Review: Frame Narrative (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Mar 8 – 30, 2024
Playwright: Emily Sheehan
Director: Lucy Clements
Cast: Madeline Li, Megan O’Connell, Jennifer Rani, Charles Upton, Emma Wright
Images by Phil Erbacher and HollyMae Steane Price

Theatre review
Movie star Angelica is making a comeback, after taking time off to raise her child. Filming however, is not going at all smoothly, with constant personality clashes on set making the project a painful ordeal. In Emily Sheehan’s Frame Narrative, people get in the way of art; whether a result of self-sabotage or  interpersonal discord, we see artists unable to focus on the real matter at hand, forever transferring their energies away onto the wrong drama.

Often very funny, and with a clever plot structure, Sheehan’s play delights with its constant supply of surprises. Its moralistic ambiguities however, resists our emotional investment in its characters, who we always distrust. Direction by Lucy Clements does not attempt to hide the deficiencies inherent in these humans, portraying them truthfully as flawed beings. Her show bears an enjoyable theatricality, fuelled by the text’s explorations of artistic form, along with an investigation into the nature of reality.

An ambitious set design by Soham Apte helps us imagine a place much like Hollywood, where artifice reigns supreme. Costumes by Rita Naidu provides definition to personality types, but requires finessing to better represent the extraordinary wealth of this cohort. Spencer Herd’s lights are intricately conceived, to convey the many different spaces, both physical and conceptual, that we traverse in Frame Narrative. Sound design by Sam Cheng is rendered with a quiet sophistication, surreptitious but highly effective in its calibrations of atmosphere and temperaments.

Actor Megan O’Connell brings vigour and integrity to the complex role of Angelica. Charles Upton too is unwavering in his commitment to playing Hendrick, completely believable whether being decent or despicable. Madeline Li introduces great tension to the experience, through her embrace of Elsa’s precarious unpredictability. Jennifer Rani’s intensity as Margot demands our attentiveness, and Emma Wright’s vulnerability as an unnamed writer, attunes us to a sense of depth for the play, at its closing scenes.

Human destructiveness usually looks like a force that exerts outwards, but its reverberations always seem to come back around. In Frame Narrative, colleagues inflict toxicity at one another, never noticing the harm that inevitably descends upon the work they try so hard to create. We all have unhealthy impulses, but how we choose to act on them, is what truly matters.

www.oldfitztheatre.com.au | www.newghoststheatre.com

Review: The Ghost Writer (Flight Path Theatre)

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Venue: Flight Path Theatre (Marrickville NSW), Mar 6 – 16, 2024
Playwright: Ross Mueller
Director: Jane Angharad
Cast: Emma Dalton, Mel Day, Mark Langham, Shan-Ree Tan
Images by Braiden Toko

Theatre review
A child has been murdered, and her mother, who happens to be illiterate, is selling the story. Complications arise not only because Claudia the ghost writer turns out to be the publisher’s daughter, she is also sleeping with a prosecutor embroiled in the case. There is no shortage of conflict and tension in Ross Mueller’s The Ghost Writer, in fact there are possibly a few too many convolutions in the 2008 play. Directed by Jane Angharad, the production never really finds a focus, and it becomes a struggle trying to elicit meaningful emotional investment, for what should be a gravely stirring experience.

The cast of four is however commendable for their unequivocal commitment; Emma Dalton, Mel Day, Mark Langham and Shan-Ree Tan demonstrate admirable dedication to the craft of performance, in roles that are full of depth and complexity. Set design by James Smithers is sharp and elegant, memorable for introducing a sense of drama to the piece. Lights by Travis Kecek are appropriately stark, if slightly too cold and alienating, with a notable lack of sound and music in the production, that further exacerbates our disconnection from all that is happening on stage.

