Review, Theatre, Whats On

Owl and Cat Theatre Presents FLASH by Francis Grin

Powerful and disturbing

By Leeor Adar

You will flinch in Flash.

You will be unnerved, and that’s what Dutch playwright, and London-hailing Francis Grin, wants you to feel.

This play has come a long way from across the sea, but its resonance with youth shedding the skin of its innocence too soon resounds at a universal level.

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The hours on the clock eerily inch back in time as we watch a group of teenagers initiate a naïve Laura (Casey Bohan) into their unflinching and remorseless world of non-consensual sex. Each tries to outdo the other in the ‘I don’t give a fuck’ stakes, and everyone loses in this soulless game.

Does it sound familiar?

Grin grew up within the affluent and private community of Sao Paulo, which fuelled both claustrophobia and feelings of invincibility in its resident youth. Although the play makes limited references to this world to its detriment, the sense of security one expects in the affluent family home does not extend to the minds of the youth who exact a cruel assault on their peers.

Carrie (Ruby Duncan), a veteran of the sticky fingers of entitled boyhood in the likes of Christian (Dominic Weintraub), carries a graceful numbness of the ‘cool girl’. The flicker of her evocative gaze betrays her empty accusations of what has been done to her as it pins its perpetrator on the move to his next victim. The strength of Duncan’s quiet performance drives the play, and this is beautifully juxtaposed with the spirited and sinister charm of Weintraub. The actors are incredibly competent. Quite frankly there was not a moment in which I felt that I was in a theatre. I felt deeply uncomfortable, and not just by the disturbing descent into understanding the events of these youth’s evening, but by the naturalistic performances that rendered the audience as voyeurs.

While director Carl Whiteside has piloted assured performances from most of his actors, there is a striking disconnect between the action of that night and the sequences between young Christian and what we are left to believe is an older, subconscious Christian (Brett Fairbairn). Unfortunately, the writing alienates and confuses audiences in these sequences, and the direction does little to navigate audiences to its depths.

Sonja Mounsey’s set design switches between the innocent bedroom of a teenage girl to the red paper-cup-strewn outdoor dining table where much of the emotional and physical violence is inflicted on its characters. The banality of the outdoor-area drinking session and the innocence of the bedroom covered with homework perfectly showcases how familiar places can become the perfect stage for trauma. And that is the nature of assault. It’s not always happening down the dark alleyway, but in the backyards of our neighbours and friends, and in the bedrooms where we rest our heads.

This is certainly a challenging work presented by the Owl & Cat Theatre, but the power of its message will have its audience thinking about it for some time after they leave the theatre.

You can catch Flash from 8pm Tuesday 12th to Friday 15th of July at the Owl & Cat Theatre, 34 Swan St, Cremorne.

https://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=192744

Musical Theatre, Review, Whats On

Stage Art Presents TITANIC: THE MUSICAL

Exhilarating

By Myron My

It has been over 100 years since the Titanic sank, killing more than half its passengers and crew. While this famous tragedy is a well-documented and discussed event, Stage Art‘s production of the Australian premiere of  Titanic: The Musical breathes new life into the story, creating a gloriously entertaining show that should not be missed.

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The cast of 20 is flawless and all the actors take on their numerous roles with much gusto, achieving character changes effortlessly and at times, instantly. The production is meticulously directed by James Cutler, and from the opening scene, the hustle and bustle and the excitement felt from everyone on board is perfectly encapsulated as the latter is replicated in the audience.

Some stand-out performances included Jon Sebastian as the pompous J. Bruce Ismay, Casey Withoos as the second-class passenger with aspirations of first-class grandeur Alice Beane, Sam Bennett as love-struck third-class passenger Jim Farrell, and Dom Winsor, reprising the role he first played over a decade ago in the US production, as the ship’s designer Thomas Andrews.

Peter Stone‘s story and book develops elegantly and organically: even with such a large number of characters, every single person has a clear and distinctive story arc or motivation. Whether it be through a song or a short scene to tell their story, they all felt fleshed out, whereupon the emotions felt and reactions experienced upon the sinking of the ship are rendered even more heartbreaking to witness. The characters in Titanic the Musical were based on those actually on board the ship, and while a little creative licensing occurs, Stone’s careful research is evident and pays off marvelously.

