Events, Theatre, Whats On March 8, 2014March 8, 2014

REVIEW: Cinema Nova Presents National Theatre Live’s WARHORSE

See a West End show – in Lygon Street

By Bradley Storer

Cinema Nova, as part of their National Theatre Live broadcast series, brings to their screens the West End production of the internationally acclaimed play Warhorse based on the Michael Morpurgo novel. This epic tale of the bond between a young boy and the horse he raises feels entirely appropriate for the broadcast, as this intensely theatrical production translates wonderfully to the screen.

Joey the horse, the narrator of the original novel and arguably the central character of the play, is represented onstage with a fully-realised life-sized puppet operated by several visible puppeteers. The puppet, created by Handspring Puppet Company, is so articulate and expressive that it almost seems better than a real horse! Several horse and other animal puppets pop up throughout the story, particularly one hand-operated goose puppet used to hilarious effect.

Sion Daniel Young turns in a strong performance as Albert Narracott, the young boy who dedicates himself to taking care of Joey and who eventually follows him to the battleground of World War I. Jamie Kenna as his father Ted ably plays the brutish drunk whose mishaps drive the narrative of the first act, but it is Josie Walker as mother Rosie Narracott who brings simultaneously the most heart-warming and breaking performance as the woman trying to hold the family together and struggles to stay strong after her son runs away to war.

The setting is bare and minimalistic – there are no permanent sets onstage, with the fully-visible ensemble cast creating the backdrop themselves onstage, holding up branches or fence-posts to symbolize the landscape. A giant piece of a torn page held high above the stage is the only constant throughout, and is used to project images and shadows that highly characterize the setting of each scene. At different times, it seems like a window into an achingly innocent world – or at others, a gaping wound in the sky through which can be seen the hellish landscape of a war-torn country.

The first act is a gripping and wonderful piece of story-telling, but as the narrative moves to World War I France in the second act and away from the Narracott family we lose the central emotional grounding to the piece. Numerous new characters are introduced suddenly and, not helped by the fact not all of them are English-speaking, it can be difficult to connect with them in the rapid flow of the story. The quick-changing scenes on the battlefields are so dark and gloomy that they tend to get muddled in the shadows, but the final scene of the play is so emotionally cathartic and satisfying that it hardly seems possibly to walk out without a smile.

A truly superb play which, through the help of Cinema Nova and National Theatre Live, allows Melbourne audiences to experience a West End quality performance in their own city!

VENUE: Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon St, Carlton.

DATE: 8^th, 9^th, 11^th, 13^th, 15^th and 16^th of March

TIME: 1pm 8^th – 9^th March, 6:30 11^th – 13^th March, 11:30 15 – 16^th March.

PRICE: Full $25, Concession $23.

BOOKING: www.cinemanova.com.au, PH: (03) 9347 5331(03) 9347 5331(03) 9347 5331(03) 9347 5331 or at the Box Office.

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On March 7, 2014March 7, 2014

REVIEW: La Mama Presents THE FAMILY TREE

Real-life cult survival retold with warmth and wit

By Warwick Moffat

Alicia Easteal is fortunate to possess intelligence and wit, for it seems these were needed to survive the tale she is now ready to tell. Easteal was born into the dope-smoking, Shiva-worshipping cult of ‘The Family’ (thankfully no relation to the Manson ‘Family’). Their mystical beliefs may seem like quaint naivety, or perhaps dangerous misguidance: most endeavours of love do.

Originally intended as a documentary, it was impressive to see how this non-fiction story was translated to theatre. In The Family Tree evidence is exhibited in many forms: letters, posters, photos, footage and song. This keeps the proceedings vibrant as the facts unfold. Strictly speaking, this story could quite easily have been told completely via video and voiceover. The challenge for any performer who makes these choices is to justify being in the room.

A less skilled performer may have failed. Easteal was in no such danger. Great care was taken to ensure every exhibit was either self-explanatory or an ideal backdrop for face-to-face explanation. Easteal showed that a film can tell a story, but only the warmth of human conversation can retell it.

