Author Archives: Suzy Wrong

5 Questions with Nathan Lovejoy

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rsz_nathan_lovejoy_from_clybourne_park_168_1What is your favourite swear word?
Shit that’s a tough one. Cunt? Gets a run in Clybourne Park and I love that it’s head and shoulders above other swear words, in that it’s deemed more offensive – which is odd to me.

What are you wearing?
I’ve been test driving some verrrrrry low crotch jeans I have to wear in the show. Getting used to them, might even buy them after!

What is love?
Baby don’t hurt me. Don’t hurt me no more.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
Well I’ll go with the best thing I’ve seen this year, so far… Sport for Jove’s Cyrano De Bergerac. Damian Ryan is a genius and so is his cast. 5 stars.

Is your new show going to be any good?
I hope so. It’s an amazing play that’s played around the world and won a swag of awards. I hope we do it justice and that cunts like it.

Nathan Lovejoy is starring in Clybourne Park.
Show dates: 13 Mar – 19 Apr, 2014
Show venue: Ensemble Theatre

Review: Everything I Know I Learnt From Madonna (Tunks Productions / Sydney Independent Theatre Company)

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rsz_1899685_623939144321658_1856255859_oVenue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Feb 18 – 22, 2014
Playwright: Wayne Tunks
Director: Fiona Hallenan-Barker
Actor: Wayne Tunks
Image by Katy Green Loughrey

Theatre review
Madonna, the pop star, means many things to many people. Like many brassy women in the public eye, she is regarded by gay communities as an icon. An outspoken proponent of the gay movement since the early 1990s, it is understandable that her place with LGBT people has endured the years. In this one-man play by Wayne Tunks, he talks about his obsession with Madonna in the introduction, then goes on to share with us his stories of coming out and relationships with various men, liberally quoting lyrics by his hero at every available opportunity. His script is an interesting one. It is almost as if Tunks is unable to verbalise his thoughts and feelings without the aide of Madonna songs, so her words keep appearing in his monologue, sometimes seamlessly, sometimes a little forced, but it is no doubt that his admiration is beyond skin deep, and that her work actually provides a space of solace. It looks a lot like religion.

Tunks is an actor full of vigour. He appears on stage and is determined to seize your attention, and for the entirey of his performance, we pay close attention to his stories. It helps that Tunks’ voice is commanding and versatile. It is naturalistic acting but there is definitely not a hint of mumbling, everything is said loud and clear, which is fortunate as the bareness of the staging and minimal direction of the near two hour work, leave nothing else for Tunks and his audience to hold on to.

The show overflows with earnestness. For a seemingly shallow premise of pop star fandom, it contains no irony and very little frivolity. We are presented love stories with a string of men, Sean, Warren, Guy, Jesus, and (presumably) Brahim. They are not particularly colourful events, in fact, slightly mundane. There isn’t really a set up of context, just a man keen to share with a captive crowd, and we are inspired by his fighting spirit that never gets dampened by failed relationships. He keeps getting back in business as though nothing’s better than more because ultimately, what can you lose?

“You’re never gonna see me standin’ still, I’m never gonna stop ’till I get my fill” (Over And Over, Madonna 1984).

www.tunks.com.au

Review: The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me (Lambert House Enterprises)

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rsz_1796028_10202558976807602_539984011_oVenue: Ginger’s Oxford Hotel (Darlinghurst NSW), Feb 19 – 27, 2014
Playwright: David Drake
Director: Kynan Francis
Actors: Ben Hudson, James Wright

Theatre review
American playwright and actor David Drake’s 1994 one-man play is revived to coincide with the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras 2014 season. This time, Australian director Kynan Francis casts two actors, makes several updates to the script, and chooses a cabaret style venue to stage a radical re-telling of a piece of radical writing. Drake’s work from the post-ACT UP era was fresh and optimistic, arriving at a time when the shock of the AIDS epidemic had begun to subside, and communities were galvanised and empowered. A new gay identity had emerged, characterised by a buoyancy that had previously remained elusive. The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me is an important work that represents this transformation. It remembers the horrors of a time of closeted secrecy and overt persecution, but articulates a vision of the future of equality and emancipation.

Ben Hudson is the more sure footed of both actors. He exhibits a close affiliation with the themes of the work, with a performance that is stirringly passionate and authentic. There is no question that Hudson would have been able to carry the show on his own, but Francis’ decision to partner him up is not an unwise one. While James Wright is less experienced, he holds his own. Like a young brother following closely behind, he completes the picture, and adds more to the production that is immediately evident. Both are brave yet vulnerable, and both understand the weightiness of the material they have taken on. There is a lot of careful reverence and sensitivity in this production, giving it an uplifting and beautiful spirituality.

Francis’ direction is deep and meaningful. His thorough familiarity with the script and its contexts ensures that every scene, moment and nuance is depicted with emotional accuracy and poignancy, and with political impact. The use of two actors effectively portrays the bonds between gay men, as brothers, lovers and compatriots. Some of this work is very moving. There is also technical brilliance on show, particularly with the performance of an extended section set against music. For a production of such small scale, it is surprisingly, and impressively, well rehearsed.

