Festivals, Impro, Whats On

MICF 2016: The Big Hoo-Haa’s CLIFFHANGER

Perfect com fest fun

By Narelle Wood

For 10pm on a Thursday night the downstairs theatre of The Butterfly Club was fairly busy having gathered to see The Big Hoo-Haa’s Melbourne Comedy Festival show Cliffhanger. I quickly discovered that I was a Big Hoo-Haa novice amongst a sea of regular attendees. The audience was super-enthusiastic and so were the selection of the night’s players.

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The premise for the 60-minute show is 5 improvised stories, each stopped at a cliffhanger moment. Each round a story is eliminated until there is only one story left and the audience are treated to the story’s finale. There is one problem though: there are 6 players on stage, so the elimination begins with a rap battle between the two teams, Hearts and Bones, to see which team will begin with the improvisation advantage.

Silliness and laughter prevail as we were treated to stories of murder with The Tuna Fish Killer, the epic battle between cat and helicopter, a romance found and lost on a scooter, a famous five quest to find a sock and a high-seas adventure with scurvy. While each of the stories was highly entertaining, it was the tale of cat versus helicopter that took out the prize of ultimate cliffhanger. And there was a moral to the story too; cats were never supposed to be friends with anything that flies.

With different stories every performance and the possibility of a number of comedic combinations from the Big Hoo-Haa cast the only guarantee is that the show will be funny. The wit and timing of cast members such as Mark Gambino, Candice D’Arcy, Sarah Reuben and Sophie Kneebone were perfectly complimented by the remarkable musical skill of JJ on the keyboard.

The 60 minutes flew by with clever harmless comedy resulting in lots of guffaws and chuckles of delight. But be warned, exposure to this sort of humour may cause repeat attendance.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, Carson Place, Melbourne

Season: 10pm Tues, Thurs, Sat until April 16th

Tickets: Full $29

Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com

Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

MICF 2016: A NIGHT AT JAVA JOE’S

A one-man open mic night!

By Narelle Wood

Set in the iconic San Diego coffeehouse Java Joe’s, musician and comedian Broni brings to the stage a cast of characters the typify the diversity and eclectic mix of performers on an open mic night.

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Broni plays all the characters from the host Jimmy to disgruntled employee Clare, to creepy Kenny Deez, to George, an old-timer still coming to terms with losing his dear wife Betsy. Each character has a story to tell and a song to sing that embodies their life experiences and personality. While there is a range of musical genres, including something that sounds reminiscent of Norwegian heavy metal band Lordi, most of the songs have a Country and Western lilt to them. And this seems to work, as most of the characters tend to be moaning about small annoyances rather than anything overly significant.

It is clear that Broni has a great voice and is a talented musician. The audience laughed consistently throughout and sounded like they were having a great time, but I felt like I was missing something, an in-joke that no one cared to explain. The jokes were mostly observational but I found myself more smiling in agreement than laughing out loud, which was more disappointing than usual because there is something completely endearing about Broni that made me want to find the jokes funny.

The range of characters were great but I was expecting more exaggerated personalities: all of it was just a little too close to home to be overtly funny; for instance Kenny Deez is a serious sleaze. It also didn’t help that the times Broni approached some audience members for some interaction but received very little from them saw the energy falling momentarily before he was able to turn it around.

The premise for A Night at Java Joe’s is an interesting one and certainly matched with an audience member who understands his humour, this would be a great fun performance. I would have quite happily settled back and listened to Broni play the guitar and sing all night. It’s an enjoyable show, and worth going for the music with some comedy on the side.

Venue: The Improv Conspiracy Office Space, 19 Meyers Place, Melbourne

Season: Until 3rd April, Thurs-Sat 6.45pm, Sun 5.45pm

Tickets: Full $15| Conc $10

Bookings: http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2016/season/shows/a-night-at-java-joe-s-broni

Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

MICF 2016: VELVET

Sparkling and sexy disco cabaret

By Bradley Storer

Even before the show began, the atmosphere at the opening night of Velvet was electric. Upon entering, the audience was immediately drawn into the hedonistic disco era through the beats being spun out by music director Joe Accaria on the deck above the stage. The opening image was stark and sudden – centre-stage, a young innocent-seeming man (Brendan Maclean), ukulele in hand and unsure of himself, drawn into the seductive world of a Studio 54-esque dance party filled with bright lights and sequins, the quintessential ‘Boogie Wonderland’, bringing us along with him like Alice down the rabbit hole.

