Monthly Archives: July 2023

Review: Pitchfork Disney (Meraki Arts Bar)

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Venue: Meraki Arts Bar (Darlinghurst NSW), Jul 20 – Aug 5, 2023
Playwright: Philip Ridley
Director: Victor Kalka
Cast: Jane Angharad, James Hartley, James Smithers, Harry Winsome
Images by Clare Hawley

Theatre review

Haley and Presley are siblings who lock themselves up at home all day, indulging in chocolate and drugs, as they tell each other endless tall tales to pass the time. When Cosmo appears quite unexpectedly, we find the sanctuary suddenly perilous, as the stranger threatens to disrupt the household’s long-standing equilibrium. The many anecdotes shared by characters in Philip Ridley’s Pitchfork Disney are replete with fear and darkness, reflecting an anxious pessimism that no doubt was present during the writing process, although an ironic humour is certainly involved as well, in a bizarre work that proves to be as quirky as it is morbid.

The production is full of intrigue, with director Victor Kalka exploring the text’s curious nature to deliver, an experience memorable for its fascinating experimentations with the abstract. Kalka’s set design is noteworthy for its finesse and believability, and some of his costume pieces are wonderfully outlandish, if somewhat paradoxical for a show concerned with decay and dilapidation. Lights by Jasmin Borsovszky are effective in moments of heightened drama, but can sometimes be too abrupt in the rendering of an ambitious vision.

In the role of Presley is the marvellous James Smithers, whose brilliant performance as a man in a state of arrested development, keeps us on edge for the entirety. His work is beautifully measured, courageous and intelligent, and although seeming to be in total control for the whole 90 minutes, it is Smithers’ capacity for vulnerability that provides this staging its truest artistic merit. Harry Winsome plays Cosmo with commendable vigour, and along with Jane Angharad’s buoyancy as Haley, they create enjoyable dimensions for Pitchfork Disney that are commensurate with the play’s eccentric spirit. James Hartley too is amusingly kooky, when he appears late in the piece as the mysterious Pitchfork.

Writing can be an isolating exercise. For some, to hide from the real world is to delve into the greatest creativity, and to unearth the deepest secrets one can harbour. There is no question, that the outside is full of terror and dread, and one can easily be tempted to retreat into the innermost spaces for refuge, perhaps as a gesture of surrender, or maybe as an attempt for finding the greatest incontrovertible truths. To go inside is to access the most precious of human experience, but to remained closed off from the big scary world, is the worst a person can do.

www.virginiaplaintheatre.com | www.meraki.sydney

Review: The Turn Of The Screw (Seymour Centre)

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Venue: Seymour Centre (Chippendale NSW), Jul 21 – Aug 12, 2023
Playwright: Richard Hilliar (after Henry James)
Director: Richard Hilliar
Cast: Kim Clifton, Martelle Hammer, Lucy Lock, Harry Reid, Jack Richardson​
Images by Phil Erbacher

Theatre review

A young woman is hired to be governess at an English country estate, where she is to care for 12-year-old Miles and his younger sister Flora. The unnamed governess soon discovers strange goings-on and decides that the house is haunted. The children too are not quite what they seem. Richard Hilliar’s stage adaptation of The Turn of the Screw, is a savvy reframing of Henry James’ 1898 horror novella , that accommodates judiciously, our contemporary sensibilities. It is the same old story, but adjusted for the ways we now talk about child abuse and mental health. Thankfully, supernatural elements are very much kept intact, allowing us to enjoy both the realistic and the metaphysical aspects, of this spooky tale.

That amalgamation of period and modern styles, is seamlessly rendered by Hilliar, who as writer and as director, delivers an experience that addresses our need for a certain veracity in nostalgic terms, but with a rhythm and pace that is unmistakeably of the present day. The show moves quickly and boldly, switching from taciturn to explicit when required, to ensure that we invest in the historical context in meaningful ways. The production may not always hit the mark with its scary elements, but it is definitely creepy enough to keep us on the edge of our seats for its entirety, making us give full attention to the highly intriguing occurrences.