In 1994, the idea that all adults will one day be able to marry equally in the eyes of the law was hard to imagine. Our battles today might feel arduous and frustrating, but The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me shows just how far our society has progressed. The play ends in the year 2020, when Oklahoma becomes the final USA state to legalise same-sex marriage. We are now 6 years away from that fictitious moment, and things seem altogether more hopeful and brighter than ever before.

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5 Questions with Ben Winspear

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rsz_benwinspearWhat is your favourite swear word?
Aaghfufuuugenwhoputthatbloodythere?The noise you make when you step on a toy with bare feet in the dark.

What are you wearing?
I lost my favourite tracky dacks… So I’m rehearsing in something that looks a lot like a pair of old Qantas pyjamas.

What is love?
When you hear your daughter say in her sleep “I have the best dad in the whole world.”

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
Jump For Jordan, Griffin Theatre. There are six wonderful performers in this beautiful, funny mirage, all of them stars.

Is your new show going to be any good?
If you enjoy your demonic possession, WWE wrestling and pole dancing with a dash of Daoism, you’ll probably feel right at home.

Ben Winspear is directing UNSW students in their production of Monkey – An Epic Tale of Cosmic Struggle.
Show dates: 11 – 15 Mar, 2014
Show venue: Io Myers Studio, UNSW

Review: Desperate Houseboys (Matthew Management / Neil Gooding Productions)

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despboysVenue: Seymour Centre (Chippendale NSW), Feb 18 – 28, 2014
Playwrights: Cole Escola, Jeffery Self
Directors: Christian Coulson
Performers: Cole Escola, Jeffery Self

Theatre review
It takes a certain amount of gall and audacity to present a work that is entirely frivolous. Theatre practitioners are rarely able to look at their work as purely entertainment, while having no concern for conventions and audience expectations. Cole Escola and Jeffery Self’s Desperate Houseboys is creative, original, irreverent and wild. It is Generation Y post-modernism, attacking the notion of comedy with constant references to popular, theatre and gay culture, with the aide of theatrical structures that shift throughout the hour. It is like John Waters, only a lot younger.

Cole Escola and Jeffery Self do not seem to take themselves seriously. There are no discernible politics, and no obvious ambition to their work, but their supreme confidence in their niche is rare and admirable. Their undeniable talent is thoroughly utilised in this production, but it is within their comfort zones that the action takes place. It is high camp and highly amusing, without a need to try being too clever. Maybe because these young men are already extremely clever.

Their performance is energetic, with a manic silliness that characterises their persona and show. Like all great comic duos, the chemistry that exists between Escola and Self is bewilderingly powerful. Escola is more animated of the two, but Self is hardly the Dean Martin in this relationship. Both are outlandish and ridiculous, and it is this meeting of likeness that creates their success. It can be argued that their work requires these same qualities from its audience. This is a show about inside jokes, not necessarily with its themes, but in tone. Desperate Houseboys appeals to a specific sense of humour, one which is neither mainstream nor common. This would then mean that what Escola and Self have here is pure comedy gold for the right audience, but for others, quite possibly the opposite.

Presented as part of the Mardi Gras festival, the question remains whether Escola and Self are too offbeat for the target audience. With LGBT liberation in Sydney entering its fifth decade, and so many advances made in our sociopolitical lives, has the “gay community” become something too mainstream for this brand of madness? Have the Sydney gays gone too straight for a show about lube closets and overgrown twinks?

www.twitter.com/HouseBoysOz

Review: The Dead Ones (Vitalstatistix)

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thedeadonesVenue: Seymour Centre (Chippendale NSW), Feb 18 – 22, 2014
Playwright: Margie Fischer
Directors: Catherine Fitzgerald
Performers: Margie Fischer

Theatre review
In The Dead Ones, Margie Fischer presents a live reading of her own diary entries from a time of profound loss. Through her reflections, memories and experiences of the mourning process, we are offered an insight into some of the true fundamentals of life. Accompanied by photographs of family members and their home, Fischer’s story is inviting, engaging and universal. Beginning with her parents’ plight in Nazi Austria, through their migration to Shanghai, and eventual settlement in Australia, details of their struggles, as well as happier times, allow us to relate intimately and emotionally.

Fischer’s performance is a generous one. The catharsis resulting from her work is as much for her audience as it is for herself. Death touches everyone but it does not live in everyday discourse. Through Fischer’s meditations about losing all of her immediate family, we see what is of real value in life, and the meanings that are held in images, possessions, relations and places. We think about the things discarded when a person dies, and what is preserved by those left behind. Every mundane thing is turned sacred.

Witnessing a person mourn from close proximity and in detail, we cannot help but contemplate our own relationships. For the good ones we have, we think about gratitude and appreciation. For the others, we are inspired to re-examine circumstances and consider improvements. People often debate on art’s purpose. If art does indeed have a purpose, Margie Fischer’s contribution here is a noble one.

www.vitalstatistixtheatrecompany.blogspot.com.au

5 Questions with Orlena Steele-Prior

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orlenasteelepriorWhat is your favourite swear word?
‘Chupalo conchetumadre!!’ It’s one of the few phrases I know in Spanish.