Velvet.jpg

Velvet is not a traditional narrative theatre piece, but rather a variety-show combining music, song, fabulous costumes and incredible acts of acrobatics and aerial feats, held together by the Dionysian atmosphere of classic disco and the incredible charisma of the performers. After the opening Mirko Kockenberger launched us into the spirit of evening with an wonderful character act that combined acrobatics and strip-tease, channelling a sexy and cheeky energy that provoked the audience into a near frenzy.

Fellow acrobats Emma Goh and Stephen Williams would each have their own moments to shine across the rest of the evening, with amazing aerial acts that combined both of their talents, a highlight being their S&M-themed ballet in the air. Performer Craig Reid was quite possibly the biggest scene-stealer of the night: as a short chubby man dressed in sequined lycra, he was not the traditional image of burlesque glamour. But he wowed the audiences with such stunning hula-hoop skills and an impish and utterly joyful magnetism that you couldn’t help but watch him every second.

From the moment Marcia Hines, as the disco ‘fairy godmother’ of the evening, steps onstage she completely commands the audience. She takes centre stage and tears through numbers like ‘Never Knew Love Like This Before’ and ‘It’s Raining Men’ with such authority that you want to bow down before her. Hines is backed up by two wonderful singers, Chaska Halliday and Rechelle Mansour, who dance up a storm and send chills up your spine with their vocals in their own songs.

Maclean as the young man whose journey and transformation loosely ties the show together is completely charming, with a wonderful and emotive voice that truly comes into its own during the show’s more emotional moments. His blossoming into a fabulous disco creature of the night allows him to unleash his own wild stage presence that burns just as bright as that of Hines.

A daring attempt to fuse elements of cabaret, circus and burlesque, Velvet is a massive success, creating a spectacular world that thrills at every moment and is infused with such glamour, sex and excitement that you just want to visit it again and again!

Venue: The Merlyn Theatre, Malthouse Theatre, 113 Sturt St, Southbank

Dates: 23rd March – 17th April

Bookings: Ticketmaster.com.au

Image by Daniel Linnet

Review, Theatre, Whats On

Melbourne Shakespeare Company’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Thoroughly won over

By Caitlin McGrane

A Midsummer Night’s Dream was the first Shakespeare play I studied at school, and thus while it holds a special place in my heart, certain scenes are forever etched into my memory. As the Melbourne Shakespeare Company’s production got underway, I was sceptical whether the blend of contemporary music and iambic pentameter were going to be a match. I needn’t have worried, as the performance rolled steadily onwards, and the actors became more comfortable in their roles, I felt completely at ease with the way the story was being told; the audience was in safe hands.

Melbourne Shakespeare Company's A Midsummer Night's Dream.jpg

For the uninitiated, the play entwines the stories of two groups; the Lovers: Hermia (Christina Forrest) and Lysander (Khrisraw Jones-Shukoor), Helena (Alisha Eddy) and Demetrius (Charlie Sturgeon); and the Players: Bottom (Johnathan Peck), Flute (John Reed), Quince (Ben Frank Adams), Snout (Ben Noel Adams), Snug (Nick Murphy) and Starvelling (Myles Tankle).

Hermia and Lysander are forbidden to wed, so flee Athens, hotly pursued by Helena and Demetrius. While fleeing they wander into a forest bewitched by faerie King Oberon (Steven Fleiner) and Queen Titania (Angela Lumicisi), with help from mischievous Puck (Paul Robertson). There’s magic potions, asses heads and lots of shouting about love as the magical beings play with the lives of the mere mortals, meanwhile the players are rehearsing the play Pyramus and Thisbe to perform at Theseus (Karl Sarsfield) and Hippolyta’s (Madi Lee) wedding. Confused yet? You should be.