The full media release and the program go for the big sell. The release describes a performance with the “…vulnerability of the works of Spalding Gray and the wry humour of Sarah Silverman”. These performers defined their genres. Yes, the set is in the style of Spalding Gray, and follows a similar interpersonal documentary format. Certainly, many of Easteal’s accounts of herself and those close to her are told with dry, self-effacing wit.

However, these comparisons are hard to maintain and such claims were never necessary. There is a unique voice here, with something intriguing to tell and a valid philosophy. The openness shown when describing some horrendous circumstances gave an intimacy to the show which never left me feeling like a voyeur. Recounting foolishness from brave people and bravery from fools, The Family Tree succeeds in humanising those we too easily dehumanise. If you enjoy creative non-fiction or are interested in social affairs, this gracious offering within the intimate La Mama space will illuminate and entertain.

Dates:

Wed 5^th March to Sunday 16^th March.

Times:

Wed, Fri, Sun at 6:30pm. Thur and Sat at 8:30pm.

Venue:

La Mama Theatre, 205 Faraday St, Carlton.

Tickets:

$25 Full, $15 Concession.

03 9347 614203 9347 614203 9347 614203 9347 6142 or online at www.lamama.com.au

Cash sales are available at the on-site box office unless sold out.

Events, Music, Review, Whats On March 1, 2014March 1, 2014

REVIEW: Nick Hedger’s PLAYGROUND

An eclectic collection from an exciting young composer

By Narelle Wood

Playground is a collection of songs by the very talented Nick Hedger. Whilst some of the songs, such as those from Hedger’s much talked-about one-man cabaret show Crap I Found in My Room, have obviously been worked through a number of times, this musical collection also showcased some of his newer work including songs from HomeSick and Conditions.

Playground’s ‘players’ consisted of an experienced and talented cast including Kerrie Anne Greenland, Brent Hill, Andrew Hondromatidis, Erin Kennedy, Emily Langridge, Ben Nicholson and Nick Hedger himself. Given the experience of the cast it was honestly hard sometimes to work out whether the occasional off note, which was mostly noticeable during the harmonies, was first-night nerves or a result of Hedger’s sometimes unusual, but workable, musical arrangements.

The musical numbers showcased Hedger’s ability to write everything from comedy, to ballads, to creepy tunes about the Pied Piper taking his revenge. While there were some clear themes to songs from the same musical works, without reading the explanation in the program many of the songs lacked context making it difficult to ascertain what was going on. This was especially the case where the songs made overt references to storylines and characters from particular shows, and was further compounded by the show jumping from musical to musical. That been said, the show did have an overall balance between the musical genres it presented.

The standout moments of the night were provided by those pieces that were written or performed with comedic intent: “Golden Rule”, “Playa” and “Is That What Makes a Relationship?” On the creepier side of the comedy was the performance of Hondromatidis, Nicholson and Hill as three witches back from the dead in “Back in Salem”; this was disturbingly entertaining in the only way watching three grown men menacingly sing “we’re coming for your children” can be.

It has to be said that Hedger’s ability to tickle the ivories stole the show, especially during the piano solo from “Bit of a Feelin’”. Whilst some of the ballads were a little over-sentimental, I would be very eager to see more of Hedger’s work: this is a musical mastermind in the making.

Venue:Chapel off Chapel, Prahran

Season:Saturday 1^st March 8pm, Sunday 2^nd March, 6.30pm

Tickets:$30 Full | $25 Concession

Bookings: chapeloffchapel.com.au/ticket-sales/

Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On March 1, 2014March 1, 2014

REVIEW: Christopher Durang’s LAUGHING WILD

Slick satire performed with aplomb

By Myron My

In Christopher Durang’s satirical comedy Laughing Wild, we meet two socially marginalised people struggling to survive in the modern world. They are known as The Woman and The Man. A chance encounter over tuna forces them to look into themselves and each other and attempt to find what it is they really want.

