Monthly Archives: March 2014

5 Questions with Jane Bergeron and Carrie Ann Quinn

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rsz_possessions_imageWhat is your favourite swear word?
JB – “Fuck-me-sideways”, it has such a lovely rhythm.
CQ – “Fuck-a-duck”, I’ve always been a fan of rhymes.

What are you wearing?
JB – Movement clothes – black leggings, black skirt, geranium pink T-shirt (& matching lippo), black and white polka dot bra, bare feet.
CQ – Usual rehearsal outfit – black leggings, black skirt, ballet flats. oh, and a neon pink bra.

What is love?
JB – Wanting the best for someone; wanting them to be happy; putting yourself second, or third…
CQ – Freedom to be who you really are, to show every strength and weakness to another person and be accepted unconditionally.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
JB – Lady Rizo in the Spiegeltent at that the Sydney Festival. She was fabulous! Four stars.
CQ – In January, I saw Grounded by George Brant, off-Broadway in New York City. Four stars. Wonderful play, brilliant writing.

Is your new show going to be any good?
JB – Come and see it and decide for yourself!
CQ – Absolutely. We would accept nothing less! It’s a real pleasure and luxury, really, to produce a new play twice in a year on two sides of the globe! As both playwrights and actors, we have freedom to refine the show; subtract and add things to fit the new space and the new country!

Jane Bergeron and Carrie Ann Quinn appear as the notorious Mancini sisters in Possessions.
Show dates: 26 Mar – 5 Apr, 2014
Show venue: King Street Theatre

Review: Heaven Help Us (Gherkin Global)

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rsz_heaven_help_us_sirmaiadscn8386Venue: Bordello Theatre (Potts Point NSW), Mar 12 – 29, 2014
Playwright: Keith Bosler
Director: Keith Bosler
Actors: Lyn Pierse, David Woodland, Orlena Steele-Prior, Emma Galliano, Tai Scrivener, Nick Radinoff
Image by Sirmai Arts Marketing

Theatre review
From Goethe’s Faust to Dudley Moore’s Bedazzled, the story about a man selling his soul to the devil is a motif that western cultures are more than familiar with. For many, the journey through life is nothing but a navigation between good and evil, so it is no wonder that another play has surfaced, in which a character explores those dichotomous choices.

Keith Bosler’s work is not an attempt to offer up something new to this discussion. In his writing and direction, Bosler is an exorcist, determined to get to a conclusion where irrefutable goodness exists, and it triumphs in the form of romantic love. The predictability of his plot and obviousness in his story are disappointing, but the earnest voice we hear is ultimately a comforting one. There is an innocent, almost childlike tone to the show, in spite of the overt portrayal of Satan and his aides as lustful, crude and so very naughty. Bosler’s approach keeps the devil and his nemesis completely segregated, so the concepts of good and bad are never allowed to become complex.

The highlight of the production are actors Lyn Pierse and David Woodland who seem to be able to “sing the phone book”. Pierse’s God is ironically and perversely, the only multidimensional character in the show. She is simultaneously kind and caustic, and is keen to play with frivolity at every opportunity while also effectively poignant when gravity is required. David Woodland plays the devil with a lot of flamboyance. His work is filled with tricks and techniques to prevent the character from ever becoming too plain. Woodland is a highly entertaining performer, even if our devil here is written with little originality. The rest of the cast struggles to match up to these two scene stealers, but in the second half, Nick Radinoff comes to life with surprising and funny consequences, showing off considerable comic ability.

Heaven Help Us retells a story that is too familiar. It however does include an unusual transgender character Michaela, who was formally known as the archangel Michael. After years of doing good, she had transformed into the female form. The joke is somewhat reversely sexist, but amusing nonetheless. Grey areas are by nature controversial, but they are also much more interesting. There is no requirement that all art is made for controversy, but it should strive for something that is at least a little out of the box. The butterfly leaves its cocoon to take flight; the angel should follow.

www.heavenhelpus.com.au

5 Questions with Cat Martin

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catherinemartinWhat is your favourite swear word?
‘Bollocks’. Also, ‘balls’! (Thanks, Alan Ayckbourn). Say them. They’re fun, if only mildly offensive… but ‘fuck’ is satisfying too, and is usually the first word to escape my mouth when the wheels fall off. I like that it’s not gender-specific.

