Cabaret, Review, Whats On

Chrissie Shaw in BIJOU: A Cabaret of Secrets and Seduction

Musically delightful

By Myron My

We’ve all made choices in our lives or been in situations that we’ve lamented over. In Bijou: A Cabaret of Secrets and Seduction, we are taken back to 1933 and into Bar du Papillon, where Bijou shares her memories of secrets, sorrow and love through story-telling and song. 

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Chrissie Shaw has selected a variety of songs and music authentic to the era and her voice perfectly encapsulates the emotions experienced with each song, from anger to sadness to joy. While I don’t understand a word of French, when Shaw breaks into her vocals throughout the show, her body language, facial expressions and tone still allow the meaning behind the song to be conveyed. Accompanying Shaw on piano is the highly talented Alan Hicks, who plays – and sings – with aplomb and is very much at ease in his interactions with the audience.

However, Bijou’s recollections of important moments of her past that feature in her story-telling unfortunately failed to leave a similarly strong impression on me. I was often left unsure what the story was or unable to see how this fit into the bigger picture. I found it very difficult to find empathy for Bijou and the humour didn’t always hit the right mark with the audience.

While the direction by Susan Pilbeam is engaging and active, the constant walking and performing up and down the aisle in the space  – which caused audience members in the front rows to constantly turn around – started to wear thin. Bijou’s intention in thus interacting with the audience may have been to build a stronger relationship and affinity with us, but ultimately it came across as rehearsed rather than genuine.

Sadly, my experience watching Bijou: A Cabaret of Secrets and Seduction left me feeling rather disappointed no real secrets had been divulged and very much unseduced by the life of Bijou. While the songs and music are entertaining and enjoyable, it seemed to me the heart of this performance is yet to be found.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne
Season: Until 27 November | 7pm 
Tickets: $32 Full | $28 Conc 
Bookings: The Butterfly Club

Review, Theatre, Whats On

Western Edge Presents CALIBAN

Dynamic and captivating

By Leeor Adar

The culturally diverse Western Edge Youth Arts’ Edge Ensemble under the directorship of Dave Kelman and Tariro Mavondo delivers a spirited, vibrant and painfully accurate adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest with Caliban.

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Who is Caliban in this tale?

We are not dealing with a deformed witch’s son, but a native of an island, which carries the spirit of his mother – all mothers – in the sand, air and water. The Edge Ensemble’s Caliban (Oti Willoughby) is every pure thing, every angry living thing that despises the poisons inflicted by civilisation on the natural world.

In this tale Prospero is Prospera (Natalie Lucic), and Ariel (Piper Huynh) is a machine, not spirit, that can think up realities to save the planet from global warming and other ills that contribute to the inevitable downfall of our world. But Prospera needs capital. Propera needs wealth. Prospera’s adopted daughter, Miranda (Achai Deng), is shipped off with billionaire Afghani, Ferdinand (Abraham Herasan) for a better life, a life of opulence, but little freedom and incredible isolation. It is ironically a lonely and uncertain life at the top of the world, but all is not lost.

Caliban tackles big ideas with humour and poignancy. This is a remarkable and highly physical performance delivered by an ensemble with differing physicality. The performers are excellent, emotive, funny and totally humane. So much of the story told is delivered by this troupe through their bodies, and they each deliver something unique. Credit must be given to movement director, Amy MacPherson, who has successfully conjured the best of the cast. The set design by Lara Week, who previously worked with Mavondo in Greg Ulfan’s 3 Sisters, provides yet another bright and adaptable space that works well for the performers. Turquoise cylinders serve as podiums, seats, towers, and the ever-present reminder of man-made waste.

There is at the heart of this story a great longing for a home that is being stolen by land erosion and war. On one hand our lovers, Ferdinand and Miranda, each long for their homes, Afghanistan and the Sudanese Abyei Area, each torn, each broken by the worst of human nature. On the other, Phano (Rexson Pelman) longs for a Samoa with an uncertain future, and Caliban for his island home – two examples of the fate rendered by the hands of global warming, another ongoing man-made calamity.