A very handsome set design by Hamish Elliot lures us into this foreboding domain, while efficiently addressing the many practical stipulations of the production. Angela Doherty’s costumes are assembled to convey authenticity, not just in terms of era but also of class. Lights by Ryan McDonald do a splendid job of traversing oscillating states of realism, able to engender warmth in one moment, and then swiftly switching to depict terror the next. Sound and music by Chrysoulla Markoulli are richly rendered, especially for the many instances of heightened dramatics.

Actor Lucy Lock demonstrates impressive versatility as the governess, believable whether doting and tender, or in complete panic and hysteria, beautifully nuanced with her interpretation of the dynamic role. Jack Richardson is sensational as Miles, with excellent humour and a knack for making every extravagant gesture feel convincing and appropriate. Kim Clifton’s exemplary commitment never lets us diverge from the notion that Flora is a child, thus raising the stakes continually, as the plot unfolds. Housekeeper Grose is played by a remarkable Martelle Hammer, whose prodigious range is showcased perfectly, in a play that lets her perform at ever changing levels of intensity. The irrepressible Harry Reid establishes a tone of devious mischievousness in the opening scene, and although appears only for that singular instance as the children’s uncle, proves unforgettable with his flair for subtle expressions and delicious timing.

When we talk about ghosts, we are opening the doors to pasts that yearn to be exhumed. In order for life to move on, so much of what we have encountered needs to be left behind. Trauma especially wants to hide away, in order that we may awake to every new dawn. Pain however refuses to be muted. It finds ways to manifest, sometimes in the flesh, sometimes in the mind, be it physical, emotional or spiritual, trauma always resurfaces. Ghosts may be an allegory for the return of anguish, but they may also very well be assertions of truths that simply will not be denied, come hell or high water.

www.seymourcentre.com | www.toothandsinew.com

Review: Sweeney Todd (Sydney Opera House)

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Venue: Sydney Opera House (Sydney NSW), Jul 22 – Aug 27, 2023
Music and Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Book: Hugh Wheeler (based on the play by Christopher Bond)
Director: Stuart Maunder AM
Cast: Kanen Breen, Jeremi Campese, Antoinette Halloran, Ben Mingay, Benjamin Rasheed, Ashleigh Rubenach, Harry Targett, Margaret Trubiano, Dean Vince
Images by Daniel Boud

Theatre review

Returning to London from exile, Sweeney Todd discovers that his wife had died by suicide. An unquenchable thirst for vengeance soon overwhelms him, thus begets Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The macabre comedy of Stephen Sondheim’s 1979 musical (with a book by Hugh Wheeler), proves once more to be sheer delectation. This latest revival under the direction of Stuart Maunder AM, feels refreshed and energised, delivering wondrous amusement as though no time has passed since its inception.

Set design by Roger Kirk is perfectly proportioned to draw us into its 18th Century depictions of disquieting squalor, convincing us that corruption and depravity await at every corner. Kirk’s costumes are appropriately theatrical, but they are also relied upon to convey authenticity while remaining practicable and flattering for the cast. Lights by Philip Lethlean move us accurately through the constantly varying moods and tones of Sweeney Todd, whether fantastical, slapstick, romantic, or horrifying, in a production that aims to have it all. Sound design by Jim Atkins adds layers of atmosphere to enhance the storytelling, as conductor Simon Holt brings drama and urgency to the very polished staging.

Performer Ben Mingay is irrepressibly broody as Sweeney Todd, commanding with his voice, but not always sufficiently agile in adapting to the shifts in presentation styles required of the show. Mrs Lovett is played by an exquisite Antoinette Halloran, captivatingly flamboyant but also precise in approach, ceaselessly entertaining, and irresistible with her charm, as she explores every nuance in a role that suddenly seems newly complex. Extremely noteworthy is the incandescent Jeremi Campese, who as Tobias Ragg introduces unexpected warmth and poignancy to an outlandish tale, leaving a remarkable impression as an artist admirable for both his technical and impulsive capacities.