Laughing Wild is mainly set up in three scenes – it begins with a monologue by The Woman, a mentally-ill person obsessed with television. Gradually, her fragility and vulnerability begin to come through amid all the humour and jokes. This is followed by a monologue by The Man, a queer and quaint person who is looking to better himself and remain at peace with his spirit.

The third scene is where things get a little more complicated and surreal and there are some great moments including a number of backwards scenes and a hilarious interview in the style of Sally Jesse Raphael with the Infant of Prague which was quite something to witness.

Rani Pramesti carries a certain distinct charisma with her that I’ve not seen on stage for quite a while. Her embodiment of The Woman is more than impressive and the naturalism with which she delivers her lines – often at ridiculous speeds – is testament to the time and effort she must have put in perfecting this role. Her mannerisms and movement all served to construct a woman who is slightly unhinged and erratic.

Similarly, Daniel Last as The Man does exceptionally well in humanizing a character who is hell-bent on remaining positive. While The Woman was more loud and animated, Last did well in showing the restraint of The Man and exploring many of the same fears and worries as his female counterpart but in a fascinatingly different way.

Despite being set in the 80s, the themes of mental illness, loneliness, sexuality and politics are all still prevalent issues today and Durang’s work has clearly passed the test of time. Laughing Wild is a great character piece by two strong performers who are more than capable of carrying this comedic but demanding production.

Venue: Mechanics Institute, 270 Sydney Rd, Brunswick

Season: Until 1 March 2:00pm, 7:00pm.

Tickets: $20 Full | $15 Conc

Bookings: http://www.trybooking.com/71486

Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On February 28, 2014February 28, 2014

REVIEW: The Australian Shakespeare Company Presents WUTHERING HEIGHTS

Passions run riot at Rippon Lea

By Kim Edwards

Emily Bronte’s classic story Wuthering Heights under the stars and in the historic gardens of the Rippon Lea Estate is a beguiling prospect, and this production is both stylish and polished.

With a script by Vince Foxall and direction by Greg Carroll, the torrid tale of Heathcliff and Cathy’s infamous relationship is unleashed among picnic hampers and lawn chairs, and as darkness fell, the night grew chill, and the wind ruffled the cast’s flowing skirts and shirts and the blankets over our knees, the atmosphere for the dark developments of the second act was delightfully apt.

Adapting Bronte’s sprawling problematic novel into a slim and sleek two-and-a-half hour performance is an impressive task, and there is much to admire here. The doubling of characters is well-wrought by a versatile cast who keep the complex genealogy remarkably comprehensible. The multiple narrators are adroitly managed, designer Glenn Elston has worked wonders with a limited lighting rig, and the beautiful sparsity in set and staging is highly effective.

Since the plot is remembered in popular culture as a determinedly romantic and fervent love story, the simmering sexual tension of the novel is understandably made explicit here: some characters are surprisingly handsome, relationships like that of Hindley and Francis and young Heathcliff and Cathy are slightly oddly romanticised and highly sexually charged, and much of the novel’s overt violence is discretely downplayed.

Less successful though for this production are some uneven accents, and the fever pitch at which all the characters are played. Although Bronte’s text is both epic and poetic, the Shakespearean-style proclaiming and frantic dialogue pace is sometimes disconcerting and deprives some of the minor characters of their normalcy and dignity and calmness that is needed to keep the plot’s passionate love triangle grounded.

Spencer Scholz finally remedies this with the quiet gravity of his older Edgar Linton, and his superb characterisation of the brutish but endearing Hareton, while Ciume Lochner works hard to capture the caprices, charms and exasperations of both Cathies. Michael Wahr becomes a pleasingly grim and bitter Heathcliff, and handles the transformation from outcast child to vengeful gentleman with skill.

