Festivals, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Ben Schiffer’s HIS GHOSTLY HEART

Lights out for intimacy and intrigue

By Myron My

Performed at this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival, His Ghostly Heart is an intimate 30-minute two-hander with a couple lying in bed just after having sex. Written by Ben Schiffer, best-known for his work on TV series Skins, and directed by Richard Edge, its exploration of love and what it means to be loved is designed to be performed entirely in the dark.
His Ghostly HeartUnfortunately, due to the necessity of the exit sign inside the performance space, the venue was not in pitch blackness which was ultimately integral to the show’s overall effect. While you could not see facial expressions, the body outlines and movement were still quite visible. In order to experience this the way I understand it was intended, I did have my eyes closed during the performance.

Riley Nottingham and Bundy Marston are well cast as the young couple in love, and with my eyes shut, I was able to listen to their voices, and their intimate emotional state is quite clear in the delivery of their lines and the pauses and silences between words. We hear the sense of achievement in Tom’s voice when he exclaims that they lasted three songs, while the self-loathing in Daisy’s voice when she announces “I’m disgusting” is easily felt. When Tom is naming all the areas of Daisy’s body that he loves, you can clearly picture his loving and cheeky face as his lips touch those aforementioned parts.

The build-up to the twist ending is cleverly constructed and highly effective, however, towards the end of His Ghostly Heart, the music and sounds being played are so loud that is it hard to hear what is being said. This ultimately makes it difficult to remain invested in the story and keep connected with the characters. Marston also seemed to struggle with the demands of the character in the final third, as the emotion that she has been working with earlier in the piece is not as focused and her lines begin to simply feel shouted.

Despite these closing shortcomings, His Ghostly Heart provides a very unique Fringe experience in its premise and light-starved performance. It remains a touching exploration of facing the realities of life and love and how, sometimes, darkness is much more of a comfort than the harsh light of day.

Venue: Fringe Hub, Upstairs at Errol’s, 69-71 Errol Street, North Melbourne, 3051
Season: Until 3 October | Tues-Sat 10.30pm
Tickets:$20 Full | $16 Conc | Cheap Tuesday
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Circus, Festivals, Whats On

REVIEW: BODIES OVER BITUMEN

Circus under the sky

By Myron My

This year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival has seen a variety of circus performances using the art form to create some highly unique shows. There’s been glow-in-the-dark circus, and circus that is inspired by climate change, and now with Bodies Over Bitumen, there is outdoor circus that takes us out to the streets of North Melbourne.

Bodies Over Bitumen

We follow the three performers Skye Gellmann, Alexander Gellmann and Naomi Francis, down side streets and main roads as they perform various tricks and acrobatics. Similar to other Fringe Festival shows, Suburbia and Citydash, Bodies Over Bitumen invites its audience to look at your surroundings in a new light and to take notice of what is there.

The silks routine off a tree on Errol Street was quite mesmerising to watch, with quite a few passers-by also stopping from their evening outings to admire. Looking up to Francis as she spun herself around and climbed up the rope, surrounded by all the leaves and branches, felt fairytale-like.

Similarly, the finale with Skye Gellmann’s pole routine on a street pole was well choreographed and displayed some amazing strength. It was a great way to finish but sadly, the rest of the evening failed to leave a strong impression on me. There was a lot of waiting and watching for things to happen and when they did, the build-up was not justified. One act involved a piece of flint being scraped on the road and watching a few sparks for five minutes, which unfortunately did not create a sense of wonderment for the audience.

Bodies Over Bitumen wants us to acknowledge how landscape and environment play a big part in defining who we are. I only wish the performers had attempted to develop some of these ideas further as this production has the potential to be an eye-opening show and create real curiosity in people’s minds. Instead, it is a show that seems to have taken a few wrong turns in determining what journey it wants to take us on.

Venue: Meet on the steps Fringe Hub, Arts House, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne, 3051

Season: Until 3 October | Tues-Sat 6.30pm

Tickets:$23 Full | $18 Conc | $14 Cheap Tuesday

Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Festivals, Performances, Review

REVIEW: Sophie Joske will BECOME A FUNCTIONAL ADULT IN 45 MINUTES

Tightly-wrought, intelligent and very enjoyable performance

By Myron My

Sophie Joske wants to become an adult. She wants to be accomplished and respected as a person, but she’s not quite there yet. Presented as part of the 2015 Melbourne Fringe Festival, Become a Functional Adult in 45 Minutes is a cautionary tale in which Joske explores what life must be like to be a successful adult.

