Tag Archives: 2014

Review: Harvest (New Theatre)

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newtheatre2Venue: New Theatre (Newtown NSW), Oct 7 – Nov 8, 2014
Playwright: Richard Bean
Director: Louise Fischer
Cast: Nick Bolton, Sarah Carroll, Alex Chalwell, Xavier Coy Peter Eyers, John Keightley, Dave Kirkham, Annie Schofield, Isabella Tannock, Abi Rayment, Benjamin Vickers, Bishanyia Vincent, Steve Vincent, Jeremy Waters
Photograph © Bob Seary

Theatre review (of a preview performance)
Nostalgia can be ineffectually sentimental, but in Richard Bean’s Harvest, it is a telescope through which some of our contemporary social concerns are examined. The Harrisons are farmers in Yorkshire of England, and through their evolution over the last century, the deterioration of community and drastic alterations of market forces come into sharp focus. There is a definite pining for the past in Bean’s text. Even the villains of yesteryear seem quaint by comparison. Modern developments of civilisations are obviously not completely deplorable, but the play does put forth convincing arguments that pay reverence to bygone notions of honour, and the debate it inspires on alternative modes of progress is interesting.

Direction by Louise Fischer provides dramatic poignancy with an earnest approach to the script’s political positions, but the production’s tone is uncomfortably subdued in its first act. Early scenes require greater levity and chemistry between actors to deliver bigger laughs before the play’s deeper meanings emerge. The show begins to take flight at the introduction of the character Titch, played with exuberant confidence by Benjamin Vickers. His broad style of comedy finds a delightful harmony with Bean’s writing, and he creates the most memorable of the host of supporting roles on stage.

Leading man Jeremy Waters impresses with a consistently charming and dynamic portrayal of a character who grows from very young to very old. His colourful and entertaining work is a reliable central focus of the production, with scenes working best when his colleagues are able to locate points of ignition with his talents. There are moments when Waters’ diction proves slightly challenging for the audience (partly due to the distinctive Yorkshire dialect), but the actor’s physical expressiveness discloses sufficient plot detail to compensate for the shortfall. The role of Laura has a similarly vast age range for actor Bishanyia Vincent to explore, and she certainly rises to that challenge, shining especially brilliantly at the older stages. Vincent’s presence is unassuming but solid, and she surprises with increasingly captivating instances of creativity as the plot unfolds, culminating in a surprisingly riveting final scene.

Bethany Sheehan’s set cleverly converts the vast stage into a more concentrated and intimate performance space, with a backdrop that helps with the cast’s volume levels. Transformations to reflect the passage of time are necessary but set changes can sometimes lack elegance, as do several entrances and exits that see actors venturing off the stage, and into the auditorium. Nevertheless, Fischer’s work as director is defined by the conviction and power she injects into the moral of the show’s story. Bean’s writing seems to glorify the good old days with a dose of convenient selective amnesia, but Fischer turns his concepts into thought-provoking characters and events that move us. It is true that we are always ready to abandon the old in favour of all that is shiny and new, and while obsolescence should be improved upon, we must always be careful to separate the archaic from that which is eternal. Nothing lasts forever but many things endure further than a single generation’s lifetime.

www.newtheatre.org.au

Review: Howie The Rookie (Red Line Productions / Strange Duck Productions / Sydney Independent Theatre Company)

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redlineVenue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Sep 30 – Oct 25, 2014
Playwright: Mark O’Rowe
Director: Toby Schmitz
Cast: Sean Hawkins, Andrew Henry
Image by Kathy Luu

Theatre review
Howie and Rookie are two young Irish men who live epic nights and emerge to relay their experiences to anyone who would listen. They are base and depraved, with values a world away from the middle classes of theatre-land, yet their lack of pretension and extraordinary candour allow us to find identification with a shared essence of humanity. Their stories are terrifying and sickening, but they are never alien, for our instincts understand what it is to be like them, much as we spend our days fighting tooth and nail to create distance from their godforsaken universe. Mark O’Rowe’s script is a detailed look into a life driven by impulse and unaffected appetite, formed by two monologues written with a brand of poetry that is gritty and coarse, although irresistibly beautiful at many points. It is geezers doing lyricism, and art in its enemy’s territory.