The music and lyrics by Maury Yeston are wonderfully brought to life by the highly talented band and singers under the proficient musical direction of Kent Ross. The ensemble pieces, especially the epic opening number, are a dream to listen to and you cannot take your eyes of the accompanying action happening on stage. Greta Sherriff and Matthew Hyde perfectly complement each other with their voices, and their song “I Give You My Hand” is a tender and touching moment. Adam Di Martino and James Brown‘s dynamic ragtime number “Doing the Latest Rag” is also a firm favourite.

Titanic: The Musical is a gripping and entertaining story that reaches far beyond the familiar historical narrative we thought we knew. Already halfway through 2016, it is fair to say that this will emphatically be one of the best musicals, if not one of the best shows, of the year.

Venue: Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran 
 Season: 24 July | 7:30pm Wed- Sun, 1.30pm Sat and Sun (17 July 1.30 performance will be AUSLAN interpreted)
Tickets: A Reserve: $69 Full / $65 Concession | B Reserve $59 Full / $55 Concession | C Reserve $49
Bookings: Chapel Off Chapel

Image by Belinda Strodder

Review, Theatre, Whats On

SOL III Presents DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS

Intense and intriguing family drama

By Myron My

Written in 1924 by Eugene O’Neill, Desire Under the Elms is a story that explores profound human connections and the depths that people will go to have what they desire. Inspired by the myth of Phaedra, Hippolytus and Theseus, O’Neill’s story is set in New England where patriarch Ephraim (Darren Mort) returns to his home with new wife, Abbie (Diana Brumen). This does not bode well for the relationships with his three sons (Garikai Jani, Timothy Smith and Sam Lavery) as the tension builds to a devastating end.

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Lavery perfectly encapsulates youngest son Eben’s resentment towards his father and the rage that burns inside him, yet at the same time brings to the surface the tenderness and love that he can also feel. His scenes with Brumen are gripping and you’re never quite sure which way their story is going to go, even if it is based on a Greek tragedy. Brumen’s manipulative and scheming Abbie is convincing, but it is during her horrific and tragic final scenes that she is able to channel fully everything Abbie has been experiencing until that moment.

Director and founder of The Sol III Company, Andrei Schiller-Chan, does a brilliant job in portraying these characters’ emotions and thoughts beyond the words of the play, in particular the scene where Ephraim reminiscences about his past loneliness to Abbie. Having Ephraim off to the side, we are drawn into Abbie and Eben’s private, silent conversation from Abbie’s bedroom to Eben standing downstairs in the kitchen. The fight scene between the father and son is also powerfully executed and choreographed.

While at times the story does seem to slow down significantly in pace, with a sense of repetition in the scenes being played out, the cohesiveness of the technical and design elements continue to keep us intrigued. Production designer Hahna Read‘s set, despite the limitations of the physical space on the stage, has a firm feeling of authenticity and the waft of bread baking throughout the space further added to that.

Travis MacFarlene‘s elegant lighting design is used effectively to convey the emotions and thoughts of the characters while subtly supporting the mood of the play. Similarly, Paul Raine‘s sound design is evocative and adds adroitly to the environment of the farmhouse in which the story is situated.

Desire Under the Elms is a tale about ancient and basic human emotions; love and jealousy. It’s about growing up, letting go – and also, revenge. Similar to their production last year of The Exonerated, The Sol III Company excel in exploring these universal but complex themes and have created another thoughtful and captivating performance in Desire Under the Elms.

Venue: Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran 
 Season: 24 July | 8pm Tues- Sun, 2pm Sat 16 & 23 July, 5pm Sun 17, 3pm Sun 24
Tickets: $38 Full | $33 Conc | $28.50 under 25
Bookings: Chapel Off Chapel

Image by Timothy Smith

Cabaret, Review, Whats On

Gillian Cosgriff in THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS

Catch her before she wows Edinburgh…

By Joana Simmons

Award-winning musical comedian (Winner Best Cabaret Melbourne Fringe 2013, Winner Green Room Awards Original Songs 2013) Gillian Cosgriff is a musical and vocal powerhouse with comedic charisma and charm to boot. In her show, This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things, we hear her personal stories of how she is good at making to-do lists but better at procrastinating, good at being a mate but awesome at calling them after a wine or nine, and many other rollicking relatable truths.

