Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Hoy Polloy & Baggage Productions Present RHONDA IS IN THERAPY

Moving and masterful cast performance

By Myron My

Rhonda Is In Therapy by Bridgette Burton is the latest production from Hoy Polloy Theatre Productions and deals with a young mother’s grief and loneliness since the tragic passing of her child.

The four actors all find the subtleties of their characters and flesh them out into life. Jamieson Caldwell as the naïve young student who begins an affair with Rhonda brings a sense of innocence to the proceedings, which is a great contrast to Kelly Nash’s therapist who subtly attempts to break down the defensive wall created by Rhonda.

Louise Crawford is brilliant as Rhonda, a mother who can’t let go of the guilt that is eating her inside. The scenes showing Rhonda at different periods of her life when things were more happy and simple, and then switching to the present with all her emotional conflict, are compelling to watch. Ben Grant’s portrayal of a loving and supportive husband who is quietly struggling to keep it all together for his family is superb and made him the shining star of this production.

The subtle comedy still implicit in pain and human suffering is captured beautifully here and there are some truly honest moments presented; the scenes between Rhonda and her therapist boast some sharp and witty dialogue. However, Rhonda Is In Therapy could have done with some tightening, especially towards the end. There were a few scenes that didn’t add much to the story and slowed proceedings down a little.

The other minor downfall was the scenes that involved the ‘children’. The performers would “imagine” the child being present as voiced by one of the other actors. At times, there were voice recordings played which had the dialogue of both the adult and child. Both these devices really detracted from the intimacy the play was striving for, and reminded the audience that they were in fact watching a performance and not something that was otherwise powerfully real.

Despite these issues, Rhonda Is In Therapy is a thoroughly engaging performance piece with some stellar acting from its four stars.

Venue: fortyfive downstairs, 45 Flinders Lane.

Season: Until 23 September| Tues to Sat 8:00pm, Sun 5:00pm

Tickets: $40 Full | $35 Conc

Bookings: 03 9662 9966 or www.fortyfivedownstairs.com

Dance, Events, Performances, Review, Whats On

Review: EIFMAN BALLET’S Tchaikovsky

The fervid life in dance of a great artist

By Bradley Storer

In addition to their season of Anna Karenina, the Eifman Ballet also presents their original production Tchaikovsky, an expressionistic journey through the composer’s life and imagination set to his own music.

We begin at Tchaikovsky’s death bed as he is tormented by fever dreams and hallucinations, chased by phantoms from his own creations. As he retreats further into his mind we are taken into flashbacks from his life, his disastrous marriage, his insecurities and inability to connect with others, either romantically or in society at large.

Throughout the performance, Oleg Markov as Tchaikovsky danced the role with an intense but wounded poeticism, forming the impression of a man with immense genius but an equally great terror of rejection and loneliness. He was matched in brilliant lyricism by the Double (Oleg Gabyshev) and the Prince (Ivan Zaitcev), projections of Tchaikovsky’s inner turmoil and ideals of perfection. In the dances between these male characters, there is an equal balance of wonder and veiled eroticism.

Tchaikovsky’s fear of women becomes refracted and split into figures of monstrous femininity, the dark fairy Carabosse, the Queen of Spades, and a mysteriously malevolent bride who entangles him in her wedding veil. His wife (played here by Natalia Povoronzuik) unfortunately receives little time to create a full impression, and comes off a little flat and one-dimensional.

Tchaikovsky’s patroness and lifelong friend Nadezha von Meck (played by Nina Zmeviet) receives better treatment, becoming almost as equally important in the performance as Tchaikovsky himself – she becomes the audience’s main focus of empathy as we see her supporting and reaching out to the doomed composer, and her pain as he slowly slips away from her.

Because the dreamscape of the ballet is so fractured and fluid, the narrative becomes imagistic and can be a little difficult to follow without the aid of a program. Ultimately it seems like no overall message is being communicated in Tchaikosvky’s story – we see him live and we follow him to his death, but I personally was left unmoved at the end of the ballet. However, it is a world-class production with amazing performances and brilliant dances, and is well worth a visit by any ballet aficionado.

Sept 7-9, 8pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sat-Sun

Regent Theatre Melbourne

Book online at Ticketmaster

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Thorny Devil Theatre Presents OUT AT SEA

A difficult work doesn’t quite make waves

By Christine Moffat

Three strangers (Fat, Medium and Thin) are stranded on a raft together in the middle of the ocean.  They have run out of food, and it is decided that someone must be eaten, for the greater good.  Through the tense scenario of these castaways, the play explores the justifications and machinations that people employ to get what they want.