People are dropping like flies in London town, but no suspicions are raised, as the populace indulges in improbably affordable meat pies. It appears to be true, that we routinely choose not to know how the sausage is made, preferring always to devour that which is pleasurable, and neglecting inconvenient ethical considerations. Our lives have become bounded by modes of consumption, in which we think only of utility, leaving the true costs of things to be left buried, as though the system of resource allocation is never going to fail. Even as reports emerge constantly about the dangers and failures of this way of life, we turn a blind eye, evidently resigned to our certain extinction.

www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Review: On The Beach (Sydney Theatre Company)

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Venue: Roslyn Packer Theatre (Sydney NSW), Jul 18 – Aug 12, 2023
Playwright: Tommy Murphy (adapted from the novel by Nevil Shute)
Director: Kip Williams
Cast: Matthew Backer, Tony Cogin, Michelle Lim Davidson, Emma Diaz, Vanessa Downing, Tai Hara, Genevieve Lee, Ben O’Toole, Contessa Treffone, Kiki Wales, Elijah Williams, Alan Zhu
Images by Daniel Boud

Theatre review
Even though the war had well and truly ended, devastation and trauma lingered in the minds of both victors and losers. Nevil Shute’s novel On the Beach was published in 1957, 12 years after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the Americans. It imagines a future in which a final explosion occurs in the Northern Hemisphere, with devastating effects of radiation gradually spreading across the entire globe, including Melbourne where we meet the characters of Shute’s story.

This new stage adaption by Tommy Murphy, feels as much a period piece as it does resonate with contemporary pertinence. The dialogue has a tendency to sound drily obscure, but Murphy’s astute condensation of events for his version, allows On the Beach to speak urgently to our modern sensibilities. Whether we associate the story with our renewed experiences of a pandemic, or with our present anxieties around technological advancements especially as it relates to artificial intelligence, the play taps into a sense of doom that seems perennially a part of being human, no matter the epoch.

That masochistic fascination with catastrophe is harnessed powerfully by Kip Williams, who directs the production with astonishing sophistication, connecting with our taste for the morbid, in quiet but intense ways. The narrative of On the Beach is a distant runner up to the gratification supplied by the atmospherics being administered, in a show that deals in the philosophy of certain death.

Michael Hankin’s set design bears a skilful precision that allows for a minimalist aesthetic to operate, using the vastness of empty space to trigger fears pertaining to notions of desertion and annihilation. Lights by Damien Cooper further enhance that sensation of isolation and of insignificance, that we understand subconsciously to be our minuscule piece in the real scheme of things. Costumes, delightful in a very 1950’s manner, are poised and hyper-gendered, as authentically crafted by Mel Page. Auditory pleasures are a real highlight of the staging, with music by Grace Ferguson delivering transcendent romance, along with Jessica Dunn’s sounds that keep us firmly in a space of mournful apprehension.

Excellent performances by the cast ensures our sensory, if not always emotional, investment into their show. Ben O’Toole brings a beautiful and captivating rhapsody to Peter’s increasingly maddening states of anguish. Mary’s dignity is kept intact by the illuminative Michelle Lim Davidson, who exemplifies a woman keeping it together, at the most challenging of times. Contessa Treffone is relied upon thankfully for the crucial lightening of mood, as the irrepressibly vivacious Moira. Dwight is played by a sensitive Tai Hara, every bit the old-fashioned matinee idol, but also unexpectedly touching at the right moments. Also noteworthy is Elijah Williams, whose turn as Swain gives the show some of its greatest poignancy, right when it matters most.

Grace and composure at critical junctures, even if they seem to provide no discernible function, are emblematic of the best of who we are. In this production of On the Beach, ugliness is worse than death, and is mercifully nowhere to be seen. Our tragedy is certainly of our own doing, and it is appropriate that we should endure it, with the utmost dignified serenity that can be mustered.

www.sydneytheatre.com.au

Review: Teenage Dick (Flight Path Theatre)

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Venue: Flight Path Theatre (Marrickville NSW), Jul 19 – Aug 5, 2023
Playwright: Mike Lew
Director: Dan Graham
Cast: Thom Blake, Amy Victoria Brooks, Holly-Jane Cohle, Gemma Dart, Keira Fairley, Rocco Forrester, Chloe Ho, Dean Nash
Images by Andrea Magpulong

