Tag Archives: comedy

Any Womb Will Do (King Street Theatre)

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anywombwilldo1Venue: King Street Theatre (Newtown NSW), Sep 8 – 23, 2013
Playwright: Gavin Roach
Director: Gavin Roach
Actor: Gavin Roach

Theatre review
Gavin Roach is an important voice in Australian theatre. He writes from the perspective of a gay man from Generation Y, and frequently appears on stage as a representation of young men of his community. Even though politics does not seem to feature as an obvious theme in his plays, Roach is a crucial presence in our theatrical landscape in terms of the way his work resonates for sexual minorities, which in itself is political action.

In Any Womb Will Do, the premise of child-bearing for a single gay man is explored. The show is presented in the most simple fashion, a one act monologue with no scene changes, and without lighting and sound effects. Roach is seen simply to be in his lounge room, talking to us about the issues he faces in trying to become a father. His performance begins with a campy and humorous tone, which the audience enjoys and reacts favourably almost like at a stand up show. Roach’s confidence and charm allows him to win the crowd over instantaneously, creating an air of ease and comfort in the theatre. As the play progresses, he switches gear to a more melancholic mode, where unfortunately his command of the space slowly fades. The characterisation becomes less believable and the story’s pathos fails to connect.

Nevertheless, this is an interesting work that addresses real concerns of queer communities as societies the world over progress and become more inclusive. As same-sex marriage becomes de rigueur in many countries, it only follows that family structures are re-examined, and with every other progressive idea, the theatre is where the process begins.

www.facebook.com/gavindanielroach
http://2013.sydneyfringe.com/…

Miss Julie (Belvoir St Theatre)

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757094-1f162f2e-1050-11e3-92bf-1ac22055d80e[1]Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Aug 24 – Oct 6, 2013
Playwright: Simon Stone after August Strindberg
Director: Leticia Cáceres
Actors: Taylor Ferguson, Brendan Cowell, Blazey Best

Theatre review
Belvoir’s production of Miss Julie is a radical update of the Strindberg classic. It relocates the characters to modern day Australia, drastically changing its form, language, and ideology. Key plot developments are retained, ensuring that the excitement and drama of the original are utilised to their full potential. Importantly, the political unsavouriness inherent in Strindberg’s pre-feminist 1888 work undergoes thorough subversion, giving rise to a new creation that re-imagines a powerful story, and uses it to make a statement that is representative of our times. It is a feminist act to revamp the work, but the political message contained in this new production is thankfully more ambiguous and sophisticated.

Brendan Cowell does exceedingly well by quickly establishing the play in its time and space with a familiar Aussie bloke caricature from his very entrance. He performs the charming larrikin with gusto, and is immediately likable as well as extraordinarily funny. This man has charisma in spades and isn’t afraid to use it, which is appropriate for the role of a man who is caught between two women. Miss Julie traverses very dark territory, and Cowell’s comic presence serves well to keep the tone humorous, although there are a few points that could have been more impactful if things were allowed to go more serious and grave.

Taylor Ferguson plays the 16 year-old Julie with an enthralling character development that could surprise any seasoned theatre-goer. The role showcases her versatility and courage as a young actor, and the play relies solely on her strengths to introduce a sense of believability and empathy. While her Julie is not the most endearing character to behold, the effect she has on her audience is deep and enduring.

Director Leticia Cáceres and playwright Simon Stone have created this new Miss Julie with a young, revolutionary voice. Their work is fiercely contemporary and fearlessly dramatic. The politics of the story is not immediately evident, but it is the reconstruction of works in the “misogyny cannon” (Cáceres’ words) that is relevant, and one can only hope that they return to that cannon and disrupts it again one play at a time.

www.belvoir.com.au

Lifeforce: The Mother Of All Journeys (King Street Theatre)

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rsz__wp_5900_bubblesmed_Venue: King Street Theatre (Newtown NSW), Sep 6 – 21, 2013
Songs, book and lyrics: Joanne Weinberg
Director: Lisa Freshwater
Choreographer: Christopher Horsey
Actors: Natalie Lotkin, Tyran Parke, Monique Salle, Meredity O’Reilly, Charlotte Kerr, Christopher Horsey