The tragedy of our characters is that they each seek to do well, but fail fundamentally on their quest. It is deeply Shakespearean, but simply a timeless tale of humanity. Prospera is blinded by her mind, Ferdinand by his desire for respect, and Caliban by his anger. Their undoing is deeply psychological and a result of the previous ills of man-made affliction. And so is the cycle of human nature…

Caliban will be showing for its final night tonight, November 26 at 7pm at the Coopers Malthouse Theatre. Bookings: http://malthousetheatre.com.au/whats-on/caliban

Image by Nicola Dracoulis

Performances, Review, Theatre

La Mama Presents MADAME NIGHTSHADE’S POISON GARDEN

Fancy a drink?

By Myron My

When Madame Nightshade appears in her garden and welcomes the audience in her own unique style, you quickly realise that all bets are off and anything can happen in this absurdist clowning show and that, no matter where you sit, you are not safe. Performed as part of La Mama’s Explorations season for work in various stages of development, Madame Nightshade’s Poison Garden is a show that will leave you stunned and flabbergasted with plenty of laughs.

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Madame Nightshade’s Poison Garden is like watching two shows. The first half has a twisted, macabre and imaginative whimsy to it. Vegetables are manipulated into hilarious firearms and grenades, and while there is a scene with liquids and test tubes that could cause some anxiety in audience members, there is a sadness and a disturbing sweetness to Madame Nightshade’s actions and behaviour. However, upon drinking her “poison” Madame Nightshade transforms into a creature that is difficult to describe, but one that closely resembles a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde situation.

Unfortunately, this is where the magic and charm of Madame Nightshade’s Poison Garden begins to wane for me. The time and effort that was spent in creating the picturesque garden environment is no longer relevant as this new world is created, and the latter is less thoughtful and more crude and obvious. Now we are dealing with sight gags that so many American comedies seem to rely on, with stories that seems to come from nowhere with no real purpose, and literal toilet humour. While there are some entertaining parts in the second half, it is the first half I so desperately wanted to see more of.

The show is conceived, devised and performed by Anna Lehmann Thomson who clearly has a knack for clowning and finding humour in the small things. She thinks well on her feet throughout the show and even when props are not where they should be, her improvisation is fast and clever.

Independents artists are very fortunate to be given the opportunity to perform new ideas and shows to an audience with La Mama’s Explorations season. While there is definitely a place for Madame Nightshade’s Poison Garden to exist in the theatre world, I feel Thomson needs to determine what kind of story and character Madame Nightshade is to be if it is to find an audience to stay with her for the whole adventure.

Madame Nightshade’s Poison Garden was performed between 19 – 21 November at La Mama Theatre.

Image by Mikey J White

Festivals, Whats On

Poppy Seed Festival Presents LADYCAKE

Inventive, outrageous, and entertaining

By Myron My

When you hear the quote, “Let them eat cake”, you can’t help but think of Marie Antoinette. Interestingly enough, there is no official account of the lady ever having said this, and most facts point to it being almost impossible for the phrase to have been coined by her. Performed as part of the Poppy Seed Festival, LadyCake looks at the life of Marie Antoinette through the eyes of three of her handmaidens and how there is much uncertainty on what is fact and what is fiction when it comes to the last Queen of France.

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The three performers, Candace Miles, Madelaine Nunn and Anna Rodway – who also created the story – seem to relish playing the three handmaidens, and to be having real fun in messing with history in such a macabre and ostentatious way. While set in the 18th century, the script includes references to modern innovations – such as the internet – darkly reminding us that despite the centuries, the roles women play in society have not changed that much. This is further highlighted in the scenes where they each play Marie’s disapproving mother Maria Theresa, and the general population who slowly began to turn against the Queen.

Anastasia Poppenburg creates an opulent world in a highly simplistic style with bright pink and green fabrics on display, and luscious trees and plants lining the garden where the handmaidens spend their time gossiping. The eventual downfall of the Queen is signified in a bold and devastating manner and the ensuing final moments of LadyCake shows how idle gossip easily becomes confused with fact while also showing the ludicrous expectations that women have to face in a patriarchal society, both then and now.