Theatre review

When Richard decides to campaign for class president at his high school, it is as much an indication of his ambition, as it is of a thirst for revenge. Based on Shakespeare’s Richard III, Mike Lew’s Teenage Dick transposes the anti-hero to a contemporary context, turning the protagonist into a much younger man, but retains his narrative of disability. This excellent update from 2016, like the original, is both comedic and tragic, brilliantly constructed to have us shifting in our attitudes regarding the problematic central character. With its sophisticated methodology for advocacy, depictions of disability in Teenage Dick are never patronising, with Lew demonstrating an immense capacity for presenting humanity in ways that resonate deeply, without relying on cliché and convention.

Directed by Dan Graham, we are transported convincingly to Roselands High School somewhere in the United States, where the teenagers are delightfully rambunctious and disarmingly bright. Lights by Casey-Moon Watton and sound by Dean Nash are prudently rendered, to bring dramatic emphasis to key moments. Set and costume design by Holly-Jane Cohle are vibrant and whimsical, wonderfully charming with the visuals aspects being established for the staging.

Additionally, the aforementioned Nash and Cohle leave remarkable impressions playing Richard and Buck respectively, both accomplished and endearing as performers, on a stage that buzzes with constant energy. Amy Victoria Brooks as teacher Elizabeth, and Rocco Forrester as bully Eddie, are memorable for the accuracy they bring to their roles. Gemma Dart and Chloe Ho tell meaningful stories, about the challenges faced by girls as they prepare to grow into their womanhood. Thom Blake and Keira Fairley are endlessly amusing with the boisterousness they introduce, to remind us of that characteristic anxiety involved in navigating teenage life.

Our cultures seem very accustom to portrayals of disadvantaged members of society, as either long-suffering and noble, or despicable and Machiavellian. In Teenage Dick we are urged to consider our marginalised as being thoroughly human, with as many virtues and faults as anyone thought of as normal. We understand that Richard could have done the right thing, or the wrong, because the ability to go either way, is thoroughly and disappointingly, the truth about who we all are.

www.flightpaththeatre.org | www.divergenttheatrecollective.com

Review: The Hero Leaves One Tooth (KXT on Broadway)

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Venue: KXT on Broadway (Ultimo NSW), Jul 14 – 29, 2023
Playwright: Erica J. Brennan
Director: Cam Turnbull
Cast: Kira-Che Heelan, Michael Mcstay, Tom Rodgers, Cara Whitehouse, Claudia Shnier, Patricio Ibarra, David Woodland
Images by Clare Hawley

Theatre review

Neeve had gone through great pains, to remove the teeth from her vagina, only to discover that it all grows back after 5 days. In Erica J. Brennan’s The Hero Leaves One Tooth, the folkloric phenomenon of vagina dentata is explored within a context, that feels very much like our contemporary reality. It is the post-#MeToo era, and even our biology is acting up, with our bodies creating new ways of retaliation against the patriarchy. Cleverly conceived, Brennan’s writing is abundant in intrigue, but slightly deficient with its narrative. Even though dialogue tends to be excessively obtuse, its personalities are imbued with enigmatic charm.

Direction by Cam Turnbull revels in the surrealist qualities of the play, fashioning flamboyant gestures that deliver an enjoyable theatricality, although some of the comedy can feel forced and contrived. Set design by Meg Anderson needs greater consideration for exits and entrances, but is otherwise effective in transforming the space into a site of familiar domesticity. Jasmin Borsovszky’s lights are robust and ambitiously rendered, to depict both realism and something decidedly more nightmarish. Sound by Zac Saric and music by Alexander Lee-Rekers with Saric, keep us in a state of anxiety, for a show determined to expose our world for its unrelenting bleakness. Songs by Jake Nielsen add comically macabre dimensions, furthering a sense of the bizarre.

The cast is somewhat lacking in chemistry, but individual performances are generally strong. Kira-Che Heelan’s visible restraint as Neeve, conveys with accuracy how we deal with trauma in everyday life. Michael McStay’s exuberance as Felix is a comical study in a kind of psychological denialism. In the role of Sasha is Claudia Shnier, who brings emotional intensity at the moment it matters most. Playing Mark with pertinent generosity, is David Woodland who manufactures complexity, in place of simplistic adversarial relationships.