Theatre review
Without an orchestra or band to perform a prologue, the show starts off clunky and stilted. It is a shock to the ears when characters replace conversation with big rousing musical numbers, especially when irony and comedy are not yet introduced at that early stage. Thankfully, by the time of the third song, things begin to fall into place, and Lifeforce unfurls its magic, telling a story with themes that are deep and universal. Its story isn’t a particularly interesting or unusual one, but the emotions it communicates and the ideas it explores have a profundity that elevates the musical genre from mere entertainment.

This is a demanding show for the small cast. Without support from a chorus, stage hands and elaborate sets, these six performers are required to take us on their journey, relying only on their skill and talent. Leading lady Natalie Lotkin’s confident voice is beautiful, and provides an emotional truth that gives the show a feel of authenticity. Tyran Parke demonstrates outstanding abilities both as a vocalist and actor, with a performance that is simultaneously entertaining and moving. Monique Salle gives her roles a sense of light and liveliness. Her voice is the brightest in the group, and accompanied with a keen sense of comedy, she owns some of the show’s most memorable moments.

Lisa Freshwater’s direction is accomplished. She treats her story with reverence, and imbues her characters with dignity. Freshwater’s emphasis on truthful character development allows its audience to engage and to empathise with those characters. There are instances in the production, however, where comic elements could have been played up more as the tone tends to get overly serious. From a structural perspective, the work misses the opportunity for a stronger surprise ending that could have taken the show to a more emotional conclusion. This is unfortunate and slightly bewildering.

Themes of family and parenthood when taken seriously, never fail to connect. In the case of Lifeforce, we are served an earnest and thoughtful tale of motherhood in several forms. Along with clever song-writing and beautiful singing (King St Theatre’s cosy acoustics are the perfect showcase for a small musical), this is a show that aims for the heart and never misses its mark.

www.facebook.com/lifeforcethemusical
http://2013.sydneyfringe.com/…

Empire: Terror On The High Seas (Tamarama Rock Surfers)

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1173881_628047743894506_803955022_n[1]Venue: Bondi Pavilion Theatre (Bondi NSW), Aug 29 – Sep 28, 2013
Playwright: Toby Schmitz
Director: Leland Kean
Actors: Anthony Gooley, Ella Scott Lynch, Billie Rose Prichard, Nathan Lovejoy, Anthony Gee

Theatre review
Empire: Terror On The High Seas is a murder mystery set on an ocean liner in the late 1920s, but it owes little to the world of Agatha Christie’s writing. Instead, Toby Schmitz’s script is evocative of improvisational jazz music and the work of William S. Burroughs, with a structure that lends itself to a plot that unfolds mesmerisingly, but also freely goes away on lyrical tangents as though the story takes a break to feed an opiate habit at suitable intervals.

This is a big cast, with the participation of just under 20 actors. Performances are consistently good, with even the smaller roles excelling at creating an impression. Leading man Anthony Gooley is spellbinding as an unorthodox writer of sorts, on a journey grappling with personal issues including his concept of setting poetry to the stage. Gooley skilfully creates an endearing character who surprises with dramatic turns that are deliciously outlandish. Nathan Lovejoy steals the first half of the show with an exquisite flamboyance. His stage presence is irrepressible and he rules the stage with perfect comic timing at the show’s lighter sections. Ella Scott Lynch’s creation of a wild, gutsy flapper provides some of the most entertaining moments, and her stage husband Anthony Gee is memorable with a high energy performance that is manic and menacingly intense.

Leland Kean’s direction is thorough and meticulous. His vision comes through distinctly from his players who obviously understand their captain’s destination and purposes. Kean does not shy away from shock value, but he is simultaneously elegant in his approach. There are explicit scenes of debauchery and murder but his show is an aesthetically stylish one. Costumes and set are cleverly and beautifully designed. Sound is outstanding by being omnipresent and crucial to the fluid machinations of the storytelling, but is never distracting.

