Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

REVIEW: Alice Tovey in MALICE

Singing it how it is

By Myron My

Alice Tovey has a lot to say about many things. Mainly it’s about things that frustrate her and anger her. Things like racism, anti-vaccine supporters and organised religion. In her 2015 Melbourne Fringe cabaret show Malice, Tovey sings her way through these contentious issues with wit, charm, and no care if she is going to offend you or not.

Alice Tovey in MALICE

While she performs a number of brilliant songs, the highlight of the evening would have to be her loving tribute to “Today” show host Karl Stefanovic, in which Tovey shares her suffering from Stefano-sickness. “Disciple of Satan” is also a great song that is infused with Tovey’s sharp wit and humour.

Accompanying Tovey on piano is composer Ned Dixon, who plays with great energy and is a solid musical support to Tovey’s voice. The two have co-written these original songs, and between them there is a huge amount of talent.

Between their songs, Tovey shares some anecdotal stories with us while also making pointed remarks about the society in which we live, such as her commentary upon being told by a man that the feminist goal of equality is like the RSPCA only caring about sheep… The stories are well-constructed and adroitly told, and along with Tovey’s easy humour, I could easily have sat there and listened to her recall these experiences for far longer.

However, it’s not all jokes and jibes in this 60-minute show, as shown when Tovey dedicates a song to a friend’s recent diagnosis with an eating disorder. It’s a touching moment that is sung from the heart and a reminder that we all need to be kinder to ourselves.

Great songs, clever lyrics and humourous and heart-felt stories are in abundance with Malice. Tovey’s naturally charming stage presence is a crowd-pleaser and rightfully so. Despite the seriousness or dryness of the topics Tovey takes on, you are guaranteed to walk out of Malice with a smile on your face.

Venue: Fringe Hub, The Lithuanian Club, 44 Errol St, North Melbourne, 3051

Season: Until 3 October | Tues-Sat 10.15pm, Sun 9.15pm

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

Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Circus, Festivals, Whats On

REVIEW: PERHAPS THERE IS HOPE YET

Circus at its most polished and poignant

By Myron My

Having recently seen Rockie Stone perform in Finucane and Smith’s Glory Box and being blown away by her sets, I was very much looking forward to seeing her in this year’s Melbourne Fringe show, Perhaps There Is Hope Yet, and it did not disappoint. Along with fellow circus performer Vincent van Berkel and with music by Sam Keevers, it is a wonderfully constructed show that is inspired by climate change and the slow disintegration of our environment.

Perhaps There Is Hope Yet

The stage is littered with a number of glass bottles, a makeshift seesaw and a kinetic sculpture by Callan Morgan that while only acknowledged a few times, has a strong visual presence throughout the show. Initially reminding me of a traditional windmill and later, due to its movements, that of a wind turbine, it keeps the idea of retaining a sustainable environment for the future churning.

Meanwhile, Stone and van Berkel’s adagio routine is simply breathtaking and some of the formations created not only show the strength they possess but also the sheer amount of trust they have with each other. There is no fear or hesitations in anything they do. Similarly van Berkel’s balance crane routine is just as engaging to watch. His movements are smooth and fluid and there is a beautiful sense of calm to his act. While this is happening, Stone is side of stage, dancing erratically to her Walkman and at one point moving into the audience; a contrast of scenes, mood and environment.

Perhaps There is Hope Yet is a meticulously thought-out show and there is no step and no movement that does not have a reason or purpose for existing. The finale is a definite showstopper and there were minimal movements and breathing from the audience in fear of creating a butterfly effect that could spell disaster for Stone.

Stone and van Berkel know how to put on a show and Perhaps There is Hope Yet is what circus should be. There are no gimmicks or anything to hide behind. Stone and van Berkel not only keep themselves exposed to our scrutiny but also expose the cracks in our environment. A show that needs to be seen.

Venue: Fringe Hub, Arts House, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne, 3051

Season: until 3 October | Tues-Sun 9pm

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

Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Impro, Musical Theatre, Review

REVIEW: Impromptunes Presents PUPPETS! THE MUSICAL

This puppet show for grown-ups will have you in stitches!

By Claire de Freitas

The idea of being entertained by cheeky singing puppets is not an entirely new concept (who can forget the Tony Award-winning puppet musical Avenue Q?) but the Impromptunes have taken the puppet musicals to a whole new level. There’s no script, there’s no score, there’s not even set characters. In this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival, the Impromptunes are presenting Puppets! The Musical – a completely improvised musical with puppets!