Direction by Toby Schmitz delves into the psychology of his actors, to create characters that feel palpable and real, although both are highly theatrical in expression. A thorough authenticity is manufactured by instituting clarity in thought and intensity of emotion in the performers, which translates into wonderfully vivid storytelling and stunning performances. Schmitz reduces the stage into an exaggerated intimacy so that the only thing that matters is the cast.

Design aspects are extremely subtle, for they aim to disappear, but all elements contribute effectively to the power of the men’s dynamic presence. Lights by Alexander Berlage and sound by Jeremy Silver are sensitive and elegant, with many manoeuvres that are practically undetectable but crucial to atmosphere transformations. Stage manager Nicholas Foustellis executes these changes perfectly. Lisa Mimmocchi’s set and costume design takes a minimal approach but the vision she creates resonates with accuracy, even in its spacial abstraction.

Andrew Henry performs the first half of the piece in the role of Howie. He first addresses the audience out of character, with mundane information about mobile phones and emergency exits, using the opportunity to establish humour and a camaraderie that he brings into the play. Henry maintains eye contact with us throughout, insisting that we hear every word, and we do. The actor’s delivery in both physical and vocal terms is almost acrobatic in its agility. He is funny, outrageous and disturbing, always keeping us firmly in the palm of his hand, and the range of emotion he portrays can only be described as impressive. A major mood transition occurs at the end of his soliloquy that is absolutely breathtaking, and a must-see for any fan of the dramatic arts.

Also remarkable is Sean Hawkins, who takes on the latter half of the production as Rookie. Hawkins’ energy is vibrant and sprightly, providing a clever contrast to the darker Howie. Hawkins is a passionate raconteur who brings brilliant animation to his tales, and the stripes shaven into his temples to match his Adidas tracksuit, indicate the depth at which the actor has absorbed the text. Revealing all that the character believes and feels, Hawkins’ face is mesmerising. It tells us all that Rookie wishes to divulge, and then some. The performer lays bare an honesty that lets us read into a complex portrayal of what seems to be a simple existence.

Small theatre can refer to budgets, venue sizes, or the actual scope of content being produced. In the case of Howie The Rookie, it is the serendipitous meeting of all three that has created something sublime. More extravagant expenditure or auditorium capacity will not improve the colossal genius presented on this very special occasion.

www.sitco.net.au

Review: Sondheim On Sondheim (Squabbalogic Independent Music Theatre)

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squabbalogicVenue: Seymour Centre (Sydney NSW), Oct 1 – 18, 2014
Music & Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Conceived and Originally Directed by: James Lapine
Director: Jay James-Moody
Cast: Blake Erickson, Rob Johnson, Louise Kelly, Debora Krizak, Phillip Lowe, Monique Sallé, Christy Sullivan, Dean Vince
Image by Michael Francis

Theatre review
The second act of Stephen Sondheim’s musical about himself starts with the number, God. Written in 2010 for Sondheim On Sondheim, the song is obviously tongue-in-cheek, but it reflects the adoration, if not obsession, that many lovers of the genre have for him. Conceived and originally directed on Broadway by James Lapine, this biographical work juxtaposes live performance with a film composed almost entirely of Sondheim’s interview footage, old and new. We hear a little about his personal life, as well as vignettes about the origins of certain songs, but perhaps more interestingly, he provides insight into his artistic process. Interspersed with the master’s candid introspection is a cast of eight interpreting his creations, with songs from as far back as 1946 included in the programme. It feels a lot like a greatest hits compilation, except most audiences would probably only find half the selection familiar.

The show is a tribute, and tributes can involve a level of fanaticism. For musical theatre geeks, this is a gift from heaven, and for the rest of us, it is a variety show featuring magnificent singers. Director Jay James-Moody and choreographer Monique Sallé provide the cast with solid emotional and physical structures to navigate around, but focus is kept simple; we hear Sondheim speak, and we hear the cast sing his compositions. It is a challenge to prevent repetitiveness without surprise guest performers and big visual trickery, as variety shows are want to do, and on this occasion, the production does lose a little steam halfway through act two.

