Events, Performances, Whats On

REVIEW: Arts House Presents ENDINGS

Finding words about death

By Myron My

There is a familiar smell in the air as I take my seat at Arts House theatre space in North Melbourne Town Hall. Even though I can’t quite put my finger on what it is, it feels like rain on a cold, wet night with mist and fog in the air, which subsequently fits in poignantly with the show I am about to see: the show about death. In Endings, Tamara Saulwick explores our attempts to stay connected with loved ones after they have passed away.

Endings

Saulwick explores this concept in a very intimate setting with pre-recorded conversations with people who have lost loved ones as well as opening up about the death of her own father. These recordings and conversations describe not only the moments leading up to the death but the thoughts and actions immediately following. One person mentions photographing the deceased with family members and another recalls the shock of hospital staff at a request to bathe the deceased.

For those who have been affected by death, there are many emotions to be felt, and while most of the show deals with the nostalgia and sadness of death (the more ‘gentle’ of emotions), Saulwick also captures the fear and terror perfectly in a scene that, even though it lasts just seconds, lingers on for quite some time after.

There are numerous poignant moments in Endings, including the musical interludes by Paddy Mann. His songs are heartfelt yet simple with a soothing voice that brought up my own experiences of death and memories that seemed long forgotten. Approaching the seven-year anniversary of my mother’s passing, I couldn’t help but get a little emotional and once the lights came up at the end of the show, it was clear I was not the only one.

Speaking of lights, the lighting set and design by Ben Cobham is perfectly executed in Endings, capturing the profound mood and the themes of the show flawlessly. Spotlights appear on the performers, swinging lights cast shadows over the set pieces and the way the lights themselves move feels like they are spirits themselves, floating on stage.

Everyone will die. It is inevitable, yet it is also one of the most difficult things people can face. It comes as a surprise when death happens, as if we were supposed to be spared from this experience. Endings reminds us how to keep the memory and the stories we’ve shared with these people alive. It is the perfect tribute for anyone who has ever lost somebody they loved.

Venue: Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne

Season: Until 17 May | Thurs-Sat 7:30pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 5pm

Tickets: $30 Full | $20 Conc

Bookings: Arts House

Events, Performances, Whats On

REVIEW: Arts House Presents FLUVIAL

Hypnotic, evocative and engrossing performance

By Myron My

It begins with a single chime that resonates through the room. It lingers in the space, bringing a calming, meditative state over the audience, and just as it ends another one begins and another and another.

Fluvial

I can only begin to wonder how composer and performer Matthias Schack-Arnott even began to visualise his installation for Fluvial. It consists of two rows about five metres long, of various metal rods, aluminum tubing and glass bottles running parallel to each other. A number of bottles and chimes hang from above with fishing wire, seemingly floating in the air. The pools of water along the rows and the name of the show itself, make this “river of percussion” a sight to behold.

Planted between the two rows is Schack-Arnott, our sole percussionist. As he slowly travels his way down, he creates a variety of sounds, some harmonious and some chaotic but even these latter create a sense of stillness in your mind. He is completely in the moment and the focus and concentration on his face is evident. You get the impression that every single drop of water splashed out of the pool and every clinking glass have been meticulously planned by Schack-Arnott.

The lighting design by Travis Hodgson works very well with the environment that is being set up. There is only a low light following Schack-Arnott, with everything else remaining in darkness. The only exception to is the sharp flashes of light that are formed by the materials on display. The feeling that the past and the future are not worth thinking about and our focus needs to be on the present is prevalent in the piece.

It’s no surprise that Fluvial won Schack-Arnott the 2014 Green Room Award for Outstanding Work by an Emerging Artist. It’s an enchanting piece of work that allows you to slow down and not only truly appreciate what you are watching and hearing, but also reflect on the effect it is having on you.

Venue: Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne

Season: Until 17 May | Thur-Sun 6:30pm, Fri 8.45pm, Sat 3.30pm, Sun 4pm

Tickets: $30 Full | $20 Conc

Bookings: Arts House

Cabaret

REVIEW: Red Stitch Presents THE FLICK

Wisdom and wit as we watch the watchers

By Caitlin McGrane

It’s incredibly fitting that The Flick is playing across the road from the iconic Astor Theatre. Nestled in the shadow of the great institution, Red Stitch has truly outdone itself with this production. The show is beautifully touching in the way it employs humour and pathos to tell its story. There’s an awful lot of sweeping as Avery (Kevin Hofbauer) and Sam (Ben Prendergast) clean the cinema at the end of each screening. ‘The Flick’ itself is a small, one-cinema theatre that employs Avery, Sam and Rose (Ngaire Dawn Fair). Avery’s the new guy; he’s skittish and sweet, asking Sam, ‘What do you like wanna be when you grow up?’ Sam’s the old guy, with an unrequited crush on Rose, who’s so carefree she’s intoxicating.

