Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Opera, Whats On

REVIEW: Jamie Way is THE GREAT PIZZAROTTI

Operatic tragedy was never so funny!

By Jessica Cornish

Opera and music theatre performer Jamie Way stars as the larger-than-life character The Great Pizzarotti in this 70 minute comical cabaret woven around famous operatic numbers such as “Nessun Dorma”, “The Toreador Song” and “La Donna Mobile” anddirected by Peter Cox.

The Great Pizzarotti

To open the show, the great man sang condensed versions of a couple of arias – not being a devoted opera follower, I didn’t know all the songs and initially felt a little lost on the content matter – but Way certainly has an amazingly rich and beautiful voice. So if nothing else, I thought to myself at the time I may not have a clue about what is going on if the performance continues to be sung in Italian- but it felt like a privilege simply listening to this man sing at one of my favourite venues in town!

After the first few minutes however, the witty banter began and it became clear that the audience were in for a night of hilarity, as Way joked about everything opera, classical composers, wines, and even the odd Beethoven classic spun in to a Elvis-style tune. Plus his constant fascination and flirtation with the ladies of the room was pretty damn amusing.

The woman next to me got presented with a rose, in slow-motion while Pizzarotti simultaneourly belted out a tune of huge and romantic proportions in to her face – ah, if only it had been me…

A highlight moment was the epic one-man re-enactment of The Magic Flute, the famous opera composed by Mozart who according to popular art (and Pizzarotti) is merely a head sitting on a pair of shoulders.

Watching Way playing multiple characters including the leading man, lady and wicked father, and (as morbid as it sounds) performing the tragic attempted death scene with the damsel stabbing at herself continuously under a veil of red light was simply brilliant and ridiculously funny.

It’s satisfying to say The Great Pizzarotti was indeed as great as its title proclaimed. I feel certain that both opera lovers and newbies like me will love the show because it’s hilarious, well-crafted, and Jamie Way is an extremely talented vocalist and performer.

You can catch his final cabaret performance at The Butterfly Club at Carson place in the CBD, tonight at 8pm. For tickets go to www.thebutterflyclub,com.

Events, Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Daniel Schlusser Ensemble in M+M

Daring to unravel a Russian classic

By Christine Moffat

M + M is the theatrical reworking of Bulgakov’s classic Russian novel The Master and Margarita by exploratory masters the Daniel Schlusser Ensemble for this year’s Melbourne Festival.  Approaching such a novel with reverence, and producing a slavish retelling is not in this Ensemble’s vocabulary.  Instead, this innovative group always attempt to crack the code underpinning the work of art, and present its inner workings to the audience.  Unfortunately, in this production they have taken a risk that has not entirely paid off.

M+M

Some elements of this show are truly superb.  The set design by Anna Cordingley and Romaine Harper is outstanding, and used extensively and with great effect by director Daniel Schulusser.  Every performer (Johnny Carr, Josh Price, Nikki Shiels, Karen Sibbing, Emily Tomlins, Mark Winter & Edwina Wren) bravely attacks the show with energy, commitment and obvious talent.

Deconstructing such rich source material is ambitious for when it comes to reconstructing, how do you decide which elements must be reinstated?  The attempt to connect the novel to Pussy Riot and modern Russian social oppression is disjointed.  Instead of combining these themes, the performance gives the sense of empty, barren space between them.  The program invites the audience to view the piece as “…theatrical architecture…”, but the parts are too loosely connected to achieve this.  It could be better compared to blueprints and a collection of building materials.

It is not a narrative that this production lacks, but rather any emotional resonance.  The vignettes performed on stage are diaspora; closer to resembling performance art than theatre, but not managing the shock or provocation common to that art form either.  Whether this production succeeds in affecting others in its audience emotionally, or merely works visually, the Daniel Schlusser Ensemble have achieved an outcome that can inform and feed their future works.

Sometimes parts do not create a cohesive and greater whole.  In approaching a seemingly impossible novel, this Ensemble should impress us in the attempt, and in the many successful moments it produces.  Sadly, this reconstruction still feels as if it has major elements of the original source missing.  It is like a beautiful watch that has been rebuilt without hands – each component is lovingly crafted, but it has no way of performing as intended and so we have no way of receiving its ultimate message.

