Theatre

Review: The Temple

Striking examination of memory and identity

By Bradley Storer

The Temple strikes a strong stance from the instant it begins. After a deliciously slow curtain reveal, the opening image of a lone person sitting atop a pile of chairs instantly inspires giggles from the audience and sets the tone for most of the evening.

Five strangers meet in a vaguely defined situation where they ritualistically bond, break down and rebuild over what could be days, weeks or months. Described as ‘an orgy of comedic performers’ the non-sequential dialogue that ricochets from subject to subject combined with the melancholy of lonely, rambling and halting monologues instead invokes the Absurdists.

The five performers (Aljin Abella, Ash Flanders, Genevieve Giuffre, Mish Grigor and Marcus McKenzie) still manage to extricate a laugh from every beat, pause and repetition of the cyclical and rapid-fire dialogue. Director Gavin Quinn keeps the pace at high speed and the physical comedy, with special mention to the background antics of Abella, is awkward and ridiculously sublime.

The play explores the mutability of identity, memory and the loss of self through roleplay as the characters engage in mandated exercises from an unseen authority which require them to connect with each other and break down their ego barriers.

Although many scenes incite laughter, the ferocious bullying and flaying that ensues is, at times, disconcerting to watch. The final moments, which seem to broach the idea of death as the ultimate transformation, are unflinchingly graphic and sure to be divisive.  This could potentially be justified if director Quinn could tie the ideas raised throughout the piece together in a stronger and more explicit way, however it might be too conventional an expectation for a piece so clearly resistant to the forms and rhythm of traditional theatre. The Temple leaves viewers to sort through its fragments and puzzle out their meaning for themselves.

 

The Temple runs 3 – 26 May at the Beckett Theatre, Coopers Malthouse. Tickets can be purchased online and by calling the box office on 03 9685 5111.

Photograph: Pia Johnson

Film

Review: Thunder Road

Rich, dark humour lifts tragic cop story

 By Samuel Barson

To fund the making of a film with a Kickstarter campaign is no mean feat. But when that film proves to be one of the highlights of 2018 cinema, amongst a myriad of Marvel blockbusters and the like, that is one superior feat.

Jim Cummings has been loitering the world of film all of his life. He has played a number of roles in the industry: cinematographer, on set photographer, light production assistant (on a Marvel film, coincidentally) and sound editor. He has worn numerous hats and it feels as though these eclectic experiences have all built up to Thunder Road, which Cummings has directed, written and starred in.

The film begins at police officer Jim Arnaud’s (played by Cummings) mother’s funeral.  He gives a eulogy that is painful to watch due to its awkwardness (it ends with an experimental dance to a Bruce Springsteen song) and heavy grief. After his mother passes, Jim is confronted with an extensive list of difficult events in his life: a divorce, the estrangement of his daughter, the loss of his job and another death.

This is a lot of trauma to put a character through, but Cummings’ incredible nuance and strong sense of realism as an actor leaves the audience believing every emotion and every heartbreak. His use of facial expressions to express the grief, shock and anger his character goes through is astounding. He also has an incredibly strong comedic grounding with a lot of the traumatic events in the film being lifted with a rich, dark humour.

The direction is simple, yet stunning and intimate for the audience to bear witness to. In particular, the repetitive use of a long shot that slowly transforms into a mid or close up makes audiences feel like they’re in the room with the characters, especially in moments of intimate dialogue or deep insight into a character’s current state. The writing almost appears effortless, but may also be a testament to the impressive ensemble cast Cummings has collected (most of whom appear to have very limited prior acting experience).

It’s incredible what Cummings and his team achieved here. Using a $200,000 budget, they have created a film which has, in box office sales, made more than its cost. Thunder Road deserves to be seen, so much more than many other films released last year.

A must-see for fans of simple storytelling, and for those who appreciate dark humour as much as they do a deeply touching, character-driven narrative.

Thunder Road screens in Nova Cinema, Carlton until 24 April as well as in select cinemas across Australia. Tickets can be purchased online. 

Photograph: supplied

Performances

Review: Quadra and Echoes

Transformative interplay of light and sound

By Joana Simmons

As daylight saving comes to an end putting us in darkness earlier in the evening, Arts House presents an incredible program of light shows. Spectral is a one-week season with leading artists Robin Fox, Hanna Chetwin, Jannah Quill, Kusum Normoyle and Meagan Streader exploring the interplay between sound and light.

Exhibitions by Robin Fox and Meagan Streader culminate in special performances over two nights featuring works never seen before in Melbourne alongside new commissions. I had the opportunity of transforming my gloomy Saturday by moving through two of the free exhibitions.

