock us when celebrities die. They exude a sense of invincibility that we are not as lucky to own. So when beloved movie legend Rock Hudson died in 1985 from an AIDS-related illness, the grief was on a grand scale. Such was the effect of his death that the US government doubled its funding towards AIDS research.

In his debut play, Playing Rock Hudson, Cameron Lukey looks at how Hudson’s diagnosis affected his relationships with close friends, such as Elizabeth Taylor (Odette Galbally), and also his secret romances and loves. On a deeper level, it also looks at the stigma attached to what was then referred to as ‘gay cancer’ and how Hudson’s diagnosis played a pivotal role in future research into and attitudes towards the illness.

Some of the casting selections are questionable but Bartholomew Walsh as Rock Hudson is truly the perfect choice. He has the smouldering looks and physique of Hudson, and his performance of the character’s inner turmoil and showy bravado is well balanced. There is an old brat-pack Hollywood appeal to Walsh that Lukey was very fortunate to find.

With the cast playing a variety of characters there is every possibility that the story may get lost in the confusion of who is who when, but it works well here for the most part. In particular, Andrew Carolane and Sam Lavery made notable and then lasting impressions with their ability to play the nuances of their different characters convincingly. It is however problematic to have Walsh portray any other character but Hudson. He is our leading man and as such, needs to hold onto that power. Making him switch characters lessened his credibility.

Much of Playing Rock Hudson is told after Hudson’s death and based around a court room with Hudson’s ex-lover, Marc Christian (Shane Savage) seeking compensation for Hudson’s non-disclosure of his illness. I enjoyed Lukey’s direction and there are a number of well-timed and balanced monologues and confessionals by the various people involved in Hudson’s life. The story is elegantly paced and the intrigue and the tension remain constant throughout.

Playing Rock Hudson is a poignant love story of life and death and with the rate of HIV diagnosis’ gradually increasing, it is very much a story that still needs to be told.

Venue: Malthouse Theatre, 113 Sturt Street, Southbank

Season: Until 4 December | Tues-Wed, Sat 8:00pm, Thurs-Fri 7:00pm, Sat 3pm*, Sun 5:30pm

*The November 30 performance will be a benefit show, with half the ticket price going to the Victorian AIDS Council.

Tickets: $35 Full | $30 Conc

Bookings: 9685-5111 or http://www.malthousetheatre.com.au

Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On November 25, 2013

REVIEW: Tamara Saulwick’s PUBLIC

Daring theatre – in a food court

By Myron My

We all do it. We do it all the time no matter where we are. We watch – ever so subtly, so as to not to be spotted. But what happens when the art of people-watching is brought to the surface? What happens when a seemingly private moment is made public?

As part of the Big West Festival, Tamara Saulwick has created a unique and insightful theatrical experience. Appropriately called Public, the show takes places in the food court of Highpoint Shopping Centre. Provided with a pair of headphones, the twenty “audience members” disperse amongst the patrons of the food court and watch for the performance to begin.

There are snippets of conversation being played out, and it sounds as if the voices are coming from all around you. And then, out of nowhere, I spot a man (Tom Davies) who doesn’t quite appear to belong. His movements are far slower and his gestures more grand than anyone else and I wonder why I hadn’t seen him earlier. Davies is joined by three others performers (Rachel Dyson-McGregor, Nicola Gunn, Diana Nguyen) and we begin to watch and listen as their conversations go from private to public. The performers’ conversations are played out into our headphones, so even though we are not sitting next to them, we can hear every word they are saying.

There are a variety of performances and audiences occurring with Public. We are watching the actors, as are the non-audience members. We are also watching the non-audience members’ reactions to the actors and you can see them subtly trying to glance in their direction and then whisper to their friend about the “strange person” nearby. I also began to feel myself being watched by the non-audience members once they realized that we, the people with the headphones, were somehow involved with what was happening.

It was interesting to unwittingly be “on show”, and without having the ability to communicate or share my experience with anyone whilst Public was occurring, I went through a range of emotions including sadness and a feeling of emptiness that slowly enveloped me. This does not mean I did not enjoy the show, but very much the opposite for allowing me to experience such thoughts and feelings without telling me what I should be feeling.

Despite not being the easiest location to get to, Saulwick’s Public is definitely worth a trip out to Highpoint. This sort of innovative theatre does not happen often, and this is an intriguing and involving experience.

