Category: Whats On

Circus, Festivals, Whats On

Melbourne Fringe 2016: SIRKUS CIRCUS

Variety is the spice of circus life

By Leeor Adar

Circus Oz is delivering some real treats as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival this year. The Melba Circus Hub in Collingwood is featuring some excellent local and international circus and cabaret artists.

Sirkus Circus.jpg

Dale Hutton’s Sirkus Circus was a delight for all ages, featuring impressive independent circus, cabaret and contemporary vaudeville. The Melba Circus Hub filled with thrill-seekers of varying ages as we spent over an hour with our mouths gaping at the death-defying and often funny performances.

New Zealand’s Blingling Bros hosted our night with a series of laugh-out-loud mishaps interspersed throughout the astonishing performances.

Jess Love was a fantastic opener, as she flung and strung, and energetically twisted her body through her hoop act. Love was a perfect way to start this line-up with her professionalism and charm. The audience was fired up and whooping with claps and gasps.

As a Dale Hutton show, Sirkus Circus was a big tribute to the jugglers. Karl Laczko gave us a LED light show with his clubs that respond to movement, and Hazel Bock was an astonishing and unique wonder with her foot-juggling act. If you’ve never seen a flapper juggling a table, you’d have been in for a treat!

The international star of the night and DOCH alumni, Tony Pezzo, delivered his famous five-ring-juggling act. With colourful clothing and a striking, energetic presence, Pezzo commanded our attention and closed the night on a buzzing high.

Do yourself a favour and head on down to the Melba Circus Hub and catch yourself one of these Circus Oz treats by October 2. Tickets are available from the Fringe website: https://melbournefringe.com.au

Festivals, Review, Whats On

Malthouse and St Martin’s Theatre Present GONZO

Porn, perspective and personal opinions as teens talk

By Margaret Wieringa

Teenagers and porn. Everyone is worried. Back in the day, porn was hard to find and rarely discussed. Now there is the Internet, and it’s free and, especially with smartphones and the like, very easily accessible. One big worry is that it is going to cause teenage boys to develop addictions and skewed ideas of what is expected in real relationships. Experts, politicians, teachers and parents all weigh in whenever the subject is raised, but, as director Clare Watson points out in her program note, there is a voice missing, and that is of the voice of teenage boys.

GONZO Jack Palit, Sol Rumble, Sam Salem &Ari Maza Long - photo credit Sarah Walker.jpg

Watson took the results of a survey of teenage males across Melbourne and worked with a group of boys from St Martin’s Theatre Company to develop this piece. What has resulted is an experience that is almost like eavesdropping for the audience. The four main performers – Ari Long, Jack Palit, Sam Salem and Sol Rumble – sit on stage and have what comes across as a relatively casual chat. The only real indication that is isn’t a normal conversation (apart from the odd stumbled line) is the visual design work by Michael Carmody appearing on the screen behind them. Initially, there is footage of bouncing breasts – an image seemingly unrelated to the chatter onstage, but adding to the wider commentary. Later, there are short sections breaking up the dialogue where the actors name porn clips, or tell brief anecdotes, and these are accompanied by a variety of significant animations of words or images.

The performers aren’t obviously playing characters – they use their own names, wear casual street clothes and spend as much time on their phones as they are talking. But it is important for the audience to remember that this is scripted, and that the opinions being expressed are not necessarily those of the actors, but an amalgam of the responses to the survey.

Toward the end of the performance, the boys are joined by Gala Vanting who is listed in the program as being a sex worker, educator and activist. I felt like the actors had, by this stage, established a nice rapport and Vanting’s entrance felt a bit forced – like the teenagers now had someone else that they had to relate to. It was interesting to hear what she had to say and the way the others responded to her, but this section felt less successful to me

Overall, I think that this is a very timely piece that is a glimpse into the world of teenagers. I hope that there is a way that the production is able to be given life beyond this season so that it can inspire conversations in schools and homes – but in the meantime, it’s playing at the Malthouse Theatre until October 1.