This is also a Mrozek play, and for those new to his work, there is a always social or political metaphor simmering underneath a darkly comic surrealist plot.  In Out At Sea, the key metaphor is the exploitation of the ‘little man’ (Thin) by those capable of controlling (Fat) and profiteering (Medium) within a communist society.

Sadly, in this reviewer’s opinion, on opening night the play did not meet its full potential, as it lacked the real sense of tension required to do the piece justice.  The stage was a raft suspended by wooden pallets above the concrete floor in the space; it was primitive and greatly evocative of the characters’ bleak situation.  However, it did not seem as if the players were trapped on the raft, and in general there was not enough of a feeling of confined space in the show.

The absence of tension was also in part due to the direction.  Each character too often sat comfortably on suitcases and trunks fashioned into stools, and there seemed to be far too many pregnant pauses.  Either of these factors alone can cause the energy drain from a performance.  The combination of them both in this production created a sense of slowness that the actors were unable to properly overcome.  That being said, the four actors individually created performances that were interesting and thoughtful, and that generated some good comic moments despite the pace of the play.

The play was staged at Revolt Art Space in Kensington.  This venue has a real retro-punk vibe, and is a surreal mixture of old warehouse and gold-mine theme park: an excellent choice for staging the work of an old school surrealist like Mrozek.  Overall, this is only the second production for Thorny Devil Theatre, and Mrozek is notoriously difficult both to direct and to perform.  I believe it bodes well that they are staging challenging pieces in interesting spaces, and I look forward to seeing more work from them in future.

Show information:

Sept 5 – Sept 15

Wed-Sat 7:30pm / Sun 6pm / Saturday Matinee (15/9 only) 3pm

Revolt Productions, 12 Elizabeth Street Kensington, 3031

Tickets: Full $22.50 / Conc. $17.50 / Preview & Matinee $12.50

Book online at revoltproductions.com or by phone on 03 9376 2115

Written by Slawomir Mrozek

Directed by Eben Rojter

Performed by Carli Jones, Katharine Innes, Jacob Pruden, and Stu Duffield

Events, Performances, Theatre, Whats On

Review: RRAMP – The Collector, The Archivist & The Electrocrat

Dark, edgy surrealism that is still evolving

By Myron My

Two people agree to join a lonely woman in her band and live in her house full of various strange objects that she stores in jars, including childhood scabs. Together they form an electronica-dance-metal-rock outfit and perform songs about childhood, loneliness and chickens with infected eyes. Welcome to RRAMP, a show devised by Christine Johnston, Lisa O’Neill and Peter Nelson.

The particular contrast of Johnston and O’Neill’s characters is strong and effective. With her piercing eyes, stern expressions and graceful movements, The Collector (Johnston) towers over the scattered, submissive and comedic Archivist.

There is a certain Tim Burton-esque element to The Collector with her big long eyelashes and jet-black hair with white strands along her pale face, which makes the audience that extra bit nervous to be in her presence.In fact, the moment when Johnston first breaks the fourth wall and talks to us is quite intimidating but exposes the performance control she possesses. Having walked by the audience, quietly judging our appearances, we even broke into awkward laughter upon hearing of her approval.

The musical score is one of the highlights of RRAMP but was let down by some clumsy song lyrics and a few songs that that were a bit too lightly humorous and out-of-place in the dark, macabre environment that had just been established. This emotional shift seesaw-ed throughout the show and prevented me from investing in these characters who didn’t seem to develop further and therefore began to lose my interest.

Lighting designer David Walters must be commended for his brilliant and precise design. The synchronicity between the music, the lights, the performers and the animations playing along the back of the stage was quite impressive.

It is evident a lot of work and thought has gone into creating a complex piece that incorporates so many aspects of performance theatre. However, narrowing down the gaps between music, acting, dance, comedy, and the dark and macabre aspects would give all three performers the opportunity to create stronger characters that the audience can care about and connect with.

Venue: Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall.

Season: Until 8 September| Wed to Sat 7:30pm, Sat 3:00pm matinee

Tickets: $25 Full | $20 Conc

Bookings: 03 9322 3713 or artshouse.com.au

Events, Music, Performances, Review

REVIEW: Black Arm Band Present DIRTSONG

Musically superb, but connections were lost…

By Anastasia Russell-Head

A palpable sense of anticipation filled the darkened Elisabeth Murdoch Hall at the Melbourne Recital Centre, the diverse audience ready to be transported and transfixed by the music and artistry of some of Australia’s finest Indigenous musicians. And the musicians did not disappoint.