This is an artistic work that takes many poetic licenses and while it does not always communicate clearly, it takes its audience on its trip and triumphantly weaves through styles and genres, ending up with a theatrical narrative that is gripping, fascinating, and utterly fabulous.

www.rocksurfers.org

Spring Comedy Double Bill (Blancmange Productions)

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summerofbloodVenue: TAP Gallery (Darlinghurst NSW), Aug 27 – Sep 7, 2013

Brad Checks In
Playwright: Paula Noble
Director: Steven Tait
Actors: Chris Miller, Sam Smith, Katherine Shearer, Laura Holmes, Jim Gosden, Katrina Rautenberg

Summer Of Blood
Playwright: Robert Armstrong
Director: Stephen Carnell
Actors: Brennan Muhoberac, Chris Miller, Katherine Shearer, Laura Holmes, Jim Gosden

Theatre review
Two comedies that have very little in common thematically are staged successively over 3 hours. Both are structured almost like film scripts with numerous scene changes and emphasis on character development. Four of the actors appear in both shows, displaying range by taking on drastically different roles.

Brad Checks In deals with relationships in the modern era of online social networking. It is a familiar premise that many would easily relate to, but the play strangely features a central character entwined in a web with three women’s affections, without establishing or explaining his appeal. There are however, enjoyable performances, including Katherine Shearer’s Di who is dynamic and mischievous, and the only female character who was not entirely defined in terms of her relationship with the main character Brad. Sam Smith plays a womanising cad with charm and humour with a more naturalistic approach that contrasts well with the rest of the cast.

Summer Of Blood showcases a cast of manic characters, with frequently funny results. Laura Holmes delivers the biggest laughs with her confident comedic abilities. Chris Miller’s exhilarating performance is crucial to the liveliness of the play, setting the bar for his co-actors in terms of energy levels. Brennan Muhoberac is utterly convincing as an adult virgin who becomes increasingly tainted by greed. Director Stephen Carnell uses film effectively and relevantly, interplaying with live action in a memorable section of the play. Film geeks will relish in the facts and trivia introduced into the script, with references ranging from Alfred Hitchcock to Mary Harron. This is a satisfying, albeit messy romp about genre film, and the aspirations of people in the B-movie industry, but audiences will remember it for the schlocky blood letting, colourful characters and the many laughs it delivers.

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Fred (Old 505 Theatre)

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lisachappellVenue: Old 505 Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Aug 28 – Sep 8, 2013
Playwright: Lisa Chappell
Director: Christopher Stollery
Actor: Lisa Chappell

Theatre review
One woman in an ugly costume, one chair, no set, no props, no “multimedia” elements. This is bare bones theatre that relies squarely on performance, writing and direction. The fact that Fred works so successfully is a real testament to the talent and hard work that Lisa Chappell and Christopher Stollery have put into their craft. This show is relentlessly dark, but also extremely funny. It strikes a balance between the horrific and the hilarious, creating an emotional effect that is painfully unsettling but entirely entrancing.

Chappell’s skill as an actor is exceptional. The thoroughness at which she maps out the frequent and dramatic changes in tone of performance and psychological states is the highlight of this production. Her ability to portray the insanity of being lost in an agonising and devastating memory in one second, and flicking back in an instant to frivolous silliness, is sublime. Also impressive, is that the audience is only ever allowed to see the character, Deidre on stage. The actor, Lisa, is perfectly hidden from view, even though she is right in front of your eyes, expertly casting her magic over a spellbound crowd. Her director Stollery provides a creative and critical “third eye”, and together, they have spawned a one-woman tour de force that is unmissable.

