Category Archives: Theatre

Review: King James (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Jun 7 – 29, 2024
Playwright: Rajiv Joseph
Director: Bali Padda
Cast: Aaron Glenane, Tinashe Mangwana
Images by Daniel Asher Smith

Theatre review
It was when the legendary LeBron James made his momentous NBA debut in 2003, that Matt and Shawn first connected. Over the course of 13 years, we see each of the pair’s lives go through ups and downs, as do their relationship, in Rajiv Joseph’s 2022 play King James. It is the simplest of two-handers, but irresistibly charming, with an intricately observed and authentically represented study of friendship, that communicates meaningfully and universally.

Direction by Bali Padda places appropriate emphasis on nuances between characters, always ensuring that the unspoken is conveyed with as much accuracy as the delivery of dialogue, in order that we may be entirely convinced of the depth and longevity, of the bond being portrayed. There are many moments that resonate with extraordinary intensity, as we are encouraged to reflect on our own experiences, and on the people who mean most.

Playing Matt is the captivating Aaron Glenane, who brings a wondrous creativity to his depictions of an ordinary person, as well as an effortless charisma that endears us to his dynamic storytelling. Also very engaging is Tinashe Mangwana as Shawn, persuasive whether delivering subdued or exuberant interpretations for his part, with a warmth that makes us feel a certain familiarity with the show’s situations and personalities. The duo’s admirable commitment to fostering a genuine chemistry, is central to our enjoyment of the piece.

Also noteworthy is set design by Ian Kanick, which surprises with its versatility. Rita Naidu’s costumes help to make the performances even more believable. Lights by Priyanka Martin provide the ideal amount of embellishment, just as Michael Toisuta’s music is able to introduce a greater sense of theatricality, at the right moments.

It can feel frustrating, that relationships with people and things that we care about, seem to ebb and flow, that they are rarely consistent in how they manifest. Matt and Shawn go through periods when loved ones become difficult, when their careers encounter challenges, and when their finances face pitfalls. Circumstances then turn around, and new phases of upswing inevitably take hold. This life is a rollercoaster ride, and much as we begrudge the hard parts, we also understand that if the journey never takes us to dark places, we will never see any light.

www.oldfitztheatre.com.au | www.instagram.com/littleripaproductions

Review: Chicago (Capitol Theatre)

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Venue: Capitol Theatre (Sydney NSW), from Jun 9 – Jul 28, 2024
Music: John Kander
Lyrics: Fred Ebb
Book: Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse
Cast: Asabi Goodman, Lucy Maunder, Peter Rowsthorn, S. Valeri, Zoë Ventoura, Anthony Warlow
Images by Jeff Busby

Theatre review
Roxy Hart and Velma Kelly were reality stars, before the advent of television. Americans were gripped by the hijinks of the two criminals, with relentless press coverage reflecting an obsession for scandal, long before click-baiting had become par for the course in the media business. It may seem some things never change, and so it is that Chicago the musical can still feel relevant, almost half a century after its initial staging.

In this incarnation, based on the 1996 revival directed by Walter Bobbie, we discover that it is not just the themes, but also its style that feels hitherto unsurpassed. From its Bob Fosse-inspired choreography, and the vaudevillian jazz score, to the female-forward representations of characters and relationships, Chicago seems to have aged only slightly, and in the most delightful ways. There is something intrinsically subversive about the show, that allows it to stand the test of time.

On this occasion, it is the ensemble that really delivers the goods. Each supporting member of cast is alluring and robust, proving themselves completely captivating, whether or not they are occupying centre stage. Lucy Maunder and Zoë Ventoura are the leading ladies, both demonstrating technical brilliance, although others with more powerful voices have certainly sung those parts to greater effect. Thankfully, the eternally dependable Anthony Warlow is on hand to deliver vocal perfection as the unscrupulous Billy Flynn. Also noteworthy is the winsome Peter Rowsthorn, who absolutely shines as the tenderly comical Amos Hart.