Become a Functional Adult in 45 Minutes

Joske sets her sights on graduating from the Mature Learning Academy as an ‘adult’ so she can finally go out and live her life. What follows is a series of satirical ‘self-help’ tests in a variety of categories, such as work, social skills, relationships and sex, to assess just how prepared Joske is at handling these situations as a fully-fledged adult. Sadly, she fails at each, but not without some real laughs along the way.

Joske’s punchlines are well delivered and the flashbacks scenes are a touch of gold. One of the many great moments of the show is the “positive female affirmations” that play over the speakers as Joske gets changed into a different outfit. Joske’s desperation to graduate reaches a dramatic climax that you can see coming but are ultimately still stunned and surprised by what has eventuated. The one serious moment of the show is executed extremely well and really pushes the message Joske is trying to say.

Become a Functional Adult in 45 Minutes offers a witty critique of modern society and the sexism and gender inequalities that are so prevalent within it. A memorable example of this is Joske’s revelation of the process women ‘must’ go through in order to look and smell attractive enough to the opposite sex whereas men…just need to take a shower. Joske also takes a swipe at our ageist society, which will question your life choices if you are over 30, and not yet married with children.

Become a Functional Adult in 45 Minutes is a highly restrained and subtle look at how society is programming us to be the type of adults it wants us to be rather than allowing people to make their own choices. It’s an important message for any person of any gender or sex to be aware of. Joske’s balance of humour and critique is well thought-out that has you walking out questioning what exactly has influenced your decisions in life – but still with a smile on your face.

Venue: Club Voltaire, 14 Raglan St, North Melbourne, 3051

Season: Until 28 September | 7.30pm

Tickets: $20 Full | $17 Conc

Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Cabaret, Festivals, Review

REVIEW: Nick Eynaud in A STAR IS BORED

Witty and winning cabaret

By Myron My

Nick Eynaud doesn’t just want to be famous. He wants to be rich, famous and powerful, the triple threat. His 2015 Melbourne Fringe Festival cabaret show, A Star Is Bored, reveals the lengths he will go to in order to make his dream come true – so long as he doesn’t actually have to do anything to earn it. Thanks to reality TV, he might be able to make that happen.

A Star is Bored

Eynaud takes us on a journey of his life that begins with his wide-eyed WAAPA school days through to the harsh reality of living back home with his parents in Reservoir. Along the way, he informs us of his obsession with Netflix and more specifically, reality TV shows, including Masterchef, Real Housewives and Toddlers and Tiara  – the latter resulting in an incredibly hilarious audition tape that needs to be seen.

It would be difficult to choose any standout numbers in this show, as each song is brilliantly funny. However, Eynaud’s rendition of the Kate Bush classic “Wuthering Heights” as a Netflix ode and the location change to Reservoir in Hairspray‘s “Good Morning Baltimore” would be right up there. All song revisions are all cleverly written and are not only infused with a good dose of humour but also bring out Eynaud’s winning personality.

The use of mixed media is a welcome addition to the show, with the opening moments including Eynaud’s show reel of his “starring roles” in productions such as Wicked and Phantom of the Opera. The childhood photos shown throughout remind us that this person has a real history which made him all the more vulnerable and sympathetic on stage despite the jokey self-entitlement being projected.

A Star Is Bored is essentially Eynaud’s self-discovery that at some time, we all need to grow up, even just a little. You can still dream to be rich, famous and powerful but with a small dose of real ‘reality’ for sanity’s sake. A Star Is Bored is a great showcase of Eynaud’s own star qualities and a highly enjoyable hour of cabaret.

A Star Is Bored was performed at The Butterfly Club as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival on 23 -27 September.

Opera, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Lyric Opera of Melbourne Presents STELLA

Appealing, accessible Australian opera

By Christine Young

In the first of its 2015 Australian Opera Series, Lyric Opera of Melbourne is reviving G.W.L. Marshall-Hall’s 1910 work Stella which plays out the tragic story of a nurse whose ‘immoral’ past catches up with her at exactly the same time her boss, Dr Kirke, declares his undying love. I hate it when that happens.

Lyric Opera Presents Stella Photo by Kris Washusen

The story is based on Marshall-Hall’s own fall from grace in the eyes of Melbourne society and his work colleagues. In 1891, he emigrated from England to take up the post as the first chair of music at the University of Melbourne. This was a coup for the university: Marshall-Hall wrote his first opera at the age of fifteen, and by the time he came to Melbourne, had written two more operas and composed many orchestral works and songs.