Oct 12 – 16 (no show Oct 15)

Theatre Works, 14 Acland Street St Kilda

Tickets: $65 / $50 / Under 30s $35, Student $25

Bookings: theatreworks.org.au, 03 9534 3388, or Ticketmaster 136 100

Events, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Neil LaBute’s FAT PIG

Large laughs from excellent leads

By Myron My

Everyone tells you it’s what on the inside that counts and what they are looking for in a partner is someone with a great personality. But is that what we really want?

Fat Pig

Lab Kelpie’s production of Neil LaBute’s play Fat Pig explores this question through character Tom (Lyall Brooks) who falls for Helen (Lulu McClatchy), a fantastic woman – who just happens to be fat.

Brooks and McClatchy are a delight to watch. They spark off one another well and their scenes together bring a lot of laughs. I feel Brooks’ portrayal of the fumbling Tom and his struggle between doing what he wants and dealing with the pressure of what is expected of him highly believable. McClatchy is infectious on stage and it’s a shame that the majority of her character’s scenes are self-deprecating and we don’t have the chance to see Helen really stand up for herself. Patrick Harvey‘s incredibly annoying Carter is played to perfection but I found the character of Jeannie (Cassandra Magrath) was rather too exaggerated.

LaBute’s script has some sharp dialogue and there are hilarious moments created with the line between humour and crass toed well. However, I feel it could have gone further in exploring our obsession with weight (and appearance in general). There’s a scene where Carter suggests “maybe you should turn on the TV someday” but this observation is not developed at all. Perhaps it’s because Fat Pig was originally written almost ten years ago and now feels dated in regards to attitudes or ideas on this topic. Furthermore, the events leading up to the conclusion do not justify or warrant the ending and even negate the earlier actions of the characters.

I was confused by the images on the projector between scenes changes and was not sure what they represented. I’m also not a fan of blackouts: I always find them distracting and on this evening’s performance, with each blackout the audience used it as an opportunity to talk amongst themselves, which I found incredibly frustrating.

Nonetheless, Fat Pig is an enjoyable play with a funny script and some strong performances, but I feel the story itself gets compromised through the very message it is trying to convey.

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

Season: Until 20 October | Tues-Sat 8:00pm, Sun 6:00pm, Sat 4:00pm

Tickets: $37.50 Full | $30 Conc

Bookings: www.chapeloffchapel.com.au or 8290 7000

Circus, Events, Music, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Michael Jackson – The IMMORTAL World Tour By CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

This is it

By Tania Herbert

Four years after his death, it can be easy to forget the influence Michael Jackson had on the world– music, dance, fashion, and a strong (albeit rather odd) wish for world peace. However, Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour by Cirque du Soleil reminds us of all we loved Michael for in the most spectacular way.

OSA Images Costumes - Zaldy Goco ©2012 Cirque-Jackson I.P LLC

Amongst the extensive list of what made Michael so adored were his phenomenal live performances, and the “rock concert extraordinaire” of song, dance, costume and special effects. Whilst there was frequently an air of circus in MJ’s life and work, I was intrigued as to how Cirque Du Solei would tackle such a challenging array of elements.

Michael Jackson, The Immortal World Tour not only captured the essence of all that was Michael, but took it to a whole new level. With much more of a rock-concert feel than a circus show, the performance was an absolute feast for the senses. Show-stopping numbers left you quite overwhelmed – when there are extraordinary dancers paying homage to Michael’s greatest moves, flipping acrobats, aerial stunts, tap dancers, a one-legged break dancer, and giant-clockwork projected parts all rocking out in perfectly choreographed chaos, the biggest challenge is to choose where to look.

It would be easy to become lost in the spectacular, but the show beautifully holds the audience through the journey with a central character, mime Mansour Abdessadok, who takes us into Neverland, Michael Jackson’s bizarre Peter-Pan playground. From blow-me-away huge numbers, the show slides seamlessly into beautiful circus performances based on some of MJ’s most iconic music videos, with Anna Melnikova’s “Dangerous” pole dance standing out as a particular crowd-favourite.

Contemporary is mixed with classic throughout. Street art is referenced often with beat box and graf, and the special effects and projection work is just huge. A good eye will pick out special Michael homages, including a re-enactment of the “They Don’t Care About Us” number designed for the never-performed concert “This is It”, and band members with special connections to Michael such as Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett who drummed for him for 30 years.