Women are constantly pitted against each other, in Chicago and in real life. We comply and enact repeatedly that narrative of contest and conflict, thinking only about momentary victories, and ignoring the perpetual state of failure, that inevitably results. Women embracing rugged individualism under the patriarchy, is manifestly absurd. Prescribing to anything that relies on the suffering of the majority, is plainly ignorant. At the end, Roxy and Velma are left to their own devices, and they realise that sisterhood is the only way to survive, and perhaps thrive. 

www.chicagomusical.com.au

Review: No Love Songs For Lady Basses (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Jun 11 – 16, 2024
Playwright: Sheanna Parker Russon
Music: Lillian M. Hearne
Director: Cassie Hamilton
Cast: Sheanna Parker Russon, Lillian M. Hearne
Images by Jamie James

Theatre review
Having transitioned fairly recently to living as a woman, Sheanna Parker Russon is coming to terms with some of the more practical shifts in the way she has to navigate her day to day. In No Love Songs for Lady Basses, Parker Russon talks about the lack of songs appropriate and available to her lower vocal register, in a world that is so resolutely gendered and binary. She discovers that trying to match her own conceptions of womanhood, with what is considered normative, is proving to be a highly challenging process. This of course, extends beyond the context of singing, and it is with these realisations,  that Parker Russon begins to question how a woman can determine for herself, the parameters of gender, which is itself a construct that any individual has to constantly negotiate, with their respective environments.

This discussion of what happens internally and externally, when a person is transgender, is managed thoughtfully in collaboration with Cassie Hamilton, who as director of the show brings an excellent sense of variety, to the tones, textures and sensibilities being rendered. There may seem a greater emphasis on comedy than is necessary, but the artists’ ideas are always presented with admirable salience.

Live accompaniment by musicians Aisling Bermingham and Lillian M. Hearne, provides energy and an enjoyable polish to the staging. Songs by Hearne and Parker Russon are replete with charming wit, offering valuable counterbalance to the more earnest spoken sections. Lighting design by Hana Truban is noteworthy for its accurate calibrations of atmosphere, along with the visual interest it delivers for the experience.

There is a profound authenticity to Parker Russon’s performance, of what one assumes is her autobiography. In embracing her womanhood, she quickly discovers the trouble with gender, that however a person tries, it is almost always an imperfect endeavour. We know that although gender can be affirming and gratifying, it is also an apparatus by which control is exerted. Oppressive systems have long relied upon our adherence to those norms, and on our acceptance of those corresponding hierarchies, for their machinations to prevail. This can only mean that although gender is hitherto ubiquitous and indomitable, we should regard it with irreverence and subversiveness, and always be at the ready to dismantle and redefine it, if only to remind ourselves, that much as we cannot help investing into it, gender is ultimately meaningless.

www.oldfitztheatre.com.au | www.instagram.com/transtheatrecollective

Review: Stolen (Sydney Theatre Company)

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Venue: Wharf 1 Sydney Theatre Company (Walsh Bay NSW), Jun 6 – Jul 6, 2024
Playwright: Jane Harrison
Director: Ian Michael
Cast: Jarron Andy, Mathew Cooper, Kartanya Maynard, Stephanie Somerville, Megan Wilding
Images by Daniel Boud

Theatre review
Stories about five Indigenous people from the Stolen Generations, interweave in Jane Harrison’s 1998 play, Stolen. Fractured yet determined, it remains an important representation of a collective trauma, one that is fundamental to the experience of being Australian, no matter one’s class or creed. Direction by Ian Michael is distinctive in its sense of quietness, although its power and impact are undeniable. Michael’s presentation of Stolen bears a meditative quality, almost reticent with its drama, yet none will be able to escape its confrontational and introspective effects. The poignancy of this staging is sure to be unforgettable.