In The Hero Leaves One Tooth, we observe that no matter what mental gymnastics a person puts themself through, the body will simply refuse to pretend that feelings do not exist. Some injuries can be healed, but it requires investment into processes that are usually more extensive than we are ready to submit ourselves to. Pain is often a sustained and prolonged experience. The mind will do what it can, in efforts to numb, for temporary relief, but there is no meaningful displacement that can occur outside of a person’s being. Terror manifests, maybe not as belligerent teeth in the vagina, but the body certainly needs a comprehensive experience of the truth.

www.kingsxtheatre.com | www.ratcatchtheatre.com

Review: Forgetting Tim Minchin (25A Belvoir)

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Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Jul 12 – 19, 2023
Book, Music and Lyrics: Jules Orcullo
Director: Amy Sole
Cast: Jules Orcullo, Nova Raboy
Images by Clare Hawley

Theatre review

Jules quit her job and moved home during the pandemic, thinking she would take the opportunity to really develop her art. Just when she becomes exasperated about the lack of progress, an accidental social media post exposes her talent to childhood idol Tim Minchin, and things begin to magically fall into place. Jules Orcullo’s original musical Forgetting Tim Minchin is a deeply whimsical work, full of genuine hilarity, juxtaposed against an unrelenting and disarming commitment to emotional authenticity. Despite its creator’s many reminders that the story is mostly fictional, the musical captivates seemingly effortlessly, with its enchanting blend of comedy and heartfelt moments.

The show is hugely entertaining, directed by Amy Sole whose detailed approach ensures an extraordinary attention to nuance, so that we are seduced into the tiny microcosm of Jules’ bedroom, where a world of imagination and passion is allowed to flourish. Set and costume design by Hailley Hunt are rendered with accuracy, for familiar imagery that speaks on where and who the characters are, in both geographical and socio-economic terms. Lights by Kate Baldwin offer meaningful transformations of space, transporting us across various degrees of reality.

Most of the musical accompaniment is pre-recorded, and although arranged in the simplest style, the songs are never any less than thoroughly delightful. Along with a sound design by Christine Pan and musical direction by Andy Freeborn, all that we hear in this musical production, endears us to its central characters, making us understand and care for them, at every moment.

As performer, Orcullo is a magnetic presence, with an ability to access a certain inner truth, that makes her audience defenceless and entirely open to whatever may come, in this unpredictable journey. Playing Jules’ mother is Nova Raboy, whose remarkable capacity for tenderness and warmth, draws us further into the storytelling. Movement direction by Lauren Nalty gives both performers a sense of structured form and discipline to their physicality, to imbue a visual finesse that further elevates the production.

Forgetting Tim Minchin delivers laughter and tears, in copious amounts. It is an opportunity for emotional catharsis, but probably more importantly, it is an exercise in empathy at a time when we feel increasingly persuaded to become hardened and unfeeling. Orcullo’s work showcases a vulnerability that modern life is rarely capable of accommodating, yet is unequivocally intrinsic to the human experience, and foolish of us to neglect. With computers poised to take over every mechanical aspect of our existence, we should perhaps consider a great retreat into the essentially constitutive human materials, of flesh and spirituality; learn anew to celebrate an attention to vulnerability, and begin to strip off generations of cladding enclosed around it, leave behind what was meant to protect, but have inadvertently made us increasingly inhuman.

www.thejoyoffensive.com | www.belvoir.com.au

Review: Jailbaby (Griffin Theatre Company)

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Venue: SBW Stables Theatre (Darlinghurst NSW), Jul 7 – Aug 19, 2023
Writer: Suzie Miller
Director: Andrea James
Cast: Lucia Mastrantone, Anthony Taufa, Anthony Yangoyan
Images by Clare Hawley

Theatre review
In Suzie Miller’s Jailbaby, 18-year-old AJ serves two years for a minor offence, in a prison with the hardest of criminals. Another young man of similar age, but from a more affluent background, Seth too is breaking the law, but is kept shielded from authorities. It is a story about class in contemporary Australia, and about how we foster a culture of men behaving badly. The stakes are unquestionably high in Miller’s play, but a lack of tension and drama, makes the experience feel somewhat clinical and uninvolving. It is admirable that individuals are not singled out for blame, in an examination of our social ills, but for a theatrical piece, our emotions are unfortunately kept too much at bay.