From the country-tinged vocals of Dan Sultan, to the superb and virtuosic didgeridoo playing of Mark Atkins and the soaring harmonies of an a-capella trio led by the band’s artistic director Lou Bennett, the performances were accomplished, heartfelt and beautiful.

Yet I felt a bit let-down by this performance. Having been blown away by the Black Arm Band’s inaugural production, murundak, at the Melbourne Festival in 2006, I was really looking forward to this newer show. Somehow, though, it just seemed to miss the mark slightly, and didn’t have quite the power or the energy of the earlier work.

The musicianship and talent of the performers could not be questioned – both the featured performers and the backing band were top-quality and produced excellent performances all round. The projected imagery on the backdrop was also visually engaging and often poignant.

However, this performance didn’t reach out and grab me. I was not drawn in by the performers. There was no program or translation to be able to understand the songs that, according to the publicity material, were performed in eleven different Aboriginal languages.

That is something that should be celebrated – but it’s meaningless to us, the audience, if we’re not given some context and explanation. The performers were not introduced, and the audience were not given any hint of what the songs meant to the musicians or why they were being performed that day.

It was a pity that more thought wasn’t given to the audience’s experience of this work, as the Black Arm Band is one of the most important musical ensembles in Australia today, and they have the opportunity and the talent to communicate something powerful and world-changing. Unfortunately, for this reviewer and on this day, this particular show didn’t quite live up to that promise.

Dirtsong was performed by Black Arm Band at the Melbourne Recital Centre on Saturday September 1, 2012

Dance, Events, Performances, Review, Whats On

Review: EIFMAN BALLET PRESENTS Anna Karenina

Rich, rampant and inspiring theatre

By Bradley Storer

In a rare treat for Melbourne audiences, the internationally renowned Eifman Ballet Company bring their acclaimed fusion of Russian classical ballet and contemporary dance to our shores. The company’s aim, under the direction of choreographer Boris Eifman, is the creation of new ballet repertoire that attains the same psychological and thematic complexity as modern drama whilst  exploring the sublime physical dimensions which other artforms cannot approximate. The classic Tolstoy epic, Anna Karenina, certainly qualifies in terms of grandeur and depth, and the Eifman Ballet explores the possibilities of this mammoth novel to their fullest extent.

Ballet by its nature requires plots that can be communicated simply, and in this respect the multilayered and complex narrative of Anna Karenina might have been a poor choice. However, by stripping back the story to focus centrally on the love triangle between Anna, Karenin and Vronsky, the most visceral and powerful elements of the original text are brought to the forefront.

The chorus skilfully express the smothering and oppressive social atmosphere of the St Petersburg court in their tightly formalized and compact dances, gorgeously outfitted in refined dark and grey outfits (alternating with the sleek black leather of the upper aristocracy) which renders them all grandly uniform. Against this unvarying palette come the ill-fated lovers Anna (played in this performance by Maria Abashova) and Vronsky (Oleg Gabyshev), their dances weaving in and out of the static patterns of the chorus burning to be free. Abashova’s achingly beautiful dancing begins trapped inside societal confinements imposed by both court and her husband, and through the first act Abashova shows the soul inside slowly waking to love. Gabyshev is a youthful and virile presence throughout, and when the pair finally consummate their growing passion in a stunning pas de deux, we see the full grace and beauty of their movements, hitherto hidden and stifled, break through the surface at last.

Oleg Markov as Karenin shows us his character’s hopeless entrapment with the bounds of society, the audience aware every moment of Karenin’s simultaneous yearning and inability to break free of the rigid movement imposed on him – when Karenin and his wife dance together, they resemble two puzzle pieces which will never quite fit together.

In Act Two, where Anna and her lover are relegated to the fringes of Russian society as a result of her affair, we delve into deep psychological exploration of the characters’ despair as Vronsky turns to drink and Anna to morphine addiction. The morphine-fuelled fantasy of flesh which Anna dreams is one of the more abstract and challenging aspects of the production, but the final scene which follows provides a thrilling coup de theatre which both matches and heightens the intensely operatic ending and cements this company’s reputation as boundary-pushing and artistically awe-inspiring theatre-makers.