Gonzo plays at the Malthouse Theatre, 113 Sturt St, Southbank

September 22 to October 1. The shows are Tuesday to Saturday at 7pm with a 3:30 matinee on Saturday October 1.

Book tickets at www.malthousetheatre.com.au or call 9685 5111

Tickets are $35 – $65

Image by Sarah Walker

Circus, Performances, Whats On

Melbourne Fringe 2016: 4+4=4

Power, poignance and peril when you’re at the end of your rope

By Myron My

Presented by The Flying Xamels as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, 4 + 4 = 4 is a surrealist circus experience looking at four different lives, how they co-exist together and individually, and are finding their way around. Four circus artists with four ropes perform as individuals and as an ensemble as a poignant metaphor for trying to fit in with life and following the right path.

4+4=4.jpg

There is much to take in and analyse in 4 + 4 = 4, as the way these themes are explored could take on different and personal meanings for everyone in the audience. Fortunately the cast are all too aware of this and ensure that the tricks we see on stage are performed in a meditative and dream-like state. When you consider the technical aspects to some of the tricks, being able to appear that calm actually requires great skill and confidence, which these artists possess to a high degree.

But it is not just the performers who keep us entertained or transfixed on stage. Included in the mix in the back right corner is an artist drawing on pieces of paper on an easel and a camel that is perched atop the performance space and dropping paper flowers down below. At numerous times, one of the circus performers jumps down from the railings and bounds head first through the artist’s drawing, destroying the creation and disappearing into the darkness. The drawings all seem quite pleasant with their cartoon -tyle presentation, but the images themselves evoke a feeling of manipulation and being overpowered. In one way, smashing through the drawing shows the quartet’s defiance at this and their efforts at remaining true to themselves and living their lives their own way.

Similarly, the action all taking place under the watchful gaze of the camel – representing focus, determination and travelling – is another symbolic example of the characters staying on task and on track while undertaking their own personal journeying.

4 + 4 = 4 is circus that makes you question the way you live your life, and consider your place in the world in relation to those around you. Some mesmerizing and captivating tricks – with a well-matched soundtrack and lighting design – ensure you’ll be contemplating this show for some time to come.

Venue: Meat Market, 5 Blackwood St, North Melbourne
Season: until 25 September | Sat 8pm, Sun 7pm
Length: 60 minutes
Tickets: $28 Full | $23 Conc
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Circus, Whats On

Melbourne Fringe 2016: UNDERTONE

Musical interaction meets circus innovation

By Myron My

Produced by Black Carnation Productions, Undertone is a circus show that – while presenting some impressive tricks and laughs – also explores the relationship between the body and sound. With a live electronic score, it pushes the boundaries of what circus can be, creating a different show at every performance.

Undertone.jpg

There is a strong physical demand throughout Undertone, that the four performers make seem effortless as they jump through the air, climb on each other and fling their bodies across and under tables. Due to the concentration and focus of these tricks, the performers have also included a good dose of clowning throughout. Under the direction of Avan Whaite, this allows them to break the tension so the audience can breathe calmly, and for their personalities to come through and invite us to create a bond with them.

There are a few mishaps with certain tricks on the night I attended, and it seems at times that while the set-up is there, the follow-through isn’t always a success. However, what does work, and really takes my breath away is the work on the Chinese pole, which is used in various ways, with some acts I have not seen before in circus. Due to the design of the Melba Spiegeltent, you get to see the show from a more intimate viewpoint and acts like the balancing act on rolling tubes become extremely nail-biting, as you see just how near to the edge they roll.

Adding to the “danger” element of Undertone, the electronic soundtrack for the show created by musical director Zoltan Fesco uses live triggering from the performance itself for the audio delights we hear. In doing so, Fesco and the performers are constantly unaware of what could happen next and this unique soundscaping allows for numerous moments of surprise for the audience, the performers and the composer himself.