Puppets! The Musical

Although the audience was small the night I attended, the troupe of five talented performers had energy in bucketloads. From the moment they came bouncing onto the stage, puppets in tow, I knew they were committed to their craft and we were in for a good night.

To prove that the musical is completely improvised each night, the audience was asked to provide its name. We were given three beats to think of a title and then asked to shout out our ideas in unison. The winning title this evening was ‘The Dangerous Egg.’

Without even taking a moment to brainstorm, the cast began to construct a song and talented pianist David Peake began to accompany them. As the song continued, the cast selected puppet friends from the back of the stage and began to create characters.

For many people (myself included) the idea of improvising a musical is pretty terrifying. I have so much respect for how swiftly and wittily the cast created the characters, scenes and songs, all the while operating puppets and syncing the words with the puppets’ mouths PERFECTLY!

As is often the case with improvisational shows, the story got pretty crazy very quickly. In short, ‘The Dangerous Egg’ ended-up being about a young man named Jeremy who joins the Navy to escape his dull farm life and is put on a mission to rescue the last remaining dinosaur egg from the Nazis. Yep, told you it got pretty crazy.

It’s a well-known rule of improvisational theatre that performers need to always say “yes” to each others’ offers and the Impromptunes in Puppets! The Musical are experts in this. It was amazing to watch how the performers communicated ideas with each other without speaking about them and followed each others’ leads.

If you want to see something funny and fresh for Melbourne Fringe Festival 2015, you don’t want to miss Puppets! The Musical.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, Carson Place, Melbourne.
Season: Until 4th October | Wednesday – Sunday 7:00pm
Tickets: $28 Full | $25 Concession
Bookings: The Butterfly Club or Melbourne Fringe

Musical Theatre, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Watch This Presents COMPANY

Stunning performances in superb production

By Adam Tonking

Stephen Sondheim can be tricky. His shows seem to be full of pitfalls to trap the unwary theatre company into poor choices, and Company is no exception. With no linear narrative, just a series of vignettes centred on marriage and relationships in New York and his usual densely layered music and finely wrought lyrics, there are a myriad of ways for this show to go off the rails. Fortunately, the cast and creative team behind Watch This’ Company are more than up to the challenge.
Company Photo Credit Jodie Hutchinson

The cast are sublime. The protagonist Robert is a difficult role to play; a mostly passive observer to the five married couples in his friendship circle, he still needs to build a rapport with the audience so they care when he stops for a moment of self-reflection. Nick Simpson-Deeks was perfect, engaged in every scene as the fulcrum around which the action takes place, charming and affable with a stunning voice: there could not have been a better choice for the dramatic lynchpin that carries the whole show.

But there were many beautiful performances from the rest of the cast also. Mark Dickinson as David in an early scene where he reveals a controlling side was absolutely chilling, Johanna Allen as Jenny brought a delightful schadenfreude and glorious voice to “Getting Married Today”, and Sally Bourne brought poignantly to life the difficult song “The Little Things You Do Together” as Joanne (a role which in another performer’s hands could have seemed like a mere mean drunk there simply to throw in the acerbic asides). These were a few of my favourite moments, but the whole cast were spectacular.

In fact, the creative team have likewise done a spectacular job. The choreography by Michael Ralph was inventive and finely detailed; in a show that doesn’t require big dance numbers, his choreography was clever and beautifully executed. Costume design by Zoe Rouse carefully managed a balance between current fashion and the 1970s era in which the show is set, while also cleverly colour-coding the married couples to help the audience manage visually the relationships between the characters.

One glaring problem with this production is the choice of venue. Unfortunately for a portion of the audience, the action was obstructed from view by poles or railings, which is a shame because the direction and staging was flawless. A sparse and economical set by Eugyeene Teh was transformed under the direction of Kat Henry into the multitude of locations required, and Henry’s tight direction kept the momentum going through the quietest of scenes. The creative team also made the brave choice to have the performers work without microphones, with mixed results. There is something so much more engaging and compelling, particularly in an intimate show like Company, to hear the performers under the musical direction of Lucy O’Brien without the filter of amplification, and in many moments in this production it was magnificent. Until the performer turns away from you and you’ve missed what they’re saying. Again, I confess I blame the choice of venue.

That said, I would dearly love to see this exact production again, preferably in a different venue, or at least in a better seat. This is Sondheim, after all, and Watch This have presented a brilliant production of Company. My suggestion is, see it, but make sure you choose your seating carefully. Actually – see it anyway. Because even from my seat next to the band where I couldn’t see half of the stage, I still loved it.

Watch This presents Company by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth is on at fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, from September 16 till October 4. Tickets available at www.fortyfivedownstairs.com or by calling 03 9662 9966.