Venue: Riverbank Food Court, Highpoint Shopping Centre, Maribyrnong

Season: Until 1 December | Fri, 5:30pm and 7:30pm, Sat-Sun 2:00pm and 4:00pm

Tickets: $25 Full | $15 Conc

Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On November 9, 2013December 2, 2013

REVIEW: Neil LaBute’s In A Forest Dark And Deep

The breadcrumbs stop here…

By Myron My

Winterfall Theatre’s production of Neil LaBute’s In A Forest, Dark and Deep is an analysis of human behavior and the ugly side of the human psyche, and an exploration of why we might do the things we do…

Here, a brother innocently goes to help his sister pack up her cabin in the woods that she has been renting out to a student. The evening results in a night of lies, deceit and revelations for both of them.

I’ve now seen two of LaBute’s play this year (Fat Pig at Chapel off Chapel) and I have to admit, I am not a fan. It’s as if he is trying too hard to make his point whereupon he sacrifices authentic character development and creates moments where the story just seems to go in every direction and then can’t get back on track. The prime example is the insinuation that Betty and Bobby’s relationship is not exactly “healthy” and as quickly as this is exposed, it is dropped and forgotten about.

I was especially disappointed with the final few moments of In A Forest, Dark and Deep. It’s a basic rule of modern story-telling: the audience is always going to be two steps ahead of the plot so you need to reveal it as fast as possible or turn the tables. When we have already realised what’s happened, having to then watch a scene play out where we are spoon-fed the truth is frustrating.

Michele Williams and Christopher Connelly are competent and accomplished actors but can’t seem to find the right balance to make these people believable. William’s Betty lacks the sexual confidence needed to be able to do the things she has apparently done and the final reveal just doesn’t seem plausible. She is portrayed as weak and vulnerable throughout when really she must be manipulative and narcissistic. In contrast, Connelly as the misogynistic and straight-as-a-door-nail Bobby is too obvious in all his emotions and ends up being one-dimensional.

This production of In A Forest, Dark and Deep does have its moments but the things that are wrong with the performance and the script outweigh these. It’s not the worst way to spend an evening, but it definitely is not the best.

Venue: The Theatre Husk, 161A Heidelberg Road, Northcote

Season: Until 23 November | Wed – Sat 8:0pm, Sat 4:00pm

Tickets: $30 Full | $26 Conc

Bookings: http://www.winterfalltheatre.com

Events, Review, Theatre, Whats On November 2, 2013

REVIEW: A Murder is Announced at THE COMEDY THEATRE

Prepare to be intrigued…

By Kim Edwards

The queen of crime is being celebrated anew – Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced opened in Melbourne this week, and proved to be a deadly and delicious production of this mystery classic.

Leslie Darbon‘s 1977 stage adaptation of one of Christie’s best-crafted novels is excellent, as the charming rambling wander through English village life is sewn up into a taut and witty drawing-room drama. The script establishes memorable and appealing characters with brisk confidence, rolls out the action with energy, and moves swiftly through important exposition, all without losing the actual language and style of the original novel.

It is Darren Yap‘s vibrant intelligent direction here that also freshens up the tale for a modern audience. I admired the delicate balance created between the self-aware humour that poked affectionate fun at the murder mystery genre and the foibles of the characters, and the real suspense and intrigue that held the opening night audience enthralled. I call it The Mousetrap effect – hearing an entire theatre of patrons draw a breath in horrified and delighted unison when a particular dark secret or shocking revelation is revealed…

Overall. the casting is delightful: Judi Farr (with clear homage to the glorious Joan Hickson) plays Miss Marple with wry humour and real charm. Robert Grubb has some trouble reigning in the wonderful gusto he feels portraying the bluff and dramatic Inspector Craddock, but the slight histrionics play off well against the elegant, fluid and nuanced performance of Debra Lawrance as Letitia Blacklock. Libby Munro gives a spirited and beautifully stylish depiction of Julia, Deidre Rubenstein offers superb comic timing as the bumbling Dora, and both Carmen Duncan and James Beck perform with aplomb in the rather thankless roles of Mrs Swettenham and Edmund.

Both Nathaniel Middleton and Libby Munro struggled to keep caricature at bay and their accents intact on opening night, but will no doubt smooth into their roles, while Victoria Haralabidou was a spectacular scene-stealer in the difficult role of refugee housekeeper Mitzi. Agatha Christie’s cheerful racism is always hard to overcome, but neat scripting and Haralabidou’s hilarious and enchanting dedication to her character gave Mitzi an ascerbic wit and vivaciousness that let us laugh with her at the constrained British behaviours and appreciate her more naturalistic emotion and energy.

Starting from $95.00, tickets are pricy for this old favourite, but classic murder mystery is always beguiling and as a Christie devotee, I enjoyed this production as thoroughly as the initiates behind me who were ecstatic the plot twists took them completely by surprise!

A Murder is Announced is playing at the Comedy Theatre until December 4. Tickets are available through Ticketek and online here.