Undertone may not have the strongest individual acts, but it is one of the more innovative circus shows I’ve seen. With the growing number of circus coming through Melbourne, it’s always great to have your expectations of this art form challenged, and that is where Black Carnation Productions more than excel.

Venue: The Melba Spiegelent, 35 Johnston St, Collingwood, 3066
Season: Until 25 September | Sat – Sun 8.30pm, Sun 3:00pm
Length: 60 minutes
Tickets: $29 Full | $24 Conc | $22 Group 6+
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival 

Festivals, Theatre, Whats On

Melbourne Fringe 2016: BOMBSHELLS

Impressive performances of women on the verge

By Margaret Wieringa

Down a few side streets in Brunswick in an art space called Wick Studios, ROARE Productions are staging the classic Australian play Bombshells by Joanna Murray-Smith for this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival. The work is a series of six monologues from women pushed to the edge, and Kaarin Fairfax has directed this group of six young performers to find interesting and different interpretations of the collection of characters

Bombshells.jpg

The show starts strongly with Ruby Swann playing Meryl Louise Davenport, the young mum struggling through the constant, frenetic monologue, judging herself and comparing herself to everyone around her. It’s such a bittersweet, tragic and yet very hilarious piece and Swann balanced the humour and pathos beautifully – in a magnificent white jumpsuit, and literally at the end of her rope.

Next, Ruby Duncan was Tiggy Entwhistle, a recently separated woman who is discussing how succulents changed her life. Duncan’s performance was extremely still and monotonic throughout, which was both a strength and a weakness- it gave the writing a far deeper sense of pain, but at times, missed the humour. Certainly, it was a strong performance from Duncan in an unexpected interpretation of the piece.

The first act finished on Anjelica Angwin’s school talent performance as Mary O’Donnell. We’ve all known these young, extremely self-confident teens who are ready to take on the world of the stage. Perhaps we may have even been her… Angwin captured the arrogance and outrage of the teen performer beautifully. And her dance number was delightful.

Returning from interval we meet Theresa McTerry, portrayed by Emily Riley. Starting on stage dancing in her underwear and drinking champagne, we watch Riley go through a wide variety of emotions as she ends up in a magnificently large wedding dress marrying Ted. As the character became more and more overwhelmed by the day, Riley’s performance became bigger and louder and funnier and more tragic, as needed.

Angie Glavas played Winsome Webster, the button-down widow who has seemingly settled into a pattern that will last the rest of her life. It’s always difficult to have actors play characters so distant in age from themselves, and while it was impossible to ignore that I was watching a young performer, she had a weight to her voice, a pacing and a pitch that conveyed an older character. Glavas was able to do real credit to the humour of the writing with her performance – giving a sense of upright respectability with the occasional naughty wink.

The show ends with a showstopper – travelling Vegas-style singer Zoe Struthers played by Olivia Ramsay. I found this monologue felt somewhat out of place, as all previous five are relatively normal, everyday characters but Struthers is extreme – and Ramsay played it to absolute extreme, with smeared make-up and cartoon-like facial expressions. Possibly some of the potential tragedy of this character may have been lost through the melodrama of the performance, but it also was hindered by some technical issues. Unfortunately during the performance there were several technical cues missed which did slow the flow somewhat, but I am sure that they will be sorted as the season progresses.

There are a lot of choices at Fringe time, but if you are interested in checking out the work of some raw young talent, get yourself to Wick Studios for Bombshells.