We should feel deeply concerned about little Megan who has died tragically in The Ghost Writer, as we should every atrocity being reported, from every corner of the planet. It is however, quite human to respond with apathy, when all we know is helplessness, in the face of so much that is indomitable and daunting. It is unreasonable to expect boundless sadness, that we should be able to feel adequately for every disaster. What is reasonable however, is that each person insists on right from wrong, and holds firm on resisting transgressions, even when emotions are utterly depleted.

www.flightpaththeatre.org | www.secrethouse.com.au | www.cryingchairtheatre.com.au

Review: & Juliet (Sydney Lyric Theatre)

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Venue: Sydney Lyric Theatre (Sydney NSW), from Feb 27, 2024
Book: David West Read
Music and Lyrics: Max Martin
Director: Luke Sheppard
Cast: Blake Appelqvist, Casey Donovan, Jesse Dutlow, Yashith Fernando, Amy Lehpamer, Lorinda May Merrypor, Rob Mills, Hayden Tee.
Images by Daniel Boud

Theatre review
If Anne had possessed any meaningful amount of power in the 16th century, she would have been able to make her husband William Shakespeare’s plays much more palatable to audiences of today. In the musical & Juliet by David West Read, with songs by Max Martin, we see Anne standing up for women, in her objection to the dismal conclusion of “Romeo and Juliet”, demanding that Juliet does not sacrifice herself at the end. A rewrite of the legendary play ensues, with the young leading lady making choices that are much more satisfying, and reasonable, than what the Bard had conjured on his own.

Read’s book provides for the musical a clever and exciting narrative, bolstered by a benevolent attitude that is sure to inspire audiences everywhere. Incorporating some of the biggest pop hits from the last 30 years, written and co-written by Martin, we are treated to a story that encompasses brilliantly, feminist and queer virtues, in a representation of our best progressive selves in the current epoch. Direction by Luke Sheppard is appropriately exuberant, with visual design elements that make the experience as dazzling as any musical theatre lover could hope for.

Performer Lorinda May Merrypor is a convincing Juliet, commendable for hitting every musical note and every gesture of choreography, with vivacious accuracy. Jesse Dutlow and Yashith Fernando play May and Francois respectively, both sprightly presences who help tell the story with unmistakable passion. Romeo appears near the conclusion of Act 1, brought to scintillating life by Blake Appelqvist whose flamboyant sense of irony keeps us endeared to a character that could easily be regarded with little more than disdain.

The magnetic Casey Donovan is most valuable player, as Angélique the nurse, precise with her delivery of every line, and effortless in her glorious execution of some very big tunes. Hayden Tee is immensely charming as Lance, marvellously switching between poignancy and comedy, for a loving portrait of modern fatherhood. Shakespeare is played by a very likeable Rob Mills, whose delicate balance of egotism and sincerity, makes the fanciful conceit of the show seem suddenly plausible. Amy Lehpamer wins us over entirely to Anne’s side, with an intricate understanding of the humour required in every scene, always making us feel secure in this bold revision of a revered classic. Also remarkable is the fantastically attractive ensemble cast, bringing emotional authenticity to all the extravagant goings on.

So much of our cultural institutions contain values that are outmoded and frankly, harmful. They are deeply entrenched in our lives, and even when we are able to identify their failings, it is no easy task trying to deny their existence, and simply wishing them away has proven impossible. We can however confront and interrogate what they mean, and examine how they continue to affect subsequent generations. We can reframe old messages, turning them into new discussions, so that we may bring refreshed understandings, to symbols of authority that have outstayed their welcome. It is no longer acceptable in our storytelling to have 14-year-old girls kill themselves for romance, and that is only the tip of an iceberg, that includes many more maladies we have grudgingly inherited.

www.andjuliet.com.au

Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bell Shakespeare)

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Venue: Sydney Opera House (Sydney NSW), Mar 2 – 30, 2024
Playwright: William Shakespeare
Director: Peter Evans
Cast: Ahunim Abebe, Isabel Burton, Mike Howlett, Matu Ngaropo, Ella Prince, Richard Pyros, Imogen Sage, Laurence Young
Images by Brett Boardman

Theatre review
Struck by jealousy, king of fairies Oberon casts a spell to cause mischief, and chaos quickly ensues. Meanwhile, further commotion arises from the play-within-a-play, “Pyramus and Thisbe” being attempted by a group of Athenian tradesmen. Director Peter Evans’ version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream places almost equal emphasis, on those two parts of the narrative, for an unusual experience of the Shakespearean classic.