What are you wearing?
Black singlet top, lurid pink bra, cheap skirt from Rivers that I love for its hectic floral pattern and light-weight material. No shoes, as I’m embracing the early Autumn mellowness, and I enjoy the feeling of childlike freedom. A necklace that says ‘LOVE’ (or ‘EVOL’ if I put it on the wrong way).

What is love?
Uplifting. Inspiring. Heart-breaking. Humbling. Generous. Necessary. Beautiful. In a relationship, love is a choice that you make. And keep making. If you can. It’s been interesting, and essential, to explore and compare what love means to each of us as we rehearse Construction Of The Human Heart. I predict that we are all going to need a stiff drink after a few rehearsals, as we make ourselves vulnerable and share our experiences and stories of ‘love’ with each other…

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
On The Shore Of The Wide World at the Stables (Griffin). 4.5/5 stars. Awesome script, elegant and restrained direction, and beautiful acting. Bawled through the last half hour.

Is your new show going to be any good?
Yes. That is our intention and our passion. It’s an amazing play. But the audience will decide.

Cat Martin is appearing in Construction Of The Human Heart, with Apocalypse Theatre Company.
Show dates: 16 Apr – 3 May, 2014
Show venue: TAP Gallery

Review: Hilt (Mirror Mirror)

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hiltVenue: Old 505 Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Mar 12 – 30, 2014
Playwright: Jane Bodie
Director: Dominic Mercer
Actors: Alexandra Aldrich, Joanna Downing, Stephen Multari, Sam O’Sullivan

Theatre review
Jane Bodie’s script seduces with intrigue and structural complexity. Her characters divulge little of themselves, but we witness their interchanges at close range. At play is the way these contemporary Australians interact with each other, and we see how connections are formed in our modern lives. Bodie sets up what at first seems to be unconventional relationships, but over the course of her storytelling, we begin to question whether these are exceptional cases that we witness, or actually, a rare confession of common experiences.

Direction and performances tend towards naturalism, which makes Hilt “audience friendly”, turning challenging ideas into digestible concepts. Director Dominic Mercer succeeds in creating believable characters and communicating details of their stories, but could benefit from taking a little artistic license in expression. Real life sometimes needs sprucing up for the stage.

Mercer’s cast is a focused one, and all have clear trajectories with their individual motivations and destinations. Alexandra Aldrich plays Kate with a lot of graveness, which is an accurate depiction of the dark world in which she dwells, but prevents some of the dialogue from being more dramatic and punchy. Stephen Multari is effective in highly emotive scenes that require anger and frustration. Both actors seem constrained by the subtle and minimalist setting. Supporting actors Joanna Downing and Sam O’Sullivan provide excellent support and necessary lightness, helping add variety to the show’s palette of moods.

This is an Australian story that is as valid as any. It does however, have an unexpected sophistication in the incisive way it talks about family, marriage and sex. Nothing in the twenty-first century can truly be claimed as being unique to any cosmopolitan city, but Hilt certainly articulates a lot about what life today is like in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, etc. It provides a mirror into the things we do. Its accuracy and originality might be disorientating, but good art is known to do that.

www.venue505.com/theatre

5 Questions with Zach Beavon-Collin

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zachbeavoncollinWhat is your favourite swear word?
(Removed 9/9/2014 at Zach Beavon-Collin’s request)

What are you wearing?
Collared shirt and shorts. Suitably non-descript.

What is love?
Openness and vulnerability generated by complete understanding.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
SUDS’ Much Ado About Nothing and I thought it was fantastic. 4/5

Is your new show going to be any good?
Only if explosive death and dark Australian humour are your idea of a fun night at the theatre.

 

Zach Beavon-Collin is directing Quack for Sydney University Dramatic Society.
Show dates: 19 – 22 Mar, 2014
Show venue: Studio B, University of Sydney

5 Questions with Tom Stokes

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rsz_stokes-tom-2013-pic-e1380091246743What is your favourite swear word?
Fuck. So many variations and uses, ie: “All those fucking fucks are fucked, ay.”