As an ensemble the cast was great, I was initially wary of the players’ boisterous gallivanting and gadding about, but by the end of their first proper scene together I couldn’t wait for them to reappear. I was particular impressed by Johnathan Peck’s unique and profoundly physical take on Bottom as a sympathetic but emotionally fragile simpleton, and I need a GIF of him performing the death scene from Pyramus and Thisbe to play on a loop at my funeral; I laughed so much I cried and am still laughing thinking about it now. Christina Forrest’s Hermia was similarly energetic and gravity-defying, which helped prevent the inherently dialogue-heavy play from getting bogged down in its own trickery.

I enjoyed the silly playfulness that director Jennifer Sarah Dean has brought to the play, although moments of the Pyramus and Thisbe performance would benefit from tightening to avoid relying too heavily on slapstick. Designer Simon Bowland has done an excellent job with costumes and make-up (faeries looked suitably bedazzled), but it did look like Oberon had wandered out on stage in his dressing gown and slippers and didn’t quite match the majesty of Titania – if this was a deliberate move then I’m afraid it was lost on me. Save for a few moments where the play sagged towards the end after all the frenetic activity, it was thoroughly good fun.

Beautifully nestled in Testing Grounds just behind the Arts Centre, City Road and the Southbank apartments provided a peculiarly complementary backdrop for this contemporary adaptation of a true classic.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is playing at Testing Grounds twice each day on 26 and 27 March 2016. Tickets available from: http://www.testing-grounds.com.au/calendar?view=calendar&month=March-2016

Cabaret, Performances, Review

Kurt Phelan is PHELAN GROOVY

Pacy, playful and exceedingly entertaining

By Jessica Cornish

A little bit of drag, a little bit of Liberal-bashing, a sprinkle of Aussie pop and some good old musical theatre as packaged and presented by charismatic Kurt Phelan was an hour well spent this week at The Butterfly Club.

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Growing up in far north Queensland in the town of Townsville, Kurt moved down to Sydney as a talented young man to pursue his career in the arts. And clearly he’s done well for himself in the industry and on the stage, being cast in multiple professional musicals such as Dirty Dancing and Singing In The Rain, and even having a stint in Disney Land playing Prince Charming, appropriately fitted with brown contact lenses and all, to truly channel the part.

The NIDA grad has a beautiful voice with impressive vocal technique and control, transitioning with ease from falsetto to chest voice and consistently used good articulation so every word was easily understood, never once being lost amidst the punchy piano accompaniment. Squeezed into the hour-show were a lot of well-chosen upbeat songs, that seamlessly flowed with the dialogue and mood from one scene to the next. The cabaret also incorporated story snippets of personal experiences with musical theatre greats such as Jason Robert Brown, Rhonda Birchmore and Todd McKenney (which my fellow musical theatre buffs would appreciate), as well as touching briefly on more serious issues dealing with the premature loss of friends and also exposing performers for the people they really are rather than merely as their stage personas being presented to the world.

Phelan was supported by his excellent pianist Jack Earle, the dialogue and banter was well-rehearsed and structured, subtle light changes in the venue were able to nicely augment the changing moods of the piece, and the night ended with some fabulous crowd karaoke – so what more could you want?!

Phelan Groovy was a lot of fun, and charming Phelan didn’t take himself too seriously. His current season at The Butterfly Club has unfortunately ended, but when he returns (which we hope he does), you should definitely go check it out.

Musical Theatre, Review, Whats On

The Royal Shakespeare Company Presents MATILDA THE MUSICAL

Simply spell-binding

By Narelle Wood

I had heard from some theatre-going friends that Matilda was a sight to behold, a musical experience like no other. They were right; I don’t think there is a word that completely encapsulates the sheer brilliance of this musical.

The-Royal-Shakespeare-Companys-production-of-Roald-Dahls-Matilda-The-Musical.-Photo-by-Manuel-Harlan.jpg

The musical is based on the famous Roald Dahl children’s book. Matilda (Ingrid Torelli on the night attended), a bright child with a strong sense of fairness and justice, is born into a family that doesn’t appreciate her, and to make matters worse must suffer the tyranny of the head mistress, Miss Trunchbull (James Millar). Thankfully Matilda finds solace in her books and stories as well as friends such as Mrs Phelps the librarian (Cle Morgan), Violet (Kathleen Lawlor) and Miss Honey (Elise McCann).

