Category: Whats On

Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On

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?

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

Dance, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Chunky Move Presents AORTA

In the heat of a heartbeat

By Myron My

I’m always looking forward to award-winning choreographer Stephanie Lake’s next work. Having seen A Conversation Piece at Dance Massive in which she performed, and then her creation A Small Prometheus during Melbourne Festival this year, where both works pushed the limits of what dance can be in unexpected directions, I was expecting something big with the world premiere of Lake’s new piece: Aorta.

Chunky Move AORTA photo Jeff Busby

Instead, Lake has stripped Aorta back to basics. She uses three dancers (James Batchelor, James Pham and Josh Mu) to share her thoughts on how our interiors perform on the surface. Lake explores the notion of how blood moves and circulates throughout our systems and opens out into themes of mortality, growth and decay.

As with any work commissioned by Chunky Move, the performers themselves are of a high caliber. Batchelor, Pham, and in particular Mu remain highly committed and execute some intricate and impressive moves. They work extremely well together when remaining dynamically in sync with each other, but then also excel when performing solo parts. Pham’s segment towards the finale was a firm highlight of Aorta.

Keeping in line with this minimalist approach, the costuming by Shio Otani has the dancers wearing costume pieces constructed of thick rope, providing the imagery of veins running through the body. The sound composition and lighting by Robin Fox is also effective, with the sounds heard being reminiscent of hearts beating, blood pumping and life itself.

Despite all these elements coming together so well, I did leave feeling comparatively unfulfilled with Aorta. Perhaps it was because of my previous encounters of Lake’s work where so many aspects of the production are used to capacity to create strong emotional environments and moods. It’s still an interesting and unique piece but not something that I will remember as strongly as her others.

Venue: Chunky Move Studios, 111 Sturt St, Southbank

Season: Until 30 November | 7:30pm, Sat 2:00pm

Tickets: $30 Full | $20 Conc

Bookings: http://www.chunkymove.com.au

Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On

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…

In a Forest Dark and Deep

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

Musical Theatre, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Malvern Theatre’s THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

Mi è piaciuto molto!

By Bradley Storer

The overture of Tony Award-winning musical The Light in the Piazza starts and instantly we are swept away into the wondrous world conjured up by Adam Guettel’s magnificent score (aided massively by David Dare’s fantastic set). As the sun rises on Florence, an American woman and her daughter wander onstage, eyes filled with wonder at the beauty that surrounds them as the inhabitants begin their early morning rituals, sparking one of the most beautiful openings in musical theatre.

Light in the Piazza

The smaller dimensions of Malvern Theatre suit this piece perfectly, allowing the audience to approach the performance on intimate terms that draw us deep into this exploration of the human heart. Under the musical direction of Shirley White, Guettel’s score is performed immaculately and given full justice, and in particular the ensemble numbers (especially in the second act) are outstanding.

As a whole the cast don’t seem to have the operatic vocal size that the music calls for, but their acting under the direction of Alan Burrows is of such a high quality that this actually doesn’t detract from the show as a whole. Gabrielle O’Brien turns in a delicate and heart-breaking performance as Margaret Johnson, a mother on vacation in Florence with her daughter, and her ‘The Beauty Is’ perfectly fuses together speech and singing into a seamless dramatic whole. Alexandra Clover as Margaret’s daughter Clara tackles this incredibly difficult role with a portrayal that deftly balances the childishness and pure innocence of the character, and her struggle to reconcile the desires of her heart and the limitations of her mind.  Daniel Mottau gives the best performance, both vocally and dramatically, as Clara’s Italian suitor Fabrizio, finding innocence that perfectly matches that of Clara along with an aching passion and youthful exuberance in a dark-hued tenor.

The members of Fabrizio’s family, his father (David McClean), sleazy brother Giuseppe (Ian Frost), and his sad-eyed sister in law Franca (Leonie Thomson) are all played wonderfully, with special mention to Sherryn Kew as Fabrizio’s mother who manages to communicate all of the character’s open-heartedness without ever speaking in English!

The quality of production and performance in this show are astonishing, and the intellectual and emotional depth summoned would be hard to beat, even by a professional production! A stunning and beautiful performance of one the great new works in musical theatre.

Venue: Malvern Theatre, 29A Burke Rd, Malvern East VIC

Dates: 1 – 16th November

Time: 8:15pm Tue – Sat, Matinees Sat 2nd Nov/Sunday 10th Nov 2pm, Gala Night Sat 9th Nov 8pm.

Price: $20/Groups (10+) $18/Gala Night $5 extra

Tickets: 1300 131 552 or at the door

Events, Review, Theatre, Whats On

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.

A Murder is Announced

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.

Events, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Exhibit A Theatre Presents FLESH WOUND

All in the family

By Myron My

A young man is on the run from the mob and finds safety in his sister’s apartment in a Camden Council flat in London. However, it seems this could end up being the most dangerous place he could be… Produced by Exhibit A: Theatre and directed by Nicholas Pollack, Flesh Wound looks at the ties between family, violence and class.

Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset

I was very impressed with Benjamin Rigby and Belinda Misevski’s dynamic performances as half-siblings, Vincent and Deidra. Their mannerisms and behaviours are highly convincing portrayals of living in such a fraught and troubled environment. In contrast, Jeremy Kewley’s softly-spoken, cool and collected Joseph manages to stand his own ground between these two loud and obnoxious characters and demands attention with just a look or a stance. The work on all their accents has clearly paid off; they do not waver at all and sound authentic throughout.

I found Che Walker’s script haphazard with its story and character development. It unfortunately waits too long before it starts creating and working on the tension, and then falls into the trap of becoming repetitive and mundane. It is only in the final half hour where things really pick up with intrigue, suspense and a genuine uncertainty over who – if anyone – is going to survive the day. Furthermore, despite the excellent performances, I feel the characters have too many inconsistencies in their behaviours that are not explained or justified, and we are forced to simply accept them.

The set by Brett Ludeman displays much thought and creativity in the design process. Despite not even being used in the play, the various smashed glass bottles strewn “outside” the council flat really help in setting the scene for this broken, damaged world. Furthermore, the structural design of the flat itself is an interesting idea and one that cleverly represents the type of lives these people lead.

Exhibit A: Theatre is the creative vehicle for Misevski and Rigby, and even though the story of Flesh Wound didn’t really impress me, the strong performances by these two really made this a memorable play.

Venue: Goodtime Studios Basement, 746 Swanston St, Carlton

Season: Until 3 November | Wed – Sun 7:30pm

Tickets: $25 Full | $20 Conc

Bookings: http://www.exhibitatheatre.com

Courses/Classes, Events, Opportunities, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Drawing Straws at THE BUTTERFLY CLUB

Life drawing gets glamorous

By Christine Moffat

drawing_straws

Drawing Straws is a life-drawing class crossed with a burlesque salon that takes place in the downstairs parlour of The Butterfly Club.  Surrounded by knick-knacks and trinkets, seated on comfy cushions, the friendly organiser Sarah Pemberton takes the group through some ‘drawing star jumps’.  This is right and left-hand drawing exercises of fully-clothed quick poses from Sarah and sometimes volunteers.  It’s a workout for your hands and eyes to get you limbered up for the main event.

These sessions are for people with varied levels of artistic skill and experience.  You are asked to show your drawings to the group, which can be daunting at first.  Be brave, they’re kind!  You may be surprised at what people admire in your work, as difference is valued.  Also, the room is an intimate space and it starts to feel quite private after a few minutes.

The next part of the evening is the ‘main event’.  A fabulous burlesque artist performs a song for the group, and is then your life model for the rest of the evening.  There is a different performer every week, and our group was graced with the beautiful and talented Autumn Evergreen.

It’s not exactly a drop-in class – you need to let them know you’re coming – but you are not tied into going every week.  This reviewer recommends that you go with a friend, grab one of The Butterfly Club’s many delicious cocktails, and be prepared for an entertaining night.  The feel of the evening is very low key, with drawing and chatting with the model and each other being the main focus.  It’s a lot of fun, and a good way to give your creativity a night out on the town in style!

Tuesday nights 7 – 9pm

The Butterfly Club

12 Carson Place (off Little Collins St) Melbourne

Cost $15.00 (includes help of professional tutors, drawing materials plus a performance)

All bookings & enquiries phone 0434 555 075

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Performances, Whats On

REVIEW: Ruth Wilkin’s TRUE STORY

Truth is stranger than cabaret

By Myron My

Living up to its name, True Story begins with just that. Projected on the wall in the performance space are numerous headlines of strange events that have actually happened. Some are pop-culture references, some seem a little weird, and some are just plain bizarre, such as the man who jumped in a puddle and died (I really need to google this to find out how exactly)…

Cabaret performer and songwriter Ruth Wilkin is highly personable on stage and possesses a natural presence that garners your attention. She does very well with the different vocal demands of each song and really pushes the various emotions required from them, from sadness to joy and all the ones in between. However, I feel the lyrics to some songs are a letdown at times and seem a little awkward, including her piece about Tokyo Disneyland support for marriage equality.

True Story

Accompanying Wilkin on piano is Barney Reiter (Short + Sweet Cabaret 2012 and Suitcases, Baggage and Other Synonyms) and yet again, he does not disappoint. The blending in of some better-known tunes into the original music is seamless and the ease with which Reiter plays is always impressive to watch.

Wilkin does well to keep the pace interesting and fun throughout True Story. Between songs, she shares some anecdotes from her life or other interesting true stories, some of which are a little spooky. Wilkin also includes a few hilarious real customer review segments on random household items, such as a banana slicer that changes lives and a male hair-removal cream that should not be used on just any part of the body…

Yet, I would have liked to see some more linking within the show as a whole. The tales did not seem to flow from one to the other with some stories mentioned and then immediately forgotten abou,t and in other cases, a song being performed with the story behind it not being very clear.