Festivals, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Adam J. A. Cass’ FRACTURED

Dark visions powerfully portrayed

By Myron My

We are now living in a dystopian world of the named and the unnamed, where safety and comfort are a thing of the past and children are now brought up in a society where the only games they remember are guessing how many bombs are going to go off in the night. Adam J. A. Cass’ Fractured explores this frightening vision through five “broken” souls.

Fractured

Danelle Wynne is the standout of the cast as Astrid, the almost feral child who is too afraid and suspicious of anyone to let her guard down. Her animal-like qualities and habits show how deeply she has been affected by her experiences and form a strong contrast to the rest of the people around her, such as Suzi Loo played by Nicole Morgan. Morgan is also strong in her character portrayal and her concluding scenes were completely and utterly engrossing. Rounding out the impressive cast are Natalie-Lynne Pillar, Josh Vasilev and Amy Firth.

I particularly enjoyed the lighting design with this show and the shadows that were beautifully created within the space. The scene of Rhodes (Firth) dragging in the screaming Astrid by the hair was particularly effective in utilising this, and thus heightening the powerful sense of unease early on in the show.

Peta Hanrahan‘s direction gives the actors (and their characters) plenty of opportunity to move and express themselves whilst not being too overwhelming for each other and the audience. Considering Cass wrote this work specifically for the performance space at Club Voltaire, the space is perfectly utilised and the stage design, while minimal, captures the overall mood of the show well.

However, there are a few scenes that confused me as to their purpose, especially in its attempts to be – as mentioned in the synopsis – immersive theatre. At one stage, members of the audience are handed sleeping pills only to have no real reason for this to occur, and the interaction is neither elaborated upon or discussed again.

Fractured explores the idea of having the courage to go on but also the need for compassion and humanity for people we don’t know but still need to care about and protect. The strongest, most effective moment of the performance for me happens before the show even started, and when you go to see it (as you should), you will understand what I am referring to. What endures then, is a profound sense of the responsibility we have to fellow humans who are less fortunate than us purely because of luck.

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

Season: Until 20 September | 7.30pm

Tickets: $25 Full | $20 Conc

Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

REVIEW: Anya Anastasia in TORTE E MORT

Treat yourself

By Bradley Storer

Bedecked in a gorgeous 18th-century aristocratic French court gown topped by an appropriately extravagant wig, cabaret performer Anya Anastasia swanned elegantly through the audience at the Melba Spiegeltent, her entourage (comprised of one drummer and one back up singer) strewing her path with rose petals while she blew kisses and flirted with the crowd.

Torte e Mort

From this decadent entrance, Anastasia took the audience on a wild ride loosely inspired by the cautionary life of Marie Antoinette – under the direction of Sarah Ward (AKA cabaret provocateur Yana Alana) the journey spins delightfully towards the grave and beyond, bouncing with dark glee from musical tales of Antoinette’s extravagance to doom-riddled warnings from a certain ‘post-apocalyptic auctioneer’ who sells off the French queen’s post-mortem possessions.

Anastasia exudes an ecstatic sense of anarchy, whether it’s contorting her body to ridiculous lengths all the while still plucking out a melody on the piano, or executing a striptease that shifts compellingly between burlesque and a contemporary movement piece. The titular songs of cake and death, with drummer Bec Matthews expertly accompanying, run the gamut from manic and adrenaline-crazed elegies to the parties of the French aristocracy, black-hearted and jaunty tunes that recall Tom Waits at his most bleak, all the way to a simple and chilling ukulele tune about inevitable mortality. However, a section which pays visit to the devil and an ode to the advantages of self loathing, while entertaining, spins so far from the central topic of the show for reasons that are unclear that it almost seems unnecessary.

Overall Torte e Mort is a wildly inventive show that bursts with ferocious creative energy, drawing laughs one moment before chilling the blood the next – a delicious and bloody treat for lovers of cabaret!

Dates: Wednesday 16th September – Sunday 20th September
Venue: Melba Spiegeltent, 35 Johnston St, Collingwood
Time: 8:30pm (Wednesday 7:45pm)
Price: Full $25, Preview $15
Bookings: www.melbournefringe.com.au, 03 9660 9666, at the door.

Circus, Festivals, Whats On

REVIEW: Jessica Watson Miller’s LUMINOUS

Visually glorious but missed some marks

By Myron My

Created by champion body painter Jessica Watson Miller, Luminous is circus with a twist. The show is performed under black lights with the performers covered head to toe in various glow-in-the-dark coloured body paints and costumes that create a truly singular viewing experience.