Furthermore, Lucy Wilkin‘s garish costumes of large pink froufrou dresses and big blonde poufs perfectly encapsulate the absurd demands these women are meant to adhere to, not only in their service to their Queen, but to society in general.

Three Birds Theatre have come a long way since their 2015 Fringe Festival show, Three Birds One Cock, which looked at the female characters of Alfred Hitchcock’s films. While LadyCake could do with some tightening of the script with scenes that played out too long or just felt unnecessary, there is huge potential for this innovative company to generate a strong reputation for itself and its unique brand of theatre.

Venue: Trades Hall, 54 Victoria St, Carlton
Season: until 27 November | Tues – Sat 8pm, Sun 4pm
Tickets: $35 Full | $25 Concession
Bookings: Poppy Seed Festival

Image by Sarah Walker

Review, Theatre, Whats On

Malthouse Theatre Presents BLAQUE SHOWGIRLS

Truly outstanding

By Caitlin McGrane

Nakkiah Lui’s searing portrait of white Australia’s treatment of Aboriginal people, Blaque Showgirls, is vital viewing for all white people. In this production, Lui does not shy away from intensely uncomfortable subjects, but her punchlines always hit their target.

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The show opens as Sarah Jane (Bessie Holland) starts performing her signature dance, the Peking Emu on stage in Chithole, Queensland. Sarah Jane is a white-skinned ‘blaque’ girl who dreams of making it as a dancer at the famous Blaque Showgirls show in Brisvegas, just like her mother. With a voice that could shatter glass, and dance moves that would not be out of place in any reputable club in Melbourne, Sarah Jane is unceremoniously booed offstage. Sarah Jane makes the journey to Brisvegas to begin her journey to stardom, where she meets the amazing Chandon (Elaine Crombie), Kyle McLaughlan (Guy Simon), and Molly (Emi Canavan). Chandon and Kyle are the owners of Blaque Showgirls, the best and toughest show in town; Molly meanwhile is Sarah Jane’s Japanese sidekick who gets continually cut off when she’s talking. As Sarah Jane (aka Ginny) begins to work on her dancing with TruLove Interest (spelling: uncertain, Guy Simon) she starts to discover her true culture through the ‘Sacred, Sacred Really Sacred Dance’ (never-before-seen).

By the end of the performance my face hurt from laughing so much. Director Sarah Giles has worked magic with Lui’s exceptional script, and with it the duo has delivered something truly outstanding – the production perfectly skewers Australia’s bonkers and backwards attitudes to race and cultural appropriation, while Ginny continues to wreak havoc and destruction on the lives of those around her, her life continues to get better and better. Even finding out the truth about her past fills her with unconscionable optimism.

The production is completed with wonderful set and costume design from Eugyeene Teh, lighting design from Paul Jackson, composition & sound design from Jed Palmer, and movement direction from Ben Graetz. The team obviously have a tremendous passion for the subject matter, which left me deeply sympathetic to the tiny bumps in the production, which should be ironed out once the cast gets further into the show’s run.

There is so much more I wish I could say about Blaque Showgirls, but you should just go see it, especially if you’re white.

Blaque Showgirls is now on at the Malthouse until 4 December 2016. More information and tickets at: http://malthousetheatre.com.au/whats-on/blaque-showgirls

Image by Pia Johnson

Review, Theatre, Whats On

Theatre Works Presents ANIMAL

Core-shaking theatre

By Myron My

Watching Animal is a rare theatrical experience. It has such a visceral effect on you that you are left shaken and feeling extremely vulnerable and angry as you walk out. Created by Susie Dee, Kate Sherman and Nicci Wilks, it is an exploration of domestic violence and how women are meant to react in a world where violence against women and male brutishness are celebrated – and it is as gritty as physical theatre can be.

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The stage design by Marg Horwell feels like a large shipping container; dark, cold and empty except for a number of small square cages. The two sisters climb and crawl over them, the whole time emoting that they are also caged, desperately looking for a way out. The tattered netting that covers the roof can be seen as protection from the outside, but with the many holes in it, it is only a matter of time before it is destroyed. 