Bombshells is playing in Studio A at Wick Studios, 23-25 Leslie St, Brunswick

Monday-Sunday at 7:30 and Sat-Sun Matinees 1:30 September 22-27

Tickets are available through melbournefringe.com.au

Preview $20, Full $25, Conc. $25 Cheap Tuesday $15

Whats On

Melbourne Fringe 2016: BLAAQ CATT

Profound, powerful, significant theatre

By Myron My

Returning for an encore season during the Melbourne Fringe Festival, BlaaQ Catt is a show that you simply cannot afford to miss. Produced, written and performed by Maurial Spearim, it is a powerful performance and story about how far modern Australia has got to go to make right the wrongs it has committed against the original inhabitants of this land.

BlaaQ Catt.jpg

Spearim plays Ruby, a First Nations woman, who takes us through the history of her people, predominantly around the white invasion of their land up until the present day. Referring to events such as the Waterloo Creek Massacre conflict between mounted police and indigenous Australians in January 1838 as well as other significant Indigenous historic moments including their recognition in having the right to vote and the Mabo case, Spearim paints a picture that many refuse to acknowledge or accept.

While there is much factual information and confronting scenes, Spearim balances the tone and mood of the play by incorporating moments of light humour, such as when Ruby is asked by a classmate how to say TV in “aboriginal”. Spearim also performs a number of traditional songs, dances and storytelling through the Gamilaraay language, reminding us of her ancestors – past and present – and allows us to attempt to understand what she has lost.

Spearim has a strong presence on stage and no matter what she is doing, we cannot take our eyes off her. The complexity and range of emotions she displays throughout, switching from one to another, are a testament to the performance skills she possesses.

An evocative symbolic set design by Leon Salom includes a cut-down tree lying on the ground, a representation of Ruby’s culture cut down and dying. Next to it, rising from the ground is a white, large imposing skyscraper indicating the white settlers’ decimation and continual domination of the land. The sound design by Mark Coles Smith and Andre Vanderwert‘s projections work well together to support the set design and further strengthen the affecting ambience of the performance.

BlaaQ Catt demands that we not only acknowledge Australia’s violent history and ongoing racism, but that we do something about it. We are shamed, we are culpable and we are responsible for what has happened and continues to happen. This is an engaging and powerful piece of work that speaks volumes on the state of this country and our treatment of its people.

Venue: La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond St, Carlton

Season: until 2 October | Thur, Sat 8.30pm, Wed, Fri 6.30pm, Sun 4pm
Length: 60 minutes
Tickets: $25 Full | $15 Conc 

Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Comedy, Festivals, Whats On

Melbourne Fringe 2016: THE THICK OF IT

Smashingly awesome

By Myron My

Emily Taylor is one of those performers you can watch on stage for hours. Her skillful storytelling and authentic characters are captivating, to say the least, and ensure her performances will leave you feeling more connected to yourself and questioning what you value in life in ways you wouldn’t expect. Performed as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, The Thick Of It is Taylor’s newest show and it is one not to be missed.

The Thick of It.jpg

We begin with Taylor – acting as more herself than one of her overt “characters” – having recently moved into a new apartment on her own and being excited over the prospects this brings. She has choices and options now: she can watch Netflix all day or go play with puppies, so many choices indeed.

It is then Taylor begins to slowly introduce the other inhabitants of The Thick Of It and her nuanced story-telling skills begin to surface. Taylor has fewer characters than previous shows, which allows us to learn more about them and gain a deeper insight into what makes them tick. These include Miles; an elderly man who wishes his neighbour would stop leaving home-cooked meals for him outside his front door, and Kyra; an obnoxiously loud, successful realtor who thinks she’s the life of the party (when she’s just obnoxiously loud).

Through these stories, a running theme gradually emerges: loneliness. All these people are experiencing loneliness in its various guises. They are all looking for – or yearning for – that connection to another. At one point, with Taylor playing the “straight” character from the opening moments, you almost see parts of the other characters coming through for just the briefest of moments. Whether this is intentional or something imagined, it reminds me that we are all the same, that despite our outward difference, we ultimately all want the same thing in life and that is to love and to be loved.