It is a tricky thing to perform musical theatre numbers out of context. Without a narrative, some of the more emotive sequences cannot help but feel trite and corny. At a running time of over two hours, there is a good chance that persistent levity would turn sour. Most scenes are not set up sufficiently for the songs to communicate at depth, but an exception is the segment featuring a medley from Sondheim’s 1994 work, Passion, which gives us background information for characters and circumstance, thus allowing us to connect with the tragic love story. Louise Kelly’s sensitive and powerful portrayal of the lovelorn Fosca is beautifully moving, and a reminder of the importance of story and empathy in any theatrical work.

Dynamic work by Mikey Rice on lighting design and Jessica James-Moody on sound, give the independent production a surprising polish. The set design is highly effective, although its resemblance to Brevity Theatre’s Wittenberg at the Old Fitzroy Theatre earlier this year must be noted. Costumes (uncredited) are a disappointment, with many unflattering and unimaginative pieces sabotaging an otherwise pleasant vista.

Sondheim On Sondheim can be thought of as being about heroes and vanity. We sit back and admire phenomenal work by the songwriter and turn green with envy at this excellent collection of voices. We can also think about great art as being a source of inspiration for all. The way we live our lives, and indeed the reasons for living, are infinitely diverse, but a commonality exists in our universal need for a vision of something greater. There is no doubt that greatness presides on this stage, and bearing witness to their extraordinary talent is almost necessary.

www.squabbalogic.com.au

Review: Brother Daniel (TAP Gallery)

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brotherdanielVenue: TAP Gallery (Darlinghurst NSW), Sep 24 – Oct 5, 2014
Playwright: James Balian
Director: Travis Green
Cast: Vincent Andriano, David Attrill, Mel Dodge, Jeannie Gee, Adam Hatzimanolis, Errol Henderson, Richard Hilliar, Naomi Livingstone
Image by Mark Banks

Theatre review
James Balian’s Brother Daniel discusses the concepts of heroism and revolution. His work is dense and intellectual, but the ideas that he introduces into the play are vibrantly refreshing. We are made to examine our relationship with heroes, and that incessant need to turn narratives into tales of inspiration and motivation with headlining objects of worship. We elevate people into positions of sainthood and martyrdom, by obliterating the very qualities that bind us as the human race. We have a need to make real our abstract ideals so that aspirations can be formed and individuals or groups can find ways to progress. The betterment of society requires epitomes, but those examples of perfection can only exist in our imagination. Daniel is a legend in prison, and a revolution is taking place outside. The crowds are moved by the memory of Daniel’s legacy, but we are in his cell, witnessing an iconoclasm and the deconstruction of a national hero.

Although Travis Green manages to direct the play with an appropriate severity, there is a stasis to his style that prevents sufficient dramatic effect from taking shape on the stage. Balian’s wordy script proves a challenge, and the heavy reliance on dialogue with very minimal visual inventiveness is challenging for its audience. We need to understand the writing not only through our ears, but when in the theatrical space, our other faculties have to be equally addressed. It is noteworthy that sound design is a well considered element, efficiently adding a foreboding dimension to the atmosphere.

The cast is a strong one, bringing confident presence and polish to the production. Daniel is played by the effortlessly enigmatic Adam Hatzimanolis whose committed performance grounds the show. His interpretation of the personality’s ambiguity is beautifully presented, and he adds to his scenes, a powerful intensity that leaves an excellent impression. The play features several roles that feel too surface, mainly due to their brief stage time, but Daniel is dimensioned and unpredictable, with a depth that is crucial for a central character.

We are not told where the action takes place, but our minds go to the current demonstrations in Hong Kong, where civilians are taking to the streets in protest of their totalitarian government. Revolution is bold, and Brother Daniel is at heart, a bold piece of writing, but what transpires on stage needs an approach closer to anarchy.

www.tapgallery.org.au

Review: Rizzy’s 18th Birthday Party (Curiousworks)

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curiousworksVenue: Carriageworks (Eveleigh NSW), Oct 1 – 4, 2014
Screenplay: S. Shakthidharan, G. Gonzalez
Director: S. Shakthidharan
Cast: Varun Fernando, Firdaws Adelpour, Henry Vo, Jamie Meyer-Williams, Patrick Uly, Sophie Hawkshaw, Anandavalli

Film review
The film is projected with incidental music performed live by two-person band Kurinji whose vocalist Aimée Falzon recalls the singing of Sarah McLachlan and Róisín Murphy. The band provides an ethereal start to the night, but the film is more earthy in tone. Set in the recent past, just before 9-11 had changed the world, it features a cast of multiracial characters, which stands distinct because it is a rare representation of our daily Australian realities. It is not a vision we often see on screens, but the diversity looks entirely natural, making a strong political case against the persistent ethnocentrism of Caucasian faces in our media landscape.