Furtherly unconventional, what is often considered one of the Bard’s most exuberant works, is given the moodiest of treatments, featuring unmistakably macabre sounds and music by Max Lyandvert, and distinctly melancholic lights by Benjamin Cisterne. Although contentious in terms of their resultant effect, the staging bears a polish and stylishness that is unequivocal. Set and costume designs by Teresa Negroponte too, are elegantly rendered, in this unexpectedly serious incarnation of a show involving endless hijinks and shenanigans.

The cast thankfully invests in the true essence of the piece, bringing great ebullience and whimsy, each actor commendable with their respective inventiveness and commitment. Matu Ngaropo as Bottom, and Isabel Burton as Helena, are particularly memorable, both demonstrating exceptional acuity in the details they are able to find, for the performance. It is an outstanding ensemble we have the pleasure to encounter, extraordinarily well-rehearsed, and remarkable with the chemistry they harness.

By show’s end, we are gifted a feeling of resolution and harmony, one derived from a realm that we understand to be fantastical, or indeed magical. Only some of us can access that world of sylphs and spirits, but for all, there is the theatre inviting us to transcend the mundane, and become enchanted by something higher, even if only for a short sojourn.

www.bellshakespeare.com.au

Review: The Lehman Trilogy (Theatre Royal)

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Venue: Theatre Royal (Sydney NSW), 26 Feb – 24 Mar, 2024
Playwright: Stefano Massini (adapted by Ben Power)
Director: Sam Mendes
Cast: Aaron Krohn, Howard W. Overshown, Adrian Schiller
Images by Daniel Boud

Theatre review
It was 1844 when Henry Lehman first arrived in Alabama from Rimpar in Germany. His American Dream began with the provision of fabrics and suits, but with his two brothers joining ranks in the following decade, their family business quickly ceases being about the supply of goods, to become something much more ephemeral, obscure and spurious.

Stefano Massini’s The Lehman Trilogy chronicles the rise and fall of a notorious financial institution, telling the story of Lehman Brothers as an organisation exemplifying modern capitalism. Voracious with its profit motive, but ethically anaemic and bereft of social responsibility, the Lehman legacy is one of rapacious greed, bolstered by a system that believes in individual success over all else. Although concerned with the trials and tribulations of a single entity, The Lehman Trilogy is revelatory of the way our values have evolved universally. We see ambition become greed, and greed becoming the key destructive force that has made life unbearable for the vast majority of the planet’s inhabitants.

These profound resonances are conveyed through Sam Mendes’ splendid direction of a theatrical experience unforgettable for its expansive vision and fast-paced kineticism, generated from a piece of writing that could easily be considered dry and inert. Set design by Es Devlin features a glass encasement on a revolve, evoking handsome but generic corporate spaces. In tandem with sensational video work by Luke Halls magnificently projected on a curved cyclorama, the production proves an unexpected visual treat, as the narrative escalates from Antebellum greyness, to the manic high-definition technophilia so characteristic of contemporary existence.

Costumes by Katrina Lindsay are appropriately nostalgic, and remarkable for the range of movement they allow, in view of the rigidity of 19th century styles. Jon Clark’s lights provide clear demarcations to help us shift sensibilities across interminable scene changes. Sound design by Nick Powell and Dominic Bilkey envelopes us in the increasing vigour of the storytelling, with the inclusion of live piano accompaniment by Cat Beveridge representing the immaculate attention to detail, delivered for all elements of the staging.

An extraordinary cast of three takes us through the 164-year saga, each actor deeply compelling, and as a team, simply flawless. Adrian Schiller’s uncanny ability to communicate nuance, is a marvel to witness, and a real gift for a show that can sometimes move too fast. Aaron Krohn brings exceptional agility, physically and otherwise, to the widely varying roles that he so perfectly embodies. Howard W. Overshown’s effortless gravitas reminds us of the nature of power, in a narrative that is almost always about exploitation and abuse.