This show really does have everything, yet somehow manages to do it all with great taste and in genuine honour of a musical genius. Projected footage of Michael’s performances as a child reminds us of where the man began, and of the child in all of us. Immortal really does capture the essence of Michael in a… well, in a huge arena spectacular. Michael would have loved it.

Last night was a sell-out show, so get in quick to book to book. Performances are at Rob Laver Arena from October 9 to 13. The show then heads to Adelaide for the final leg of the national tour.
Tickets at www.ticketek.com.au or by calling 132 849. Tickets range from $89 to $189 each.

Events, Festivals, Review, Theatre

REVIEW: Tell Me About Yourself for MELBOURNE FRINGE

Dating dilemmas divulged

By Myron My

Sarah Jackson and Lucy Gransbury are young, free and single women. In order to rectify the latter, they decided to bite the bullet and sign up for a spot of speed dating. In their Melbourne Fringe show, Tell Me About Yourself, they shared the experience with us, introduced us to a number of other people from their evening and reminisced about horrible past date experiences.

Gransbury and Jackson really shone when they were being themselves. They seemed wonderfully natural and their witty retorts to each other are exactly what close friends would do. Full of energy and enthusiasm, they obviously loved doing what they were doing: the audience immediately warmed to their cheeky sense of humour, and their interactions with us were fun.

Tell Me About Yourself

However, many of their impressions were not as strong. The stereotypes and clichés came thick and fast and therefore any authenticity and realness these people might have had was lost. At times, the characterisation dangerously straddled the line of offensiveness with the portrayal of Siamese twins from New Zealand and Bertha, who was of questionable mental ability. The cheap gags started to overrun the intelligent and sharp comedy from the beginning of the show and sadly that is where the humour remained.

That said, the use of the projector to flashback to various dating disasters and other moments of their lives was done well and created an added layer to the story. It’s always nice to see performers try and be different and succeed in the way they present their show.

Ultimately though, there was nothing new about Tell Me About Yourself. It’s all been done before and unfortunately in regards to this show, has been done better. Jackson and Gransbury are both talented and funny women and given some more experience, I do believe they will do well in the comedy circuit as long as they attempt to remain honest with the characters they portray and seek out more depth and sophistication in such topical shows.

Tell Me About Yourself was performed at Gertrude’s Brown Couch from 1-6 October as part of the 2013 Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Events, Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: The Woolgatherer at LA MAMA

Strangers meeting

By Myron My

A chance encounter between two unlikely people changes their lives forever…

The Woolgatherer

Set in Philadelphia in 1979, The Woolgatherer is about a neurotic woman called Rose (Laura Wheelwright) who has a slightly unhealthy obsession with death. Cliff’s (Lee Beckhurst) truck has broken down outside the five-n-dime where Rose works. Waiting for it to be repaired and looking for a one-night stand, he starts talking to Rose and the two return to her dilapidated and sparse apartment.

Once there, the two find themselves discussing an erratic range of subjects, including the finer points of poetry and the ability of plants to come back to life. Over the course of the evening, a few truths are unavoidably revealed and they are both forced to question what it is they are seeking, with each other and within themselves.

William Mastrosimone’s The Woolgatherer is an intense love story where there is just as much left unsaid as there is being said. It’s a strong character piece that needs much commitment, but tempered with a sense of rawness, and both Wheelwright and Beckhurst are convincingly able to bring to life these two lonely people. Their physicality and authentic accents further enhanced this but I was particularly impressed by Beckhurst’s ability to simultaneously show Cliff’s brutish barbaric side as well as his sensitive and sweet nature.

Director Kerry Armstrong has done a marvelous job with the two actors and having them dig deep and find the inner turmoil, morbidity, anxieties and desires of Rose and Cliff. There are some beautifully crafted moments early on, and the whole second act becomes a testament to this.

The Woolgatherer is the type of play that demands a lot from its director and its cast in order to be a success. Fortunately, Armstrong, Wheelwright and Beckhurst are all more than capable at ensuring this is the case.