Dates: 29th August to 2nd September, 2012

Price: $55 – $190

Venue: Regent Theatre, 191 Collins St, Melbourne

Bookings: www.ticketmaster.com.au

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Events, Performances, Whats On

REVIEW: Izaak Lim Sings TOO MANY SONGS

Classic comedy that delivers

By Christine Moffat

Izaak Lim explores the songs, and more importantly, the bent of Tom Lehrer in this one-hour cabaret at the iconic Melbourne venue The Butterfly Club.

Many lovers of darkly comic cabaret will be familiar with one or two songs from Lehrer’s catalogue such as The Masochism Tango or Poisoning Pigeons in the Park, but in this show Lim also dusts off some under-loved gems and makes them sparkle again.

For those who don’t know Lehrer’s work, this show would be an excellent introduction to the skewed worldview of the comical, musical, mathematical genius who was a highly respected professor as well as a fabulously disrespectful human being.

Lim captures this second element especially well in his own performance, which is very faithful to Lehrer without going anywhere near an impersonation.  Lim is himself, and that self seems to be almost as dark, strange and hilarious as his ‘mentor’.

On opening night the room was small, intimate and warm, as was the mood created by Lim and his oh-so-accomplished accompanist Trevor Jones.  Lim’s performance was superb: his voice has a beautiful tone that echoes Lehrer’s own deceptively sweet-noted delivery of deliciously sour concepts.

It is a humorous format that is milked for all it’s worth by Lim and Jones.  They are in synch musically and their tetchy banter really keeps the ball rolling.  As a result, the show seemed much shorter than it was, even including our predestined ‘encore’.

When he performed, Lehrer was most often trapped behind a piano, relying only on facial expression and nuance to reach his audience.  By utilising Jones for the majority of the music (watch out for some sneaky accordion action) Lim has the benefit of embodying the songs with high-energy physical humour, an hilarious addition to the already funny songs.  More than once I found myself laughing a bit too loud, and I wasn’t alone.

In closing, I will simply say this about Too Many Songs: if you don’t like laughing, don’t go.

Dates: Saturday 25th July 7pm/ Sunday 26th July 6pm

Tickets: $23 Full, $20 Conc, $18 Group 8+

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 204 Bank St, South Melbourne

Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com

Dance, Events, Music, Performances, Review, Whats On

Review: MICHAEL JACKSON HIStory II

Gone but not forgotten

By Jessica Cornish

Reminiscent of a Star Trek convention, hundreds of people draped in sequenced jackets, silk white gloves and glittered hats meandered into Her Majestys Theatre last night in anticipation of HIStory II.

This tribute to the legendary Michael Jackson starred L.A based impersonator Kenny Wizz and was supported by his eclectic band who had gathered from across the globe to entertain his Melbourne audience for over two hours.

Unsure of the concept of the night, I was relieved to find that the show was in fact a high-quality tribute concert. No poorly-written jukebox musical storyline, or invented characters trying to make the famous songs in to some poorly-formed song cycle. Instead, the night was one hit after the next, paired with some of the best lighting production I have seen in a long time

Visually the show was vibrant, punchy and consistently changing with the dynamic pop songs. Strobe lighting was heavily incorporated in to the lighting design, giving the dancers and Kenny as MJ a dramatic edge to songs such as Thriller and Smooth Criminal. Three hanging LED screens also featured prominently throughout the night, adding another dimension to the visual feast unfolding.

Unfortunately, during the first half of the performance there were some audio technical difficulties with the front-of-house mix, giving the sound a bizarre ‘paned’ effect, resulting in glaring music randomly jutting in and out of the speakers. Luckily this issue was resolved after interval, and the show ran smoothly.

Kenny belted out the demanding falsetto tunes continually with great passion and conviction. After impersonating MJ for over 28 years, he clearly convinces the audience who were besotted by him throughout the entire performance. Streams of young and old fans alike lined the aisles, dancing in delight.

Throughout the night Kenny was backed by a talented troupe of six dancers who added much energy to the performance. Initially the dancers seemed slightly out of sync with each other at times, but as the show progressed these problems quickly disappeared.

Personal performance favourites of mine were Don’t Blame It On The Boogie, with the dance troupe dressed in black and gold sequenced body suits dancing up a storm, followed by Smooth Criminal which of course included the famous ‘lean’ choreography that MJ made so famous.

Overall the night was greatly enjoyed, and Kenny promised to be back for another run next year. Perfect for anyone who wants a fun night out, a homage to MJ, and an opportunity to forget the mundane troubles of everyday life for a couple hours.