The story is a curious one about the anxiety that young people of Western Sydney experience. It showcases rarely articulated societal concerns through Rizzy, who pretends to be a resident of the affluent suburb of Crows Nest, where he is in fact, a member of the working classes in the stigmatised Fairfield region. He is aspirational but perhaps for the wrong reasons. The film makes an effort to contradict Rizzy’s belief that his background is inferior by depicting great friendships and colourful environs, but it results in a very alienating protagonist. We never reach any meaningful understanding of his feelings, so the film remains distant. Its insistence on focusing only on young men, and having women characters exist at its periphery, further restricts its ability to find relevancy with wider audiences.

It is a strong cast, carefully directed by S. Shakthidharan who retains the rawness of the young actors, while drawing good commitment in their performances. Anandavalli plays Rizzy’s mother Helen, with a beautiful sensitivity that moves us with her minimal but authentic approach. It is unfortunate that her role is a deeply subservient one, but the actor’s work is the film’s standout element. Leading man Varun Fernando is less accomplished, but his comic abilities provide some entertainment value in lighter sections. The young men are a group with excellent chemistry that gives energy to many of the earlier scenes, and the film suffers as attention is shifted away from them as the plot progresses.

The work has issues with pace and structure that prevents tension from building satisfactorily. Also, the stakes in the narrative are never high, so we do not respond with much excitement. Rizzy’s 18th Birthday Party is a quiet and earnest movie that attempts to provide a voice to a segment in our community that is not often heard, but it needs to amplify its assertions in volume and in poignancy if it wishes to leave a greater impression.

www.curiousworks.com.au

Review: The Glass Menagerie (Belvoir St Theatre)

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Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Sep 20 – Nov 2, 2014
Playwright: Tennessee Williams
Director: Eamon Flack
Cast: Harry Greenwood, Luke Mullins, Pamela Rabe, Rose Riley
Images by Brett Boardman

Theatre review (originally published at Auditorium Magazine)
Tennessee Williams refers to The Glass Menagerie as a memory play. The work is semi-autobiographical, inspired by events, people and recollections from his own life. The making of art often involves the search for an understanding of the artists’ self and their immediate environment, through the expression of subjects that are familiar and intimate. Williams’ story examines the home life he had shared with an overbearing mother and a “crippled” sister. Seventy years have past since its initial staging, but their life together remains intriguing and poignant, covering timeless and universal themes that resonate with audiences today the world over. Film adaptations from India and Iran in the last decade demonstrate the wide appeal of the play’s premise and characters.

Williams’ language is romantically evocative of the American South in the 1930s, with old fashioned values that seem quaint and charming to our modern sensibilities, but that same regressiveness in attitude can prove to be harmful, as witnessed in the Wingfield family’s tribulations. Amanda has a definite, and narrow, view of the world and expects her children’s adherence to her every imagined obligation to society. It is a small mind that rules the household, and its painful repercussions are felt by all its members, including the matriarch herself. Eamon Flack’s direction is punctuated by inventive touches, but it is his effective exploration of the original’s concepts that strikes a chord.

A key feature of the production involves two large screens flanking the set, and several video cameras on tripods positioned on the periphery of the stage. Close ups of live action are periodically projected in black and white, shifting the audience between modes of theatre and cinema. This mechanism is slightly gimmicky, but it enriches the viewing experience by allowing an intrusion into more private spaces. Sean Bacon’s work on video design manages to bring elegance to the technology, finding a beautiful balance between stage and screen, rarely causing conflict or confusion for our eyes. Flack’s decision to have faces enlarged for our viewing pleasure enhances emotion and empathy for the piece, but it also brings into doubt the strength of performances that require that augmentation.

Also intensified in Flack’s direction is Tom Wingfield’s homosexuality. Before Williams’ lines are able to reveal the source of Tom’s disquiet, we observe from the very beginning, actor Luke Mullins’ purposeful flamboyance eagerly presenting an image of repressed and hidden gayness. The negation of that obsolete taboo inherent in the text, is an interesting and politically appropriate move for our times, and we are glad to see Tom, our narrator, approach us with fresh honesty. In terms of dramatic structure however, the build up of frustration and tension resulting from his gradual and inevitable disclosures is thus omitted.