A set design by Renée Mulder is based on the simple idea, of depicting the vulnerability of Blak children, in a space that demonstrates unequivocally, their powerlessness in the face of colonialism. Trent Suidgeest’s lights enhance the severe coldness of this brutal history, and James Brown’s music has us absolutely gripped by its melancholic foreboding. There is a sensitivity to these designers’ work, that cushions us in a certain safety, whilst intricately facilitating our observations of some truly harrowing events.

An ensemble of charismatic First Nations actors brings great courage and commitment, to this narrative of appalling injustice. Jarron Andy, Mathew Cooper, Kartanya Maynard, Stephanie Somerville and Megan Wilding may be required to delve into unremitting tragedies in their re-enactments, but it is their incredible resilience as individuals and as a people, that leave an impression.

The sensation of catharsis, that features so prominently in many offerings of theatre, is discernibly missing from Stolen. We continue to live on stolen lands, unable and unwilling, to come to a satisfactory resolution, therefore it is that corresponding feeling of unease and ruefulness that we find lingering, when the performance concludes. We are deprived of emotional release, because so much work needs to be done, before any of us can be granted anything that resembles deliverance.

www.sydneytheatre.com.au

Review: Dog (KXT on Broadway)

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Venue: KXT on Broadway (Ultimo NSW), May 24 – Jun 8, 2024
Playwright: Shayne
Director: Kim Hardwick
Cast: Laneikka Denne, Jack Patten
Images by Clare Hawley

Theatre review
One sibling has Contamination Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and the other has alcohol addiction. There is an admirable closeness between the two, but neither is able to ameliorate their individual problems, so maybe bringing a pet dog into the fold, would help things get better. In this extraordinary two-hander by playwright Shayne, with the simple title of Dog, dialogue is sparse and almost futile, as characters skirt around issues that are too hard to name. All that is important in the play, is conveyed between the lines, and as subtexts, in a work of art that relies thoroughly on the faculties of the theatrical form.

Dog requires our experience to be an intimate one, to feel as though we are immersed in the siblings’ world of unspeakable truths. Director Kim Hardwick’s ability to make us feel as though part of the action, allows us to read into the many nuances and complexities of the characters’ lives, so that we may form understandings of what they cannot articulate. Hardwick’s detailed manipulations of all that we see and hear, makes for a mesmerising ninety minutes, almost Australian Gothic in style and tone, during which we find ourselves hopelessly invested, in the struggles of these young people’s daily realities.

Production design by Ruby Jenkins takes us convincingly away from our inner city bourgeois existence, to somewhere decidedly more grounded and raw. With its unmistakeable coldness, lights by Frankie Clarke depict a certain unrelenting brutality, that the siblings have to face. Aisling Bermingham’s sounds are marvellously intricate, and exceptional in their effectiveness as a mechanism for storytelling, in a show that seeks to communicate in ways other than words.

Actor Laneikka Denne sets the scene with the most vulnerable expressions, of a person in the throes of uncontrollable urges, completely powerless against their mental illness. Denne’s depictions of pain, and of battling with pain, are persuasive and with a generous sense of empathy, that encourages us to examine these difficult situations with a corresponding compassion. Jack Patten’s portrayal of a man grappling with a severe drinking problem, astonishes with its realism. The danger that he poses to others and to himself, is a tension that suffuses the atmosphere, and that provides for the staging, its delicious sense of drama.

All humans are imperfect, but some of our dysfunctions are of an intensity, that they simply cannot be regarded as normal parts of any being. There is no real need for anyone to conform to social codes or normative behaviours, but when something becomes a persistent hindrance to a person’s flourishing, help must be made available and accessible. It is up to the siblings in Dog to decide for themselves, when enough is enough. When they finally open up to support and treatment, it is imperative that all the tools they need, are ready and waiting.

www.kingsxtheatre.com | www.instagram.com/wearenotproducers

Review: Ride The Cyclone (Hayes Theatre)