TOUR DATES: Sydney 24/8 & 25/8 Brisbane 1/9, Adelaide 8/9 and Perth 15/9

TICKETS: $89 Adult, $79 Conc/Group 10+
BOOKINGS: www.ticketek.com.au or 1300 795 012

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Barking Spider Visual Theatre Presents THE MEMORANDIUM

Because good theatre is a real experience

By Myron My

As you enter the stage of The Memorandium to be greeted with cups of hot chocolate by the performers Penelope Bartlau and Leah Scholes, you know this will not be an ordinary theatre experience.

The premise of the show is quite simple: audience members choose a stick with a number on it, which correlates to a wrapped package. As the audience member unwraps it, we are asked to share what memories this item stirs in us. The items are random: teapots, teddy bears, passports, coins…  Using these memories, Bartlau creates wonderful stories for the audience which leaves us with big gaping smiles like we’re children gathered around grandmother for a story before bed.

Bartlau has a skillful storytelling technique and her descriptive language and facial expressions allow you to very easily visualize the tale told.  She and composer/performer Scholes play exceptionally well together to the point where you were wondering if this is actually improvised. It is. Moreover, you can clearly see they are giving each other a good time with their onstage give-and-take over the direction the story takes. The accompanying music is also improvised, with Scholes using anything on stage to create sounds that perfectly blend into the story.

The mood in the audience as we heard these stories went from a room full of strangers to a connected mind, and after the show when you were free to roam through the set we were chatting as if we were old friends.

The stage setting was impeccably detailed with all the miscellany one would expect to find at anyone’s home including all the various items they would have collected over the years, from toys and instruments to crockery and clothing. I don’t believe any amount of describing could do this set justice but to say that designer Jason Lehane has an amazing eye for design would be an understatement.

The experience of The Memorandium makes you realize we are all full of memories and everything has a story behind it, if we just stop to think about it and share them. Leaving the theatre, you can’t help but have a warm and fuzzy feeling inside you – almost like you’ve just had a nice cup of hot chocolate theatre.

Venue: Theatre Works, 14 Acland St, St Kilda
Season: Until 1 September| Wed to Sat 8:00pm, Sat 5:00pm
Tickets: $35 Full | $29 Conc
Bookings: 03 9534 3388 or theatreworks.org.au

Events, Review, Theatre, Whats On

Review: ALL THAT I EVER WILL BE by Alan Ball

Dark and clever script demands strong performances

By Ross Larkin

Alan Ball has established himself as a leading American screenwriter, with award winning credits including Six Feet Under and American Beauty. His knack for confronting and exploring the human condition with dark humour and striking realism seems unparalleled. For many, witnessing his work on stage will be a new experience.

All That I Will Ever Be, although five years old, is a lesser-known play by Ball, and while this particular season has returned due to popular demand, it has seldom been performed state-side or in Australia.

As one might expect from Ball, the play focuses on complex relationships – with sexuality, identity and fidelity largely driving the action. Direction and performance, therefore, are intrinsically key in the success of a story whose foundation relies heavily on the perils and quirks of the human condition.

Ball’s characters are multi-faceted, three-dimensional though somehow accessible – hence his universal appeal.  Yet, in the wrong hands, his work runs the risk of losing that combination of raw yet subtle Ball mystique, falling into average, forgettable territory. Taking on the task of directing such challenging material is not a decision that can be made lightly.

All That I Will Ever Be certainly could have fallen into less capable hands than that of director Robert Chuter who thankfully avoided sappy melodrama with which a less-experienced director may have been tempted. His simplistic set and focus on character were safe though wise choices – unfortunately let down, however, by an ensemble of varying capabilities.

In a play heavily driven by performance, there were thankfully no weak links, but with material of this nature, acceptable simply isn’t strong enough. Christian Heath was one of few who convincingly portrayed inner struggle and occasional outward despair with subtlety, depth and balance to engage and evoke the necessary empathy. Yet as Heath got the stakes rising, enticing the audience into Ball’s world as intended – others would swiftly push viewers back to observer status.

Had the calibre of performers all matched Heath’s, Chuter and Fly-On-The-Wall Theatre could have had a very different result on his hands. The kind that Alan Ball’s work calls for.

PLAYING FROM 01-12 AUGUST
Wednesday – Saturday @ 8.00pm
Sunday @ 6.30pm
Full $29 / Conc $23

CHAPEL OFF CHAPEL
12 Little Chapel Street, Prahran, 3181

BOOKINGS 03 8290 7000
www.chapeloffchapel.com.au