Mullins is delightfully spirited in the role. He finds many opportunities for playfulness that helps maintain an electric atmosphere, regardless of moods being portrayed. The staidness of his home is placed alongside a confident showmanship that ensures entertainment in spite of the play’s many grim turns. Within the script’s shrewd treatment of secret sexuality, Mullins exercises a surprising range of nuance that conveys as much as Williams had tried to conceal.

The role of Amanda, the Wingfield mother and faded Southern belle, is played by Pamela Rabe who excels at locating authenticity in a highly dramatised character. Obsessive concern becomes comprehensible in Rabe’s depiction, thereby giving the tale its emotion and meaning. The woman’s severity leads to her own anguish, both qualities delivered by the actor with firm conviction. Amanda’s neurosis is strangely subdued at the play’s early stages, which slightly dampens the drama surrounding family dynamics, but when her hysteria sets in, its theatrical effects are quite wonderful.

Rose Riley’s interpretation of Laura is a fascinating one. Her family believes her to be disabled, but we do not see much evidence for it. The ambiguity surrounding Laura’s impairment sheds light on the changes in attitude over time that societies hold for notions of health and normalcy. Riley puts on an intense but introspective performance and her best moments occur when the camera catches her face in tight shots, revealing very strong and genuine outpouring of emotion. She is the perfect counterpoint to the loudness of her mother and brother, but a lengthy scene with a romantic interest Jim (Harry Greenwood) is unduly quiet and both actors’ subtlety leaves a blemish on an otherwise dexterously paced show.

Set design by Michael Hankin manufactures a sense of claustrophobia with the very small Wingfield home. An unbearable pressure exists together with their poverty, and their dysfunction becomes logical. The aesthetics of the production is fairly muted, with an emphasis on accuracy over theatricality, but Damien Cooper finds opportunities with his lighting design to implement instances of creative flair that add sensual and shifting textures to the plot.

Tom, like his father and his author, escapes oppression in search of a greater truth. The most significant of America’s patriotic qualities is freedom, and The Glass Menagerie gifts us a portrait of its opposite. Enslaved by archaic beliefs and antiquated values, the play’s characters endure a continuance of suffering and painful delusion. Today, the story looks to be a relic of a bygone era, but in fact, that same denial of liberty persists in our personal and social spheres, albeit in insidiousness. The play’s optimistic conclusion sees Tom taking action to remove his psychological shackles. The act seems at once desperately painful, and plainly simple.

www.belvoir.com.au

Review: Wouldman (The Old 505 Theatre)

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wouldman1Venue: Old 505 Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Sep 17 – 28, 2014
Playwright: Justin Buchta
Director: Justin Buchta
Cast: Justin Buchta

Theatre review
Wouldman is like a super hero. His costume is made of wood and in it, he would do many things. Justin Buchta’s very unique one-man show is an amalgamation of many disciplines and forms. There are influences from mime, dance and mask work. He even does yoga and attempts auto-fellatio (simulated). There are songs and poetry, and stories are sometimes narrated but the show is not at all narrative driven. It is abstract, almost dadaist, with segments that flow into each other, some chapters more decipherable than others. This is a fascinating show that is frequently funny and amusing, with an expansively creative approach to communication.

Buchta is an extremely energetic performer, who uses his solid presence to give the production an air of impulsiveness. He seems to leave many elements to chance, creating an atmosphere that is consistently surprising and alive. Buchta keeps us thoroughly engaged even while he bewilders us with his avant garde antics, and we respond with a complex mix of thoughts and emotions. The show’s style of ambiguity is an inviting one that can be challenging at times, but always with sufficient frames of reference to construe meanings.