What are you wearing?
100 denier opaque tights with reeboks and a stripy skirt and cardigan.

What is love?
Love is like a gentle sunny breeze on your face – it’s nurturing, compassionate and light.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
I last saw Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and enjoyed it – was demanding in parts though. I’d give it 3.5 stars.

Is your new show going to be any good?
My new show is going to be awesomeness! Funny, endearing, insightful, charming and sexy. Ooops did I just describe myself? 😉

Orlena Steele-Prior stars as the angel Michaela in Heaven Help Us.
Show dates: 12 – 29 Mar, 2014
Show venue: Bordello Theatre

Review: The Embroidery Girl (China Wuxi Performing Arts Group)

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embroiderygirl2Venue: State Theatre (Sydney NSW), Feb 18 – 19, 2014
Choreographer: Zhang Jiwen
Music: Zou Hang
Dancers: Zhang Yashu, Tang Chenglong, Liu Xin, Mi Xia

Theatre review
The Embroidery Girl is a balletic work that encompasses traditional Chinese forms of performance, along with a narrative based on a fable set at the end of the Qing dynasty in the 1910s. While its basic premise is a tragic love story, there is a pervasive and fundamental theme of freedom that provides a solemn resonance that grounds the production. The work does not consciously present itself as a Westernised theatrical form. Instead, we see a show that is thoroughly Chinese, but with a sense of evolution that is shaded by international influences. The work reflects the opening up of societies in China to external cultures, but without an urgency to lose their own.

The company’s style is operatic. The performers on stage do not sing, but there is a strong emphasis on portraying emotional intensity, not just with physicality but also with their faces. To Australian eyes, these are highly exaggerated expressions and do take a little getting used to. The production features four principal dancers, all of whom are charismatic and technically proficient. Leading lady Zhang Yashu is heart and soul of the show, and plays the tortured Xiu Niang whose predicaments are illustrated with rich and dynamic choreography over the 90 minute program. Zhang’s work is precise and powerful, with a luminescence that not only lights up the majestic State Theatre, but also supremely commanding. The ensemble is relegated to playing slightly more than scenery when supporting Zhang. The images she creates with her body and spirit, are sublimely beautiful.

Visual design is accomplished. Lighting is especially thoughtful, giving the show mood, romance and emotion, as well as efficiently and cleverly depicting time and spacial transitions. Costumes are not always elegant but they are effective at providing context and assist greatly with characterisations. Music is expertly created and performed but sadly, not live. Choreography is particularly strong in partner work where lyricism is blended with sharp, abrupt movement for a modern twist. Sections tend to be short, which makes the show feel energetic and exciting.

The Embroidery Girl is grand and fascinating. For Western audiences, its cultural difference possesses an exoticism that reads as colourful and distinctive. Beyond the allure of the unfamiliar, we relate to the universal themes of romantic love, and the pursuit of personal emancipation. Aristotle wrote that the purpose of tragedy is to evoke a wonder born of pity and fear, the result of which is cathartic. Xiu Niang receives very little of what she desires, but Zhang Yashu’s dance for us is inspiring and uplifting.

www.wxsyyjt.com

5 Questions with Sarah Hodgetts

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sarahhodgettsWhat is your favourite swear word?
Malakas (my one fluent word in Greek).

What are you wearing?
Brown sandals and a long floral dress with jelly beans in the pockets.

What is love?
Watching someone vomit and not wanting to find someone else to deal with the mess.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
Empire. 4 1/2 stars. It has everything: bendy people, bananas and a strong man balancing a feather.

Is your new show going to be any good?
Define ‘good’… if you mean a slick production then yes, but if you mean a well behaved show then absolutely not.

Sarah Hodgetts stars in Tidy Town Of The Year, from Sydney Independent Theatre Co’s 2014 season.
Show dates: 4 – 22 Mar, 2014
Show venue: The Old Fitzroy Hotel

5 Questions with Wayne Tunks

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waynetunksWhat is your favourite swear word?
I do love the F word, it is useful for so many things. And as a writer I love to give the C word to women, for me it sounds best when said angrily by a woman.

What are you wearing?
I’m about to head to a Hawaiian themed birthday party so wearing a very dodgy shirt that could burst into flames if I go near an open fire.

What is love?
A great 90’s song by Haddaway and also the theme of my new show. In fact one of the Madonna lyric quotes I use near the front of the show is, “I’m going to tell you about love”.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
James And the Giant Peach that I directed at Christmas featuring 24 students aged 8 – 12 years. I give it 5 wines.

Is your new show going to be any good?
Well the Melbourne audiences seemed to enjoy it for Midsumma at La Mama. And most of the show is set in Sydney, it’s going to be great to come home with this show!

Wayne Tunks stars in Everything I Know I Learnt From Madonna, part of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras 2014 season.
Show dates: 18 – 22 Feb, 2014
Show venue: The Old Fitzroy Hotel