Lehman Brothers no longer exists as a functioning enterprise, but its demise does not mean an end to the predatory and mercenary qualities of how we have come to arrange our collective lives. In fact, the intensified concentration of money and power, as we so clearly observe in 2024, only points to an exacerbation of those depravities. As a work of art, we may be moved to regard The Lehman Trilogy as a cautionary tale, but it seems the machine has grown so ubiquitous and all-encompassing, that any effort to rage against it, can only ever feel futile.

www.thelehmantrilogy.com

Review: Grain In The Blood (KXT on Broadway)

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Venue: KXT on Broadway (Ultimo NSW), Feb 23 – Mar 9, 2024
Playwright: Rob Drummond
Director: Victor Kalka
Cast: Kim Clifton, Nick Curnow, Siobhan Lawless, Genevieve Muratore, Ciarán O’Riordan
Images by Clare Hawley

Theatre review
Isaac is allowed home for a short visit, where Autumn is in desperate need of her father’s help, even though the two had never met before. Rob Drummond’s Grain in the Blood is a story about atonement, taking place on a remote Scottish farm, where past sins cannot help but haunt its remaining inhabitants. There is of course an air of the macabre, but the play is also surprisingly humorous, within all the darkness being explored, about guilt and generational trauma.

Direction by Victor Kalka provides a commendable clarity for the entangled relationships being presented, but the show never quite feels dramatic enough to match the inherently baroque quality of Drummond’s writing. Kalka’s set design however is a delight, wonderfully evocative of a rustic countryside, yet unquestionably sophisticated with its manipulations of colours and textures.

Costumes by Lily Mateljan are convincingly rural, giving us an accurate sense of place and personalities. Lights by Jasmin Borsovszky are designed with a confident simplicity, memorable for the moments of folkloric atmosphere they engender. Madeleine Picard’s wonderful score is an excellent addition, if slightly too sparingly utilised, in a tale involving a great amount of repressed emotions.

Performances by the uneven cast of five are not always strong, but Kim Clifton impresses as young Autumn, bringing both ingenuity and authenticity to her interpretations of a challenging role. Also noteworthy is Siobhan Lawless whose Sophia establishes for our understanding of the story, a complicated mixture of love, bitterness and regret in all its heart-breaking familial dynamics.

Forgiveness can be hard, even when one’s own emancipation depends on it. We all want to be free, but it seems many have a tendency to be absorbed in grudges, unable to let go. It is understandable that we want retribution for those who have wronged us, but less easy is to perceive the punishment inflicted on ourselves, when we refuse to absolve and forget. Time will always run out, and we know that some things can be left until it becomes too late.

www.kingsxtheatre.com | www.virginiaplaintheatre.com

Review: The Lewis Trilogy (Griffin Theatre Company)

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Venue: SBW Stables Theatre (Darlinghurst NSW), Feb 9 – Apr 21, 2024
Playwright: Louis Nowra
Director: Declan Greene
Cast: Thomas Campbell, Paul Capsis, Philip Lynch, Masego Pitso, Nikki Viveca, Darius Williams, Ursula Yovich, William Zappa
Images by Brett Boardman

Theatre review
The Lewis Trilogy comprises a series of semi-autobiographical plays by Louis Nowra; Summer of the Aliens and Così from 1992, and from 2017, This Much is True. A playwright named Lewis Riley observes from the centre of these stories, the weird and wonderful characters crossing his path, at different phases of life. Nowra’s adoring portrayals of all these colourful eccentrics, are the main unifying element that form a foundation of this newly conceived trilogy.

In an Australia too often preoccupied with its culture of respectability and conformity, it is the dignity attributed to every downtrodden personality, through Lewis’ eyes, that keeps this a refreshing albeit nostalgic experience. To be able to see each and every foible presented in this radically loving manner, is to be able to find acceptance, for our neighbours, and for ourselves. The Lewis Trilogy is ultimately an ode to humanity, along with all of its essential entanglements with fallibility and vulnerability.

Direction by Declan Greene suffuses the show with an extraordinary attitude of compassion, encouraging viewers to share in a benevolence that necessitates an opening of hearts and minds. There is a pleasure in Greene’s celebration of people’s flaws, that gives the production a remarkable humour, especially notable in the first two pieces. The final portion intensifies the poignancy of the experience, taking us appropriately to an emotional peak, as we come to an almost religious reckoning with hitherto threadbare notions of unconditional love.