I really like the concept of Wilkin’s show and she has a strong appealing voice and the skill and charisma to create entertaining shows. Despite its small flaws, True Story is an enjoyable hour of lighthearted cabaret fun.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 256 Collins St (entry via Carson Place), Melbourne
Season: Until 27 October | Sat 7:00pm, Sun 6:00pm
Tickets: $23 Full | $20 Conc
Bookings: http://www.thebutterflyclub.com

Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Teenage Riot for MELBOURNE FESTIVAL

Confronting the teen psyche

By Myron My

Teenagers cop a lot of flack for being insensitive, rude, aggressive and selfish. Teenage Riot by daring Belgian theatre company Ontroerend Goed brings to the stage eight such characters, but attempts to show that beneath this socially perceived exterior they are also frightened, self-aware, insecure and intelligent.

The performers – Edouard Devriendt, Alice Dooreman, Jorge De Geest, Ian Ghysels, Marthe Hoet, Nanouk Lemmerling, Elies Van Renterghem and Anna Jakoba Ryckewaert – look like they have come straight from the streets of Skins with their bright-coloured high-top sneakers and funky street wear, and they play these people with truth and sincerity.

Teenage Riot

Having the ‘action’ filmed inside a large cube with projections on the surface of the cube displaying what was happening inside really appealed to me, especially with the self-exposure of social media and the conflicting freedom and hazards of the Internet having such an influence on teenagers.

There are heartfelt confessionals on screen interspersed with appealing comedic performances that both highlight the serious and complex issues affecting teenagers, such as the lighthearted but ascerbic look at how to create the perfect eating disorder. It is during these moments that Teenager Riot really drives its message home that modern teenagers have a hell of a lot to deal with.

In terms of the show itself, I honesty could have done without the first twenty minutes of the show. It was too scattered in ideas and too fragmented in narrative to have any effect on me except for wondering what was going on and almost wanting to leave.

However, once it found its way, the remaining 50 minutes of the performance delivered a confronting and engaging exploration of the pressures that teenagers feel and deal with, the relationships they experience, and the revelation of how quickly their ‘friends’ can turn on them. In one instance, one character – who appears to be a leader in his circle – is giving tips on great sex. In the blink of an eye, he is suddenly ridiculed and mocked by everyone for something as petty as his bad skin.

Despite its rocky beginning, Teenage Riot stresses a lesson known by all, and reveals the shame that it’s not always put into practice: as adults who have experienced the transition ourselves, we should never underestimate teenagers in their capabilities and we should allow them to explore and grow (and sometimes make mistakes) without fear of rejection and alienation.

This production was performed at Arts Centre Melbourne between 15-18 October 2013 as part of Melbourne Festival.

Dance, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Stephanie Lake’s A SMALL PROMETHEUS

Fanning creative flames

By Myron My

A single match is struck and a candle lit. Then another and another and another. The darkness that was on stage is soon illuminated by five dancers in Stephanie Lake’s A Small Prometheus.

ARTS HOUSE NORTH MELBOURNE

Performed as part of this year’s Melbourne Festival, the show uses the story of Prometheus from Greek mythology, who stole fire from the gods and gave it to as a gift to the newly-created humanity, to spark off this performance about unpredictability, uncertainty and the fragility of life.

Lake has brought together five extremely talented and strong performers in Rennie McDougall, Lauren Langlois, Alana Everett, Lily Paskas and Lee Serle. I continue to be impressed with the skill and finesse that Paskas (Finucane & Smith’s Glory Box and P.O.V) and Serle (P.O.V) display and the limits to which they constantly push themselves. With such a physically and mentally demanding performance, I was surprised to discover that this is Everett’s professional debut as she is very confident and able on stage.

The show moves between solo and ensemble pieces that are rigidly choreographed, to moments that have varying levels of improvisation which not only heighten the feeling of instability that Lake is creating but also the notion of something more dark and primal at play. Indeed, there are moments where the dancers’ only light is provided by matches and candles, casting many shadows and illuminations.

The fusion of dance, sound and light remains strong and constant throughout A Small Prometheus, but I was just as intrigued by Robin Fox’s fire-driven kinetic sculpture which created some powerful moments during the production, and in its own right seemed to lead and guide the performance a certain way.

I was very much drawn into the world created by A Small Prometheus and surprised when it reached its conclusion as it had felt like mere minutes had passed since I began watching. Having seen Lake also perform in A Conversation Piece for Dance Massive earlier this year, it is clear she has a profound interest in exploring dance, music and the self through various means. A Small Prometheus is a clear and fine example of such a show – and should not be missed.

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

Season: Until 20 October | Friday 7:30pm, Sat 2pm and 7:30pm and Sun 5:00pm.

Tickets: $30 Full | $25 Conc | $20 Student

Bookings: www.artshouse.com.au, 9322 3713, www.melbournefestival.com.au or 1300 723 038