Review: Pride And Prejudice (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Jan 14 – Feb 8, 2025
Playwright: Kate Hamill (adapted from the Jane Austen novel)
Director: Emma Canalese
Cast: Victoria Abbott, Steve Corner, AJ Evans, Lucy Lock, Mym Kwa, Abbey Morgan, Dylan O’Connor, Idam Sondhi
Images by Phil Erbacher

Theatre review
It is the old story of how Elizabeth and Darcy fell in love, but this time in an adaptation two centuries after Jane Austen’s original. Kate Hamill’s sassy but faithful take on Pride and Prejudice provides a tonal update, allowing the novel to play to contemporary audiences seeking a revisit of the traditional romance.

Direction by Emma Canalese intends to deliver a farcical perspective of Pride and Prejudice, but what audiences find is something frightfully immature and painfully unfunny, with a cast that seems completely incapable of agreeing on a definitive style of presentation. Some approach their roles with banal naturalism, and others bring grating hyperbole, in a show that achieves not a moment of harmony. Design elements are individually adequate but when combined, form a staging that proves hard on the eyes.

The reverence surrounding classics like those by Austen, can become so consecrated that the idea of gheretics choosing to interrogate them can feel deeply appealing. Trying to deconstruct the work of artistic giants however, is clearly a formidable task that few can accomplish. Poor efforts exist however, to remind us that while there should be things regarded sacred, they should at the same time be available for reinvention, even if to demonstrate the endurance of those icons.

www.oldfitztheatre.com.au | www.artistexperiment.com | www.instagram.com/dreamplaneproductions

Review: Hamlet Camp (Carriageworks)

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Venue: Carriageworks (Eveleigh NSW), Jan 14 – 25, 2025
Playwrights: Brendan Cowell, Ewen Leslie, Toby Schmitz
Cast: Brendan Cowell, Ewen Leslie, Toby Schmitz, with Claudia Haines-Cappeau
Images by Daniel Boud

Theatre review
Three actors are in a therapeutic facility, seeking help for their obsession with Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Each had previously embodied that role and for years after, find themselves unable to shake off that experience. Brendan Cowell, Ewen Leslie and Toby Schmitz too had performed Hamlet in previous years, so it is understandable that we may regard their collaborative work Hamlet Camp a semi-autobiographical account of their relationship with the Danish prince.

It may be a highly exaggerated iteration, but more than a few kernels of truth can be found in this confessional manifestation of these artists’ entanglements, with one of the Bard’s most beloved creations. Hamlet Camp deals with artistic conundrums, in particular the troubles associated with acting. We see characters unable to extricate themselves from a world infinitely more appealing than the realities we all have to tolerate, even if it is a literal Shakespearean tragedy that they find themselves trapped within. In their art, they can revel in a truth so immense, that everything else in daily life can only pale by comparison.

The show’s concerns may be insular, with observations too granular for most, but Hamlet Camp is nonetheless highly enjoyable, with Cowell, Leslie and Schmitz orchestrating theatrical chemistry that proves irresistibly amusing. They may not convince us to join in their infatuation, but watching them depict that manic and compulsive enthusiasm, in exquisite harmony and unison, is an unequivocal delight. Supported by lighting designer Jimi Rawlings and sound designer Steve Francis, who bring just enough embellishment to the presentation, Hamlet Camp demonstrates itself to be the kind of theatre about theatre, so full of passion that we can only respond with enchantment.

www.carriageworks.com.au | www.modernconvictfilms.com

Review: Siegfried & Roy: The Unauthorised Opera (Wharf 1 Theatre)

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Venue: Wharf 1 Sydney Theatre Company (Walsh Bay NSW), Jan 8 – 25, 2025
Composer: Luke Di Somma
Libretto: Luke Di Somma, Constantine Costi
Director: Constantine Costi
Cast: Christopher Tonkin, Kanen Breen, Cathy-Di Zhang, Simon Lobelson, Louis Hurley, Danielle Bavli, Russell Harcourt, Thomas Remali, Kirby Myers 
Images by 

Theatre review
Siegfried & Roy: The Unauthorised Opera by Luke Di Somma and Constantine Costi chronicles, with both reverence and sardonicism, the life and times of the infamous Las Vegas stalwarts from Bavaria. Icons of magic and of queer culture, Siegfried & Roy have left an indelible mark with almost half a century in showbusiness. Their signature aesthetic, characterised by unmitigated flamboyance and camp, thoroughly inform Di Somma and Costi’s work, that we discover to be a sincere tribute to the trailblazers, albeit replete with comedic irony.