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“This is why we can’t have nice things” is an adage recited by mothers across the globe to children who have damaged said nice thing. After an energetic opening number, Cosgriff explains how this is the title of her show because it is something she frequently finds she is telling herself: for when she buys an expensive lipstick and it spills in her bag, or meets a nice guy and calls him at 3am to ‘hang out.’ Through her dulcet tones and clever lyrics, she delights the audience with all kinds of anecdotes that prove why this saying applies to her.

Cosgriff is clearly a seasoned performer. She is relaxed and enjoying herself and the audience is completely on board. It’s hard not to be, since her musical ability hits all the right notes and vocal riffs have the audience whooping and applauding after every number and one liner.  The humour hits home as equally as the heart. Gosgriff’s honesty and open self-reflection is touching, and her song to her 16 year-old self is beautiful.

Structurally, Cosgriff’s command of the stage with her storytelling and variety of musical numbers works. One part with voice-overs went a bit long, but other than that, the intimate journey that is this show is the perfect amount of theatrical and accessible. The lighting is simple and subtle, except for one stage where they started flashing which was unsettling but that could have been the intention.

There’s four performances left of this show before Gillian Cosgriff takes off to debut it at Edinburgh Fringe. Go and see it, because she is going to hit that festival out of the park. Go and see it because it is humour with heart and hashtag nostalgia. Go and see it because, whilst Cosgriff thinks she can’t have nice things, she definitely deserves all the great things that her incredible talent will bring.

Gillian Cosgriff: This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

Venue: The Butterfly Club

Dates: July 5-10

Time: 8:30pm

Tickets: www.thebutterflyclub.com

Cabaret, Performances, Review

The Butterfly Club Presents DAVE AND THE PLUSHIES

Cuddly comedy unites stunning talent and stuffed toys

By Joana Simmons

If your face is sore from smiling when you walk out of the theatre, it’s a sure sign you have seen a good show. I am lucky enough to have caught Dave and the Plushies at The Butterfly Club in his “On the Road to 2nd” show:  a bunch of his songs from his first album (1st) and a few from his second. Dave, and his band, the Plushies- a cute collection of nostalgic stuffed toys- make real talk romantic, with songs about love, dreams, pick-up lines and Lord of the Rings.

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Opening with a comical and well-produced music video projected on the back screen – the saga of “Superhero Asian” – I am caught up at once in the clever lyrics and smart storytelling. Dave emerges “(W)apping in slow motion” and immediately puts the audience at ease by connecting with them through his catchy chorus and relaxed command of the stage. Dave introduces his band, the Plushies, which don’t really serve any purpose except making the stage look good. Any band that makes a singer look good without doing anything is a great thing: not that Dave needs it.

This man’s imagination for song concepts is as grand and admirable as his vocal range. The audience is quickly tapping their toes, making monkey noises, and sighing through each song. His guitar-playing and musicality makes perfect accompaniment for this intimate evening, I loved how his audience banter was the right amount of witty and quick and the audience loved it too, participating at the right times and one even yelled out to him, “All your friends are here!”

It’s easy for a show of this genre- one man singing funny songs and playing his guitar- to get monotonous. Dave breaks it up with an animated video clip, this time a love story. Just when I think my ‘warm and fuzzy tank ‘ is full, it’s topped up with light and honesty from the heart. The energy in the room is evident, raised by moments of physical comedy and more songs with choruses that get stuck in your head. Finishing with an energetic dance number “I Wanna Dance with You, Davey”, the audience and I need no prompting to burst into applause and begs for an encore.

When a second season is announced, wait no longer and get to this show. It’s clever, honest, romantic and fun for all ages. With skillful playing, a delightful voice and vocal range, and great comic timing, it’s fair to say talent wise; Dave is a Royal Plush.