Wuthering Heights is a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment, and if the imposing backdrop of the mansion is disappointingly unacknowledged in this production, there are torrents of drama and intrigue and an excess of love and hatred to keep an audience engaged. Dress warmly though, for the wuthering is highly realistic…

DATES: 17 February 2014 – 13 March 2014
WHEN: Monday to Thursday at 7pm (no show Monday 10 March 2014)
WHERE: Rippon Lea House and Gardens, 192 Hotham Street, Elsternwick
TICKETS: Adults $45, Conc $40, Groups 10+ $40, Children 5 -15yrs $25
BOOKINGS: www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au or Ticketmaster

Comedy, Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On February 28, 2014February 28, 2014

REVIEW: Parallelogramophonograph

Farce with finesse

By Warwick Moffat

Parallelogramophonograph (or Pgraph for short) are an improvised theatre troupe from Austin, Texas. All four members are experienced players, having established local reputations both individually and as a group. With a weekly show back home, Pgraph have developed a number of themes or ‘formats’ to keep their improvised plays fresh. It would normally be my duty to at least loosely describe the plot, but I am happy to assure you this show will definitely be different every night. Their French farce format is a delightful excuse to allow the silliest sense of humour to almost mask what is clearly a deep appreciation of surrealist theatre.

The makeup and costume help pull off this very clever trick. What you see is four eighteenth-century French fops a-la-Tartuffe with plenty of pancake, rouge cheeks and dramatized speech. What you get is a nineteenth-century plot of middle-class listlessness, ambition and intrigue.

AND improvisation. There is no hint of any preparation, apart from the French farce style and some extra costumes backstage. Quite obvious mishaps such as a slip of the tongue or accidental contact become the basis for key changes in the story-line. There is also a charming ability for the players to allow themselves to highlight the ridiculousness of how the show is progressing without stepping completely outside it.

This work is only possible through talent, practice and teamwork. Valerie Ward artfully weaved insane ramblings with helpful plot developments. Roy Janik gleefully provoked pity and laughter from the audience in equal measure. Kaci Beeler freely adapts to anything her colleagues throw at her. Kareem Badr particularly shone as the authority figures who lacked any true authority.

The name Parallelogramophonograph suggests an absurd but smoothly crafted muddle of things that only brave people would try to combine. In the case of Pgraph, the name does say it all: both improv and play, masterful and wacky, clever and slapstick, worthy and entertaining. The Butterfly Club with its eclectic furnishings and expertly mixed cocktails is this talented troupe’s natural Melbourne home-away-from-home.

Dates:

Wed 26^th February to Sunday 2^nd March.

Times:

Thurs, Fri, Sat at 7pm. Wed and Sun at 6pm.

Location:

The Butterfly Club, Carson Place (off Little Collins Street), Melbourne CBD.

Tickets:

$23, $20 Conc, $18 Group (8+).

03 9663 810703 9663 810703 9663 810703 9663 8107 or online at www.thebutterflyclub.com

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On February 22, 2014February 22, 2014

REVIEW: La Mama Theatre Presents THE PLAY’S THE THING

The Bard has a lot to answer for…

By Beth Cregan

Take one young, intense actor (Louise O’Dwyer) totally committed to perfecting her craft (she’s earnest in that ‘bring own thermos of tea and sandwiches’ kind of way!) Add an experienced, caffeine-powered matriarch (Maureen Hartley) who’s been around the traps. She’s seen it all but more importantly, she knows it all too! Mix in a tired theatre director, (Peppa Sindar) who would love her job, if it wasn’t for the damn actors.

Cast all three characters in a performance, add a misplaced techie and an absent writer to take the flak and you have the makings of a playful drama set in the theatre world. From hilarious warm-up exercises to well-worn power plays, The Play’s The Thing shines the comic spotlight on what happens when words (and egos) collide. Thankfully, despite the conflict and constant coffee breaks, Shakespeare wins out in the end.