THE FLICK
THE FLICK

The Flick sets the audience up like a fly-on-the-wall, watching the three interact with each other. As Avery slowly gets a handle on what ‘dinner money’ is and impresses Sam with his terrifying encyclopaedic film knowledge, the character is revealed as the emotional heart of this play and Hofbauer does a particularly wonderful job of keeping the audience on his side throughout. Prendergast’s Sam is wise and sensitive, played with no small amount of wit. And Fair as Rose is beautifully languid yet earnest: I wanted to go for drinks with her afterwards. What’s so charming about this play is that no one character is truly without fault, and it’s great to see how playwright Annie Baker has dealt with depression, suicide and growing up in a way that is truly sensitive and insightful.

The set, designed by Shaun Gurton is simple but extremely effective, and the cinema seats and projection booth were both very accurate. Lighting designed by David Parker was immersive as the audience played the role of the screen. Expertly directed by Nadia Tass, The Flick was a delight, and I left thinking deeply about the future of cinema and the people we interact with on a daily basis. It’s remarkable how much we get to know about the three protagonists as the play unfurls, and Baker has delivered a production that is sharp, funny and poignant.

The Flick is playing at Red Stitch Actors Theatre, Rear 2 Chapel Street St Kilda East until May 23. For ticket bookings and more information, visit https://events.ticketbooth.com.au/event/TheFlick2

Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Bitten By Productions Presents THE LAST SUPPER

Compelling tale of a crime lord and his cohorts

By Myron My

Being a leader is not the easiest thing. Especially when you are a leader of a mob group or crime syndicate and have to determine who is genuinely looking out for your safety and to constantly second-guess in whom you can put your trust. In Bitten By Productions’ The Last Supper, crime lord Dorian is facing these problems. What follows is an evening of truths being spoken, lies and deception being revealed, and an examination of the extremes to which people will go to be a leader and claim power.

The Last Supper

Dorian (Gregory Caine) has invited his most inner circle to a meeting: his “trusted” associates and partners. Those invited include his brother Brody (Karl Sarsfield), Madam President, Claudia (Ashley Tardy), the Head of Intelligence, Novak (Kashmir Sinnamon) and the Chief of Police, Vaughan (Christopher Grant). Once Dorian is finished with his interrogations, this may indeed be the last supper for some of them, as failure to perform their jobs results in death.

Gabriel Bergmoser‘s script has some great moments of tension, especially between Brody and Dorian, and the build-up to the conclusion is quite compelling. Bergmoser’s language is highly descriptive and the scene where Dorian retells the story of the pool of glass is so vivid and feels so real that the visuals created in my mind were highly intense. However, this narrative flashback feature is also the difficulty I had with the structure of The Last Supper: the many conversations about past events referencing at least half a dozen non-present characters. At some points, it felt like we were spending too much time focusing on the past than on the present, and not working with these interesting characters actually on stage.

With The Last Supper being seen as a conclusion to a loose trilogy by Bitten By Productions, I wonder – despite being told it is not necessary – if having seen Below Babylon and Beyond Babylon would have made this narrative easier to follow.

Sarsfield brings lots of emotion and honesty with the nervous Brody, who is eager to break free from the life of crime and be a good husband and father. As the story progresses, this desperation to lead a normal life is handled capably by Sarsfield. Similarly, Sinnamon and Grant do well with their supporting roles, each bringing their respective characters to life quite convincingly.

Despite some extremely powerful monologues, I felt some of Caine’s emotional responses as Dorian did not always feel authentic and his motivations and actions were not always clear or seemed to contradict themselves. Tardy does a great job as Claudia, but unfortunately fails to bring credibility to the character. I feel this is more a casting issue though, as she appeared to be too young for the role.

Less than a year ago, I watched Bergmoser’s Reunion and I saw potential in his writing. The Last Supper is clearly far more ambitious than this previous play, but fortunately there has also been a strong improvement in his skill as a writer. Even with the somewhat confusing and discursive narrative structure, the suspense, and the pay-off for the audience at the end, is worth it.

Venue: My Handlebar, 581 Sydney Rd, Brunswick.

Season: Until 16 May | Wed-Sat 7:30pm

Tickets: $20 Full | $18 Conc

Bookings: www.gabrielbergmoser.com

Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Malthouse Theatre Presents TIMESHARE

Excellent performances in eccentric new play

By Ross Larkin

Australian playwright Lally Katz is known for her offbeat, droll creations, and her latest effort, Timeshare, will no doubt please die-hard fans, though it is, as expected, an acquired taste which will not appeal to all.