Directed by Costi, the show is a remarkably enjoyable look into the condensed history of the couple, not only as stars of entertainment, but also as covert figureheads of gay identities from a time before liberation. There is a wonderful tenderness to the portrayal of the pair, with performers Christopher Tonkin and Kanen Breen (as Siegfried and Roy respectively), delivering palpable chemistry alongside their individually brilliant interpretations of these enigmatic characters. We perceive the superficiality that is characteristic of these pop luminaries, but also feel invested in their humanity without requiring the storytelling to delve into exploitative renderings of their biography.

Set design by Pip Runciman provide just enough visual cues for imagery that recalls the excess of both Las Vegas and of Siegfried & Roy, but it is Damien Cooper’s lights that imbue a sense of opulence that transports us to that space of farcical extravagance. Costumes by Tim Chappel too are appropriately outlandish in style, with an unmistakeable wit that really makes an impression. All of this grandiosity is perhaps most effectively epitomised in the music, conducted by Di Somma to bring an immense spiritedness that has us absolutely riveted.

Siegfried & Roy never wanted to give us more than the surface, but it is the persistence and the longevity of that obsession with artificiality, that ultimately forms something paradoxically meaningful. They have become unwitting symbols of kitsch, of escapism, of dedication and of defiance. Their story is one of personal triumph, a rare example of queer forebears attaining stratospheric success with seemingly little compromise on authenticity. Perhaps their legacy can now contribute to their rainbow community, in ways they were unable during the cruelly oppressive epoch of the previous century.

www.sydneyfestival.org.au

Review: Ghost Quartet (Hayes Theatre)

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Venue: Hayes Theatre Co (Potts Point NSW), Jan 8 – Feb 1, 2025
Music, Lyrics and Text: Dave Malloy
Director: Brandon Pape
Cast: Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward, David Butler, Hany Lee, Willow Sizer
Images by Angel WL

Theatre review
Dave Malloy seems to concede that Ghost Quartet is more a concept album than a work of theatre, with each song being preceded by the announcement of its “track number”. A highly fractured narrative makes it nigh on impossible to closely follow the story, but the eclectic music is undeniably enjoyable.

Direction by Brandon Pape delivers an occasionally haunting experience, but the show is mostly memorable for the warmth with which it showcases the cast of four. Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward, David Butler, Hany Lee and Willow Sizer bring exceptional musicianship to the performance, and along with brilliant sound engineering by Em-Jay Dwyer, we discover in Ghost Quartet to be a real treat for the ears. Sumptuous lighting design by Sidney Younger elevates the presentation so that it feels more than a concert, but it is doubtful if the work is truly satisfying for audiences with expectations of a conventional musical.

There are certainly more than a few manoeuvres that can be considered experimental in Ghost Quartet, and that artistic spirit is an admirable quality to encounter at any production. Whenever we talk about ghosts, it is hard to deny that it is ultimately the living that is always the real concern. It is an exercise in examining what has been left behind, just as we pay tribute to every work of art that attempts to push boundaries, and that propels us into new spaces. However much we may or may not enjoy it at the time it occurs, it is the artist’s imagination that offers suggestions for new ways of being, providing inspiration for us to move towards somewhere better than yesterday. 

www.hayestheatre.com.au | www.antipodestheatre.com

Review: Converted! (ATYP)

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Venue: The Rebel Theatre (Sydney NSW), Jan 3 – 25 , 2025
Book: Vic Zerbst
Music & Lyrics: Vic Zerbst, Oliver John Cameron
Director: Hayden Tonazzi
Cast: Helen Dallimore, Paul Leandre Escorrido, Ashley Garner, Cassie Hamilton, Nat Jobe, Melody Kiptoo, Scarlet Lindsay, Teo Persechino, Megan Robinson, Redd Scott, Teo Vergara
Images by Daniel Boud

Theatre review
Teenagers at the “Fix Yourself!” camp are hoping to improve their self-esteem, but like most other places, an overbearing and stifling emphasis on heteronormative values, is instead deteriorating their sense of self worth. Converted! by Vic Zerbst and Oliver John Cameron is an often charming musical about queer youth, and their struggles in a world determined to negate and change their nature. The plot may on occasion be incoherent, but its idiosyncratic style and array of spirited tunes, help to keep us amused and attentive.

