Opera, Review, Whats On

Victorian Opera’s LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR

Blood, tears and glorious music

By Bradley Storer

Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti’s classic bel canto tragedy made famous by our Dame Joan Sutherland, is brought to the stage of Her Majesty’s Theatre by Victorian Opera, this star-vehicle appropriately lead by international star Jessica Pratt in the title role of Lucia.

Victorian Opera 2016 - Lucia di Lammermoor © Jeff Busby.jpg

Despite Henry Bardon’s wonderfully atmospheric and decrepit set (whose variations remain a highlight throughout the evening), the opening scene was very statically and somewhat muddily directed. The male chorus lacked strong direction or intention, but held together under the performances of José Carbó as Enrico Ashton and Jud Arthur as Raimondo. Lucia’s entrance in the next scene, amongst a well-timed eerie burst of onstage fog, was more effectively staged, drawing gasps from the audience.

Pratt is clearly comfortable and confident in the role of Lucia, capably navigating the dramatic arc of Lucia’s journey from innocent love-struck girl to her doomed fate, with a sweet and agile soprano that even in the harsh acoustics of Her Majesty’s could be heard in every corner of the theatre. Her acting choices can be a little odd at times – Pratt beams intermittently through her first aria, the ghostly and ill-omened ‘Regnava Nel Silenzio’, which is a little at ends with the dramatic situation (but feels more appropriate in the following cabaletta ‘Quando Rapito’). At times she can feel a little too controlled, never relaxing fully into the role until the famous and vocally-Olympian mad scene, ‘Il Dolce Suono’, where her soft but intense singing touches the heart even as her coloratura thrills.

Carlos E. Bárcenas as her lover Edgardo has a magnificent tenor voice, at points taking notes higher than even the score indicates to astounding effect. Dramatically though he seems lost, never entirely confident in the role and lacking connection and chemistry with Pratt, which means the last scene depicting Edgardo’s suicide tends to drag.

Carbó manages to find every colouring in the desperate Enrico, abusive to his sister one moment then conciliatory and pleading the next, and his scenes with Pratt are quite possibly the dramatic highlight of the show. Arthur as the priest Raimondo is an authoritative presence, and he received massive applause on opening night. Richard Mills draws out a wonderful performance from the Victorian Opera orchestra, as well as the onstage chorus who are impeccable vocally.

Overall, a worthy re-visiting of the classic opera with a commanding lead star at its centre – a worthwhile night at the opera for any theatre-lover!

Venue: Her Majesty’s Theatre

Dates: Tuesday April 12th, Thursday 14th, Saturday 16th, Tuesday 19th, Thursday 21st

Time: 7:30pm

Booking: www.ticketek.com.au

Image by Jeff Busby

Comedy, Festivals, Whats On

MICF 2016: George and Pam IN CONVERSATION WITH SIR GEOFFREY RUSH

Move over Godot

By Joana Simmons

This year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival brings a host of big names, the greats of comedy and television. George and Pam are going to host the BIGGEST name – Australia’s favourite actor of the stage and screen- Sir Geoffrey Rush. George & Pam: In Conversation with Sir Geoffrey Rush is a brand new, absurdist character comedy starring siblings Pam (Arts Administrator) and George (Administrator of the Arts.) As the middle-aged Camberwell-born and bred duo prepares to interview their – our – esteemed guest, they shine a laughable and lovable light on theatre, fandom and the arts in all its absurdity.

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Like a gingernut complements a cup of tea; these idiosyncratic individuals complement each other. Their storytelling and transitions to reenactments through song and voice overs is seamless and hilarious. The thing that struck me the most was how natural and believable the characters are for people who are so batty and absurd. I guess it shows there’s these little twists in all of us, and shows us how talented and clever the brains and bodies behind this operation are. Written and performed by Australian comedians Anna O’Bryan (Al & Anna’s Music Rant) and Sam Rankin (Wake Up, Sheeple!) and directed by award-winning Rachel Davis (EDGE!, Best Comedy, Melbourne Fringe 2013; Weekly Award, Adelaide Fringe 2014), it shows us that two/three heads are better than one. (Unless the one head is Sir Geoffrey’s)

It was Monday night, I’ve got a cold from the late nights of comedy and early mornings of writing and I honestly felt like climbing in a cocoon of tissues and hot toddies. It took about 30 seconds to change my mind. There’s not many days left of this festival, if you feel like you have heard every joke about Tinder, Tony Abbot and topics of the year, then you are in for a real treat, as George and Pam: In Conversation with Sir Geoffrey Rush is refreshingly sharp and witty. There’s no forced laughs or fizzles, it’s delightfully different and it’s a “YES” from me.