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Venue: Hayes Theatre Co (Potts Point NSW), May 23 – Jun 22, 2024
Book, Music & Lyrics: Jacob Richmond & Brooke Maxwell
Director: Richard Carroll
Cast: Natalie Abbott, Bailey Dunnage, Lincoln Elliott, Justin Gray, Ava Madon, Mel O’Brien, Karis Oka, Pamela Rabe (voice)
Images by Prudence Upton

Theatre review
In a purgatorial space, six teenagers have to compete as if in a talent contest, to win a second chance at life. The 2008 musical Ride the Cyclone, by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell attempts a meditation on existential significance, but its efficacy is questionable. The collection of songs is moderately enjoyable, with characters who are occasionally charming. Given the gravity of its premise, there is never really a great poignancy to be found in the piece. It is consistently comical, but its humour has a tendency to feel unfortunately trite. Direction by Richard Carroll, along with choreography by Shannon Burns, provide considerable amounts of energy and exuberance to the staging, although ultimately unable to turn Ride the Cyclone sufficiently engaging.

There is a sense of polish to the production, that demonstrates an admirable level of talent and skill involved. Set design by Benjamin Brockman is cleverly rendered, to evoke the esoteric, in a way that feels transportive, and fabulously theatrical. Costumes by Esther Zhong and hair by Ashleigh Grace, inspire an effortless whimsy that proves delightful. Lights by Ryan McDonald are commendable for their ambition and dynamism, but greater attention is necessary to keep performers illuminated in perhaps a more traditional way, so that we may connect more deeply with the material.

The cast is dedicated and vibrant, all of whom are charismatic, and convincing as seventeen-year-olds. There is a good level of precision to their presentation, if slightly predictable in their approach. The band is excellent, with music direction by Victoria Falconer bringing sophistication to the experience. Sound design by Daniel Herten helps convey the supernatural dimensions of the story, and video projections, also by Herten, deliver imagery that is noteworthy for its cohesiveness with the live action.

It is understandable that we feel regret for those who die young, but it should really be the richness of a person’s life, rather than its duration, that serves as the gauge of their value. Many of us can go on living for decades and decades, but few of us can claim to have made that time matter, and made this a better plane.

www.hayestheatre.com.au

Review: The Eisteddfod (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), May 21 – 31, 2024
Playwright: Lally Katz
Directors: Jess Bell, Miranda Middleton
Cast: Fraser Crane, Ziggy Resnick
Images by Monique Placko

Theatre review
Abalone and Gerture have reason to despair, and escapism seems the only way they can deal with things. Lally Katz’s The Eisteddfod plays with notions of reality, for a work that charms with its abstract approach, along with a quirky sense of humour that never hesitates to venture into very dark territory.

Directed by Jess Bell and Miranda Middleton, the show sings with an unmissable emotional intensity, whilst portraying the young siblings in a macabre yet endearing fashion. There is a lot to be amused and intrigued by, as we watch the pair’s bizarre activities unfold.

Lights by Aron Murray are sensitively calibrated, with a dynamism that provides visual interest throughout. Sounds by Zac Saric are deeply whimsical, effective in manufacturing a mesmeric quality that keeps us attentive. Also noteworthy are costumes by Kate Beere, for delivering a dash of colourful glee, to the adolescents’ story.

Actor Fraser Crane plays Gerture, with a memorable delicateness that emphasises the fragility of what is being depicted. Ziggy Resnick is cheeky and rambunctious as Abalone, always reminding us of the characters’ tender age. Both bring great creativity and precision to the performance, but it is the poignancy they introduce that is most enduring.