Timeshare

Iconic comedienne Marg Downey plays Sandy, who is holidaying on a fictitious island resort positioned on the international dateline. Her lonely daughter Kristy (played by Brigid Gallacher) is vacationing with her, and looking for love with the likes of resort worker Juan-Fernando (Fayssal Bazzi​). Meanwhile, resort manager Carl (Bert LaBonte), is trying to sell timeshare packages to Sandy, while she becomes convinced Carl is romantically interested.

Touted primarily as a comedy, Timeshare unfolds more like a drama with the laughs thin on the ground. Downey is disappointingly responsible for virtually none of the laughter in, what is, a very sombre and vacant part. Naturally, however, Downey still delivers, although one might argue hers is more a support role than a lead. The rest of the cast also deliver – all equally as engaging and impressive in their performances.

The first half of the script is somewhat meandering and slow, with seemingly little purpose. Fortunately, the pace and stakes later pick up when the action is shifted to ‘yesterday’s’ side of the date line and the confusion which ensues reveals the sad truth of the situation.

Timeshare unexpectedly features singing and dancing throughout, enough to consider it a musical hybrid, though Katz insists it’s a play with musical numbers, as opposed to a musical. The songs by Jethro Woodward are appealing and often beautifully sung (in particular by LaBonte and Gallacher), but there are times when they seem ill-fitting with the story and characters, and the dancing especially is so self-aware and corny that it detracts from the show’s credibility.

There are some lovely metaphors which emerge here, and New York director Oliver Butler does mostly a fine job with this offbeat, peculiar piece, save for some of the more over-the-top, caricature moments. LaBonte’s solo singing finale about pools and chlorine for example, which, although performed incredibly well, felt like an inappropriate ending that seemed to make a mockery of the journey we’d just been on.

Timeshare is playing now at The Malthouse Theatre, 113 Sturt Street, Southbank until May 17. For bookings, visit http://malthousetheatre.com.au/whats-on/timeshare

Cabaret, Circus, Review

REVIEW: Spiegelworld Presents ABSINTHE

High energy, high drama and high expectations

By Myron My

In 2013, I had the good fortune to be working front-of-house when Spiegelworld brought its show Empire to Melbourne’s Crown Casino. I was able to watch repeatedly a troupe of world-class artists performing in highly skillful and often death-defying acts, which also proved to be an exhilarating experience for audience members. Fast-forward two years, and Spiegelworld have returned their Spiegeltent to the Crown Casino rooftop with their new show Absinthe.

Absinthe

Inspired by cabarets of late 19th-century Europe, Absinthe is a spectacular and intimate performance of burlesque, circus, song and dance with enough variety to appeal to everyone. However, given the theme of the show and the physique and strengths of the performers, there is also quite a bit of flesh on display and plenty of sexual innuendo and some not-so-subtle sexual humour by the hosts, The Gazillionaire and his sidekick Penny Pibbets.

Now I understand that, given the nature of the show, there is a need to be cheeky and funny and even controversial but for me these hosts lacked the warmth and the familiarity that was accomplished so well by the hosts in Empire. This led to some highly awkward moments, such as the performers pulling two males out of the audience and having them give a lap dance to a female audience member. It was extremely uncomfortable to watch as these men took off their clothes, touched her, and shook their ass in the woman’s face. Fortunately for everyone involved, it went relatively smoothly the night I attended, but looking around the audience there were clearly a number of people who did not find this funny in the slightest.

The acts themselves however were both mesmerising and frightening at the same time. Los Dos Tacos (Belarus duo Aliasandra Yurkavets and Andrei Sizonenka) and their dramatic parallel bars act was by far the highlight of the evening, with the artists performing extraordinary tricks where landing even a centimeter off would have proved disastrous for them and quite possibly for the audience. Another personal favourite was the Duo Strap dance routine by Americans Jacob Oberman and Maika Isogawa, which may have allowed our hearts to stop racing, but then displayed some beautiful moments on stage with aerial ballet.

Sadly, for me the high-wire finale by The Frat Pack lacked the suspense and ‘wow’ factor required to end the night on a high. There were stronger, more thrilling acts that were performed earlier in the evening that I feel would have been more suited for the finale spot.

Although it’s no Empire, Absinthe still manages to amaze, excite, and leave you with your mouth hanging open in astonishment. These are performers who are at the top of their game and it is probably one of the few chances you’ll ever get to see them perform. Despite its flaws, Absinthe is still a theatrical highlight of my year so far.