Quadra by Robin Fox is an immersive, psychedelic experience of sound and light that makes the Wizard of Oz’s Emerald City look boring. Within the first 30 seconds inside a dark room, my jaw dropped and I felt joy well up inside me as lasers cast beams of rainbow light onto a truss of mirrors placed in different angles.

Over the next 11 minutes, the pattern of the lasers combined with brilliant sounds coming from a quadraphonic sound system which meant all my senses were completely brought to life. You hear the light with your ears, see the sound with your eyes, and feel everything in your body.

At times the bright lasers beamed in patterns that made the roof appear to close in on us. I wanted to touch the light that created a Matrix-like effect and made me feel as if I was inside a giant game of pick-up-sticks.

Fox has designed an incredibly well-timed and transformative work. Once it was finished, I sat quietly with my eyes closed to let the magic sink in.

Just down the hallway was artist Meagan Streader’s light installation Echoes.

The installation is site-specific to the North Melbourne Town Hall and contrasts fluorescent lights with the heritage architecture of the building and soft lighting.

The piece dominates the empty space of a black box theatre: two large curved beams support a series of fluorescent rings, which are reflected in a pool of water on the floor like tentacles. The light here transforms the space and guides us as we navigate the room to view the installation. It’s refined and stark.

These exhibitions are tasters for what else is on in Spectral, a ticketed event featuring a curated line up of artists.

If you have space in your weekend to see what art can be created with light, go!  If you enjoy it as much as I did, you’ll be sure to come out brighter.

 

Spectral: between light and sound runs at Arts House North Melbourne 11- 18 April. See here for tickets and additional information. 

Photograph: Sam Whiteside 

Musical Theatre

Review: West Side Story

Slick spectacle with astonishing dance numbers

By Leeor Adar

1950s ‘Murica. Nothing quite says New York, New York, like West Side Story. It’s the kind of American dreaming particular to the imaginings of Jerome Robbins, the original director and choreographer of the beloved and memorable work. Instead of a Miller-esque fatal flaw, our characters operate in a world that has marginalised them, and they exist between missing the past and wanting a future. Migrants, lovers, hooligans, West Side Story is a warm embrace for musical theatre lovers everywhere.

I’m as surprised as the next person to see Opera Australia take on the collaborative work of heavyweights Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim. It’s pure musical sugar, with numbers that are hyper and tantalising in a way that opera often turns away from. I am of course intrigued, as Opera Australia wades into the commercial realm to reach out to a broader audience perhaps. I want grit from West Side Story and Bernstein’s score, but instead we are treated to something lightweight, which does not do justice to the grandeur of Opera Australia, and certainly not the yearning power of this excellent and nuanced musical.

Director and choreographer Joey McKneely’s production has some astonishing dance numbers which render the music almost secondary. The central issues in the work concern its casting (and not in this instance the whitewashing that the Sydney production was accused of). The clash of an operatic coloratura soprano Maria (Sophie Salvesani) with a pure musical theatre voice for Tony (Todd Jacobsson) is hard to move beyond. Jacobsson is more a sweet romantic than former Jet, struck by the lightning bolt of infatuation. Despite this, I had chills during Jacobsson’s “Maria”, which is essentially to music theatre what La Bohème’s “Che gelida manina” is to opera. Even so, Salvesani has a rich and enveloping voice, that is ill-matched to her co-star.

The band of Jets, led by a charismatic Noah Mullins as Riff, overall look more like young awkward schoolboys than a gang of hardened street rats, and they are outmatched as they move between voluptuous and highly sexualised women. In contrast, the Sharks, led by a convincing Lyndon Watts as Bernardo, are muscular, intense and commanding on stage. Wonderfully, the Puerto Rican women are an absolute force on stage. Outshining all other characters in this production, Chloé Zuel as Anita is breathtaking in a memorable and electric performance. “America” is the pinnacle of perfection and quality I wanted out of West Side Story, and unfortunately it is one of the few moments I was nodding my head in joy. The Jets redeem themselves in a playful “Gee, Officer Krupke”, which joyfully washes over the salty reality of their poverty and troubled homes, but I was very much drawn less to the music than the physicality of the show.

Paul Gallis’ set design is in itself a character in this production, with looming grey photographs of Manhattan and a shanty-town of wooden pilings to show the decay of this part of the iconic city. The gloom of the set powerfully contrasts with the gorgeous costuming of Renate Schmitzer whose smashing array of decadent hues, which are complimented by the rich lighting design of Peter Halbsgut, set alight the already blazing dance numbers.