But he was also a bit of a ratbag as far as the conservative Melbourne establishment were concerned. Marshall-Hall publically expounded his views as a socialist, atheist and passionate artist. Marshall-Hall’s reputation as a womaniser was ultimately his undoing and he was dumped by the university. He went on to establish the Conservatorium of Melbourne, and wrote Stella which premiered at Her Majesty’s Theatre in 1912.

In all my theatre reviewing, Stella was my first opera, and I’m pretty confident from my experience that it’s an excellent choice for the novice. The libretto is in English which is a good start. This means you’re able to focus on the singing and the music without the distraction of subtitles. Moreover, while this one-act opera with its cast of five may have a lower budget than the big, lavish productions, the cast, composer, orchestra plus the large artistic team are highly accomplished and experienced in their fields. And being in an intimate theatre space, the audience has the advantage of soaking up the singing and live orchestra in close proximity.

So if you want to experience opera without coughing up big bucks, this is the time and place to do it. And it seems fitting that the work of a bohemian and socialist should be made so accessible to the great unwashed.

Soprano Lee Abrahmsen shines as Stella to pardon the pun, and it’s such a unique experience to watch and hear, not just Abrahmsen but the whole cast, express Aussie vernacular in operatic style. Abrahmsen’s vocal control is outstanding and at its finest during her arias that are punctuated with expert vibrato. For the most part, I was completely taken by Robert Barbaro’s (Dr Kirke’s) angelic voice above all others. The male cast members seem to have more chances to showcase their talent than the title character, and Matt Thomas (Mayor Chamley) also has a stunning tenor voice which meets the challenge of depicting his character’s inner turmoil.

Last, but nowhere near least, under the inspired guidance of conductor Pat Miller the excellent 16-piece wind and string orchestra achieves the impressive balance of making its presence known without upstaging the singers. Make sure you stop every now and then to focus on the orchestra. You won’t regret it.

Where: David Williamson Theatre, 144 High Street, Prahran (enter from St John St)
When: 25-30 September, 2015
Tickets: $49.50 (adult) /$39.50 (concession) /$35.00 (under 30s)
Book: www.lyricopera.com.au

Image by Kris Washusen

Festivals, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: and now we wait. By STEPHANIE CLARK

Taking shelter during a school shooting…

By Myron My

Playing at the 2015 Melbourne Fringe Festival, Stephanie Clark’s and now we wait. plays out like a grim re-imagining of The Breakfast Club for, in this case, there is a shooter loose in the school and the five teenagers find shelter in an unused theatre. While they nervously remain hidden, not knowing where the shooter is and waiting for the nightmare to end, the group gradually faces some truths about themselves and what is ultimately important to each of them.

and now we wait.

Based in Warragul, Impact Theatre is an enterprising company that focuses on young people writing and creating original theatre productions. The cast ranges from 18-21 years of age, is a combination of first-time and regular performers with the company. While different skill levels and experience that influence the ability to play more nuanced characters are evident, the entire cast (Emily Legg, Sarah Hartnell, Kyle Wright, Daniel Warenycia and Clark herself) remains dedicated to the characters and the situation they find themselves in. However, Hartnell as uptight smart girl Emily, and Wright as the jokester Nick, provide the most convincing performances of the night.

With her writing, Clark ensures the dialogue remains authentic and deliverable in a way you would expect real teenagers to speak. The flashbacks to what the students were doing before the gun shots are heard are well thought-out and the lighting and sound effects used in these moments is cleverly executed. There are, however, times when dialogue and actions in and now we wait. seem rather forced and there are also a few discrepancies with the story. The cutaways to the three news reports could easily be omitted for more dramatic effect, to allow the audience to be just as much in the dark about the situation as the characters and to allow us to stay fully enclosed in their world.

Julia Lambert‘s direction artfully increases the panic and fear that is slowly seeping into the teenagers and she creates some great visuals in how dual scenes are played out. The open incorporation of outside influences into the show is a nice touch, including one moment in particular where, as one latecomer to the show opened the door to the venue, the entire cast froze in terror as if it were the gunman coming in.

and now we wait. is a great opportunity to support and see an enjoyable show by a group of dedicated and promising young actors and writers. The subject matter is convincingly explored and there are some chilling moments throughout the show that will remain with you long after the climactic ending.

Venue: Northcote Uniting Church, 251 High St, Northcote.