Venue: The Tuxedo Cat

Dates: Thursday 7th – Sunday 17th April (excluding Wednesday 13th April)

Time: 8:30pm (Sundays 7:30pm)

Tickets: Con $15, Full $20, Group of 4 + $10

Bookings: http://www.trybooking.com/175050

Comedy, Festivals, Whats On

MICF 2016: Simon Godfrey in DESTINY RACER

Turbo-charged comedy is a real winner

By Christine Young

With over 500 shows being staged at the 2016 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, there are bound to be many stinkers, and loads of punters who do exactly that – take a punt – and go home with a lighter pocket and a darker soul.

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This reviewer has way too many stinkers under her belt to sugar-coat anything, so let me say – attending Simon Godfrey’s Destiny Racer offers the complete opposite experience.

Godfrey is a dexterous performer who embodies around twenty characters (most of them humans) to tell the story of racing driver Jean Shaffer coming out of exile to race in the prestigious Le Mans 24-hour car race. But the car-racing world has changed and Jean struggles to accept borderline rocket-ship cars and the assurances of ‘Safety Steve’ that the spectators in the stands are adequately protected with large bales of hay.

Set in the 1950s, Destiny Racer plays with a range of cultural stereotypes and storytelling norms which is clever, funny and often downright silly. Godfrey’s ability to switch between characters (which includes accents, voice tone and mannerisms) is captivating. In fact the story itself plays second-fiddle to the diverse range of characters that are conjured up over the 50-minute show. Not to mention the eyebrows. Godfrey’s eyebrows are a force unto themselves.

My initial assumption that this show would not be my cup of tea was clearly wrong and superficial. This not-so-minor personal detail made the show all the more enjoyable. Plus it’s genuinely funny and Godfrey is the talented, multi-skilled performer that you often won’t find at the small venues during the Comedy Festival. Destiny Racer could just as easily prosper in a larger venue. Out of the more intimate comedy shows, it’s definitely worth checking out Simon Godfrey‘s excellent work, safe in the knowledge that you won’t be getting a stinker.

Where: Tuxedo Cat, 293-299 La Trobe St, Melbourne

When: Tues-Sat 7.15pm; Sun 6.15pm

Tickets: $16-$22  www.comedyfestival.com.au or Ticketmaster 1300 660 013

Comedy, Festivals, Whats On

MICF 2016: Tanyalee Davis in ACTUAL SIZE

Frankly fun and funny

By Margaret Wieringa

The stereo is pumping Justin Timberlake, and Tanyalee Davis is already on the stage as the audience wander in to the Upstairs Lounge at Little Sista in Little Collins St. She sits, bopping away to the tunes and greeting people as they come in, encouraging people to sit right down the front – something many comedy audiences avoid like the plague. Instead, Davis quickly engages the audience, and from the moment we arrive, we feel welcome.

Actual Size.jpeg

Davis is an observational comedienne, and hence much of her show is about her everyday life, but she comes to it from a different perspective. See, Tanyalee Davis is a short-statured woman, so as the punning title of her show Actual Size suggests, much of her material deals with life as a little person (the politically correct term in America, we informed, while Britain uses person of restricted growth – though I also prefer Australia’s person of small stature).

So in her job as a performer Davis has had the opportunity to travel the world, and tells of adventures like swimming with manatees and dolphins  – and how hilarious situations ensue from doing so with her stature (ever wondered if large bottoms cause people to sink or float? Davis will give you the hysterical story to prove the theory!)

Unfortunately, I don’t think 6:30 is the best slot for her, only because she likes to work a little blue, and I think that there were members in the audience who either didn’t get her winks and nudges, or possibly just didn’t like them. I would have loved to see her play a later spot and really let herself go. 

Actual Size is on for the next week, playing through to the end of the Comedy Festival. Grab a beer at the bar downstairs and then head up for a real fun show.