Direction by Andrea James attempts to manufacture frisson, with careful calibrations of atmosphere, along with detailed supervision of performances. Isabel Hudson creates a marvellous set design that allows for depictions of jail visitations while also being effectively evocative of interrogation rooms. Lights by Verity Hampson are thoughtfully rendered to guide us through the numerous spatial transformations taking place in a show comprising short and sharp scenes. Music and sound design by Phil Downing, helps to deliver sensorial richness, almost making up for deficiencies in the narrative.

Actor Anthony Yangoyan takes on both AJ and Seth, excellent at locating nuance for each, and highly impressive in making the two personalities, distinct and convincing. Yangoyan’s concentration and focus are absolutely remarkable, with a presence that keeps us on his side, even as the characters turn alienating. Lucia Mastrantone and Anthony Taufa demonstrate great versatility, in a wide range of roles, all of which prove compelling and energetic. The quality of collaboration in the trio is gratifying to observe, in a production that boasts accomplished work from all disciplines.

In Jailbaby we can deduce that our system of incarceration is an archaic one, that seems never to come under sufficient scrutiny. It feels an old solution to problems that persist, one that should always be modified for improvements, yet seems completely inert, from one generation to the next. Even with unremitting advancements in medical and scientific fields, we remain hesitant to replace punishment with prevention and treatment, such is the extent of the entrenched nature of our systems.

www.griffintheatre.com.au

Review: Miss Peony 牡丹小姐 (Belvoir St Theatre)

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Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Jul 1 – 29, 2023
Playwright: Michelle Law
Director: Courtney Stewart
Cast: Gabrielle Chan, Stephanie Jack, Deborah Faye Lee, Mabel Li, Charles Wu, Shirong Wu
Images by Sherry Zheng

Theatre review

Lily is haunted by her recently deceased grandmother Adeline, whose dying wish was for Lily to be crowned winner at Miss Peony, a beauty pageant for young women of the Chinese diaspora. Adeline is determined that her granddaughter becomes part of that long and illustrious history, even if Lily is completely uninterested in having anything to do with that tradition. In Michelle Law’s Miss Peony 《牡丹小姐》, we see a young Australian woman of Chinese ancestry coming to a greater appreciation of her cultural heritage, whilst retaining her identity as a Western progressive.

The play is uproariously funny yet deeply moving, containing all the ingredients necessary for a gripping theatrical experience. It is additionally pertinent, that the work is trilingual (in English, Cantonese and Mandarin, with corresponding surtitles) and suited to all ages, thus creating a rare opportunity for multi-generational engagement. Directed by Courtney Stewart, Miss Peony is playful and chaotic, in the most charming ways. It eschews polish, in favour of something intensely endearing, notable for its subversive embrace of hallmarks of our cultural cringe, in order to institute a sense of pride, on behalf of a community weary from decades of assimilation. Kristina Chan’s exuberant choreography too, draws attention to that in-between existence, of living at once East and West.

A spectacular set design by Jonathan Hindmarsh takes inspiration from the unabashedly glitzy affairs of many minority groups, and along with an extensive wardrobe of evening gowns straddling the beautiful and the comical, we are emphatically transported to a different middle class, one with an unmistakeably novel appeal. Vivacious lights by Trent Suidgeest address the supernatural elements as successfully as they do, the gaudy ostentation of beauty pageantry. Music by Dr Nicholas Ng is memorable for the pathos it encourages, while Julian Starr’s sound design evokes complex notions of time and space, especially with its use of pop music from pre-1997 Hong Kong.