Luminous

The performers appear on stage, reminding me of wild animals in the jungle as they slowly slither, slide and stalk into the space. At various points throughout the night, the body painters (themselves dressed head to toe in black so they are almost invisible) rub the paints on one of the performers, thus gradually bringing him to life. It’s a visual feat that is exciting and intriguing to watch.

There is always a risk with any live performance, and especially with circus, that things will not always go according to plan. Unfortunately, many of the tricks did not go to plan on the night I attended, and perhaps we can put this down to opening night nerves. Juggling items were dropped, hoops not caught and there were some wobbly moments during the adagio routine. To the performers’ credit, they always persevered and continued with the routines but I did feel the show was not as smooth and polished as it should have been. Furthermore, there were technical issues that occurred on the night with noises coming from backstage and, at times, issues with the sound and lights.

However, moments like the juggling of the orange UV balls did manage hit the right mark. The juggler incorporated bouncing the five balls on the floor and back into the cycle and the speeds which he reached and the variety to the act was very impressive. The partnered aerial silk routine (often a favourite of mine) was also one of the stronger showings in Luminous. Meanwhile, the soundtrack throughout the show was used well and helped enhance the primal environment we were witnessing.

While the idea of a circus show performed in glow-in-the-dark paint is unique, overall Luminous did not leave me with a yearning for more. Yes, the aesthetics were absolutely captivating and engrossing but the acts themselves need some more work to really create something memorable.

Venue: Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham St, Albert Park, 3206

Season: Until 3 October | 22, 24-26 Sept, 10.30pm | 19, 29 Sept – 3 Oct, 9.20pm

Tickets: Melbourne Fringe Festival 2015

Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

REVIEW: Cougar Morrison’s RAWWR!

Stunning vocals in which to lose yourself

By Myron My

New Orleans native Cougar Morrison debuts his cabaret show RAWWR! at this year’s Melbourne Fringe, in which he recounts stories of beauty, love, gender and modernity with some re-imagined classic songs.

Rawwr!

There is a huge variety to the songs and the styles in which Morrison performs them. While “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” has become a staple of the cabaret scene and generally not that exciting to watch or hear, Morrison’s rendition is perfectly suited to him and he manages to make it something quite personal and ultimately, his own.

However, the highlight of the evening is the mash-up of “Dream A Little Dream”, and “Sweet Dreams” by the Eurythmics. It was an experience I’ve rarely had with cabaret where I was just enveloped by the performance and everything around me disappeared. The musical arrangement of this piece is expertly delivered and works perfectly with Morrison’s voice.

Between songs, Morrison shares some personal moments about his life in New Orleans, from his dead-beat boyfriend and the sense of loneliness once a relationship ends, to his developing self-acceptance.  Unfortunately, this is where I struggled to remain connected to the show. I found the humour in these anecdotes didn’t always quite hit the mark and their delivery was not always effective in creating the right mood for the song to follow. More time given to developing the comic style and pace of these narratives would put this aspect of the show on par with the extremely impressive voice talent Morrison possesses.

Morrison is supported on stage by two muscled back-up dancers whose costumes are just as revealing and androgynous as his. They subtly enhance Morrison’s own self-confessed “unusual appearance” and add a level of vulnerability and fragility to him.  The costume changes, including some brilliant hats, are fun, sexy and imaginative. While some of the choreography was not as smooth and fluid as it could be at this performance, the duo play the part of the sexy eye candy well.

Cougar Morrison’s RAWWR! is bound to warrant your attention with the artist’s strong stage presence and amazing voice that can take on any song. Ultimately RAWWR! Is an enjoyable Fringe 2015 show that deals with sexuality and contemporary life with a classic-songs twist.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne

Season: Until 20 September | 10pm

Tickets: $20 Full

Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Red Stitch Presents DETROIT

Neighbourly dangers unleashed

By Narelle Wood

I’ll be honest, I knew very little about Lisa D’Amour’s Detroit going in. I expected something gritty in keeping with my impressions of the city, and my previous experiences of Red Stitch productions had always been positive. In both cases, Detroit didn’t disappoint.

Detroit

The play is set in the backyards of two adjoining houses in what at one stage promised to be a housing estate with neighbours friendly enough to borrow cups of sugar from one another. When Kenny and Sharon move next-door, Mary and Ben take the opportunity to get to know their neighbours, a friendship is forged and things slowly spiral out of control. There is impending doom from the beginning; Mary and Ben are struggling with the economic downturn, Kenny and Sharon are not long out of rehab, and all four are looking for a way through their lives.