The final performances of The Woolgatherer will be at 4:30pm and 7:30pm today (October 6) at La Mama as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. For bookings call 03 9347 6142

Festivals, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Michael Gow’s LIVE ACTS ON STAGE

Mythology unleashed

By Myron My

Orpheus is in love with Eurydice and with teaching mortals and God that we are the same. Zeus is having an affair with Ganymede. Hera wants to exact her revenge and Eris just wants her freedom.

Welcome to the world of the Gods or Four Letter Word Theatre’s production of Michael Gow’s Live Acts on Stage for Melbourne Fringe.

Live Acots On Stage

It is clear that everyone involved in the show has put much thought into its creation: the costuming by Emilija Tanner has an ethereal feel with the light, flowing fabrics on display and is complemented well by hair and make-up. Robert Alexander Smith’s set design is intelligently divided into four spaces and despite being in close proximity to each other, the distinction between each one is clear. Felicia King’s sound composition and Caitlyn Staples’ lighting design further enhance the story and are very effective in conveying the mood and tone throughout.

There are thirteen actors playing thirty-three different roles, some of these Gods appearing for a brief scene or two.  With such comings and goings on stage and along with my limited knowledge about the mythology, there were a few moments I was a little confused. However, this is fundamentally a story of the oldest themes in life and fiction: love, death, revenge and power, so it’s ultimately quite easy to fill in the blanks.

Of the thirteen actors, I was mesmerized by the flawless performances by Madaline R. Ryan and Cazz Bainbridge as Eris and Hera respectively. Even though I was not completely convinced with some of the other casting choices, these two definitely excelled. The power-play scenes between them and their taut dialogue were highlights of the show. The ensemble consisting of Danika Ray, Melissa Gardner, Kira Odling and Ingrid Taylor-Moss were also standout performances with the physical demands of their roles. It was interesting to see how they were incorporated into and utilised in various scenes, including the one in hell.

Live Acts on Stage is an intense ninety-minute journey to another time. The ancient mythology and contemporary text are perfectly blended to create a memorable evening of theatre. This is definitely a highlight of this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival and one that needs to be experienced – here’s hoping for a second season.

Venue: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Season: Until 05 October | 8:00pm

Tickets: $40 Full | $35 Conc

Bookings: http://www.fortyfivedownstairs.com/events/ or http://www.melbournefringe.com.au, 9660 9666

Circus, Events, Festivals, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: …we should quit for MELBOURNE FRINGE

Office slog needs a lift

By Myron My

In …we should quit two workers stuck in their monotonous daily grind find their routine broken and suddenly find themselves in a sea of chaos.

We Should Quit

The opening moments are promising with the environment being well set up and clearly placing Thomas McDonald as the straight man to Morgan Wilson’s wackiness but I feel like this show never took off.

Describing itself as physical comedy, it was disappointing to find the show lacking in both. It took close to twenty minutes for the first circus trick to happen and this was followed by long gaps between. There are moments when the comedy and clowning works really well, such as the yawning competition but most of it unfortunately misses the mark.

A circus show doesn’t require a strong focus on story but …we should quit really needs to find some sort of structure or end-point as I ended up feeling like I was watching a sketch comedy show on loop. I understand they are showing the repetition that these workers endure but seeing the same act three times, like the button-pushing, can be trying on the audience.

Having seen these artists perform with aplomb earlier this year in NICA’s circus showcase, I was expecting more with this show. McDonald and Wilson are both skillful circus performers yet I don’t feel that they allowed their strengths to shine through. There didn’t seem to be any build-up to any of the acts and the times when things looked promising but ultimately fizzled or didn’t lead anywhere, such as the blackboard scene.

Morgan and Tom have the potential for good comic timing and they play extremely well off each other. They are endearing to the audience and have strong charm and charisma but a one-hour show not much seems to happen apart from seeing two mates goofing about and is a bit much to sit through.

Venue: Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham St, Albert Park

Season: Until 05 October | 9:15pm and Saturday 3:30pm

Tickets: $20 /$16 Conc

Bookings: www.gasworks.org.au, 9699 3253 or http://www.melbournefringe.com.au, 9660 9666

Circus, Events, Festivals, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Asore for MELBOURNE FRINGE

Balanced and poised

By Myron My

With twenty-five years combined experience between them, Kali Retallack and Zoe Robbins are the two performers of Asoré: A Series of Rare Events. They have put together a circus show that is quite unlike any regular circus event. Set in the 1920s, we experience a quirky performance that is quite simple in delivery and yet one that requires great skill, timing and strength. The show predominantly consists of two techniques, hoola-hooping and foot-juggling, with some variations thrown in throughout.