Season: Until 2 October | Wed – Sat 8pm
Tickets: $25 Full | $20 Conc
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Festivals, Late Night Shows, Performances

REVIEW: Elena Gabrielle Presents DIRRTY

Cheerfully unsanitary

By Myron My

From the opening act of the 2015 Melbourne Fringe Festival late-night variety show Dirrty, it is very clear that this is not going to be a regular type of variety show. To say anymore about what transpires would be to ruin the surprise that curator Elena Gabrielle has planned. The night itself involves a variety of performance artists invited by Gabrielle to celebrate all things sex and taboo in their own unique ways.

Dirrty

The condoms and lube are freely available and there is a lot of flesh – both male and female – on display. There are songs about the joys of protected sex and the answer to where exactly JonBenét Ramsey as been is revealed. It is indeed, a hedonistic night for all.

Gabrielle is unashamedly the heart, blood and tears (and possible other bodily functions) of this sexy show. All her acts are playful, engaging to watch, and most importantly, fun. Her own spin on “All That Jazz” and “Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend” showcases her range of talents, including her impressive singing and her brilliant sense of humour. Gabrielle could front this show solely based on her own acts and it would be a standout for this festival.

However, this is promoted as a variety show and as such, the success of a production like this is based on its guest artists – and unfortunately on this night, I didn’t feel the other performances were as captivating or exciting to watch as Gabrielle’s. They were all nicely aligned with the “dirrty” theme for the evening and pushing the boundaries of “conservatism”, but apart from the admirable Ladybird Blue, the other artists didn’t have the same pulling power to drawn me in.

If you can handle the 11.30pm time slot, Dirrty is worth a look, if only to see Gabrielle strut her stuff. This is definitely a show where you can leave your inhibitions at the door and if you don’t, Gabrielle and guests will make sure they take them off you instead.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne

Season: 26 September, 1-3 October | 11.30pm

Tickets: $32 Full | $28 Conc

Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Comedy, Festivals, Performances

REVIEW: Andrew Milne and Patch Blank in I DON’T LIKE YOU

From frenemies to fragments, and narrative to nuance

By Myron My

Andrew Milne and Patch Blank have brought their unique clowning and performance art production I Don’t Like You to audiences as part of the 2015 Melbourne Fringe Festival. Their debut show initially explores the relationship and emotions between two friends who actually don’t really like each other…

I Don't Like You

I Don’t Like You starts off strongly and with a seemingly clear aim of where it is headed. The duo are very skilled at finding humour in a range of situations and reminded me a little of the physical comedy popularised in modern culture by Mr. Bean with their highly expressive faces and exaggerated movements. Milne and Blank play well together and their best work is when they are interacting with each other.

In the second act, the two begin to experiment with concepts of postmodernism and to break down the structures they have set up. The silliness and jokiness and silence they were playing with becomes fragmented, and the audience becomes slightly more actively involved in the show while also significantly unaware of what is going to happen next. At one point, Milne begins to aggressively speak to the audience as he emphatically blows up balloon animals, exclaiming and explaining “it’s only air”…

As part of I Don’t Like You’s deconstruction of theatre, Milne hangs a gun on the wall early in the show, a cheeky nod to the principle of Chekhov’s Gun (which states, “If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don’t put it there.”) What happens with this production is that events or objects in the first half are deliberately forgotten and others suddenly occur or appear in the second half. Increasingly, the show’s title seems to not simply be referring to the relationship of two people on stage, but to be a critique of theatre and performance itself as the artists attempt to re-think what these terms actually mean.

Milne and Blank certainly have a knack with physical comedy, clowning and (meta)theatre. There are some clever and funny moments in I Don’t Like You and as first-time performers it will be interesting to see how they continue expanding on their interest in breaking theatre and its rules.

Venue: Club Voltaire, 14 Raglan St, North Melbourne, 3051

Season: Until 4 October | 9.30pm

Tickets: $25 Full | $20 Conc | $15 Cheap Tuesday

Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Dance, Events, News

NEWS: The Australian Ballet’s 2016 PROGRAM LAUNCH

Performances to entrance and transcend

By Narelle Wood

I’ve been a subscriber with the Australian Ballet for the last six years and each year I’m left wondering how exactly they will manage to top, or even equal, that year’s season. This was especially the case after the year’s Australian premiere of David McAllister’s Sleeping Beauty; one of the most exquisite and luxurious performances I’ve seen. The 2016 season plans to be just as exciting and enthralling, but for completely different reasons.

