Tag: Justin Bieber

Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On September 16, 2012September 16, 2012

Review: POLLY’S PARTY at La Mama

Become part of the party!

By Myron My

Upon entering Polly’s Party you are asked to make a choice. Do you want to be inside Polly’s Party or outside Polly’s Party? My friend and I instantly decided to be inside Polly’s Party, not quite sure what that would entail.

We are taken away from the rest of the audience and to a white room with eight green stools, a projector, Lady Gaga music playing and the lady herself, Polly (Renae Shadler). Dressed in bright-multicoloured tights and a sexy, silver “spacesuit” top to rival Gaga, Polly greets us with punch and dance.

The outside audience watches through a one-way mirror and it is from the very beginning the idea of social media watching us and how we put on performances for our fans, followers and friends is explored. We are even encouraged to use social media to make comments, take photos and post videos during the performance.

A big variable for a performance piece such as this is audience participation. In my experience, audience members can be very shy about participating and of the five who did, two absconded to the outside party and one created a few awkward and uncomfortable moments for others. However, Shadler does not break character at all and it is obvious and admirable she has developed Polly so well that she can just be her without a need to “act” like her.

Polly’s Party broaches the subject of self-worth and how that has lately been defined through social media and our increasing need to create a cyber personality for the world to see. Her desperation to have more friends on Facebook and to have a higher Klout score than Justin Bieber touches on society’s crumbling wall of realism.

Unfortunately, Polly’s Party doesn’t really dig any further. It’s a fun and energetic ride with 110% energy levels but insight and depth into social media and its effects is lacking. Once Paula, a shy, introverted suburban Aussie girl, is introduced, you can see the sadness and the eagerness to be accepted into society and it would have been great to see more of that vulnerability and need explored.

Venue: La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond St, Carlton.

Season: Until 23 September| Wed, Sun 6:30pm, Thurs – Sat 7:30pm

Tickets: $25 Full | $15 Conc

Bookings: 03 9347 6948 or www.lamama.com.au

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Events, Performances, Whats On March 29, 2012

Review: THE BAD BOYS OF THEATRE are Not Quite Right In The Head

The boys are back in town!

By Meg Richardson

John Frankland and Andrew Strano are the Bad Boys of Music Theatre. And these well dressed, so called “Bad Boys” are back with their second full-length cabaret.

While their show last year declared their undying “bromance”, the boys have delved deeper into their psyches in this year’s show to explore psychological issues that are often found in the showbiz industry such as upstaging, narcissism, identity issues and many more.

This hour-long comedic cabaret has Andrew trying to help John to solve his crippling social anxiety by convincing him that he is a qualified psychiatrist. The audience is then taken on a journey of hypnosis, confessions and stories of daddy issues, childhood bullying and other would-be-sensitive issues of both John and Andrew’s pasts that have been stripped naked in the most jocular of ways. (We also see John literally stripped during the performance).

John and Andrew have a dynamic chemistry on stage that is apparent from the very beginning of the performance with Andrew’s manic energy and lanky physical comedy balanced perfectly with John’s firmer, drier (and considerably shorter) comic stance.

With a clever blend of silly banter, re-worded cover songs, original numbers and multi-media, these two men have created a pace that keeps the audience engaged from start to finish. The boys cover artists ranging from Queen to (a rather large dedication to) Justin Bieber so there is something for almost any age group throughout the performance.

The multi-media arrangement of sound and video was near flawless and the cheesy, OTT pre recordings added an atmosphere to the show that couldn’t have been created on stage alone. Among these recordings were mock-up music video clips, television drama clips and a view into the human subconscious which had the audience laughing, singing and dancing along.

On top of all this, the duo have compiled a number of original songs that showcase their not only their hilarious writing ability, but their excellent vocal talent. They have also utilized their pianist, Lachlan – for more than just a few punch lines, but also as a vocal accompanist to add further levels to their already smooth, well blended harmonies.

The pair make a dynamic team and their newest production is really a delight to watch. They may not be “quite right in the head” but this performance is quite right in almost every way.

Venue: Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel Street, Prahran VIC 3181
Dates: 28 March- 1^st April
Times: Wed-Sun 7:30pm, Thurs, Sat & Sun 2pm
Tickets: $25 Full, $20 Concession
Bookings: (03) 8290 7000, www.chapeloffchapel.com.au

Cabaret, Events, Performances, Whats On October 17, 2011October 17, 2011

Halloween Horror Unleashed: BLOODLINES – A Gothic Cabaret

It’s only a story…

Imagine, if you will, a cabaret composed of one part the cosmic horror of H.P. Lovecraft. The delectably black ironies of The Twilight Zone. The operatic madness of Lucia di Lammermoor. And the haircut of Justin Bieber. If your mind can conceive of such a nightmarish creation, it might yield something similar to: BLOODLINES – A GOTHIC CABARET.

After emerging from treatment for cupcake-related trauma, horror-enthusiast/formerly-disturbed child Bradley Storer brings with him a collection of delightfully demented tales rightfully destined for consumption on the eve of Halloween.

Unearthing the hidden gems from the crypts of his family history, the serenely sinister Bradley intertwines them with music from dark artists like Nick Cave, Tom Waits, the Dresden Dolls and the Decemberists.

Haunting The Butterfly Club for four performances, this gothic-indie cabaret playfully blends the boundaries between good and evil, past and present, imagination and reality into a sweetly poisonous concoction fit only for an after-dark feast at the dead of the night’s high noon.

Prepared to be amused, enthralled and terrified (often all three at the same time!)

Remember: Don’t be afraid.

It’s only a story…