Dave & The Plushies: On The Road to 2nd was performed Tuesday 28th of June – Sunday 3rd of July, 2016 at The Butterfly Club. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/daveandtheplushies/?fref=nf

Image by Davidoff Hoanganova

Cabaret, Performances, Review

Vince Milesi in LET DINKY DIE

Battlefield cabaret is farcical fun

By Myron My

Friends, cobbers and diggers, Dinky Di is here to tell you a story: a story about war and patriotism and conviction. From his flamboyant foxhole, Dinky opens up to the audience through comedy, cabaret and some interesting dance moves.

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Vince Milesi, co-founder of award-winning comedy duo Backwards Anorak, wrote and performs in Let Dinky Die and he clearly has a knack for the absurd and the farcical. While this type of humour can be hit or miss, Milesi hits all the right marks with his audience, including me. His ease and comfort in playing Dinky is evident, and with that confidence comes the pleasing element of surprise for the audience, as we never quite know what Dinky is going to say or do next. 

While there are plenty of laughs, the story being told seems to waver at times, with things happening or being mentioned that often don’t lead anywhere, such as when Dinky starts rifling through an audience member’s handbag: why, I wondered, are we as an audience being shown this? Furthermore, I feel there is not enough reflection from Dinky and his thoughts on the purpose of this war. If his dilemma is to decide if he should wait for reinforcements or fight a battle he is bound to lose, then that needs to be explored in more detail.

However, there are times when Let Dinky Die does move beyond the ‘just-for-laughs’ moment and brings to the surface the more serious effects of war. The letter he pens to his mother is not only funny, but also raises the issue of innocent civilians being killed and how they are manipulated or regarded as collateral damage in a war in which they have no say.

As a first-season run, Let Dinky Die is a great comedy show, but if it wants to challenge preconceived ideas of patriotism, duty and war as Milesi states, then it needs to dig a little deeper into this digger’s psyche.

Let Dinky Die was performed at The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne from June 29 until July 3, 2016

Review, Theatre, Whats On

Bare Naked Theatre Presents 4:48 PSYCHOSIS

Deeply moving and memorable

By Margaret Wieringa

Sometimes, theatre is heavy; weighed down by the topic, by the experiences of those making it and those watching it; weighed down with every line uttered, every movement. 4:48 Psychosis is one of those pieces: heavy, and difficult – and wonderful.

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Written by British playwright Sarah Kane, it explores mental illness in a variety of forms, including self-harm and suicide. Knowing that the playwright herself tragically committed suicide without ever seeing the work performed adds a whole extra weight and emotion to the performance.

The show is made up of twenty-four sections that seamlessly flow from one to another, moving through naturalistic conversations to more abstract movement pieces, and back. The script gives no specific settings or characters, but it felt to me that there were constants. Director Kendall-Jane Rundle seems to have interpreted the work to have a single patient, a doctor and two others – internal representations of the patient or, at times, possibly forces outside of the patient. Sometimes the patient is aware of them, other times not. The Metanoia Theatre was sparse, allowing the actors to transform the space throughout. Lighting designer Shane Grant used bare bulbs hung around the space at varying heights and these were attributed with meaning throughout – although sometimes, a light bulb is just a light bulb.

Kendall-Jane Rundle not only directed this performance but played the character of the patient and was magnificent in this role. She was subtle and intense, humorous on occasion, and so very real. The script has lines that are filled with overwrought poetry that could easily be melodramatic and possibly ridiculous, but Rundle delivered them with such truth that they worked. At times, it was difficult to hear her, but I felt even this was planned. Jessica Stevens and Alisha Eddy played off each other as the two mysterious characters, often echoing the patient, moving through the space, sometimes still or only very subtly moving. Their performances, both individual and together, were exactly what was needed – strong at times, but able to almost disappear altogether. As the doctor figure, Jeff Wortman was able to infuse each scene with hidden depth. While acting calm and collected, there was a sense that the character was repressing fear or frustration or anger, although every now and then, the professional facade slipped. Wortman made the character not just a tool to represent those attempting to support, help, even cure people with mental illness, but someone who was also a full person, even though we never got a name or much beyond.