Composer Kelly Ryall builds a suffocating and unsympathetic environment from the opening moments of the show, and is relentless in drawing you into the sisters’ world. There are moments in Animal where you feel like you need to look away as the horror unfolds, but even if you do (which you shouldn’t), the sounds are so vivid that they create the visuals for you regardless. There is one moment particular, where along with Andy Turner‘s lighting design, the shadows that form along the walls and menacingly envelops the two sisters involves some nail-biting tension and panic.

All these elements work meticulously together to support the two performers on stage. Sherman and Wilks show strong commitment, strength and stamina in their challenging roles. The duality (and also the blending) of playful sisters who depend on and support each other to hyper-aggressive fighters has a complexity that the two are able to authentically create on stage. The need to swap between these “characters” in seconds is not only a physical demand on their bodies but also an emotional and psychological one.

As with SHIT and The Long Pigs, Dee’s direction allows for moments that make us laugh, surprise us, and haunt us. With a show like Animal, pacing is extremely important and Dee ensures that there are adequate breaks between the truly dark moments of the show, so that by the time we reach the powerful conclusion we are completely engaged with the piece.
While there is no dialogue in Animal, it speaks volumes regarding the immense impact domestic violence and violence against women has on women: the violence that they experience and also the violence that it breeds. Compelling, gruelling and masterful work by Influx Theatre, Animal is raw theatre at its finest.

Venue: Theatre Works, 14 Acland St, St Kilda

Season: Until 27 November | Wed – Sat 8pm, Sun 5pm

Tickets: $35 Full | $26 Conc, Under 30, Groups 8+

Bookings: Theatre Works

Image by Pier Carthew

Review, Theatre, Whats On

Red Stitch Presents UNCLE VANYA

Chekhov adaptation is both smart and stylish

By Leeor Adar

Nadia Tass continues her accomplished direction here in Annie Baker’s adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. It is one of the best things I’ve seen this year, and Red Stitch delivers some of the best Australian theatre once again. Having witnessed a number of Chekhov productions recently, it is a delight to see such an accomplished and stylish cast bring to life one of Chekhov’s more titillating works. Uncle Vanya brings the longings for life, for land and for love in a way that embraces the depths of the emotional life rarely written so well. The melancholy acceptance of our lot rings true, we almost feel like tearing down the walls of the little world on stage and freeing the characters from their own reverie and turmoil.

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Baker’s contemporary adaptation of Uncle Vanya captures the larger-than-life torment of the characters in a way we recognise as an audience. From the plight of the forests to the plight of the loss of youth and vigour to sedentary living, Chekhov’s world continues to make sense to contemporary audiences. While admittedly his world tends to drag (why any work should go beyond two hours is increasingly beyond me), the Chekhovian drag perfectly symbolises the endless days that follow in the pursuit of living – so aptly considered by the character of Sonya.

Long-time resident of Red Stitch, David Whiteley portrays the title role of Uncle Vanya with humour, bitterness and vitality. It’s hard playing a lovelorn, broken man, but Whiteley does it with panache. Whiteley is accompanied brilliantly by Ben Prendergast’s Astrov, the country doctor-cum-man of the earth. Both fall prey to the bored wanderlust of the leisurely Yelena, portrayed with so much grace, guile and allure by Rosie Lockhart. Lockhart’s mystery is balanced well with Sonya’s earthy kindness, played by Eva Seymour with astonishing conviction. The supporting cast bring their own, with a special mention to Justin Hosking’s tragi-comic Telegin, who’s timing and awkwardness are utterly endearing. Marta Kaczmarek’s ‘nanny’ Marina’s watchful, wise gaze pervades the production with the kind of certainty that only comes with a life lived and observed. Together this ensemble cast seamlessly delivers this universal family drama with an intimacy and tenderness that does justice to the writer’s work. My only displeasure is with the Russian accents deployed with too great a variety by the actors to genuinely contribute to the overall work.