Comedy doesn’t always have to be shtick and gags: it can also be intelligent, moving, and make you think, and Taylor is highly adept at creating such sophisticated shows. The stories may not be nicely wrapped up in the end, but then neither is real life. In one regard, it’s nicer to leave The Thick Of It with our own endings for these characters we’ve come to know and appreciate: hopefully ones where everything turns out for the better.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne
Season: until 25 September| Thurs – Sun 8.30pm
Length: 60 minutes
Tickets: $32 Full | $28 Conc |  $25 Groups 6+
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

Melbourne Fringe 2016: NOT ANOTHER INDIE CABARET

Stunning voice, sly wit, and blithely Bohemian

By Joana Simmons

Indie. Urban Dictionary defines it as “an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself”. Wikipedia says it “is a shortform of “independence” or “independent” and it may refer to social action, collections of individuals creating media for change”. In Jessamae St James’ new work Not Another Indie Cabaret, through her sweet harmonics, live-looping and full-power vocals she has the sold-out opening night audience with her the whole way through her self-deprecating reflection, celebration of wine and what it makes you do on ebay, and shout out to times when she is being an actual adult.

Not Another Indie Cabaret.jpg

Jessamae begins by live-looping an epic opening number which involves playing four instruments and satirical lyrics detailing all the clichés you see in cabaret. Does she even indie? Clearly. See, she is on a mission not to perform ‘just’ another indie cabaret. She wants to exceed expectations, and boy, does she ever. From the moment she opens her mouth, I am swept up in her voice and her sparkly stage presence. The satirical storytelling and original songs accompanied by obscure instruments (enter omnichord and trumpet kazoo) have us applauding and laughing in equal measure. The transitions between singing and speaking are slick, and she dives in and out of song in a way that makes me wonder if it’s going to be different every night, it’s that natural. Her skill range is mega: relaxed witty banter, poems that have great set-up and even better pay-off and a cluster of fantastic props she made herself. There are many great moments in this show- my favourites being the spoken word piece about being gluten-free (soooo indie, or s’indie; as the cool kids say apparently) and the song about singing mezzo soprano- I mean, it wouldn’t be a cabaret without one.

Being Fringe, tech and set up time is minimal, and the minor glitch that the show did have with Mavis, her loop machine, was handled so professionally I wasn’t actually sure whether it was all part of the performance. The limited amount of lights in The Butterfly Club’s intimate downstairs theatre were used very well to help set the various tones, though at one point I found it a little difficult to see the artist. The sound was seamless – with backing tracks magically weaving into her live accompaniment. Director Steven Gates (Tripod) ought to be very chuffed as it all came together in a tight glittery bow.

We are lucky to have so much talent and variety bubbling in the Melbourne Fringe Cabaret cauldron. If you are lucky, you will get a ticket to this one- it’s a refreshing look and delicious night out. Jessamae St James’ authentic artistry combined with her killer voice means this show is definitely not ‘just’ another Indie Cabaret.

Event Details
The Butterfly Club presents NOT ANOTHER INDIE CABARET 
VENUE: The Butterfly Club
Carson Place, Off Little Collins Street, Melbourne

DATES: Tuesday 20 – Sunday 25 September, 2016 The Butterfly Club
TIME: 8.30pm (50 minutes)
TICKETS: Tickets $25 – $32
BOOKINGS: www.thebutterflyclub.com

Image by Rachel Mia

Festivals, Theatre, Whats On

Melbourne Fringe 2016: AND THEN THERE WERE NOT AS MANY

A murder-mystery parody for every body

By Myron My

For fans of Agatha Christie or Cluedo, And Then There Were Not As Many is the Melbourne Fringe Festival show for you. Using as many as possible of the murder-mystery tropes at its disposal, the show revolves around a group of strangers invited to a secluded, large, dark manor for a party that they will be dying to leave.