In contrast, one strikingly dark place this production took the audience to was the terrifying assault of Anita by the Jets, witnessed by Jets-wannabe tomboy Anybodys (Molly Bugeja). After the violence the stage is quiet and Anybodys runs away screaming, suddenly voicing another cruel reality of the streets.

West Side Story remains as topical as ever, with gun violence, sexual violence and racism rampant in our world, it remains an ode to the oppressed and cyclical entrapment of those living a life of poverty and crime. Despite this, its musical message of hope for a better future and greater opportunity remains just as strong.

I’d like to see a future production of West Side Story by Opera Australia where it will hold its own and wrestle away from the slick spectacle of commercial musical theatre and find something to contribute of its own. Even so, West Side Story makes for an entertaining night with some memorable performances and staging.

 

West Side Story will be performed at Arts Centre Melbourne until 28 April before touring to Sydney, Wellington, Canberra and Adelaide. Tickets can be purchased online and by calling the box office on 1300 889 278.

Photograph: Jeff Busby

Kids Theatre

MICF: Super Amazing Giant Girl

Banana-eating comic book hero for the littlies

By Rebecca Waese 

There’s a Super Amazing Giant Girl crushing it at Melbourne’s Town Hall this International Comedy Festival and she’s larger than life. If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit in, circus performer and comedian, Anna Lumb, has an interactive, action-packed hour of power for littlies who will learn to use their imaginations and keep on trying.

When the Super Amazing Giant Girl heads off to the Big City to find her groove, she jumps through a mind-boggling number of hoops (literally) until she befriends a Normal Person, Jez Davies, who helps her discover her confidence and share her talents even when things go seismically wrong.

My kids and I loved the gymnastics stunts, roller skating over bubble wrap, banana-eating tricks, and experiments with the slow-motion/fast forward button. The soundtrack, with A-ha, ACDC, Uptown Funk and Pump the Jam, keeps the audience rocking and there’s a lovely version of Katy Perry’s Roar as Lumb balances in a precarious position that I sure hope the kids don’t try at home. With comic-book sensibilities and polished use of sound effects, you’ll cheer for this friendly giant who gets the kids onside and participating in a real-time hail storm and some stinky undies gags.

Following a successful Australian tour and adapted for the comedy festival, Super Amazing Giant Girl is a 60-minute imaginative blast delivered by Lumb, who has toured internationally with Strange Fruit and teaches at Circus Oz. Davies adds quirky humour in his supporting role and brings rather impressive juggling talents to the mix.

It doesn’t play down or patronise; it’s refreshing, original and high octane. I’d recommend giving it a go this school holidays for kids under 10.

 

Super Amazing Giant Girl runs until 21 April at the Melbourne Town Hall as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Tickets can be purchased online.

Photograph: Theresa Harrison

Rebecca Waese is an Honorary Associate at La Trobe University in the Department of Creative Arts and English.

Comedy, Kids Theatre

MICF: Macdeth

Company 13 presents Macdeth

By Narelle Wood

It’s a weird combination, Macbeth, The Comedy Festival and a children’s show; with all the murder, blood, and deceit, it shouldn’t really work. Somehow, Company 13, director James Pratt and actors Fiona Roake, Christian Bagin and John Forman not only make it work, but have turned Macbeth from one of Shakespeare’s classic tragedies to a joyous exploration of the dark, and disgusting side of the cursed Scottish play.

It is a reworking of the original play but it hits all the key plot points, and characters are reinvented to make them easily identifiable to the younger members of the audience whilst still managing to capture their underlying natures. The witches are more like the ugly step-sisters, kind of stupid but up to no good, goading Macbeth into traitorous action. Lady Macbeth’s sinister plots become child-like tantrums in an effort to get everything she wants and King Duncan is a bumbling, farting fool who you feel sorry for not because he is too kind, but because he’s too stupid to realise the betrayal. Banquo is non-threatening, except maybe as a ghost and all Macbeth needs is a couple of compliments to appease his pride and he turns from “who me, King?” to an entitled brat who things he’s invincible.

Macdeth is by no means a simplified version of Macbeth. Yes, there are some missing soliloquies and there are parts missing for expediency to fit the play into the one-hour kid-friendly format. However, Company 13 intermingle modern language with excerpts from the play. The balance between the two is perfect: what the audience might not understand of the Shakespearean parts is made clear through the action, the interactions between the characters and the move into more informal dialogue.