Sophie Woodward’s set and costume design captures the country home feel astutely. The little window gazing towards the countryside that only the characters can see out of perfectly encapsulates the unending longing. The lounge sofa converts so well from the bed of the exhaustingly self-important Professor, Serebryakov (Kristof Kaczmarek), to the melancholy place where Voynitsky drowns his sorrows. The set is utilised very well, and the carefully thought-out production is aided by Woodward’s style.

There is great humour and poetry to Tass’ Uncle Vanya, and the excellent direction kites its audience along, observing all the moments that rupture, and all those softer moments in between. Chekhov fans will endure, and they will enjoy. For those who are unfamiliar with the work, this production would be a great place to start.

Uncle Vanya continues to be performed at Red Stitch until December 17.

http://redstitch.net/bookings/

Image by David Parker

Cabaret, Events, Festivals, Review

MMW Presents HEAPS GAY HEAPS YUMMY

Spectacular night out – but not for everyone

By Caitlin McGrane

Heaps Gay and YUMMY were the hostesses with the mostess on Wednesday night, bringing their unbridled enthusiasm and vibrancy from their home in Sydney where they host queer parties and events, and run their website writing about all things queer. I’m so glad Heaps Gay partnered with legendary cabaret act YUMMY to bring us the biggest, queerest love-in I’ve ever been to. It was delicious, but the aftermath has left a sour taste in my mouth.

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Walking into the State Library of Victoria for a massive queer dance party on a Wednesday night, I had no idea what to expect. The State Library is ultra-familiar to me, it was where I got my first real job, and have spent many magical hours wandering the labyrinthine corridors imagining how great it would be to have a massive fucking party in the dome.

The dome itself didn’t open until 10pm, so we spent the first couple of hours in the aptly named Queens Hall dancing to some amazing DJs, and watching brilliant drag queen shows. The library opened its arms to Melbourne’s huge queer community, and it seemed like literally everyone showed up. As a shy newcomer to the queer community, I was feeling pretty apprehensive. It was one of the best nights out I’ve ever had. However, in the days since I have been forced to reconsider how much I enjoyed it; as a white cisgender able-bodied woman my experience at HGHY was not necessarily everyone’s experience. I have been told about numerous incidents of harassment from the security guards, some of whom looked ‘visibly disgusted’ at people making out and ‘grabbing you if they didn’t see your wristband as you walked past’; there was also no security outside at the end of the event, so a group of men verbally harassed people while they left. The venue also had some serious accessibility issues – the stage was not visible for disabled people; the lifts into Queens Hall and the Dome were not adequately sign-posted; the bathrooms were not gender-inclusive with ‘M/F’ still on the doors. All-in-all, these just seem like rookie mistakes in organising a LGBTIQA+ event.

The line-up was amazing, HTML Flowers upped the fucking ante with their amazing beats, and featured a special guest appearance from angelic bb Daisy Catterall. The level of talent was out of control, although artists weren’t always signposted (especially in the dome), and there wasn’t a set list that I could find, so I felt like I had to cobble together who was playing through guesswork and actually knowing who some artists were. Heaps Gay Heaps Yummy at Melbourne Music Week is an incredible platform for queer artists, and I would have appreciated knowing who was playing and when for numerous reasons, but mostly so I could a) find out more about them later, and b) write this review a little easier. It also seems a little bit tokenistic to put together such an amazing inclusive line-up, then not ensure artists and patrons are sufficiently protected from dickheads.

In any case, the night was expertly MC’d by YUMMY, and featured some incredible performances from Donny Benét, HABITS, Brooke Powers, Karen From Finance, KT Spit  and DJ Ruby Slippers among others; but for me the highlight was FURY performing the very best poem about gay marriage that I have ever heard.