And Then There Were Not As Many.jpg

And Then There Were Not As Many does not take itself seriously at all; in fact, I would put it under the “It’s so bad, it’s good” category. Actors stumble through lines and break character quite a few times but it’s clear they are having a good time on stage and enjoying playing their characters and with each other, so we in turn enjoy watching them crack a smile when they should be shocked.

Written by – and starring – Melbourne comedian Duff, the narrative is very loose and if you focus too much on it, you see more plot holes in the story than in the bullet holes in the body of the murder victim. The humour is very cringe-worthy but again, the actors make it work because they are relishing their lines and the opportunity to have fun with them.

Ben Volchok does a great job as the deadpan butler and Nicky Barry as the socialite with a few secrets (and dead husbands) up her sleeve is a crack up. Rounding out the cast is Sofie Prints, Frank Hampster, Adam Jacobs and Darren Lever, the former playing the bumbling film noir-esque Detective who attempts to solve the murders with the help of his shiny badge.

In a story that manages to reference killer lions, crazy lamas, dead bears and gassed badgers, as well as a handful of murders, And Then There Were Not As Many bring you genuine laughter for some parts and eye-rolling laughter for the others. While this is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea for performance or comedy, it was an overall enjoyable experience.

(NB: Due to the show running 15 minutes later than the schedule time, I was unfortunately forced to miss the denoument to make my next review commitment.)

Venue: Highlander Bar, 11A Highlander Lane, Melbourne
Season: until 24 September | 7.15pm
Length: 60 minutes
Tickets: $23 Full | $18 Conc
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Festivals, Theatre, Whats On

Melbourne Fringe 2016: BREATHING CORPSES

Death comes as an end

By Myron My

Breathing Corpses is an award-winning 2005 play by British playwright Laura Wade, and the current production presented by One Little Room as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. The play begins with death and ends in death: a circle of death that no one can escape from, and it makes for a very interesting premise.

Breathing Corpses.jpg

The show revolves around seven characters who are all linked by a series of deaths and murders. How they are linked and who dies is cleverly explored in the play, and once the penny drops as to what is actually going on, you begin to see the work as an extremely intelligent and sophisticated offering by Wade.

Despite references to local places, the events in Breathing Corpses could easily have taken place in any contemporary environment or location, so while the effort the cast puts into their English accents is admirable, they are unfortunately not the strongest or most convincing that I’ve heard. For a deeper level of intimacy and connectivity with the material, I feel more time and effort could have been spent on building the keystones of their characters.

Nonetheless, there are some good performances in the show including Jordan Brough as Ray who adds some light comedy to the often serious and dark nature of the show, and Jaq Avery as Amy the maid,who seems to have a run of bad luck with dead bodies. In contrast though, the scene between Kate and Ben (Alice Daly and Stephen Frost) seems disconnected, and the energy between the two actors doesn’t quite match. If anything, I felt the roles required more anger from Daly and for Frost to tone the emotion and shouting down a little and explore other ways to show his character’s rage.

For the most part, the direction by Brenda Addie was thoughtful, but I admit there seemed to be a lot of aimless pacing throughout. There needs to be more overt reason to have these people walking up and down the narrow stage as they speak, beyond just giving them something physical to do.

The set design by Valentina Serebrennikova, while simple, is quite effective, with a row of sharp kitchen knives stabbed into pieces of wood creating the rectangular performance space the characters are trapped within and the various uses of a metallic bench top trolley which are well-executed. The site-specific production’s venue is also appropriate and atmospheric, confined within a cold, near empty warehouse (blankets are provided).

Breathing Corpses is an entertaining piece of theatre that examines our relationships to death and how quickly the end can come for anyone. It’s a great venture for this relatively new theatre company and I look forward with deadly earnest to what they come up with next.

Venue: Candyland, 224 Normanby Ave, Thornbury

Season: until 1 October | Mon – Sat 7.30pm
Length: 80 minutes
Tickets: $35 Full | $30 Conc | $20 Groups 5+

Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival