Review: Amanda (Old Monk Productions)

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oldmonkVenue: TAP Gallery (Darlinghurst NSW), May 13 – 18, 2014
Playwright: Mark Langham
Director: Mark Langham
Actors: Amylea Griffin, Paul Armstrong, Elizabeth Macgregor

Theatre review
Amanda is a new play that asks questions the way an inquisitive small child would. Its persistent wonderment inspires thoughts and ideas that range from the familiar and enduring, to fresh and complex ones that we rarely encounter outside of the world of art. Mark Langham is a brave writer who dares to explore deep and dark recesses of the human condition, even when there is no guaranteed satisfaction or indeed, conclusion. Langham’s approach is philosophical, but his creativity for the stage is savvy and accomplished. Amanda is an intriguing work, with interesting characters that hold our attention. Their provocative lives are richly imagined, and thoroughly engaging.

The protagonist Amanda is a childlike woman, played by Amylea Griffin who brings a necessary gravity to a performance that is intense and energetic. It is noteworthy that the character is not portrayed with weakness even though her story is one of victimhood and injustice. Griffin’s sense of defiance is an important and beautiful ingredient to her work, but there is a lack of levity to her delivery that could have helped craft a more dimensioned characterisation. Paul Armstrong takes on a trio of personalities with good variation and conviction. The actor’s relaxed nature contrasts well with his co-players’ sense of severity, but is also able to inject power and dynamism when required. Elizabeth Macgregor’s characters are colourful and deliciously odd, but her interpretations tend to be fairly subdued. Although missing the opportunity to create something quite eccentric, Macgregor’s portrayals are effective, and sensitive to the plot’s progression.

Langham’s direction does not shy away from expressive dramatics that create a sumptuous texture in the moody script, but the performers’ inconsistent group chemistry is an issue. Virtually every scene involves the actors in collaboration, but they are not always in tune. Early scenes seem to work better, but as complexities accrue, the work starts to lose its persuasiveness. The plot evolves into greater abstraction, with actors seeming to proffer incongruous perspectives of the text, and decipherment becomes difficult.

Amanda might be challenging, but it is not without pleasures. The play is full of intellectual stimulants, and the writer’s lines are pointedly witty. Directing one’s own script is a tall order. Langham tends to place too much trust on the autonomy of his words, but he does an admirable job of materialising his concepts and presenting a show that communicates on emotional and cerebral levels.

www.oldmonkproductions.com.au

5 Questions with Paige Gardiner

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Paige-Gardiner-headshotWhat is your favourite swear word?
I always enjoy a sarcastic “Oh, for f…”, a la Ricky Gervais. But I am careful to always cut it off just at the right moment.

What are you wearing?
Some verrry sexy polka-dot flannel pyjamas and Ugg boots.

What is love?
Love is having the best kind of people around you to pick you up whenever you fall. And also going out for breakfast on a Sunday morning with someone special.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
Perplex at STC. Once again, Sarah Giles has mastered absurdist comedy. I am definitely not of any authority to give it stars, but it was brilliant!!

Is your new show going to be any good?
Of course! How could it not be with this stellar cast! Such a privilege to work with them all.

Paige Gardiner is appearing in The Young Tycoons, from Darlinghurst Theatre Company’s 2014 season.
Show dates: 16 May – 15 Jun, 2014
Show venue: Eternity Playhouse

In Rehearsal: The Young Tycoons

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Darlinghurst Theatre 2014 The Young Tycoons
Darlinghurst Theatre 2014 The Young Tycoons
Darlinghurst Theatre 2014 The Young Tycoons
Darlinghurst Theatre 2014 The Young Tycoons
Darlinghurst Theatre 2014 The Young Tycoons
Darlinghurst Theatre 2014 The Young Tycoons

Rehearsal images above from The Young Tycoons, part of Darlinghurst Theatre’s 2014 season.
At Eternity Playhouse, from May 16 – Jun 15, 2014.
More info at www.darlinghursttheatre.com
Photography by Richard Farland

5 Questions with Brent Thorpe

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rsz_brent2-webWhat is your favourite swear word?
Shithouse. You don’t hear it much these days.

What are you wearing?
An electric blue and black leopard-print caftan with powder-blue mules and I’m wrapped in a white cashmere pashmina. It’s a bit chilly this arvo. No jewelry. No make-up. When I’m at home I like to tone things down a bit.

What is love?
Some people have said that the exotic juices and sauces that flow my very being are the essence of love. But in all seriousness you should come to my show because my young co-star, Nathan, and myself demonstrate what love is live on stage! You’ve probably never seen anything so beautiful before in your life. Seriously.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
It was John Waters at the Opera House. Is that a show? He always gets at least seventeen stars from me. He made my distant, distant, distant, distant, distant, distant cousin, Divine into a legendary movie star and household name. I love him for that and I’m patiently waiting for him to do the same for me.

Is your new show going to be any good?
Good? Are you kidding? I work my clacker off in this thing! For two minutes and forty five seconds I sing and dance up a storm. The rest of the time we’re doing the greatest acting you will ever see on a public stage. I mean it. Better than Cate Blanchett and Joel Edgerton in ‘Streetcar.’ We promise to astound you and transport you to places you can’t imagine. Have you got goosebumps yet?

Brent Thorpe is writer and star of Beauty! Glamour! Fame!
Show dates: 5 Jun – 3 Jul, 2014 (Thursdays only)
Show venue: The Imperial Hotel

5 Questions with Tansy Gardam

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SONY DSCWhat is your favourite swear word?
Fuck. It’s so versatile. Particularly when used in “for fuck’s sake.”

What are you wearing?
Jeans and an Elvis Costello t-shirt.

What is love?
It’s like trust and affection had a baby.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
Zena Ladna at La Mama. 1.5 stars.

Is your new show going to be any good?
Yes. I know everyone says that, but it’s fantastic – the cast are all phenomenal and we’re doing something a bit different with the show, which I feel a lot of musical theatre shies away from. We’ve cross cast leads and added in conga lines and I can’t wait for people to see it.

Tansy Gardam is directing A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum for The Intercol Musical – The University of Sydney.
Show dates: 14 – 17 May, 2014
Show venue: Seymour Centre

Review: The Detective’s Handbook (Sydney University Dramatic Society)

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rsz_10344095_783993371619707_864135050788121539_oVenue: University of Sydney Studio B (Camperdown NSW), Apr 30 – May 10, 2014
Book and Lyrics: Ian Ferrington
Score: Olga Solar
Director: Ian Ferrington
Actors: Alessandro Tuniz, Matt Bartlett, Alexander Richmond, Natasha Vickery, Victoria Zerbst, Elliott Miller, Alice Birbara

Theatre review
The Detective’s Handbook is a new musical written by Ian Ferrington, with score provided by Olga Solar. It is a satirical take on film noir, bringing to mind, films like Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). It is persistently self-conscious, but it takes its parody seriously, placing as much focus on storytelling and its musical numbers, as it does on creating laughs.

Ferrington’s vision is ambitious and idiosyncratic. His work might not look original, but it bears a quirkiness that prevents it from feeling derivative. His writing is witty and charming, but his characters, although spirited, are too traditional. Ferrington’s direction is energetic, with an emphasis on rhythms, which keeps things buoyant and lively. There is however, a need for punchlines and plot twists to be cleaned up for clearer delivery. Olga Solar’s delightful music is beautifully woven into the narratives, and effectively provides characters with interest and complexion. There is a noticeable lack of melodies in most of the songs, with the team’s decision to adopt a “rap-infused 1950s showtune jazz” style. It is debatable whether that choice is a wise one, but the two most memorable numbers, “Too Much To Ask” and “Congratulations”, are both conventionally structured, hummable tunes.

Matt Bartlett has the strongest singing voice in the cast, and plays Detective Jimmy Hartman with great conviction, creating a character that stands out as the most believable of the group. The actor brings a warmth to his performance, and quickly establishes a good connection with the audience. Natasha Vickery plays her three characters with panache and levity. She embraces the show’s giddy style of comedy with good humour, and although required to play silly often, we remember her performance to be a polished one. Other players tend to have an oversimplified approach, with characterisations that do not develop far enough to sustain a show that’s considerably more substantial than a skit.

This is a musical with a lot of frivolity, but it also demonstrates impressive flair. Ferrington and Solar’s material contains great potential, with generous room for comedians to provide dynamic and creative interpretations. This production might be a little under-cooked with too many one trick ponies, but there is no doubt that if explored with greater depth, its future incarnation could well be The Big Noir Musical Hit.

www.sudsusyd.com

5 Questions with Andrew Cutcliffe

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rsz_andrew-cutcliffe-331146_1What is your favourite swear word?
I know my Sita (Grandmother) would be turning in her grave, but I love swearing in Arabic. For fear of one of my Aunties stumbling upon this, I won’t actually write my favourite.

What are you wearing?
Wouldn’t you like to know…

What is love?
Watching my son being born. The sheer admiration and gratitude I had for my wife and the inexplicable euphoria of meeting my little boy.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
Perplex at STC. Glenn Hazeldine gave a masterclass, I’ll give the show 4.5 stars based on his mercurial excellence alone.

Is your new show going to be any good?
You know it is. The Young Tycoons is a rampaging bull of a satire that tears the media’s upper crust to shreds… what’s not to love.

Andrew Cutcliffe is appearing in The Young Tycoons, from Darlinghurst Theatre Company’s 2014 season.
Show dates: 16 May – 15 Jun, 2014
Show venue: Eternity Playhouse

Review: Trainspotting (Black Box Theatre)

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trainspottingVenue: King Street Theatre (Newtown NSW), May 8 – 24, 2014
Playwright: Harry Gibson (based on the novel by Irvine Welsh)
Director: Luke Berman
Actors: Damien Carr, Taylor Beadle-Williams, Brendon Taylor, Leigh Scully

Theatre review
Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting is one of the defining cultural landmarks of the 1990s. From novel, to play, and eventually to the blockbusting hit film, its immense popularity and pervasiveness in landscapes the world over is testament not only to the quality of work by artists involved, but also to the way its story has resonated and subsequently appropriated as a sign of the times.