What are you wearing?
I’m wearing some very loud shorts that are making up for the fact that I have no shirt on. It’s very muggy. The shirt I just took off, though, was an AS Colour t-shirt, shadow cut, navy blue. Available online or in store for $24.99.

What is love?
I think love is a simple word for a lot of very complex things. I think it means an array of different things to different people, so I don’t know that I can come up with a sufficient answer. What it is to me is the feeling I have with my family, with Liz Blackmore, with a few friends and with the Fremantle Dockers.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
Once In Royal David’s City. It was tops. I admire how much of himself Michael Gow is prepared to put into his plays. He’s a seasoned professional that still gets that writing what you know is very effective. 4/5

Is your new show going to be any good?
Ken Oath.

Tom Stokes is appearing in Music, from Stories Like These is part of Griffin Theatre’s 2014 Independent Season.
Show dates: 2 – 26 Apr, 2014
Show venue: Griffin Theatre

Review: Monkey (Creative Practice Lab UNSW)

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rsz_monkey-505Venue: UNSW Io Myers Studio (Kensington NSW), Mar 11 – 15, 2014
Director: Ben Winspear
Playwright: Les Winspear (based on the traditional Journey To The West)
Actors: Students from UNSW School of the Arts & Media

Theatre review
The enduring tale of Journey To The West is one of enlightenment and aspiration. It is also about mentoring, development and progression, all of which come together to make Les Winspear’s contemporary retelling of Monkey a natural thematic choice for a production involving young people. The characters in the story are mischievous, imperfect and unafraid of failure. This serves as great catalyst for students to approach their play with a sense of playfulness and daring.

Director Ben Winspear’s style is brave and bold. He is faithful to the story, but is audacious in vision. Rules are made to be broken, and one is tempted to conclude that rule-breaking is a method he cherishes when creating magic in the theatre. Or perhaps, it is simply his outrageous imagination that reaches beyond convention and the predictable, into a space that feels refreshing and original for contemporary audiences. Indeed, the director’s ability at materialising the fantastical details of Monkey, not only gives us a work that is dynamic and highly amusing, it provides a safe and spacious springboard for his student actors to experiment and perform. The wildness of this world they create, encourages lively expression but also comprises a healthy protection for those who need it. This is a stage so full of colour and vigour that nothing can look out of place.

Design is excellent. All aspects, from costume and props, to set, sound and lighting are thoughtful, inventive and confidently executed. It is by no means a show about polished production values, but what this crew achieves with a minuscule budget in the most basic of venues, is impressive. It is a beautiful collaboration of disciplines that works together to tell a story with clarity, wonder, and a lot of fun.

All performers appear to be students. It is a big cast, with varying degrees of ability, but unified by a common level of enthusiasm and commitment. Some seem to be appearing on stage for the very first time, and others are brazen and ambitious. Most are allowed their moment in the sun, and each bask in their own, in idiosyncratic, joyful ways. There are performers who impress with their use of voice, and some with their dance. Actors who charm us with comic timing, as well as those with outstanding physicality, and presence so strong, they steal our attention for a second or two.

Although Monkey and his friends reach a penultimate moment of glory, what we remember most after all the dust has settled, are his qualities of mischief and joy. We often forget the importance of the light, for the weight of darkness makes for easy victories, especially in the arts. It is unimportant what the scriptures at the end of Monkey may contain, if the journey that is taken fills itself with all that is gallant, and good.

https://sam.arts.unsw.edu.au

5 Questions with Sonya Kerr

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sonyakerrWhat is your favourite swear word?
Bollocks. It’s fabulous to say, can be used for a variety of circumstances and you can add extra words to it to make it a positive i.e. the dog’s bollocks.

What are you wearing?
A Superman t-shirt, jeans and combat boots. Coz that’s how I roll!

What is love?
Baby don’t hurt me….sorry. Seriously though, love is sharing the last glass of wine.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
Technically, the last I saw was actually on digitaltheatre.com – and it was Private Lives. 5 stars. (is that cheating?)

Is your new show going to be any good?
It’s going to be the dog’s bollocks!!

Sonya Kerr is appearing in A Moment On The Lips, with Mad March Hare Theatre Company.
Show dates: 25 Mar – 12 Apr, 2014
Show venue: The Old Fitzroy Hotel