Vibrant direction by Hayden Tonazzi ensures that the show is consistently energetic and irrepressibly quirky. A cast brimming with sincerity passionately imparts its story, including performers Helen Dallimore and Nat Jobe who stand out for the comedic nuance they bring to their roles as camp counsellors. Music direction by Mark Chamberlain introduces variation to our experience of songs that could otherwise feel formulaic. Uncomplicated choreography by Jeremy Lloyd ensures a theatricality without compromising the natural movement of characters.

Whimsical set and costume designs by Savanna Wegman set the tone for this cheeky and cheerful presentation. Lights by Brockman give the production its polish, along with a captivating colourfulness that represents perfectly queer culture, and the tradition of defiance against banality that it exemplifies.

Pride is not only about individuals overcoming challenges. It pertains to the continuation of legacies, and the understanding that freedoms that have been won, remain under constant threat. Pride necessitates that we remember the monumental sacrifices that had been made, and that we are prepared to extend victories to all others who still have to fight for justice. Queers are fervent in celebrating our authenticities, if only to demonstrate that truth and integrity are never to be feared. 

www.atyp.com.au

Review: Elf: The Musical (Sydney Opera House)

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Venue: Sydney Opera House (Sydney NSW), 19 – 29 Dec, 2024
Book: Bob Martin, Thomas Meehan
Music: Matthew Sklar
Lyrics: Chad Beguelin
Director: Eric Giancola
Cast: Brianna Bishop, Oscar Bridges, Simon Burke, Andrew Dunne, Gareth Isaac, Madeleine Mackenzie, Lara Mulcahy, Katrina Retallick
Images by Daniel Boud

Theatre review
Buddy embarks on a journey to New York to find his biological father, having recently learned that he is not a natural-born elf. Elf: The Musical was created several years after the success of the 2003 motion picture on which it is based, bringing further joy to the holiday season for audiences of all ages.

Under Eric Giancola’s effervescent direction, this stage version emerges as a comedic delight determined to leave crowds beaming with pleasure. Charming choreography by Mitchel Woodcock is a memorable feature, adding richness and dynamism to the narrative’s inherent momentum. Splendid video design by David Bergman increases the kineticism of the experience, working with our imagination to render believable a wide range of locations, as it delivers irrepressible colour and movement to have us mesmerised.

Performer Gareth Isaac plays Buddy with an appealing naivety, and along with his vibrant ebullience,  convinces us to invest in this story about an oversized Santa’s helper. As Santa, Laura Mulcahy’s natural charisma shines to great effect, completely enchanting with the confidence and humour she introduces. Simon Burke and Katrina Retallick are notable for their magnetism in the roles of Mr and Mrs Hobbs, both effortlessly captivating, as parental figures in Buddy’s search for belonging.

Christmas may always be first and foremost about the birth of a deity, but increasingly we regard it to simply be a time for togetherness and harmony. No matter our beliefs, it becomes a greater possibility during these festivities to lay down the arms, and to hold sacred a moment, if only for remembering to hope for peace on earth, and mercy mild.

www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Review: The Pigeons (KXT on Broadway)

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Venue: KXT on Broadway (Ultimo NSW), Dec 7 – 21, 2024
Playwright: David Gieselmann
Director: Eugene Lynch
Cast: Tel Benjamin, Lib Campbell, Micaela Ellis, Kath Gordon, Jackson Hurwood, Kandice Joy, Mark Langham, Andrew Lindqvist, Dominic Lui
Images by Justin Cueno

Theatre review
Robert has had enough of the rat race and is calling it quits. Things in the office are always chaotic anyway, so his disappearance seems not to have changed the tone of daily life very much. Any interpretation of its narrative however, is probably not of much importance for David Gieselmann’s The Pigeons, in which form and style take precedence over actual content or story.