Venue: Rooftop at Crown Casino, Southbank, 3006.

Season: Until 17 May

Tickets: From $56.07 to $157

Bookings: Spiegelworld

Image by Mark Turner

Comedy, Performances, Review

REVIEW: Simon Taylor’s PERSONAL BEST

A personal favourite

By Christine Moffat

Upon introducing himself, Simon Taylor establishes he is a charming comedian. He is prone to serenading audience members, learning their names and chatting amiably with them from the stage. He lulls you into chuckles, and a more comfortable position in your seat. You smile, sip your drink and begin to relax. Once you are better acquainted, the content is riskier, but delivered suavely and with an infectious sense of fun.

Personal Best

Tayor is a writer as well as a performer, and has written for some big-ticket shows, including The Late Show with Jay Leno. His skill with words is crucial for his darker material to work when mixed in with his lighter banter. His fluid syntax is like good piano playing: unlike his piano playing, which is better that your uncle’s but not as good as your high school singing teacher’s. He tinkers with words to make sure they fit, to make sure you are surprised with them (a key ingredient to laughter) and to make sure you remember and think about them later.

However, Taylor’s smooth style does not mean his show is good for ‘all ages’. Your under-15s should probably do something else for the evening, unless you enjoy discussing curses and ‘adult’ concepts on the tram ride home. Taylor swears liberally when the story requires it, and writes a killer dick joke. Not despite this, but because of it, he is all the more urbane and funny.

In a storybook, Taylor would be Prince Charming’s wingman: the guy that shakes his head at his mate’s girlfriends, and goes to the State Library to pick up the geekyicious babe knitting a tea cosy. In an intimate comedy room like downstairs at The Butterfly Club, and at his Personal Best, Taylor is Prince Charming… if the prince was (a lot) shorter, had that Melbourne combination of romance and cynicism, and knew how to use hair product.

So, when you have the chance to see Taylor perform, take it. You will travel the world: discuss love, life, lust and death. You will discover just how diverse a comedy crowd can be (Antarctic honeymoon anyone?), have a bloody good time, and if you’re lucky, maybe even meet his Nonna.

Simon Taylor’s Personal Best was performed at The Butterfly Club as part of the 2015 Melbourne Comedy Festival. His next performance will be the FREE special-event, live-taping of his best stand-up comedy material on May 5: see http://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/simon-taylors-stand-up-comedy-special-live-taping-tickets-16745795124 for more information and to register for attendance.

Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Four Letter Word Theatre Presents THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE

A difficult play deftly and wittily presented

By Caitlin McGrane

Accents are tricky; in order to nail it, you have to really go for it. Similarly, playwright Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy can be tricky to pull off. The cast of Four Letter Word Theatre’s production of The Lieutenant on Inishmore hit nearly every mark. With the cast often rattling through the tight script so fast it’s barely comprehensible, it was like sitting in my grandmother’s living room when the whole family was round. The play is situated in the early 90s on Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands. Times are troubled, and the gloomy stage was set well against the lightness of humour.

The Lieutenant of Inishmore

We begin with a dead cat. The cat belongs to a man considered too mad for the IRA, Padraic (Conor Mission), who has set up a splinter group of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), the other members of which are increasingly concerned with his behaviour. His father, Donny (Brendan Macdonald) and Davey (Leila Enright) hatch a clownish plan to protect Padraic from the truth about Wee Thomas. Their scheming is interrupted by Davey’s sister, the peculiar vegetarian Mairead (Gabrielle Sing), and the other splinter INLA members Christy (Kristen Cunningham), Joey (Harriet Wallace-Mead) and Brendan (Clancy Moore). All the cast were excellent, but particular mention must go to Macdonald and Enright who provided the bulk of the humour, and really got to the heart of their characters.

There’s a brilliantly twisted darkness to this play that the cast really bring to life on stage. I really enjoyed the inventive use of ‘The Patriot Game’, an old IRA ballad that was sung between scene changes. Director Kevin Turner has done a fantastic job of bringing this difficult text to the stage. Stage manager Jeannette Tong, set designer Francesca David and lighting designer James O’Donoghue have united in designing a smooth, innovative set.

This wonderful production is playing at The University of Melbourne Guild Theatre until Saturday 25 April. For tickets go to: http://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/events/the-lieutenant-of-inishmore/

Performances, Review, Theatre

REVIEW: Riot Stage Presents FOREVER CITY

Sharp wit from young creatives

By Amy Planner

What does the end of the world look like? What will it feel like and what happens after? These are the hot topics that Forever City ferociously explores in this youthful post-dramatic production.