Where:  The Upstairs Lounge @ Little Sista, 240 Little Collins St

When: Tues – Sun 6:30 March 24 – April 17

Tickets: http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2016/season/shows/actual-size-tanyalee-davis

Comedy, Festivals, Whats On

MICF 2016: Charlie Pickering’s HOW TO TAME A WILD SQUIRREL

Clever and charismatic fun

By Jessica Cornish

Charlie Pickering’s How To Tame A Wild Squirrel is showing for just one more Thursday evening at the Comedy Theatre as part of this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

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In his first stand-up show for several years, Charlie easily and amusingly interacted with his audience, and did especially well dealing with the influx of latecomers. He cleverly weaved their stories into one another, managing to keep his audience entertained rather than annoyed at the general lack of punctuality.

Admittedly, his show wasn’t exactly what I expected, knowing him principally as I do for his television work. I wasn’t quite prepared for the moderate use of expletives that would just appear in and out of dialogue, for example. I know comedians generally love to throw in an f-bomb, but in my mind, news reporter Charlie Pickering would be a bit different!

The show included an appealing  mixture of personal narratives and broader observations, specifically around the themes of racism and the fickle beast that is the internet. He comically explored how it has changed all our lives drastically- sometimes for the better and at times for the worse. He also threw in some vivid and impressive voice impersonations, switching effortlessly through a myriad of news character personas which were thoroughly enjoyed by the crowd. Whilst there was a loose theme running through the show, he would sometimes lose focus and saddle up onto another topic before the other had been resolved, which felt occasionally disconcerting.

Under his sway, the theatre had a warm intimate feel to it and Charlie seemed very comfortable in the performance space, moving extensively across the stage. He definitely would have benefited from using a hands-free mic however, as a couple of times he came close to stumbling on the long cord wrapped around his foot, and turning his sharp witty comedy into slapstick!

His show wrap-up was a highlight, with hilarious stories bordering on the absurd. In fact the whole row in which I was sitting broke out in uproarious laughter, and it seemed a shame to be so suddenly ending as the hour came by. How To Tame A Wild Squirrel is well worth a peek at Pickering in person, to get a different perspective of the well-known TV entertainer back to his roots as a stand-up solo comic.

DATE: Thursday 14 April
VENUE: The Comedy Theatre
ADDRESS: 240 Exhibition Street, Melbourne
TIME: 7PM

TICKETS: http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2016/season/shows/how-to-tame-a-wild-squirrel-charlie-pickering

 

Cabaret, Comedy, Festivals

MICF 2016: Reuben Kaye in PLUGGED

Brilliantly lavish and chaotic cabaret comedy

By Bradley Storer

From the moment he raced into the showroom of The Butterfly Club, Reuben Kaye – Australian-born international cabaret star – was ablaze with demonic energy, clothed in a dazzling sequin dinner jacket and working the crowd from the get-go. After drawing the crowd in with several self-deprecating jabs, Kaye invited us to become ‘plugged’, as per the title of the show, into his world view – and what a wonderful (madcap) world it is.

Plugged.jpg

Kaye is a whirlwind of magnetic charisma, unsubtle self-loathing and show-biz pizzazz with a devilish undertone, all bundled together with a gigantic stage presence and an equally gargantuan voice. Guiding us through an abbreviated version of his origins with songs ranging from Kate Bush and Celine Dion to Charles Aznavour, his stories of a German ballerina mother and her frank advice growing up drew boisterous laughter. His tale of burgeoning sexual awakening at a Balwyn high school is so beautifully written and masterfully delivered that the audience was completely spell bound.

This is cabaret in what is arguably its purest form – controlled anarchy. Kaye expertly handles the crowd and everything that happens within the performance space so well, folding audience members’ dropped drinks and ringing phones into gut-splittingly funny running jokes, that it almost threatens to derail the main thrust of the show. In all honesty though, it is rare and quite electrifying to watch such a professional command a crowd so thoroughly!

My only criticism would be that the focus on the moment-to-moment interaction and play with the audience sometimes is detrimental to the structure of the show, with links between sections becoming blurred and a finale that arrives surprisingly abruptly after what feels like only a short time, but Kaye’s charisma seems more than adequate recompense for these small complaints.

This is an evening of cabaret at its most elemental and anarchic, commanded by a star blazing so bright you will kick and scream for more! Utterly unforgettable and not to be missed!