Clever writing and superb characterisation create this dialogue-driven drama. Set at La Mama’s Theatre, the close proximity of actors and audience help create the ‘fly on the wall’ intimacy that works so well for this comedy. Louise O’Dwyer and Maureen Hartley pair beautifully in this play and their strong characters certainly bring the script to life. Defined in opposition, their need to control ‘their patch‘ keeps the tension tight. Peppa Sindar as the Director skillfully balances the energy between them. Mind you, her character could circumvent a fair amount of the drama by stepping up to the plate a little sooner, but then we’d miss out on some classic and memorable scenes like Dwyer’s vocal warm-ups and Hartley’s demonstration of physical theatre.

This talented cast of actors not only earn the audience’s laughter, but they work seamlessly to perform a multi-layered, complex play within a play. Written and directed by Brenda Palmer, you won’t need any inside knowledge of the theatre world to enjoy this performance. You’ll recognise these characters anywhere.

The Play’s The Thing is playing at La Mama Theatre from February 20 – March 2, 2014. Tickets available online at http://lamama.com.au/summer-2014/the-plays-the-thing/

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Music, Whats On February 22, 2014

REVIEW: Will Packvance’s ANATOMY OF THE PIANO

Dramatic musical dissection in harmony with delicate endearing dialogue

By Myron My

Will Pickvance has brought his critically acclaimed and sell-out show from the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival to Australia, and all I can say is how fortunate I feel to have been able to see this brilliant performance.

In Anatomy of The Piano, Pickvance presents the physical, emotional and spiritual inner workings of the piano in a whimsical and ethereal way. His presence on stage is so relaxed and serene that you are instantly swept up for the ride as he tells his stories and sings his songs around the dissection of a piano. We begin with the skin of the piano: its largest “organ”, and how it protects the piano from “toddler invasion, curiosity blunders and drunken burns”. As we delve further into the dissection, descriptions become more and more detailed until it feels like we are, in fact, taking apart a living thing – a real character.

Throughout the show, Pickvance uses a projector on the other side of the stage to display various diagrams, charts and drawings of pianos. It creates the didactic feeling of being a child again and the simple black and white drawings bring a level of innocence and open-eyed wonder to the possibility of what can be – and now I can admit I finally know the actual difference between a grand piano and an upright piano…

The finale had audience members shouting out for an encore: Pickvance kindly obliged and took us out with a highly impressive final play on the upright piano (see what I did there?) Anatomy of The Piano is not a show where a lot happens but the eloquence and poetry of Pickvance’s words combined with his spectacular piano skills ensured that his audience and I remained highly enthralled by this performance.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 256 Collins St (entry via Carson Place), Melbourne

Season: Until 23 January 7:00pm, Sun 6:00pm.

Tickets: $28 Full | $25 Conc

Bookings: http://www.thebutterflyclub.com

Events, Musical Theatre, Performances, Review, Whats On February 22, 2014

REVIEW: Theatre Works Presents PACIFIC OVERTURES

Sondheim, samurai, and scintillating theatre

By Bradley Storer

Out of nowhere a figure dashed onstage, the lights suddenly cutting out accompanied by a sudden strike of the drum. The lights slowly return to reveal a painted emblem emblazoned on the floor of the stage, the ensō – the Buddhist circle which expresses the moment of creativity uninhibited by the conscious mind. Into this symbolic void enters the ensemble of Pacific Overtures, clad entirely in white, taking their places around the ensō and beginning their first song: a choral ode to the cyclical serenity of feudal Japan, undisturbed by the outside world.

Pacific Overtures, one of Stephen Sondheim’s more modest and lesser-known masterpieces, is an imaginative exploration of the moment in history when Japan was first forced into contact with Western civilization. Sondheim’s score, a minimalistic collection derived from the structures and principles of Asian music, is a distant cousin to the operatic scope of his work before and after, but is nevertheless a theatrical tour de force.