The ensemble cast of Roake, Pratt, Bagin and Forman play multiple characters and at time provide the musical accompaniment as well. There are not many props, so much of the action relies on the audience’s imagination, which is just as well, because this is a retelling designed to include kids and therefore it includes all those gross things that children tend to find amusing – farts, snot and young people’s appropriate stylised murder, to which the kid sitting behind me responded “oh, that’s brilliant”.

Having seen countless interpretations of Macbeth, this by far would have to be one of my favourites. Short and not so sweet, this is a Shakespeare comedic tragedy not to be missed.

 

Macdeth plays at Coopers Malthouse as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival until 19 April. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office on 03 9685 5111.  

Photograph: Jeff Busby

 

Comedy

MICF: Single Asian Female

Much more than brilliant comedy 

By Irene Bell

It’s not every play that will have you laughing through tears. It’s not every play that will make you want to express your eternal gratitude for your mother, your sister, your best friend – no matter your cultural background. And it’s not every play that will inspire genuine empathy for the many hardworking immigrant families we call our neighbours. Single Asian Female, written by Michelle Law and directed by Claire Christian, will inspire all this as well as entertain the hell out of you.

Single Asian Female follows the lives three women: a newly single mother and owner of the Golden Phoenix restaurant (Pearl), a twenty-something violinist figuring out work-life balance (Zoe) and a seventeen-year-old girl who just wants to be like the other kids at school (Mei). Together, these characters’ stories explore family and cultural identity and well as express what it is to be proud of your heritage. Regardless of whether you are single, Asian or not, you absolutely must go along to appreciate the writing, stagecraft and performances that will have you in fits of laughter.

Michelle Law’s writing is both entertaining and pivotal to theatre today. This production is more than comedy, it’s a snapshot of migrant life in Australia and that’s important to see. Hsiao-Ling Tang (Pearl), Jing Xuan Chan (Zoe) and Courtney Stewart (Mei) act their roles with such chemistry and ease – watching them is endlessly captivating.

Moe Assaad’s set and costumes are standout features – with the doll’s-house like restaurant and apartment straight from any little girl’s dreams – allowing us to see these women in multiple parts of the house at once.

Shout outs must be given to Emily Burton’s enthralling performance as Katie, to Burton and Tatum Mottin’s date montage (a little too realistic and horrifyingly relatable) and to Patrick Jhanur’s performance as the hunky Paul which will make you want to secretly binge on rom-coms.

Single Asian Female has been showered with praise since its 2017 Sydney debut and now Melbourne audiences no longer need to wait to see this brilliant production. There’s not much else to say except for, go and see this show!

 

Single Asian Female is playing at Arts Centre Melbourne until 21 April as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office on 03 9281 8000.

Photograph: suplied

Comedy

MICF: What Would Bill Murray Do?

Non-stop bullet-train of absurdist comedy

By Samuel Barson

Comedian David Tieck describes himself as a big fat absurdist, idiotic, stupid-faced, teddy bear-type person. And he certainly exploits all these facets of his being in his new solo show What Would Bill Murray Do?

Running just under an hour, this latest venture from Tieck is a non-stop bullet-train of nonsense and philosophy, with audiences strapping themselves in for David’s promise of at least 37 bits of weirdness that culminate in his sharing of a newfound “meaning of life”. A significant highlight of the show was the large number of costume changes that came with presenting 37 dramatically different moments. Tieck’s energy never dropped throughout, a testament to his passion and stamina as a performer.

If you’re not a fan of absurdist comedy, this show is going to be purely painful for you. The depths of contemporary absurdism that Tieck reaches are cavernous and could prove highly alienating for the wrong audience member. Even as a fan of absurdist comedy myself, there were moments that momentarily left me behind.

However, the thing that most stood out is how much Tieck loves his audience and his enjoyment for performing was palpable. He doesn’t care who you are or where you come from: all he wants to do is have fun with you. This approach to life informed the title of his show, through the way actor Bill Murray has discussed living his own life.

If you love comedy that makes absolutely no sense but leaves you in stitches anyway, this is the show for you.

 

What Would Bill Murray Do? runs until 8 April at the Imperial Hotel as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the MICF box office on 03 9245 3788.

Photograph: supplied 

Cabaret

Review: The Worst Little Warehouse in London

Best little cabaret is laugh-out-loud hilarious

By Ross Larkin
 

The prospect of independent cabaret can be unsettling, given the self-indulgence and lack of polish that often dog the genre, presumably because they are usually easier to produce in terms of cost and time.

So it is with no small amount of surprise to report that The Worst Little Warehouse in London is one of the best little shows I’ve seen in a long while.