Bare Naked Theatre is a new company to Melbourne, set up by Kendall-Jane Rundle. With a first show as powerful and poignant as 4:48 Psychosis, they are a company to look out for.

Where: Metanoia Theatre at the Brunswick Institute, 270 Sydney Rd Brunswick

When: Wednesday June 29 to Saturday July 2, 8pm

Tickets: Full $30/ Conc $25

Bookings: metanoiatheatre.com or called 9387 3376

If you know someone struggling with mental illness, this production recommends  visiting www.sane.org for helpline assistance, information, and donations.

Review, Theatre, Whats On

Encore! Presents L’AMANTE ANGLAISE

A dark and compelling masterpiece

By Myron My

Based on Marguerite Duras‘ 1967 novella, L’Amante Anglaise (The English Lover) is on the surface a murder mystery story, but look a little deeper and it is an exploration of what happens to a person when the life they are leading turns out to be the life they never wanted. Originally performed at La Mama, this stage adaptation has been remounted for a second season at fortyfivedownstairs. Having missed it first time round, I was very thankful I managed to get to it now for this really  is a breathtaking production.

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The story unfolds in two interviews conducted by nameless interrogators over the brutal murder of a woman in a small town in France. The dismembered body is discovered at a railway viaduct, missing her head. Furthermore, the novella is based on true events, adding to the darkness and brutality to the proceedings.

The first interrogation is with Pierre (Rob Meldrum), the husband of the woman who has confessed to the murder. What transpires is a picture of a man who cared very little for his wife, who can offer little insight as to what could have driven her to commit such a heinous crime, and Meldrum’s portrayal of the detached husband is well-presented throughout and compelling to watch.

In the second interrogation our attention shifts to Claire, where her interrogator insists on finding out what drove her to commit murder. Jillian Murray does a phenomenal job in this role and it is not hard to see why she won the 2015 Green Room Award for Best Female Performer. Beginning as a shy and timid woman it was hard to imagine Claire viciously killing someone, but as the interview progressed, her instability and sadness began seeping through.

The intimate direction and impressively staging by Laurence Strangio allows for the words of the characters to create the visuals for the audience, and creates focus on  the hands, the feet, the eyes and the face to show the characters’ states of mind, enticing the audience to be drawn further into the intrigue and horrors of the story and its protagonists.

In its powerful intersection of fiction and reality, L’Amante Anglaise has you leaving the venue with an emptiness and sadness deep in your heart as to how these people have got to where they are in life. Ironically, it is not the dark details of the murder that have this effect on you, but the utter fascinating character study of two people who yearn for a different time. Unmissable.

Venue: fortyfive downstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Season: Until 3 July | Tue- Sat 7.30pm, Sun 5pm
Tickets: $38 Full | $32 Conc
Bookings: fortyfive downstairs

Musical Theatre, Review, Whats On

Vass Productions Presents YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN

Adorable family fun

By Narelle Wood

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is Charles Schulz’s beloved Peanuts characters come to life. From the outset everything about this musical is cartoon-esque and it is hard not to grin like a buffoon the whole way through.

You're A Good Man Charlie Brown

With book, music and lyrics by Clark Gesner, the musical is based on the life of Charlie Brown (Cameron MacDonald) the eternal optimist, despite Lucy (Courtney Glass) pointing out loudly and frequently what she labels as his ‘loser’ tendencies. The key members of the gang are there to help Charlie along the way: Sally (Sarah Morrison), Linus (Adam Porter), Schroeder (Joshua Robson), and of course the forever-faithful puppy with attitude Snoopy (Luigi Lucente). There is kite-flying, choir practice, book reports, a nail-biting baseball game and the intellectual conversation of adults interspersed with childlike behaviour that made, and still makes, the antics of Charlie Brown and co. both subtle social commentary and very funny.