Sounds and music by Daniel Herten are especially pivotal, in delivering that profound sentimentality. An irresistible melancholy in Herten’s work insists on our visceral response, whether as enhancement to the narrative’s sadder moments, or as substantive counterbalance to the many hilarious scenarios being presented. That amplification of emotions, is also found in the rendering of lights, by Kelsey Lee whose marvellous manipulations of space and atmosphere, allows us to see and feel the wide ranging circumstances being depicted, through key moments of Lewis’ lifetime. Set design by Jeremy Allen is evocative of that inevitable process of decay, of which every entity must grapple with. Much as we aspire to states of flawlessness, nature will assert its dominance, and reveal perfection to only ever be a figment of our imagination. Costumes by Melanie Liertz bring accuracy to the times and spaces being rendered, to give us a deep sense of familiarity, for each soul that we encounter.

Actors Philip Lynch and William Zappa play respectively, young and old versions of Lewis, both compelling and endearing presences, and both exemplifying the generosity of spirit that figures so significantly in this production. It is the way Lewis is able to connect so meaningfully with all he comes across, that represents the biggest lesson of the exercise. The entire cast is sublime, all taking on multiple characters, with exemplary aplomb. Paul Capsis and Ursula Yovich are particularly notable, with the incredible artistry they embody for all their roles.

Over the three parts of The Lewis Trilogy, each with a duration of 90 minutes, we fall deeper and deeper for these performers, and the people they present. Audiences will likely attend the event with trepidation, having to enter into what seems a prolonged commitment with no assurance of any satisfaction, but at the show’s final moments, we find ourselves thoroughly heartbroken, at the devastating prospect of having to say goodbye.

www.griffintheatre.com.au

Review: Back To Birdy (Fruit Box Theatre)

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Venue: The Imperial (Erskineville NSW), Feb 21 – Mar 1, 2024
Playwright: Z Bui
Director: Sean Landis
Cast: Gemma Dart, Chloe Jayne, Angelica Lockyer, Hayden Moon
Images by Matthew Miceli

Theatre review
Emily and Warren are having a long overdue catch up. Although besties for almost twenty years, they have in recent months grown apart, largely because of Warren’s gender transition. Even though the two had over time become comfortable with their respective and shared queerness, Warren’s second coming out as trans, has not been easy. Z Bui’s Back to Birdy examines the journey of acceptance within queer communities, when compatriots experience momentary tumult and fracture. Warren is no longer a lesbian, and Emily needs time to come to terms.

Bui’s text rings with authenticity, but is often overly detailed. Comprised mostly of a lengthy conversation in a bar between two characters,  the play goes deep into the minutia of Emily and Warren’s discord, and their history as lifelong friends. Unable to bring sufficient excitement to these extended scenes of reconciliation, director Sean Landis jumps at every chance to introduce a sense of theatricality, during significant moments of flashback, in a story about people changing.

Set in an actual Sydney bar, production design by Soham Apte dresses up the space to facilitate comfortable viewing, but also to preserve a sense of integrity with the immersive experience. Illumination by Aron Murray makes full use of the venue’s colourful lighting equipment, to add visual flamboyance to the storytelling. Aisling Bermingham’s sounds are excessively restrained, although commendable for not obscuring the actors’ voices, in a room that proves acoustically limiting.

Performer Gemma Dart brings a vibrant presence, as well as an important quality of vulnerability to the role of Emily. Hayden Moon is convincing as Warren, and young versions of the two are played by Chloe Jayne and Angelica Lockyer, both demonstrating admirable dedication to their parts.