Vitesse at The Australian Ballet 2016

The five works have been selected because they in some way encapsulate the transformative nature of ballet, either through stretching the dancers, the audiences or the very idea what ballet should be. The Melbourne season begins with Vitesse, part of the contemporary mix, providing a selection of ballets ranging from the chic and sleek of “In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated”, to the the Edvard Munch-inspired “Forgotten Land” to the speedy and fabulous “Danse a Grande Vitesse”, the performance’s namesake. The 2016’s classical repertoire includes a reprise of Stephen Baynes’ 2012 Swan Lake, an Australian premiere of Stanton Welch’s Romeo and Juliet and the comedic and playful fun of Coppelia.
The showcase piece for the Australian Ballet’s 54th season is John Neumeier’s Nijinsky. It was apparently fourteen years ago artistic director David McAllister first broached the idea of staging this ballet, and in 2016 this finally becomes a reality. Described as ‘a biopic of a legend’, this ballet celebrates the accomplishments and mastery of Russian dancer Nijinsky and his ‘unprecedented on-stage intensity’.

While Coppelia may be the only ballet here with lightness at its heart, the program sounds every bit intriguing as it does transformative. There is no doubt that the Australian Ballet will once again exceed all expectations by taking the audience on a completely different, and at times, unexpected journey. As always, I find it hard to pick what I am looking forward to most; the opulent costumes and sets, the unparalleled athleticism, the stories and music, or the grace and elegance of the dancing. 2016 is promising to be another season of exquisite, and world-class, ballet.

Season: Melbourne season begins 11-21st March
Performance Details: Available at australianballet2016.com.au

Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

REVIEW: Ashleigh Kreveld is FRANKLY WINEHOUSE

Resurrecting a remarkable artist

By Jessica Cornish

So I never had the chance to see the real Amy Winehouse perform in a world away from television or youtube, but Ashleigh Kreveld certainly gave it a great crack in recreating the experience for me. Fitted out with a cheeky British accent, gold hoops, painted eyeliner and of course the signature beehive and red lips, she lived delightfully up to the illusion of an intimate encounter with Ms. Winehouse.

Frankly Winehouse

Ashleigh’s portrayals of her iconic songs were distinctly impressive: she gave a solid performance throughout, and particularly shone vocally in the higher to mid-range numbers, such as the tricky variations on the jazz standard “Round Midnight”. With such competent vocal skill, I would have even been happy to see more numbers added to the mix. Moreover, Ashleigh’s acting and conviction particularly shone during her songs. The standout for the evening was her powerful rendition of “I Heard Love is Blind”, recounting a one nightstand Winehouse had whilst her troubled husband was in jail.

Ashleigh likewise captured the audience retelling tales of her character’s volatile and destructive relationship with hubby Blake, and how he introduced her to the world of A class drugs after their marriage. I think my favourite moments were when these real-life stories played out in the cabaret: when hearing these bits and pieces of her life, you can’t help but want save this girl from darker times to come…

That said, the dialogue became a little bit uncomfortable and didn’t always make clear sense at times: lines such as “(I dressed) more like a black Jewish man” may even have been authentic quotes, but were lost without context upon me and my friend. No doubt it comes with being an adoring over-protective fan of hers, however I couldn’t help feeling that overall the late Amy’s character was being slightly cheated. No-one could deny that she suffered from a myriad of disorders and issues, but of course there was more to this woman and performer than just addiction after addiction. It would have been nice to see more of her character development and history explored, and more light and shade found in the complexity of the famous Winehouse persona, rather than just focusing on her constant vices and woes.

However for me, this is one of the best Fringe shows currently going around: Frankly Winehouse was an entertaining hour well spent, and reminded me poignantly of how amazing Amy Winehouse was . Along with the impressive title performer, the space was used intelligently, the blocking was really effective, and the lighting design worked admirably for the intimate cabaret setting. And of course, it couldn’t have been an Amy Winehouse tribute night without those solid renditions of her more commercial hits such as “Rehab”, her well-known Zutton’s cover of “Valerie”, and the infamous “Fuck Me Pumps”. If you’re also an Amy fan, there’s still a couple nights to catch Frankly Winehouse in action at The Butterfly Club for the 2015 Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Dates: Until Sun 27 Sept, 10pm

Venue: The Butterfly Club, Carson Place, off Little Collins St (between Swanston & Elizabeth) in the Melbourne CBD.

Bookings: Melbourne Fringe