The storyline has been put together through the use of Schulz’s comic strips, so some of the plot points are very familiar. And the staging is in keeping with his art style too: it looks as though to walk on stage would be to walk into the comic strip itself. The sets, courtesy of set designer Jacob Battista, are simple but impressive, making very clever use of frames and staircases to change scenes. As the show commenced, he only thing that was perhaps a bit jarring initially was accepting adults play the roles of such familiar child characters and this may have been the reason the first part felt a bit flat, at least for the adult members of the audience, though there were several kids who found it all very funny.

Once the audience and the musical warmed up, it became absolutely clear that this is an extremely talented cast. It is difficult to pick a standout when the small ensemble is so strong, but I would have to say Glass’s portrayal of Lucy is spectacular. That been said, MacDonald’s sad Charlie Brown made the audience sigh with sympathy on more than one occasion. And while Snoopy was played by human Lucente, he captured all of Snoopy’s attitude and some beguiling beagle-like behaviour as well: if only dinner time was always that entertaining.

Gary Abraham’s direction combined with choreography by Dana Jolly and Ben Kiley’s music direction has resulted in an absolutely joyful production that really showcases the singing, dancing and acting talent on stage. The intricate timings in most of the production numbers were accomplished with seeming ease; my favourite was easily The Book Report, mostly due to how well I identified with each of the approaches to work, and I don’t think I will ever think of Beatrix Potter in the same way again.

The night show might be a late time slot for any little person in your life, but the children I overheard discussing it at the end of the show were so excited at seeing these characters live on stage. Charlie Brown is indeed a good man, and this is a must for fans of the cartoon and anyone looking at escaping into the lovable and complicated world of Charlie Brown and his gang.

Venue: Alex Theatre, Fitzroy St, St Kilda

Season: Until 2nd July, Wed-Sun 7.30pm Matinees: Tues 11.30am, Wed & Thu 10.30am, Sat 1pm and Sun 3pm

Tickets: Concession from $25 | Adult from $35

Bookings: www.alextheatrestk.com/whats-on-alex/youre-good-man-charlie-brown

Image by James Terry Photography

Cabaret, Review, Whats On

Rachel Rai is MANXIOUS

Engaging comedy cabaret wins hearts

By Myron My

Manxious: the nerves and anxiety one exhibits while waiting for a man to text back. It’s a serious affliction and something that Rachel Rai want to share with us in her cabaret show Manxious. Despite its worrisome theme, it’s a fun show that not only showcases Rai’s impressive ability to sing and perform, but also gives the audience plenty of laughs.

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Rai intersperses a diverse number of songs throughout the evening as she goes through the excruciating process of waiting for a response to her perfectly created text. These numbers have been reimagined in ways that give them new life and celebrate Rai’s versatility as a singer. Her inclusion of some iconic Australian songs would have to be the musical highlight of Manxious, including her audience-rousing cover of John Farnham’s “Pressure Down”. Another surprise was the theme from Home And Away, which was the last musical number I would ever expect to hear in a cabaret show, but Rai manages to make it feel like a genuine, heartfelt song.

The entire audience is able to relate to the emotional gamut being portrayed and Rai’s subtle and not-so subtle facial expressions are particularly fun to watch. Manxious is full of witty one-liners and surprises, including the star’s loving ode to what many would consider a standard late-night item for a truly great weekend. Rai’s delivery of punch-lines feels satisfyingly natural and receives many laughs, especially when she states, matter-of-factly, that she’d prefer her date to be dead than find herself being rejected. Being in the world of dating myself, it would be fair to say that never a truer or more rational thought was spoken

While the space is not huge, Rai manages to not only squeeze a bed, a three-piece band (including a piano and drum kit) and a singer on stage, but she also finds the room to smash out some pretty funky dance moves throughout the show. The idea of this band performing in her “bedroom” adds to the hyper-reality of Manxious, allowing Rai to draw on the smallest of moments and creatively explode them into a massive drama or cause for concern.

Throughout Manxious there were many times when audience members exclaimed “That is me!” and “ I do that!” While admittedly most of those exclamations came from my friends, this really is a strongly appealing show where everyone should be able to see themselves in Rai, and walk away laughing at how foolish we can be when it comes to our search for love.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne
Season: Until 25 June | 10pm
Tickets: $32 Full | $28 Conc
Bookings: The Butterfly Club