There is so much about existence that is intolerable. Often it is incumbent on our minds’ agility, to reinterpret circumstances, so that we can proceed. It may be that we occasionally fall into traps of delusion and avoidance, but as a survival mechanism, these lies we tell ourselves, may well be the only recourse available, if only for a moment’s reprieve. Reality is harsh, but with time, each individual does have the unequivocal capacity to grow stronger, and yesterday’s fantasies can then begin to make way, for a closer truth.

www.oldfitztheatre.com.au

Review: Death Of A Salesman (Theatre Royal)

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Venue: Theatre Royal (Sydney NSW), 17 May – 23 Jun, 2024
Playwright: Arthur Miller
Director: Neil Armfield
Cast: Aisha Aidara, Paula Arundell, Elizabeth Blackmore, Marco Chiappi, Josh Helman, Anthony Lapaglia, Simon Maiden, Ben O’Toole, Anthony Phelan, Grant Piro, Tom Stokes, Alison Whyte
Images by Jeff Busby

Theatre review
Willy Loman wants his son Biff to follow in his footsteps and take the conventional road to success, even though that journey has led Willy to great misery and discontent. It was 1949 when Arthur Miller premiered his seminal work Death of a Salesman, and all these decades later, it seems we are still persisting with Willy’s failed values and practices. The masterpiece may not have revolutionised the way we live our lives, but its resonances continue to ring powerful and true, even as we step into yet another new age of capitalism.

Technology is fast replacing humans in all manner of occupations, yet we have not discovered new methods of survival other than that which relies on the commodification of labour. People now acquiesce to paying for services provided by the very AI that are eradicating our jobs, such is the tenacity of our Willy-esque beliefs. There is no guarantee that artists are immune from that trend of substitution, but ample evidence suggests that humans will continue to make art, regardless of the form our economies might take.

Director Neil Armfield is the calibre of artist, that one would hope continues with his vocation for years to come, even in the unimaginable circumstance of our theatre industries being taken away by machines. For Death of a Salesman, Armfield has created a staging that feels surprisingly minimal in terms of its aesthetics, yet is full of tenderness, and able to illustrate meaningfully, the point of Miller’s writing.

Leading man Anthony Lapaglia is thoroughly vulnerable as Willy, almost painfully so. His portrayals of a man who has all but lost his spirit, is perhaps too realistic, as we see the actor struggling to bring vigour and focus to the performance. Other members of cast are fortunately stronger. Alison Whyte positively shines, whenever Linda is allowed to speak. Biff’s multitudes of frustrations are made completely convincing by a highly emotional Josh Helman. An unmistakably intense Ben O’Toole plays the other son Happy, with much needed verve to keep us attentive, to the intricate weaving of details in the Loman family tale.

Set design by Dale Ferguson takes us to the distressed and archaic bleachers of Ebbets Field, for a visual representation of Willy’s beliefs. Costumes by Ferguson with Sophie Woodward depict with meticulous accuracy, American city life at the middle of the twentieth century. Lights by Niklas Pajanti are elegantly rendered, with an unrelenting melancholy that keeps us attuned to all the despair being conveyed. Sound and music by David Tonion are beautifully composed, emphasising a sense of regret in the storytelling, leaving us ambiguous about whether we can do better for ourselves, than what was destined for the Lomans.

www.salesmanaustralia.com.au

Review: Shook (Qtopia / Lost Thought Arts)

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Venue: Qtopia (Darlinghurst NSW), May 16 – Jun 5, 2024
Playwright: Samuel Bailey
Director: Emma Whitehead
Cast: Malek Domköc, Isaac Harley, Edyll Ismail, Louis Regan
Images by Becky Matthews

Theatre review
The action takes place at a young offenders’ institution, somewhere in England, where three incarcerated teenagers take a course in parenting skills. Samuel Bailey’s 2019 play Shook offers a cuttingly amusing look, at the state of masculinity in the contemporary age, along with the perennial problem of societies grappling with those we call juvenile delinquents. These are young men whose behaviour is almost entirely learned, yet we rarely reflect on the examples we set, putting effort instead, on rehabilitation in the aftermath.

The unmistakeable vigour in Bailey’s writing, is brought to robust life by Emma Whitehead’s direction, which instils for the production an admirable, and enjoyable, realism. Not only is the work consistently believable, we are placed excitingly, somewhere between apprehension and empathy, for the trio of multi-faceted characters. In the simultaneous experience of revulsion and identification, we perceive with a high degree of authenticity an entertaining show, characterized by its unabashed theatricality and quality.