Check out Heaps Gay here: http://heapsgay.com/ and YUMMY here: https://www.facebook.com/yummytheshow/?fref=ts. Melbourne Music Week is on until Saturday 19 November, get more info here: http://mmw.melbourne.vic.gov.au/

Review, Theatre, Whats On

La Mama Presents HANDS OVER EYES

Intelligent and engrossing new work

By Myron My

There were times while watching Hands Over Eyes that I felt like I was watching a live episode of Black Mirror, a TV series that looks at how our over-reliance on technology can have far darker consequences than we could have imagined. Presented as part of La Mama Theatre Explorations season for work in various stages of development, Peter Danastasio’s Hands Over Eyes raises discussion on perceptions of truth and honesty and how the impact this can have on people.

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Danny Carroll plays Paul Havour, a conversationalist who works for a company that conducts simulated experience sessions to assist patients with their past traumas or phobic treatments. Through the course of the week he begins to question his beliefs and work ethics while attempting to assist his patients with treatments he finds troubling.

The issues being explored here do run the risk of making the audience feel as if they are drowning in information, especially given the clinically-themed dialogue. With the use of some well-timed breaks in speech, visual projections and subtle humour, Danastasio ensures that even though our utmost attention is required for its entirety, we still have time to process what is being said and the implications of what that means.

I do feel the relationships between the characters needed to be more strongly established, and the conversations between them – and how these conversations were had – to then be representative of that. There are scenes where Paul is speaking with his patient who seems to have an equal understanding of Paul’s specialist knowledge regarding the mind and human connection. The power dynamics within the company employees also needed to be more consistent.

The ensemble in Hands Over Eyes are extremely dedicated to their characters and for the most part, carry a firm sense of authority in what they say, further generating authenticity throughout the show. Carroll seems to be a natural in the highly demanding role of Paul, who is in virtually every minute of the 75-minute play. His ability to capture Paul’s initial suaveness and confidence and the subtle transformation to uncertainty and doubts that begin to creep into his own thoughts is well manifested. However, I would have liked the story to take his crisis further and create a much stronger impact on Paul’s life. The supporting cast of Ashton Sly, Ezekiel Day, Jim Coulson, Alex Rouse, Alex Rowe and Evangeline Stoios all bring depth and purpose to their characters and all have a motivation that is clear, even if they are only on stage for one scene.

The sound design by Ben Griffiths and the lighting and filmed components by Darcy Conlan are carefully constructed and further enhance the environment being portrayed. The active interactions the actors have with the visual projections are particularly great to watch as are Paul’s interactions with Karen.

It’s a comforting thought when independent theatre still in development can already be more thought-provoking and entertaining than some of the professional performances being produced. Hands Over Eyes is a rewarding watch that will have you questioning your own ideas based on your own reality and the repercussions of this.

Hands Over Eyes was performed between 16 – 18 November at La Mama Theatre.

Cabaret, Review, Whats On

Benn Bennett in OCCASIONAL SUBURBAN WITCH

Delightfully and darkly bewitching

By Bradley Storer

The ‘witchy woman’ of the Western suburbs gathering ingredients for her potions under the scrutiny of her perplexed neighbours – song-writer Benn Bennett uses this opening image as our gateway to explore ideas of modern witchcraft in relation to the role of women in society.

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Bennett is a charming and charismatic host for the evening as he guides us through the combination of original songs and occasional cover to celebrate femininity and the wisdom of women. His topics range from the previously mentioned ‘suburban witch’, his inability to ever be a ‘nonna’ to dream-like love songs involving orange trees (it makes sense in context).

Sarah Ward provides backing vocals for Bennett as well as taking lead during several songs, her huge range shown off in a Balkan gypsy-esque vocalese that segues into a dramatic rendition of the Stevie Nicks classic ‘Rhiannon’. Ward comes close to stealing the entire show with her hilarious background moments of physical comedy, making it hard to take your eye off her even when silent. Bec Matthews in addition to providing backing vocals is virtuosic in her drumming ability, using brooms all the way to kitchen implements to create percussive backings for Bennett’s music.

For those with a taste for the occult mixed with a dash of feminism, Occasional Suburban Witch is a dark delight that begs to be devoured!

Venue: The Butterfly Club, Carson Place (off Lt Collins St)

Time: 7pm

Dates: 16th – 20th November

Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com or at the door.

Price: Full $32, Concession $28, Members $26, Group (6+) $25