A two-hander about an Australian couple house sharing in the big smoke with a dozen wildly eccentric travellers is no doubt a familiar scenario for many an Aussie who has treaded the backpacking trail. However, The Worst Little Warehouse explores the premise with shrewd innovation, brilliantly composed music and laugh-out-loud hilarity.

Real-life couple Lala Barlow and Robbie Smith bring to life an array of quirky, misguided characters while singing and playing keys to a selection of fast-paced, intelligent and witty tunes which get better and better as the show progresses.

Both Barlow and Smith are clearly natural born entertainers with comic timing and musical prowess to rival the best in the business, and the pair never miss a beat as they move from one character to the next, often in rapid succession.

Director Sarah Redmond ensures the couple are showcased in all their musical comedy glory at a pace that builds so satisfactorily the audience is practically in the palm of the show’s hands, ready to burst with joy by the conclusion yet not wanting it to end.

It’s no wonder this gem of a cabaret has been raved about at so many festivals and shortlisted for best musical and best cabaret at Edinburgh Fringe.

I seldom recommend shows so highly (let alone the indie cabaret variety), but The Worst Little Warehouse in London is a complete delight from start to finish which will have you in stitches and in awe. I implore you to make it your first choice at this year’s Comedy Festival.

The Worst Little Warehouse in London plays until 31 March at The Butterfly Club as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Tickets can be purchased online.

Photograph: Ben Fon

Musical Theatre

Review: Muriel’s Wedding

Explosive Australiana in musical wonderland

By Owen James

Sometimes classic films should remain untouched and untainted by a musical adaptation – but luckily this is not the case for Muriel’s Wedding, which places the timeless story on the mainstage in colourful glory. When outcast Muriel impulsively departs Queensland hometown Porpoise Spit in search of a brighter future, she discovers her true self and her place in the world.

Original film writer PJ Hogan has modernised Muriel’s story for 2019, ensuring her flight and plight is relatable for its contemporary audience – social media plays a big part in both her initial belittling and later success. Much of the sarcastic subtlety of the film has been replaced with larger-than-life characters, displaying Hogan’s adept adaptability as a writer across formats and decades. There are big lines from big characters at every turn which ensure these colourful personalities bounce off the back walls of Her Majesty’s Theatre in every scene.

Music and lyrics by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall have both strong and weak points, but always boosts Hogan’s exaggerated Australia with punchy energy and vibrance. Miller-Heidke and Nuttall combine a contemporary musical theatre sound with moments of synth-filled pop that wouldn’t be out of place on the radio (such as ‘A True Friend’). Their detailed score also features cleverly reworked ABBA hits that offer many a catchy melody with standout songs including ‘Strangely Perfect Stranger’, ‘Here Comes The Bride’, and ‘Never Stick Your Neck Out’.

Ensemble numbers such as ‘Sydney’ and ‘Progress’ are staged with spectacle through Andrew Hallsworth’s engaging and dynamic choreography. Tight movement in songs like ‘Shared, Viral, Linked, Liked’ is jaw-dropping in its precise execution and numbers like ‘Here Comes The Bride’ demonstrate Hallsworth’s capability and love for large-scale chorey.

Director Simon Phillips has staged a heartwarming extravaganza in Muriel’s Wedding, which delves beneath initially superficial character tropes to find the diamonds waiting inside. It’s a simple and safe production with a lot of heart and colour. Set and costume design by Gabriela Tylesova transports us seamlessly between locations and embellishes the bright, larger-than-life tone set by Phillips.

Natalie Abbott absolutely shines as attention-starved underdog Muriel, never missing a beat in her mainstage debut. This is the perfect role to showcase Abbott’s varied talents, she captivates every audience member with quirky and sincere moments throughout.

Feisty friend Rhonda has been cast perfectly with Stefanie Jones. I could watch her for hours. Hilarious and heartbreaking, Jones is a talent sure to excel in many future productions.

With costumes brighter than Priscilla, more Australian humour than Strictly Ballroom, the sass of Kinky Boots and almost as much ABBA as Mamma Mia, Muriel’s Wedding is a new Australian musical very successful in its mission to entertain. It both celebrates and mocks our admittedly highly mockable culture with stereotypes you absolutely will find on a Queensland beach or a Sydney street.

Big bogans, big bitches and big budgie smugglers galore. Walk down the aisle to Muriel’s Wedding for a colourful and entertaining Australiana parodic, patriotic paradise.

Muriel’s Wedding plays at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne until 16 June. Tickets can be purchased online and by calling the box office on 13 28 49.

Photograph: Jeff Busby