Design aspects are simple but effective. Set and costumes by Lochie Odgers work harmoniously with the rawness of the site, to evoke a sense of accuracy for the storytelling. Lighting transformations by Prinyanka Martin, along with music by Oran Harkin are noticeable only between scenes, both elements perfectly calibrated to sustain our attention, and to position us firmly within the context of the correctional facility.

A strong ensemble presents Shook, evidently very well-rehearsed, and demonstrating ignitable chemistry. Actor Malek Domköc is wonderfully considered, in his naturalistic portrayal of Riyad. Louis Regan sets the tone with dangerous irascibility as Cain. Isaac Harley’s exemplary concentration as Jonjo, brings intensity. Social worker Grace is depicted by Edyll Ismail with commendable integrity.

Learning to care for one’s own child, while a man serves time in a penitentiary, is not only a bittersweet idea, but is also one that inspires meditations on despondency and hope. The severe deprivation of freedom for those who have done grave wrongs, seems to be both necessary and dangerous. We want certain transgressors to suffer extrication and punishment, but we also want them to become better people as a result. In dehumanising them, we risk further degeneracy, but the truth remains, that people do learn from fear. We hear of better ways that could be explored, if only we dared to change.

www.qtopiasydney.com.au | www.instagram.com/lost_thought_arts

Review: Parade (Seymour Centre)

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Venue: Seymour Centre, Everest Theatre (Chippendale NSW), May 9 – 25, 2024
Book: Alfred Uhry
Music & Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown
Director: Mark Taylor
Cast: Georgia Barron, Nic Davey-Greene, James Frampton, Ashley Garner, Guillaume Gentil, Genevieve Goldman, Adeline Hunter, James Lee, Sophie Loughran, Noah Missell, James Nation-Ingle, Maverick Newman, Rebecca Ordiz, Aaron Robuck, Quinton Rofail Rich, Montana Sharp, Tarisai Vushe, Liam Wigney
Images by Matthew Chen

Theatre review
It was 1913 in the USA state of Georgia, when Leo Frank was charged with the murder of a young girl. The case remains an important and deplorable example of antisemitism, and over a century later, authorities recommenced investigations, in efforts to clear the name of the wrongfully accused. The musical Parade, by Alfred Uhry and Jason Robert Brown, details that infamous trial. Although appropriately sombre, and containing some eternally useful lessons on human behaviour and injustice, the piece features highly enjoyable songs, that keeps an audience attentive to the meaningful story.

Music direction by Mark Bradley is richly inspiring for this 2024 Australian production, but sound engineering proves a significant deficit, often preventing us from sufficiently connecting with the creative endeavours being carried out. Lights too, keep us wanting. Although imaginatively rendered by Sidney Younger, the show is frequently shadowy and consistently dim, further alienating us from the action. Production design by Harry Gill, although overly muted with its palette, conveys a sense of authenticity, and provides impressive spatial adaptability that helps with engagement of the narrative.

Direction by Mark Taylor, along with choreography by Freya List, delivers a staging that is swiftly paced yet admirably earnest, in this valuable recount of history. Performer Aaron Robuck brings integrity to the portrayal of Frank, and Montana Sharp is especially memorable as wife Lucille, with a vocal brilliance and a dramatic urgency, that encourages our emotional investment. Also noteworthy is Adeline Hunter who is surprisingly convincing as the 14-year-old victim, with a believable innocence that accompanies very strong singing, for her interpretation of a crucial role.

The American Civil War was meant to have ended in 1865, but we see time and time again, that a system built on subjugation of peoples, will keep rearing its ugly head, and make refreshed nemeses of new others. We seem always to work on the liberation of particular communities, but in failing to address the very fascistic tendencies of how we relate to one another, we find ourselves simply creating different enemies and scapegoats. Humans understand peace, but it appears we know it much more as an abstract concept, than as a lived reality.

www.seymourcentre.com | www.soundworksproductions.com.au