The tragedy in Detroit comes from Lisa D’Amour’s characters, rather than a set of tragic events. Mary (Sarah Sutherland), Ben (Brett Cousins), Kenny (Paul Ashcroft) and Sharon (Ngaire Dawn Fair) are complex in both the characters themselves and the relationships they forge with each other. But the complexities are restrained; it is a slow reveal of the different characters’ traits that leads to the tragic ends.. Upon entering the theatre the list of warnings about the content is extensive, but they are not overtly portrayed. Under Tanya Dickson’s direction, the cast create nuanced performances, striking a balance between overt friendly neighbours and the dark secrets the characters are hiding.

The small space of Red Stitch Actors Theatre doesn’t afford much opportunity for set changes, so the transitions between scenes are managed through multi-media projections of the suburbs and contrasting techno night-club music. The combination is jarring and reinforces the unlikeliness of the friendship between the two couples. The lighting and projections are at times eerie, especially when all four characters finally let go of their inhibitions.

Detroit is intriguing, disturbing and slightly nostalgic (thanks to Chris Wallace’s brief appearance to reminisce about the neighbourhoods of yesteryear). If you are looking to stretch your theatre repertoire this would be a good introduction to the darker side of entertainment; gritty, without the hyperbole.

Venue: Red Stitch Actors Theatre, Rear 2 Chapel St, St Kilda East
Season: Until 26th September, 8pm, 6.30pm Sundays, 3pm Saturday matiness
Tickets: Full $45| Conc $37
Bookings: redstitch.net

Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: The Intergalactic Nemesis

Irrepressible and impressive fun

By Rachel Holkner

It is difficult to describe The Intergalactic Nemesis. Is it a traditional radio play, but with pictures? A graphic novel plus sound effects? A troupe of storytellers with a piano and a laptop? They introduce themselves as a “Live-Action Graphic Novel” but this performance is so much more than that. With a history reminiscent of other science-fiction radio dramas adapted for stage or screen (Orson Welles, Douglas Adams), The Intergalactic Nemesis the stage show is adapted from a stage play, in turn adapted from a radio drama and now also available as a comic book and video series on Youtube. So does the story itself warrant this multi-media attention?

The Intergalactic Nemesis

It’s a traditional tale of alien invasion set in 1933 with a mismatched team of heroes destined to save the Earth. But it’s not the story that will draw you to see this show: it’s the unusual production, the performance and the promise of “awesome”. On stage is a table of mysterious objects, a laptop, and a piano. Through projected illustrations, an improvised soundtrack and live sound effects the story unfolds across space and time.

The three actors Rachel Landon, Christopher Lee Gibson and Brock England are a delight in hamming up their somewhat stereotypical roles as characters in this 1930s sci-fi mystery story. If there had been any sets they would have been chewed to pieces by these enthusiastic performers. Having the 1,200 illustrations projected behind the players, with the computer being on stage, gave an air of being shown a giant Powerpoint presentation. The art matched the atmosphere perfectly, yet I felt it wasn’t always necessary as the action on stage was much more appealing.

With over half a dozen parts each, the trio not only spoke their lines but acted out their roles as much as standing behind a microphone allowed them .Accompanist Harlan Hodges very successfully fleshes out the show with a wide variety of mood music, trills and stings on the piano, yet it is foley artist Kelly Matthews who steals the show.

Even watching her prepare various props for upcoming scenes was fascinating as you’re kept wondering what each strange object might be used for. Concrete blocks, sheets of plastic, odd packets and tubes make a huge variety of creative sound effects. A small box of macaroni shaken in just the right way makes for a very compelling steam train chuffing along.

Some of the 1930’s-style jokes unfortunately fall a little flat as they don’t always translate for a modern Australian audience, and there was a big deal made about audience participation during the lengthy introduction which did not quite eventuate as it might if it were a broadcast performance. I can see this working much better with a larger audience of children than the sedate evening performance I attended.

The greatest highlight were the moments when the show became self-referential: when the performers played wonderfully off one another. Most of these moments felt very well-practised however and are in danger of becoming stale. The projected comic images keep the show running exactly to schedule and are unfortunately somewhat limiting as they remove the opportunity for the actors and sound artists, who know their roles so well, to improvise and add freshness to the performance.

Nonetheless, The Intergalactic Nemesis is a terrific family show, highly entertaining and warmly recommended for people who like to know how things work behind the scenes.

See more at http://www.theintergalacticnemesis.com
Dates: 9 – 13 September 2015
Tickets: $30-$45
Venue: Arts Centre Playhouse