Forever City

Directed by Katrina Cornwall, Forever City follows a group of school leavers who begin to consider life after graduation when yet another plane goes missing and hints of end of the world start to form. The teens start question themselves, their world and life, as they know it, and of course, there’s a dinosaur.

Filled with inner monologues and fraught with cultural angst, this story studies apocalyptic ideas and doesn’t disguise teenage anguish as anything other than what we’re all thinking. There is no doubt this show is funny: there were spurts of laughter, rolling chuckles and an audible snort or two. It is witty, current and unique.

The performers (Ellen Campion, Mieke Dodd, Kes Daniel Doney, Kate Dunn, Yash Jagtani, Daisy Kocher, Alanna Marshall, Marie Mokbel, Amelia Newman and Jack Zapsalisare) a group of ten teenagers from the Moreland area with fresh faces, creative energy and novel story-telling abilities. There were a few stumbles along the way, stirred undoubtedly by nerves and excitement. Some second-guessing of their instincts was evident, but overall these spritely teens have real promise. The refreshing sense comes from the youthfulness of the performers and the fact that they don’t feel the need to be quirky or cunning. Their ingeniousness comes from an innocent place and even surprised the performers themselves at times with an unexpected smirk or two after glorious audience response.

The minimal set by Casey Scott Corless complimented the complexity of the story, as did the great use of lighting (designed by Suze Smith) both on stage and off. A little unbalance between audio levels and vocal projection at times, but the sound design of the show was interesting, pleasantly unusual and darn creative.

Writer Morgan Rose deserves props for her use of current events and cultural phenomenon combined with deep-seeded concerns and comedic elements. The messages the story was trying to send were stimulating but perhaps a little clouded; an unusual and unexpected twist left us unsure of the story’s aim.

Forever City is part of a new wave of contemporary theatre exploration taking current events and local news as the inspiration for a powerful story.

Venue: La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond St, Carlton

Season: 16-19 April 2015, Friday 1pm & 7.30pm, Saturday 7.30pm, Sunday 4pm

Tickets: $25 Full, $15 Concession, $15 Group Bookings (10+), $15 School Group

Bookings: http://lamama.com.au/ticketing/buy-tickets

More information: www.riotstage.com

Cabaret

REVIEW: Alex and Luke’s Make Your Parents Disappear

A world of illusions and trickery

By Beth Cregan

 I head off to The Melbourne Comedy Festival’s Alex and Luke’s Make Your Parents Disappear with my own trick on either arm – my ‘magic minded’ nephew (aged 8) and his worldly older sister, aged 11 (11.75 to be exact!). It might be hard to impress this techno ‘review panel’ with a few simple magic tricks. But soon enough, it’s clear to all three of us, that this show is far from simple magic. More than once, I jabbed my niece’s side and whispered, ‘Hey how did they do that? to which she just shook her head. Welcome to Spiegeltent and the world of illusions and trickery.

 Magic

When we meet the brothers, Alex and Luke, they are up in their bedroom, completing their magic school homework, when Mum reminds them it’s nearly bedtime. They want to stay up. (We want them to stay up too!) With a little prompting, the audience soon suggests that perhaps if mum and dad disappeared, bedtime would be a thing of the past. And so begins a fast paced, interactive narrative, where Alex and Luke race to eradicate one of the worse words in the world – bedtime!

Along the way they entertain us with an impressive list of magic tricks. Both of the boys attend magic school but Alex is not as skilled a magician as his brother, which adds some wonderful slapstick humour and funny antics to the show. Think folded, squashed bananas and tricks that go terribly wrong, amidst much laughter from the audience. You’ll find all of your children’s favourite illusions in this mix – card tricks, disappearing dice, coins that come out of nowhere, balloon animals and tables that dance metres off the floor. But some more complex tricks may take you completely by surprise. In the early part of the show, a mother from the audience gave up her phone for a trick (brave, I know). The woman is reunited with her phone in last few minutes of the show. It is snug inside a can of beans! Yes baked beans! (Thankfully the phone was in a zip lock bag.)

The characters of mum and dad are also plucked from the audience and made to disappear, only to turn up minutes later in the audience. The narrative is engaging and the tricks are seamlessly performed but what really impressed me was the high level of audience participation and the rapport the magicians developed with their volunteers across a wide age range. They say, don’t work with animals or children, but these two guys make it look like tremendous fun, despite the lights, the constant action, unpredictable audience members on stage and the endless line of tricks to perform.

So on the tram after the show, I ask my young reviewers, would they recommend the show to their buddies? Yes, is the unanimous reply; ‘Everyone should go and see it!’