Direction by Eugene Lynch, along with choreography by Cassidy McDermott-Smith, introduce a great amount of frenzied energy to the piece, but never quite draws us into any real fascination with the artistic experimentations taking place on stage, only becoming increasingly alienating over the course. The cast can be credited for their undeniable investment into the experience, with players like Tel Benjamin, Lib Campbell and Kath Gordon leaving good impressions with their rendering of comedic moments when opportunities arise.

Costumes by Lily Mateljan may only mimic dreary aspects of humdrum normalcy, but a moment of extraordinary absurdity involving a necktie, certainly proves delightful. An adaptive set design by Lochie Odgers too delivers an element of surprise in later portions of the show. Lights by Topaz Marlay-Cole are well considered, but available equipment proves restrictive in the implementation of the designer’s more creative ideas. Music and sounds by Christine Pan, often delightfully performed live, are effective in reminding our sensibilities to venture somewhere surreal.

Pigeons have a homing instinct that means they always come back. Our human nature can be thought of as something that always wishes to return to square one, but evidence suggests that we are capable of breaking out and moving forward. Art especially should have the capacity to resist repetition, and our artists can be relied on, to introduce new ways of thinking and being, even if the ways they choose to challenge us, can be difficult.

www.kingsxtheatre.com | www.theothertheatre.com.au

Review: Hot Tub (25A Belvoir)

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Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Dec 6 – 21, 2024
Playwright: Lewis Treston
Director: Riley Spadaro
Cast: Jack Calver, Patrick Jhanur, Melissa Kahraman, Kieran McGrath, Ella Prince, Shannon Ryan, Diane Smith
Images by Katherine Griffiths

Theatre review
The Hunter-Whites have more dollars than sense, and something about the Gold Coast just sends them in a tailspin. Hot Tub by Lewis Treston is an absurdist comedy about the wealthy, a fantasia on the frenzied existence of cash-rich and drug-fuelled moguls, with lifestyles propped up by property ownership and a distinct shortage of moral concerns. The play is composed of highly amusing dialogue, featuring flamboyantly imagined personalities; its narrative may be lacklustre, but its spirit is certainly wildly infectious.

Commensurately exuberant direction by Riley Spadaro delivers a show as camp as it is unabashedly depraved. There is a sophistication to Spadaro’s approach that counteracts the obvious humour of Hot Tub, and while it may not prevent us from feeling empty at the end, the journey is unquestionably entertaining.

Grace Deacon’s set design is attractive and remarkably finessed, and even though her costumes do not sufficiently portray affluence, the colourful imagery being formulated proves a delight. Lights by Phoebe Pilcher are energetic and richly tailored, bringing a wonderful sense of variety to our visual enjoyment of the piece. Madeleine Picard’s sound design is less conspicuously presented, but the vitality it imbues is unambiguous.

It is clear that the cast of Hot Tub is deeply committed, with every performer bringing an unwavering focus to their parts. Ella Prince is particularly memorable as Officer Sheryl, with a level of theatricality that feels completely off the charts, yet accurate to the aesthetic being rendered. Diane Smith too introduces a brand of bizarre to her delicious interpretation of a grandmother more interested in money than in family, admirable for her iconoclastic depiction of an Australian matriarch. 

There is something in the very bones of our way of life on this land, that insists that we make safe and bland decisions. Even in art, we are often held back from jumping off cliffs, as though the repercussions will forever be dire, even though nobody can know for certain what awaits thereafter. In Hot Tub, we can see that a leap of faith has been taken, a kind of wild abandon is in action, perhaps informed by the unequivocal queerness that serves as central guiding principle, establishing the language and paradigm from which it communicates.

It is a play about family, yet love seems non-existent, or at least undetectable in a conventional manner. Queer people perceive kinship differently. Queer people may even understand love differently. There is a communal connection taking place, when we laugh at glamorous characters being awful parents, and even though they leave us needing more, we know that for a moment, we had been held.

www.belvoir.com.au | www.instagram.com/presentedbybub

Review: Snowflakes (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Dec 6 – 22, 2024
Playwright: Mike Bartlett
Director: Jo Bradley
Cast: Claudia Elbourne, James Lugton, Lilian Alejandra Valverde
Images by Robert Miniter

Theatre review
Political discourse seems to be in a state of unprecedented turmoil, as reflected in Mike Bartlett’s Snowflakes, a play about conflicting values and the possibility of resolution. Maya had left home shortly after the Brexit referendum, no longer able to tolerate her father Andy’s beliefs and opinions. Several years later, Maya and Andy attempt a reunification at Christmas time, but peace does not come easy.