The artist’s creativity is characterised by a sense of boundless freedom, one that does not require adherence to conventions and expectations. Buchta is concerned with the act of expression itself, and meanings are left to fashion their own lives. This is an art that encourages open hearts and minds in order that interaction can occur. Justin Buchta proves himself in Wouldman to be risky and fearless, but it remains to be seen if his audience is equally gallant.

www.venue505.com/theatre

Review: The Matilda Waltz (New Theatre)

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newtheatreVenue: New Theatre (Newtown NSW), Sep 19 – 27, 2014
Director: Sam Thomas
Playwright: Deborah Mulhall
Cast: James Bean, Adrian Adam, Carla Nirella, Morgan Powell, Michael Sutherland, Sonja Donohoe, Adam Gray, Katrina Rautenberg, Roberto Zenca

Theatre review
The Matilda Waltz is the story of five generations of women in Australia, commencing with siblings Vera and Ida Templeton in 1894. We follow a series of their love lives, which all result in daughters being born (yes, they are all heterosexual and, spoiler alert, they all choose Caucasian husbands). The play is narrated by icons of Australian-European literature and fine art, Banjo Paterson and Russel Drysdale, but it is unclear how much of the piece is a work of fiction. The women are not weak characters, they all have purpose and some even display ambition, but Deborah Mulhall’s writing defines each of them against the men who they chance upon. Romance and reproduction is big with the Templeton ladies, it seems, but in the space of a hundred years, they do not come in contact with any indigenous characters or later migrants from non-European regions. We do however, see one of the women venture into “Nam” to almost get killed by the Viet Cong.

It can be frustrating watching actors play different roles and not realising that fact until several scenes later. Chronology in much of the first half is also unclear. Sam Thomas’ direction is not without flair, but important details are neglected, which makes for a confusing experience. Fortunately, there is good work to be found in the revelation of each narrative that unfolds. Characters are not explored with much depth (the play is abridged for the Sydney Fringe schedule), but they are interesting and quite colourful. Virtually every scene features two characters in dialogue, and Thomas creates good chemistry on the stage between all cast members.

The actors are attractive and committed, but the script does not offer them enough to exhibit great skill or talent. The young men of the cast are utilised like boxed up Ken dolls, all gorgeous to look at but without space to flex their acting muscles. We only get to see powerful emotions from a couple of the women but those moments are so fleeting, they seem almost frivolous. Carla Nirella is animated and humorous as the uptight Ida, providing some laughs in the early sequences. Also charming is Sonja Donohoe who manages to find some range and subtlety in her scenes. Adrian Adam plays Drysdale and the American diplomat Richard with a confident presence, and he works hard to bring some fire to the production.

Encapsulating a century into 70 minutes is challenging. To create short stories out of entire lifetimes is not meaningless, but requires greater imagination and innovation. Australia’s recorded history is by some accounts, the longest in the world and we have much to choose from, and our persistent obsession with the recent European settlement needs to subside.

www.newtheatre.org.au

Review: 4 Sydney Fringe Shows (PACT)

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pactfringeVenue: PACT (Erskineville NSW), Sep 24 – 27, 2014
Images by PACT

All The Single Lad(ie)s
Company: The Cutting Room Floor
Writer: Zoe Hollyoak
Director: Scott Corbett
Cast: Braiden Dunn, Verity Softly, Jack Walker
www.tcrftheatre.com

Fire Twirling
Company: Circaholics Anonymous
www.circaholicsanonymous.com

Him
Devisor: Coleman Grehan
Cast: Coleman Grehan
www.facebook.com/colemangrehan

Bodyscapes
Composer: Mary Mainsbridge
www.deprogram.net

Theatre review
The night begins with All The Single Lad(ie)s, a play about gender politics, featuring a woman and a man in a BDSM fantasy scenario that turns sour, with interludes by a drag queen Tammy Packs who gives lectures on gender in between performing the greatest hits of Beyoncé Knowles. The production and its concepts lack complexity, but actor Verity Softly’s performance is committed and energetic. The production discusses the futility of a feminism that wishes to usurp debates about gender and sex, and explores the meaning of power and consent against the backdrop of a scenario extrapolating sexual domination and rape. Its perspective is aggressive but feels one-sided and therefore, a little convenient.

In the courtyard outside, members of Circaholics Anonymous perform a series of stunts and sequences featuring the art of fire twirling. There is a power to the flames that affects the crowd on a visceral level, beyond the visual. The team present many thrilling moments where the act gets too close to danger, eliciting cheers and yelps from its audience. The show does not have a strong sense of narrative, and things can feel repetitive at times, but there is a hypnotic quality to their performance that can prove captivating especially for the very young. The cast needs to find greater charisma to allow us to connect with their personalities, but they are well-trained and energetic. Their amazing skills do not fail to impress.