Black Box Theatre’s staging of the 1994 Harry Gibson adaptation seems, on the surface, to be an exercise in nostalgia. It is entirely too predictable to have a group of Gen-Y enthusiasts take on a cult classic that pushes the boundaries of decency, but what they have created is a work that is surprisingly relevant, and very well crafted indeed. Luke Berman’s direction is exciting, colourful and crisp. Scenes move along quickly but clearly, as though injected with adrenaline. The action is heightened and dynamic, but sentiments are always elucidated. Berman has a sensitivity that ensures the text’s many controversial elements are handled circumspectly, with just the right amount of restraint that keeps bad taste from turning unacceptable.

Berman’s cast is truly impressive. They are a fearless and captivating foursome, whose love for the art of performance is absolutely evident. By taking on multiple roles, they all receive significant stage time and are able to showcase creative versatility, but we are not always able to identify the characters being played, although it must be said, that this does not seem to alter the enjoyment of the work. Damien Carr plays Mark, the protagonist and narrator of the piece. The duality of simultaneously narrating the story and performing the scenes being described is fascinating, and Carr does a stellar job of it. He is on stage for virtually the entire duration, and is able to provide a consistently focused energy that keeps us engaged and involved. Taylor Beadle-Williams is magnificent in her roles. There is often a baroque exuberance in her work that articulates perfectly the aesthetic of Welsh’s hallucinatory world, but at the core of her performance is a fixation on truth, which gives all her characters a beautiful empathy that is irresistible.

Drug abuse and the “junkie” subculture is sadly, not a relic of the past. Trainspotting‘s articulation of that underworld satisfies our curiosity, telling us about the fringe dwellers who reside on our peripheries. We are reminded that the world is a shared one, and our beliefs about life are often fundamentally the same. Even when our values diverge, and our judgemental minds divide us, it is our common humanity that allows us to look into the experience of others, drawing parallels where they exist, and discovering through these diversities what is enduring, and what actually matters.

www.blackboxtheatre.org

5 Questions with Mark Lee

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rsz_mark_leeWhat is your favourite swear word?
‘Satansincontinentnephew!’ if you say it really fast, you sound rather mad actually.

What are you wearing?
Flannelette shirt over t-shirt and jeans and socks and slippers, I hate winter!

What is love?
If you have to ask I can’t help you.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
All’s Well That Ends Well – Sport for Jove. I give it an entire constellation.

Is your new show going to be any good?
Why do you ask? Come and see, we’re having a ball. Don’t be afraid of the unknown. Yeah it’s good.

 

Mark Lee is appearing in Scenes From An Execution, with Tooth And Sinew Theatre.
Show dates: 13 – 31 May, 2014
Show venue: The Old Fitzroy Hotel

Review: Arthur’s Place (TAP Gallery)

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arthursplace1Venue: TAP Gallery (Darlinghurst NSW), May 7 – 11, 2014
Playwright: Ben Eadie
Director: Ruth Fingret
Actors: Dominic Witkop, Aaron Nilan, Matt Jacobsen, Steve Vincent, Timothy Parsons, Jamie Merendino, Cait Burley

Theatre review
The young Australian man has in recent times become a subject of interest in media and social discourse. Characterised as violent, drunk and disorderly, he is also often considered to be of white and middle class origins. Ben Eadie’s script is concerned with this particular group of “lost souls”. Six characters are created to represent an aimless but troubled segment of our society, each with a distinctive personality type but all are purposeless except for a preoccupation with drugs and alcohol.

Eadie’s efforts at painting a picture of detachment is effective. He gives a clear impression of characters unable to engage meaningfully, but although we are able to relate them with some familiarity to our lived communities, they struggle to evoke empathy or arouse much interest. The fact that they are privileged enough to live a lifestyle that includes no work but a lot of debauchery, prevents us from feeling for them or for dramatic tension to build sufficiently. Not very much seems to be at risk. Some attention is paid on sexual abuse in a couple of the boys’ histories, but those scenes feel like afterthoughts, even if they are clearly well-intentioned.

The pace of the show is exceedingly languid. Much of the acting seems to be based in “real time”, which often comes across too slow for the audience. Dominic Witkop’s performance is slightly too internalised, but his focus and commitment is strong. His character Lance is by far the most convincing one, and the care and measuredness at which he attacks his part is laudable, but introducing a greater sense of vigour would allow him to connect better. Arthur is played by Aaron Nilan who lacks the enigmatic quality required by the script, but his less restrained performance in the second act adds much needed energy and animation to the stage.

Unlike its characters, Arthur’s Place has a purpose. It discusses our social problems, which is one of the most important functions of theatre, but while it tries to push the envelope with its exaggerated use of profanity, more conviction is needed to advance its central message. We do not expect plays to give us solutions, but when art is able to make us care about our worlds, it becomes indispensable.

www.tapgallery.org.au