The cast are so strong both dramatically and vocally that it is extremely difficult to pick an outstanding performance. As a whole they perfectly capture the stylized but intensely emotionally and characterful style of kabuki theatre, and in their individual solos they all unveil beautiful and powerful voices – in the ensemble numbers they blend together in wondrous harmony. The closest would be Adrian Li Donni as Kayama, the samurai whose meteoric rise to power and subsequent corruption strings the plot together both narratively and emotionally. Donni’s open and expressive face (along with a golden singing voice) flawlessly captures the innocence and good nature of this warrior catapulted into diplomatic office.

Director Alister Smith, along with choreographer Michael Ralph, have done an exemplary job of building the striking dramatic images that make up this epic tale. A terror-stricken mob of villagers gathering as they spot the oncoming American armada, a hilarious pageant of prostitutes preparing to welcome American sailors, a traditional Kabuki dance exploding into a demented vaudevillian cake-walk danced by a demonic Uncle Sam. In a quieter moment, the song ‘Poems’ spins together the heart-meltingly lyrical tenors of Donni and Nick Simpson-Deeks into a sequence of heart-ravishing loveliness.

This production of Pacific Overtures is a seamless meeting of dramatic intensity, musical beauty and compelling story performed by a highly skilled company of actors and handled by an endlessly inventive creative team!

Venue: Theatreworks, 14 Acland St, St Kilda

Date: 19 Feb 2014 – 09 Mar 2014

Time: Tue to Sat 7.30pm, Sun 5pm

Preview: Wed 19 Feb 7.30pm & Thu 20 Feb 2pm

Price: $39 / $35 8+ / $29 conc

Bookings: Online at www.theatreworks.org.au or phone 03 9534 338803 9534 338803 9534 338803 9534 3388

Events, Review, Theatre, Whats On February 20, 2014

REVIEW: Bitten By Productions Presents BELOW BABYLON

Society’s seedy underside smoothed over

By Narelle Wood

Below Babylon by Gabriel Bergmoser promised to be a gritty and fast-paced play looking at the morality of the underworld; however it wasn’t quite fast enough and had potential to be far grittier.

The play is set in a low-life bar in the alleyways of a cartel-run town from which there is no escape. Harry (Christopher Grant), the barkeeper and moral compass of the show, attempts to save his eclectic patrons, whether it is the young prostitute Lila (Nalini Vasudevan) or the wayward ex-cartel assassin Lincoln (Justin Anderson). Other assorted characters such as Mac (Hamish Buchanan), Clara (Dhania McKechnie) and Chloe (Melissa Howard) come and go in an attempt to thicken a plot based around Lincoln waiting to die.

There were a couple of inconsistencies in both setting and character portrayal that made the dystopian atmosphere a little hard to believe. For instance, the bar seemed far too clean, Lila seemed far too at ease with working the apparently dangerous streets, and Harry, who was pursuing a quieter life, was far too eager to involve himself in other people’s business. The inconsistencies in characterisation were perhaps highlighted by the wealth of experience Anderson and Buchanan each bought to the stage, both delivering completely believable performances. Likewise, what was lacking in the bar was highlighted by the impressive attention to detail in creating the right atmosphere through soundtrack, lighting and the use of props, especially the cap guns and fake-blood.

The show was completely stolen by Steve Young’s portrayal of Reagan, who epitomised the saying ‘honour amongst thieves’, and this gave credible motivation to his violent outbursts and demands of respect. Reagan’s sometimes-playful, sometimes-sinister banter with the other characters provided the tension that was lacking in the first half. The clear purpose of Reagan’s character in the plot meant that I found myself connecting with him more than any other character, and consequently I found myself wishing that evil would triumph.

Below Babylon was perhaps a bit more charcoal than noir, but if dystopian worlds are your thing then it is definitely worth a look.

Venue: Revolt Theatre, Kensington

Season: 7.30pm 19^th February until 1^st March (no shows Sunday or Monday)

Tickets: $25 adult

Bookings: www.revoltproductions.com/melbourneevents