Coleman Grehan’s Him is a performance art / dance piece inspired by the Japanese Butoh discipline. Grehan uses his body, saliva and paint to illustrate human emotion and experience. Beautiful moments involving audience members painting directly onto Grehan’s body are impossibly tender and poignant, proving the efficacy of visual and time-based art over the use of words in representing humanity. Music is integral to the magic of the piece, and while they are not created specifically for the presentation, each track is selected with great sensitivity and circumspection.

Bodyscapes features Mary Mainbridge with cords hanging off her clothing, singing and dancing behind a translucent screen. Her body is used to operate “a movement-controlled instrument called the Telechord”, and computer graphic imagery is projected onto the screen that keeps her partially obscured. The visuals are fascinating, and confusing. To the side of the space is another screen displaying a different set of image projections, and three men in collaboration, illuminated only by their computer monitors. The synergy of technology and human is wonderful to observe, and Mainbridge’s brand of intelligent dance music is simultaneously ethereal and sophisticated.

The temporary division of the PACT space into three small studios is very well conceived. The program is at its strongest when there is a focus on the avant garde, and on this occasion, the intimacy of the tiny black boxes are perfectly suited to each unconventional production. In its 50th year, the centre for emerging artists remains a vital part of our artistic landscape.

www.pact.net.au

Review: Gruesome Playground Injuries (The Kings Collective)

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thekingscollectiveVenue: TAP Gallery (Darlinghurst NSW), Sep 23 – 28, 2014
Writer: Rajiv Joseph
Director: Anthony Gooley
Cast: Aaron Glenane, Megan McGlinchey
Image by Kate Williams Photography

Theatre review
The beauty of love is most potent when its departure is close at hand. Rajiv Joseph’s Gruesome Playground Injuries is about a relationship defined by absence. Its characters spend short periods together, sharing brief moments of intensity through each significant age, and then disappear from each other’s lives for years after. Kayleen and Doug’s romance is an eternal flower that does not bear fruit. They do not become partners, spouses or lovers but their bond grows stronger with each passing year. Their story is a tragic one, and Joseph’s script is filled with poignancy, shifting from the very light to the deeply sorrowful, constantly alternating between laughter and tears to tell a moving tale that no person can react with indifference. The events may not have happened to any of us, but we understand all the feelings involved, and this is a production that allows us to luxuriate in all the joy and pain that the couple has experienced.

The outrageously accident-prone Doug is played by Aaron Glenane, whose magnificence in the role cannot be overstated. His authenticity is immediate and thorough, and whether performing slapstick or catastrophe, he always remains believable and compelling. The brightness of the actor’s energy gives the stage a liveliness that captivates us, and his warm presence creates a likability in his character that holds our empathy from scene one to the end. Glenane is perfect in the part, and his work here is impeccable. Also engaging is Megan McGlinchey who takes on the role of Kayleen with a fierce sense of commitment and remarkable focus. McGlinchey is less effective in sequences that require her to portray her character’s later years, but the honesty in her acting provides an integrity to her work that sustains our empathy even when her narrative is missing the purity of Doug’s. The actors form a formidable pair, with an extraordinary chemistry between them that makes the production gleam with magic.

Anthony Gooley’s direction places emphasis on extracting brave and extravagant creative choices from his cast. The piece has a sense of grandness in the volume at which it portrays human emotion that comes from the sheer corporeality that is presented before our eyes. What Gooley has delivered is more than an accurate implementation of Joseph’s writing, it is an amplification, one that is dramatic, powerful and uncompromisingly visceral. The story spans thirty years, and the sentiments represented are correspondingly deep. Passion is conspicuous on this stage, and the director’s efforts at making its presence felt are commendable. The inventive use of space shows creative flair, and along with an accomplished design team comprising Toby Knyvett (lights) and Tyler Hawkins (set and costumes), visual design is noticeably elegant. The variation in atmosphere between scenes is efficiently and sensitively executed, with imaginative input from sound designers David Stalley, David Couri and Philip Orr.

This is an exceptional production that showcases brilliant acting, tells an exciting story, and issues a reminder of what heartbreak feels like. Love cannot be explained in words, but it can be enacted in the theatre, as Gruesome Playground Injuries does, to enormous satisfaction.

www.thekingscollective.com.au