Under the direction of Matthew Warchus the acting, timing and use of stage melds into a seamless and flawless performance; and this was the first preview. There are so many standout performances in this show that it is difficult to name them all. The performances of Daniel Frederiksen, Marika Aubrey and Daniel Raso completely personify the hideous Wormwood family. Millar doesn’t overplay Trunchbull so the character is a believable albeit caricatured evil head mistress and Torelli is faultless in her portrayal of Matilda.

The adult ensemble was also brilliant, transforming from the adult parts to the big kids at school with ease. The kid ensemble was simply astonishing; the future of musical theatre in Melbourne is definitely safe if the talent of these kids are anything to go by. Daniel Stow who played Bruce Bogtrotter with awesome skill, delivered some of the best comedic moments.

Dennis Kelly’s adaptation is so intelligently written that it not only captures the humour and satirical nature of Roald Dahl, but also hints at some of Dahl’s more subtle social commentary. Comedic musical mastermind Tim Minchin is responsible for the music and lyrics, and each song precisely captures the moment and the character’s personality but often in entirely unexpected ways, with a mixture of humour, sentimentality and irreverence. The orchestration (Christopher Nightingale), choreography (Peter Darling), set (Rob Howell), illusions (Paul Kiev)and lighting (Hugh Vanstone) are amazing; such a sleek use of staging and such clever use of all the theatre tricks and techniques to make the magic of Matilda a reality.

There was not one aspect of this show that I did not enjoy, and not enough superlatives to praise it all. I laughed so much I cried, and so many of the musical numbers gave me goosebumps. If that wasn’t enough, it finished off with one of the most fun encores I’ve ever seen. I have never seen anything quite like Matilda. I’m going again; in fact I would have stayed on the night for an encore performance of the entire show.

Venue: The Princess Theatre, Spring St, Melbourne
Season: From March. Wed & Sun 1pm, Sat 2pm. Wed to Sat 7pm, Sun 6.30pm
Tickets: Starting from Full $85| Conc $69
Bookings: au.matildathemusical.com/tickets/tickets/

Image by Manuel Harlan

Dance, Performances, Review

Melbourne City Ballet Presents NAPOLI

Impressive cast bring ballet to the suburbs

By Rachel Holkner

The professional dancers of the Melbourne City Ballet, performing alongside Finishing Year pre-professionals, recently gave a charming rendition of the 1842 full-length ballet Napoli at the Darebin Performing Arts Centre. The casting of the two lovers Teresina (Carolina Pais) and Genarro (Matt Dillon) was wonderful; both highly skilled ballet dancers, they shared real chemistry and were very compatible together.

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While the sets, costumes and props may be on the simpler side (being a short performance season) they more than fulfilled their roles, setting the scene for an Italian love story in a seaside town and then an underwater grotto as Teresina is kidnapped by Golfo, a water spirit (Brendan Bradshaw) and his Naiads.

Napoli, not produced as a full-length ballet in Australia for forty years, was a curiosity and an ideal choice for a small and nimble company. Artistic Director Michael Pappalardo mentions in the program the dancers’ difficult task in adapting to choreographer August Bournonville‘s unique technique. I wish I knew more of this; while certain of the combinations were unusual, it’s difficult to tell as a non-performer what makes them trickier than others.

As for the curious Napoli, it was soon clear why it is not performed more. Act One is a pantomime, acted in time to the music, with a profound lack of ensemble dances. The story is uneven and unnecessarily complex, relying overly on the dancers’ skills in mime rather than expressing character through movement.

The choreography as a whole is somewhat flat (there is no “Dance of the Cygnets” here), and the music insipid, the result of being composed by a collection of musicians inspired by a wide range of source material. While there is copious dancing in Act Three it also feels flat as there is no change in emotion: it is all celebration of the lovers’ reunion and tarantella.

However, none of these criticisms should be a reflection of MCB. They are a highly capable ensemble providing professional productions at locations and at price points for the general public. I would definitely recommend them to aficionados and the newly ballet-curious. This production of Napoli was definitely a case of the performers outshining their source material. Perhaps more of these rare or unusual pieces may be the key to drawing an audience of ballet enthusiasts.