I’ve seen quite a few circus shows, but Robbins’ foot-juggling is performed with precision timing and includes tricks that I have never seen before. My anxiety levels were on high alert when she began juggling various items with her feet, including two umbrellas.

Asore

Meanwhile, the juggling of fellow performer Retallack is possibly the most impressive act of the performance.

Whilst Retallack is also hypnotising when doing her aerial work on a hanging hoop, there were a few mishaps with wayward hoops during her standing routines. However, as with any circus show, mistakes and accidents happen and the attention is then on how the performers deal with it. Retallack remained composed at all times with a smile on her face and her confidence remained high.

The girls work the audience well with their interludes allowing the audience a breather from the intensity of what we are seeing. I particularly enjoyed the archival footage of various big-top circus acts, such as the woman who is balancing a chair in her mouth whilst she dances. Although a little too long, it works well with the theme of their 1920s travelling circus. The music used throughout is also a great contributor to supporting this appealing historical theme and environment. However, there are times when the artists attempt to talk over the music and become incredibly hard to hear. They either need to have microphones on or the music needs to be at a lower volume.

Asoré is an enjoyable 50 minutes of circus acts set to a different backdrop to that which we normally see. Its polished simplicity is  what makes it stand out above the rest.

Venue: Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham St, Albert Park

Season: Until 05 October | 8:00pm and Saturday 2:30pm

Tickets: $25 /$20 Conc

Bookings: www.gasworks.org.au, 9699 3253 or http://www.melbournefringe.com.au, 9660 9666

Cabaret

REVIEW: Zoe McDonald in FOMO

Impeccable theatre

By Bradley Storer

As we enter the space at Upstairs at Errol’s, we are met with the sight of a woman onstage frenziedly performing vocal warm-ups, talking both to herself and yelling down an invisible phone. The lights dim, and we are thrown into the world of a late-night radio program – Let’s Be Honest on Mellow FM, being broadcast live, with us as the audience. The initial topic of the show is quickly derailed into an exploration of the ‘21st century malaise’, FOMO – fear of missing out.

FOMO

Performer Zoe McDonald (a member of dynamic theatre creators Present Tense and seen in their productions Chant des Catacombes and Margaret Fulton: Queen of the Dessert) portrays a large cast of characters with consummate skill in this solo outing. With lightning speed McDonald switches from the beleaguered host of the program to a variety of colourful characters – a bogan tattoo artist, a beautician/vajazzler from Croydon, an earthy American university professor and more who weigh in on the mysterious topic of the evening.  McDonald embodies each of these different personalities with such precise and perfect physicality and mannerism that she can evoke uproarious laughter with just the tilt of her head. Her energy seems truly boundless as swaps between the large cast non-stop for the entire show!

The subject of the show, this fear of missing out, is at first ambiguous in its meaning – structurally, the performance feels like a journey through a labyrinth, each character unfolding a small portion of the greater picture. We are told (at various points) it is a patriarchal construct we conform to, or a fiction society forces on us and we believe is true, or the pressure of living a life constantly under scrutiny by others. The climax of the evening comes when Zoe McDonald herself (a hitherto unseen but ever present character in the goings on of Let’s Be Honest) appears and unveils how FOMO is formed of the simplest but deepest fears which affect us all: the fear of intimacy, the fear of failure, the fear of dying alone. McDonald’s true voice rings with such simplicity, truth and clarity that after the comedic mania of her characters it is akin to being bathed in cool cleansing water.

Presented as part of this year’s Melbourne Fringe festival and in collaboration with Bryce Ives and Present Tense, FOMO is a deeply engaging, rewarding, and unbelievably hilarious show!

Venue: Upstairs at Errol’s, 69 – 71 Errol St, North Melbourne

Dates:  20th September – 4th October

Time: 8pm (7pm Sundays)

Price: Full $23, Concession $18, Group (Min: 4) $15, Tuesdays $15

Tickets: www.melbournefringe.com.au, Ticketing Hotline: 03 9660 9666 or at the venue.