A whimsical cast tells the story of Miss Peony with exceptional warmth and verve. Stephanie Jack brings an emotional truth to Lily, allowing the profound centre of this farce to resonate quite unexpectedly, and indeed powerfully. Adeline is played by Gabrielle Chan whose mesmerising physicality embodies everything important, in this tale of cultural dissolution and of sexism. The exacting delivery of Charles Wu, as pageant producer and master-of-ceremony Zhen Hua, gives the staging a valuable sense of elevation, but it is his flawless instincts for live performance that most strike a chord. Also leaving an excellent impression is the spirited Mabel Li, who turns the youngest contestant Sabrina into a most disarmingly adorable personality. Shirong Wu as Joy is unsurpassable with her deadpan humour, while Deborah Faye Lee’s amusing animated style gives Marcy her familiar authenticity.

As the years go by, our sensibilities around the immigrant experience, become gradually less binary. Over time, we learn to be less derisive of the places we had escaped, and more suspicious of where we have come to seek refuge. We discover ourselves at an enviable position, of being able to identify virtues from contrasting epochs, knowing how to decipher values from a vantage point of having observed competing truths. Many will not understand how a modern woman can also be a beauty queen, but Lily inhabits those contradictions, and is only richer for it.

www.belvoir.com.au

Review: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 (Darlinghurst Theatre Company)

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Venue: Eternity Playhouse (Darlinghurst NSW), Jul 7 – Aug 27, 2023
Book and Lyrics: Dave Malloy (based on Leo Tolstoy)
Music : Dave Malloyl
Director: Dean Drieberg
Cast: Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward, Anton Berezin, Grace Driscoll, Zoy Frangos, Kala Gare, Lillian Hearne, Jillian O’Dowd, Jules Pendrith, Marissa Saroca, P. Tucker Worley
Images by Robert Catto

Theatre review
Natasha falls for bad boy Anatole, when her fiancé Andrey is away at war. Meanwhile, Pierre is undergoing an existential crisis, and hits the bottle hard. Dave Malloy’s Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812, is based on Part 8 of Leo Tolstoy’s masterpiece War and Peace, in which the novelist draws inspiration from a comet that appeared in the Russian skies, remaining visible to the naked eye for 260 days.

Malloy’s musical rendition is an adventurous work, memorable for its experimental qualities, even if its book can at times be frustratingly indecipherable. Directed by Dean Drieberg, the production is full of vitality, with a mischievous spirit that truly endears. There may be little to savour in terms of a narrative, but each number is richly conceived by Drieberg, in partnership with choreographer Brendan Yeates, to deliver an engrossing experience that talks to us on a visceral level, endlessly fascinating and unpredictable.

Set design by Tyler Hawkins provides a multitude of performance spaces, trying its best to accommodate a show that often feels poised to burst at its seams, with its irrepressible thirst for action and unbridled exuberance. Costumes by Nicol & Ford address the need for accuracy in terms of personality types within a particular historical epoch, but also satisfies our desire for something more flamboyantly theatrical, offering exquisite elevation to a story involving Russian nobility of a bygone era. Also very visually pleasing, are lights by Veronique Benett, who brings a sense of unmistakable lavishness to proceedings, unabashedly extravagant with all the embellishments being rendered.

Claire Healy’s musical direction is an outstanding feature of the show, exciting with its immense inventiveness, able to connect powerfully without relying only on conventional strategies of the genre. It is noteworthy that music is performed by the cast, who seem to be in constant motion, every artist completely dazzling with all that they deliver on this lively stage.

Grace Driscoll as Natasha sings every note with a delicate beauty, and along with the compelling presence she harnesses for the role, keeps us mesmerised and intrigued. Zoy Frangos too is thoroughly persuasive as Pierre, unforgettable for his honeyed tone of voice. The pair’s collaboration in the show’s final moments resounds with a rare transcendence, and is not to be missed by fans of the art form. Anatole is played by Jules Pendrith, whose excellent swagger has us simultaneously seduced and repelled. The soulful Kala Gare is remarkable in her magnetic solo “Sonya Alone”, bringing the house down in the production’s singular moment of minimalism.

Art offers exaltation, but not always in predictable ways. At the theatre, in this town, we are accustomed to a dependence on the content of stories, rather than the very act of telling them, to offer inspiration. On this occasion, the body understands more than the mind, and that is something we simply must learn to trust and listen.

www.darlinghursttheatre.com