Melbourne City Ballet‘s next production is the contemporary showcase Play Rewind at Metanoia Theatre, Brunswick
26-29 May
Tickets from $26.10
http://www.melbournecityballet.com.au

Image by National Photography

Review, Theatre, Whats On

Helen Yotis Patterson’s TAXITHI

Moving portayals of resilient Greek-Australian women

By Myron My

Inspired by her grandmothers, Helen Yotis Patterson has compiled a number of stories of Greek women who migrated to Australia in the 1950s and 60s. While the narratives and their characters are often filled with hope and excitement for a better life, they are sometimes met with disappointment and frustrations. Despite this, the women presented in Taxithi (Greek for ‘journey’) are fiercely strong and determined.

Taxithi

The impressive cast – Maria Mercedes, Artemis Ioannides and Helen Yotis Patterson – bring much honesty with their portrayals of these women. While some stories are taken directly from Yotis Patterson’s family history, the cast are clearly poignantly connected with all the experiences that are played out. There are well-crafted moments throughout, including Mercedes’ emotional lament at missing her mother’s final moments as she traveled back to Greece and Ioannides’ striking performance as a young bride who find herself in an arranged marriage.

The music is one of the strongest elements of Taxithi. Musical director, arranger and pianist Andrew Patterson has captured the era perfectly along with Jacob Papadopoulos‘ masterful bouzouki playing. During the musical moments, the three women’s voices elicited strong emotive responses from the audience, to the point where even my non-Greek speaking friends were able to feel what was being sung. John Ford and Rachel Burke‘s lighting design and Darius Kedros‘ sound design, while both minimal, are still highly effective, especially in the evocative opening moments with the sound of waves crashing in the ocean, making you feel as if you yourself are on the ship travelling to Australia.

Towards the end of the performance, I admit I did feel the stories started to become slightly repetitious, with quite a few revolving around young girls immigrating to get married. Had Yotis Patterson perhaps narrowed the quantity of stories and explored her powerful themes even further, this repetition would have been resolved and the emotional connection with the characters could have been even stronger.

However, at a time where we are denying people entry into our country who are trying to escape persecution from their own, Taxithi serves as a telling reminder that “letting people in” is not a bad thing and only allows our lives and culture to become richer. Furthermore, the journeying tales of Taxithi teach us to always remain resilient and to fight for what we want in life, and that is something everyone can strive towards, regardless of sex, gender or race.

Venue: fortyfive downstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Season: Now until 24 March, then 5-10 April | Tue- Sat 7.30pm, Sun 5pm
Tickets: $45 Full | $35 Conc
Bookings: fortyfive downstairs

Image by Sarah Walker www.sarahwalkerphotos.com

Musical Theatre, Review, Theatre

Blue Saint Productions Presents: VIOLET

A Glorious and Uplifting Tale

By Bradley Storer

A facially-scarred young woman taking a bus trip through the American South to see a faith-healing preacher in the company of two soldiers who slowly bring her out of her shell – on paper it doesn’t sound like the typical Broadway musical, does it? But Violet, with a terrific book by Brian Crawley and an incredible score by Tony Award winner Jeanine Tesori, is a glorious and uplifting tale that makes a great case for the continuing relevance of the musical as an art form.

Blue Saints Productions presents Violet.
Blue Saints Productions presents Violet.

Sam Dodemaide as the eponymous protagonist is a knockout. Violet’s emotional arc across the 105 minute and intermission-less piece is massive, requiring enormous commitment and stamina to make work. Dodemaide navigates the journey of this closed off and isolated loner through joy, friendship, hope, heartbreak and ultimately healing catharsis with magnificent emotional clarity and heart-rending transparency, with her bright silvery belt cutting through Tesori’s wide ranging styles of music with ease. Luisa Scrofani as Violet’s younger self, who haunts and pervades the stage action, matches so well with Dodemaide that it is easy to forget that the two aren’t actually the same person. Violet’s father is ably played by Damien Bermingham; the complex relationship between the two communicated with palpable reality.