It is a discussion we need to have, much as it is an inevitably fraught and upsetting one. The chasm between us is ever exacerbating, and in Snowflakes we certainly observe how challenging it is for our minds to meet. Bartlett provides for Andy’s more conservative side ample, and possibly excessive exposition, often maddening with his obstinacy, much as the text attempts to imbue him with endearing qualities. The role is performed by James Lugton, whose admirable precision and personal charisma helps to sustain our interest, but some viewers will nonetheless find tiresome, the unceasing efforts to make Andy likeable.

Lilian Alejandra Valverde plays Natalie, a peacemaker character, with excellent vitality and passion. Maya makes her entrance later in the piece, via actor Claudia Elbourne who brings a youthful idealism valuable to the narrative. Valverde and Elbourne represent the progressive side with palpable passion, even though the writing seems to provide insufficient material to help them argue their case.

Director Jo Bradley has the unenviable task of making the family drama resonate in tandem with the combative politics that become increasingly apparent through the duration. The tender aspects of Snowflakes are probably not as persuasive as they should be, but the production’s rendering of adversarial dynamics is undoubtedly compelling.

Set and costumes by Soham Apte are effective in their depictions of time and space. Lights by Luna Ng are sensitively calibrated, to convey shifting moods and on occasion to add some theatricality, to the show’s essential realism. Sounds by Daniel Hertern are understandably restrained, in a story that emphasises the normalcy of these fissures in our daily connections.

As a young queer woman, Maya has come to the realisation that the system is designed to work against her. Understanding that much of what is traditional and customary serves a hegemony that she wishes to dismantle, everything her father stands for can only be seen as disdainful. In time, she will learn that Andy too suffers from the system’s failures, albeit through different manifestations, and learning to work against the system and not individuals, should help her find a more harmonious existence.

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

Review: The Heartbreak Choir (Ensemble Theatre)

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Venue: Ensemble Theatre (Kirribilli NSW), 29 Oct, 2024 – 12 Jan, 2025
Playwright: Aidan Fennessy
Director: Anna Ledwich
Cast: Valerie Bader, Tyallah Bullock, Nancy Denis, Carita Farrer Spencer, Jay Laga’aia, Jasper Lee-Lindsay, Georgina Symes
Images by Prudence Upton

Theatre review
Barbara and her friends have left their choir to set up their own offshoot. When Savannah suggests the new name “Heartbreak Choir”, they all agree on its suitability, but it takes considerable time before we understand the reasoning behind their choice. At the foundation of Aidan Fennessy’s play The Heartbreak Choir is something quite profound and moving; however a lack of focus and an overreliance on humour, detract from what could have been a powerful experience.

The show is sometimes truly funny, but it also has a tendency to deviate too much from its central concern. Direction by Anna Ledwich imbues a palpable warmth, particularly in its portrayal of community, even as the narrative struggles to resonate sufficiently with the darker themes that inspire it. 

Set and costumes by Nick Fry deliver a convincing realism, along with a spaciousness that facilitates easy movement by its cast. Lights by Verity Hampson can be somewhat abrupt with their transformations, but are calibrated well to guide us through shifting temperaments. Occasional singing is an enjoyable feature, with musical direction by Sally Whitwell providing just enough complexity to give a sense of elevation, and a lustre to the production. 

Performer Valerie Bader is a passionate presence as Barbara, if somewhat strained with her interpretations of the play’s more emotive portions. Jay Laga’aia is highly charismatic in the key role of Peter, effortlessly instigating our investment into his character’s journey of healing. Also memorable is Jasper Lee-Lindsay whose restrained approach for the part of Peter’s son Beau, translates into moments of tenderness and much needed gravitas. The persistent lightness of The Heartbreak Choir offers an accessible entry point into the trauma at its core, yet for something more effectively cathartic, it is ultimately unavoidable to confront and feel the actual pain.

www.ensemble.com.au