As we learn about people being assigned inaccurate genders at birth, it should only follow, that we question the purposes of assigning genders at all. There may be compelling reasons for the identification of people’s biological sexes in medical realms, but to relegate individuals to gendered (or any other) types, is ultimately meaningless and eternally fraught. If only humanity is able to just let us be.

www.fruitboxtheatre.com.au

Review: The Swell (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Feb 15 – Mar 2, 2024
Playwright: Isley Lynn
Director: Julia Billington
Cast: Jessica Bell, Katherine Hopwood Poulsen, Deborah Jones, Alexandra Keddie, Fiona Press, Monique Sallé
Images by Phil Erbacher

Theatre review
Annie and Bel are planning their wedding, when Flo returns from out of town for a visit. A surprising connection blossoms between Flo and one of the brides-to-be, instigating drama to ensue in the most unimaginable way. An electrifying plot twist in Isley Lynn’s The Swell brings us to the edges of our seats, in an otherwise slightly pedestrian tale, of a queer love triangle.

There is a leniency in Julia Billington’s direction of the piece, that is perhaps overly reliant on what their cast chooses to bring to the stage. It is a delicate work however, with a sense of integrity, that prevents The Swell and its undeniable sensationalised aspects, from feeling in any way unrefined or pulpy.

Hannah Yardley’s set design is extremely simple, forming an appealing representation of rural England, although not always sufficiently vivid with how it helps us imagine the physical contexts, in which the three women intertwine. Lights by Saint Clair are suitably moody, bringing an alluring edge to this dark romance. Sound design by Clare Hennessy is consistently subtle, effective at harnessing tension, but could benefit with a bolder approach to achieve a more stirring result.

Six generous actors perform the roles across two generations, in a story spanning thirty years. Jessica Bell, Alexandra Keddie and Monique Sallé play the young women, each creating distinct personalities, but are not always convincing with the chemistry being generated. Katherine Hopwood Poulsen, Deborah Jones and Fiona Press deliver senior versions of the same characters, admirable for bringing the show to a satisfying climactic conclusion.

As we become increasingly comfortable with queerness in our art and lives, it is important that the particularities of our experiences as queer people are not disregarded. The Swell talks specifically about lesbians. In a climate of radical inclusivity, it is tempting to wish to represent as many marginalised people as possible, in each instance of theatre making, but we risk erasure of valuable differences pertaining to our LGBTQIA+ identities.

Emancipation naturally means that we will ultimately be freeing ourselves from labels, and we should always work towards a future of fewer limitations and greater possibilities, but there is power in embodying markers, especially those that carry with them, glorious histories of resistance, resilience and triumph. Lesbians have improved the world for everyone, in countless ways, and we must insist on their enduring and conspicuous presence.

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

Review: Low Level Panic (KXT on Broadway)

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Venue: KXT on Broadway (Ultimo NSW), Feb 7 – 17, 2024
Playwright: Clare McIntyre
Director: Maike Strichow
Cast: Marigold Pazar, Charlotte De Wit, Megan Kennedy
Images by Georgia Jane Griffiths

Theatre review
Three young women share a home, each with a different relationship to their own bodies. Clare McIntyre’s Low Level Panic examines the often unstable nature of the self-image, in connection with the sociality of existing in a modern world. Characters in the play are concerned, consciously and subconsciously, with notions of gender inequality, sex and popular media, as they navigate the challenges of attaining a sense of assurance and confidence, for their physical selves.

McIntyre’s ideas are rendered with subtlety, using a gentle humour to explore these difficulties shared by most women. Direction by Maike Strichow is perhaps slightly too nebulous, in a style too naturalistic, making the show feel somewhat pedestrian and emotionally detached. Marigold Pazar, Charlotte De Wit and Megan Kennedy form a convincing cast, but are excessively lenient with the pertinent messages of the play.

A more pronounced theatricality is needed to fortify our engagement with the concepts and the enjoyment of the work. Lights by Lyndon Buckley are fortunately able to deliver some visual punctuation to sustain our attention. Set design by the aforementioned De Wit is also charming, in its winsome representation of a familiar scene.

We may be able to identify the reasons for our feelings of inadequacy, but changing those nefarious influences seems to require several lifetimes. What we can do every day, whilst finding ways to survive these unremarkable conditions, is to cultivate forms of resistance. Psychological fortification is hard work, but is absolutely necessary, for women to define our individual and private selves, so that we may be able to be at peace when it matters most, as we negotiate the relentless daily violence, of being told we are not enough.

www.kingsxtheatre.com | www.herproductions.com.au