As Flick, the African-American soldier whose encouragement and empathy spark Violet’s own transformation, Barry Conrad has a warm, gentle stage presence and a lovely pop voice that shows remarkable flexibility – however, I felt his big number ‘Let It Sing’ lacked the gospel fire and joy to really make it land, leaving it merely an exercise in riffing without a real emotional heart. Steve Danielsen as fellow soldier Monty fares better; bringing an edge of sexual charisma and danger to his character that contrasts and balances Conrad’s gentler presence nicely.

The ensemble as a whole are wonderful, playing a wide range of characters across the story with small moments that showcase each of them to marvellous effect. Standouts are hard to pick, but Katie Elle Reeve as a rock and roll music hall singer thrills with an incredible and powerful voice, Deidre Rubenstein does fantastic work as both the elderly Mabel and the hilariously voracious prostitute Alice. As the gospel singer Almeta, Cherine Peck brings the house down with her number ‘Raise Me Up’, truly bringing a sense of religious devotion and joy to the role.

The entire creative team, led by director Mitchell Butel, have done a truly spectacular job of rendering this outstanding musical, a must-see for any lovers of the modern musical or anyone looking to be entertained and uplifted in the same evening.

Venue: Chapel off Chapel, 12 Lt Chapel St

Dates: 3rd – 20th March, 2016

Time: 8pm Tues – Sat, 2pm Sat, 6pm Sunday

Tickets: $59 Full, $54 Concession, $49 Group 10+

Bookings: www.chapeloffchapel.com.au, phone 8290 7000, or at the door

Cabaret, Performances, Review, Theatre

REVIEW: PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK

An impressive experiment with palpable discomfort

by Rachel Holkner

This new adaptation of Joan Lindsay’s classic Australian novel, written by Tom Wright and directed by Matthew Lutton, is a stylish exploration of the themes of time, space, alternate dimensions, past, present and future. And hanging over it all, an ancient volcanic rock and the intolerable heat of an Australian summer.

picnicahr

The play requires some familiarity with the story whether from the novel or the 1975 film by Peter Weir. With a small cast it is necessary to recognise quickly the various characters and their place in the story, as the performers often leap from one to another without overt costume changes. Surtitles present chapter headings throughout, granting the original 1967 text an unnecessary supernatural presence. It remains unclear whether the production intends to seat the audience inside the novel as it suffers a sort of intrusion of the present, or develop an entirely new interpretation of the ‘disappearing girls’ story.

An extended opening in the style of a school reading, grounds the work. Re-admittance to the theatre is not permitted after this sequence as the entire room is plunged frequently and suddenly into complete darkness. It is this darkness that carries the emotional burden, as the audience slowly learn to fear what it may bring. This is not a performance suitable for children or those of nervous disposition!

Just five actors take on over a dozen roles in a commanding fashion. While each has a part they default to, they switch with ease into alternate characters, sharing the burden of story-telling evenly. Of note are Amber McMahon as the visiting English gentleman Michael, and Arielle Gray as the unloved outsider Sara. The character of Sara was particularly well conceived, her body distortions and hurried whispers reflecting her state of mind and lack of autonomy. Harriet Gordon-Anderson, Elizabeth Nabben and Nikki Shields round out the cast with assuredness.

The sound design by J. David Franzke and composer Ash Gibson Greig ranges as wildly as the natural environment it is attempting to evoke. As tensions rise sound effects evolve from precise recreations of the bush to a barrage of noise. Discomfort became palpable as the audience grasped at any moment in the dialogue which might relieve the tension.

The play’s weakness is that it tries to encompass too many themes at the same time. The final act is muddled, the costume choices and staging do not carry enough conviction as all the ideas of nature, time, legacy and even gender are attempted to be resolved in the final few minutes. The successful use of light, shadow, sound and minimalist staging earlier on have been forgotten in a flat-lit confusion of props.

Picnic at Hanging Rock is an impressive experiment in bringing the colonial inferiority and fear of the environment of the late 19thC into the beginning of the 21st under the heavy volcanic overhang of millions of years.

 

Venue: Malthouse Theatre

Season: 26 Feb – 20 March

Tickets: $35-$65

Bookings: http://malthousetheatre.com.au/whats-on/picnic-at-hanging-rock