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 1 Carson Place, Melbourne.

Time: 10pm

Dates: 5th – 17th April

Price: Full $38 Concession $34 Members $31 Group 6+ $30 Tightarse Tuesday $28

Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com, (03) 9663 8107, at the door.

Comedy, Festivals, Review

MICF 2016: Martin Dunlop in MURDER, HE SPOKE

This one-man murder mystery pleased its fans

By Margaret Wieringa

Welcome to the estate of Howling Grange, where there has been a murder – Lady Hamblin has met an untimely death, and some non-policeman investigator has decided to get to the bottom of it.

Murder He Spoke.jpg

Martin Dunlop wrote and performed this exhaustive forty-five minute one-man show and he is certainly a man of the pen. His dialogue is often clever and witty, but unfortunately some of his lines were lost in the performance space. This is my first time in the Pleasance House, a beautiful building, and this indeed is a beautiful room with gorgeous floorboards – that unfortunately makes for terrible acoustics.

Murder mystery as a show concept is professedly not original, and Martin plays on this with a script heavily referencing pop-culture detectives from his despised Sherlock Holmes to the relatively obscure Pie in the Sky. However those tales of mystery generally made sense, whereas I confess I became totally lost in this one.

Somehow, if this is possible, I fear the script seemed to be both underwritten and overwritten. In paying homage to this iconic genre, there needed to be a clearer direction through the performance so that – even keeping the absurd nature of the piece – there is some plot satisfaction for the audience. But I also felt the dialogue needed to be trimmed right back – there was a lot of repetition that could have been worked around to have things revealed more cleverly. Unfortunately the transitions between characters and the transitions between scenes also felt really clunky and took away from the flow of the performance. Perhaps having a professional director step in during the process to help draw the performance pieces together, or even working with a second performer would have allowed the cleverness and potential of the script to really shine.

Having said all of that, the night I attended the room was full and the audience thoroughly enjoyed the performance, laughing long and loud. So even if Murder, He Spoke didn’t quite work for me, this show might prove to delight the armchair detective in you this 2016 Melbourne Comedy Festival.

Where: Pleasance House, Level 4, 178 Collin St

When: 5-17 April, 9:15. No shows Monday nights

Tickets: http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2016/season/shows/murder-he-spoke-martin-dunlop

Comedy, Festivals, Review

MICF 2016: Dan Pavatich in #1NINJA

Self-help guru for would-be warriors

By Margaret Wieringa

#1 Ninja is a motivational seminar to help you “unleash the Ninja within”  – well, if that doesn’t suggest that you’re going to see a show that probably contains a fair whack of absurdity, I don’t know what will! Dan Pavatich, along with Ivy Latimer and Andy Balloch, take the audience through a variety of sketches joined by the running theme of this seminar.

Ninja.jpg

The concept was quirky and original, but unfortunately the show seemed quite underwritten. I’m a great fan of repeating gags in shows as a kind of call-back, or to make a different point, however in this show there didn’t seem to be any real point to them.  It was a bit of fun certainly, but took away the opportunity to develop the material. However, I have to say I also had a problem with the material. I do not think there was any intent behind it, but there were parts of this show that I found bordering on offensive. The material wasn’t strong enough to actually be offensive, but in 2016, I don’t think you can parody women and ‘gays’. Not unless you are actually making some clever points.

The performers onstage were all quite talented, although all three seemed to have trouble staying focused. Being at a venue called Improv Conspiracy, I wondered if maybe the show was improvised in places, but if it was going to be, maybe let the audience know so they can appreciate it?

There’s a lot of potential here – good performers, unusual concept, some absolutely gold comic lines – I felt it just needed a strong director to come in, pull it all together, ditch the ‘dodgy’ stuff, and give the whole thing a tighten-up.

Also, a hint for attending shows at The Improv Conspiracy – there are no Comedy Festival banners or anything else telling you where to go. Look for a door at the bottom of the Loop Project Space building. There was a doorman, but no indication it had anything to do with comedy. Melbourne Comedy Festival – more info in the program would be helpful. Venue folks – perhaps make a sign or something!

 Where: The Improv Conspiracy Office Space, Level 1, 19 Meyers Place, Melbourne

When: Thursday – Saturday, 8pm, Sunday 7pm March 24 – April17

Tickets: improvconspiracy.com $20/$16

Festivals, Performances, Whats On

MICF 2016: HOT BROWN HONEY

Just wow

By Joana Simmons

Hot damn. Hot Brown Honey is tearin’ up the Northcote town hall and tearin’ down patriarchy, entitlement and fear. The impeccably written and designed show is a sassy smorgasboard of dance, poetry, comedy, circus, striptease and song. The vibe feels like a disco crossed with a rock concert and gospel service with its no-excuses-high-energy-let’s-rock-the-boat attitude.

Hot Brown Honey.jpg

The Queen Bee on her pedestal of swag raps rhymes both humorous and heart-rending, and tells us how “Fighting the power never tasted so sweet (gluten free, no wheat).” Out from the giant lit-up honeycomb-shaped hive, the Honeys fiercely perform solo and group songs, scenes, and energetic and stylistic urban, traditional, tribal and contemporary dance. The range of talent in the cast is immense – hoola hoops, straps and beat-boxing that has my jaw dropping at the precision. All the acts are linked by the narration of the Queen Bee and show depth and connection to the poignant and sometimes dark themes and ideas they are raising. The rousing soundtrack of rnb, inventive remixes, original beats and voice overs had the sold-out opening night audience clapping, cheering and on their feet.

The production quality is outstanding. The lighting is superb – lasers, spots, and the giant hive of rock star quality. I couldn’t go without mentioning the inventive clever costumes that were seamlessly transformed within seconds during complex choreography: pants you can rip off? Wow. Coconut bras you can drink out of? Wow wow. What starts out as a leaf skirt turns into a full dress with head gear? Wow wow wow WOW!

This show is full-power female kick-ass gold. The audience was energised and buzzing all the way to the tram stop. It’s gobsmacking the talent and message this show has to offer: how it challenges everyone to review their views, and inspires everyone to rock the boat. Go see it. Cancel all your plans, tell all your friends if they haven’t heard about it already: because I’m know I’m going to be talking about it for a long time.

Hot Brown Honey for the 2016 Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Venue: Northcote Town Hall

Dates: April 6-16

Time: 8pm

Tickets: http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2016/season/shows/hot-brown-honey

Comedy, Festivals, Whats On

MICF 2016: Daisy Berry in AM I MENTAL?

Engaging and impressive debut

By Christine Young

Daisy Berry would be a great name for a free-spirited hippie. The actual Daisy Berry is anything but. She’s a feisty, cheeky, f-bombing 20-something with a warped sense of humour who offers up her life and issues for scrutiny. But is she mental? That’s the fifteen or twenty dollar question and the audience is invited to decide. So channel your inner Simon Cowell and be as judgy as you like because Daisy probably won’t care anyway.

Am I Mental.jpg

Am I Mental? is Daisy’s first solo show, and if she had any opening-night jitters, they weren’t visible. From the get-go, she casually chats to the audience like an old pro(fessional) in a way that makes you feel like you’ve known her for ages.

This reviewer has seen many emerging comedians in small venues, some now famous, who don’t ‘work the room’ and miss an opportunity to really connect with an audience.
Daisy takes us on a tour of her short (in years and height) life where she displays a gift for storytelling and a sardonic wit. There were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments for most of the audience but not for this reviewer. Don’t get me wrong. Daisy is very engaging and I held onto her every word and smiled many times. However, I feel the material needs some development in terms of the punchlines offering an element of surprise. She did this particularly well though when revealing the nature of her mother’s ‘addiction’.

Moreover, some of the more personal tales need to be teased out a bit more so the audience sees beyond Daisy’s tough exterior and gains a sense of her vulnerability. I’m not suggesting she spills her guts until she cries and gently rocks in the corner. However, tragedy and comedy can make great bedfellows and reflecting on personal tragedies can be both poignant and funny. Both Judith Lucy and Denise Scott (who obviously have truckloads of years on Daisy!) do this very well. Daisy has the potential to become just as adept as her comic foremothers. Catch her while she’s cheap and cheerful!

Where: Highlander Bar, 11a Highlander Lane, Melbourne

When: Tues-Sat 8/:30pm

Tickets: $15-20  www.comedyfestival.com.au or Ticketmaster 1300 660 013