Equally noteworthy is Chappell’s script. Her work explores some of the most morbid crevices of the human imagination, but her storytelling stubbornly remains in the realm of jokes and laughter. This is a perfect (and intense) representation of trauma, mental illness and the human instinct for survival. While the play concludes abruptly, it does so with good reason. It might disrupt the audience’s sentimental response to the character in question, but it is in the awakening from the fantasy into stone cold sober reality that the truth hits home.

www.venue505.com/theatre

Murder On The Nile (The Genesian Theatre)

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murderonthenileVenue: The Genesian Theatre (Sydney NSW), Aug 25 – Oct 5, 2013
Playwright: Agatha Christie
Director: Nanette Frew
Actors: Michael Barnacoat, Lilianna Komljenovic, Lachlan McNabb, Martin Estridge, Ros Richards
Image by Mark Banks

Theatre review
The power of an Agatha Christie work lies in its intrigue and suspense. The way her tales unfold is eminently captivating and beloved by audiences across generations and continents. The Genesian Theatre’s production of Murder On The Nile tells a witty and compelling story set on a cruise liner in Egypt, with colourful characters that retain their appeal 76 years after inception.

Design elements are basic but charming. The set is evocative of 1930s art deco, and effectively conveys a sense of languid luxury that is romantically nostalgic. Lighting is simple but elegant, never drawing attention upon itself, but efficient in its servitude to the play.

The director and players are mindful that clarity is key in the performance of Christie’s murder mystery. While some actors appear slightly miscast, they are all able to communicate the plot perfectly, so that the drama and tension inherent in the play are actualised on stage to great effect. Michael Barnacoat plays Canon Pennyfather with good commitment and excellent diction, giving crucial lengthy speeches in a manner that is highly engaging. Martin Estridge and Ros Richards are crowd favourites, playing eccentric characters with great aplomb, dominating the funniest moments in the show.

The Genesian has always been reliable in delivering great entertainment, and Murder On The Nile is no exception. Some things never change, and this much loved theatre company is thankfully one of them.

www.genesiantheatre.com.au

Jerusalem (New Theatre)

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New TheatreVenue: New Theatre (Newtown NSW), Aug 21 – Sep 14, 2013
Playwright: Jez Butterworth
Director: Helen Tonkin
Actors: Nicholas Eadie, Jeremy Waters, Peter Nettell, Emma Louise, Peter McAllum
Image by Matthias Engesser

Theatre review
Upon entering the theatre, one is immediately struck by the power of the production design. Set design in particular is a highlight of this production. Tom Bannerman’s conversion of the stage into a dramatically evocative backdrop is absolutely essential to the storytelling. The creation of five different entrances is intelligent, and along with lighting, mood is established long before the first actor appears.

Nicholas Eadie is charismatic in the lead role. He brings variety to his performance, which provides entertainment and also creates a character that is multi-faceted and mysterious. He does however, have inconsistencies with the accent in his speech that could be distracting for some audiences. Jeremy Waters is a delightful actor, full of vigour and presence. He plays Ginger with great flair, equally confident with comic as well as dramatic moments. Peter Nettell is scarily convincing in his portrayal of Wesley. It is a very committed and genuine performance that leaves a lasting impression in spite of the part being a smaller one.

At the heart of Jerusalem is a tale about land rights and commercialism. It has interesting parallels with contemporary Australian issues involving our Aboriginal communities and how they are situated within the economy. This English play makes arguments about territorial ownership in relation to ancestry and money, and how these tensions manifest socially. If Butterworth’s ideas had been applied to a more localised context, their impact could have been even greater. Instead, the show is left intact and unmodified from its foreignness, which gives it an eccentric and exotic quality, but it demands more from the audience, as its cultural specificity is at times challenging and complicated.

www.newtheatre.org.au

A Feat Incomplete (Old 505 Theatre)

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afeatincomplete1Venue: Old 505 Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Aug 21 – 25, 2013
Playwright: Erica J Brennan, David Buckley
Actors: Erica J Brennan, David Buckley

Theatre review
This is an honest and simple work that meditates on the nature of theatre creation. It deconstructs both form and content to get to the core of what it means to make a work for the theatre. It is the process of stripping down, rather than building up, that characterises this piece.

The run time is fairly short, which keeps the delivery of ideas sharp and fresh, and thankfully prevents things from being too drawn out and self indulgent, which is a fate that tends to befall many experimental theatre practitioners. There is however, a lack of elegance in the visual elements of the production. Aside from Brennan’s red eyes and horns, and Buckley’s nudity, more work could have been put into the execution of design aspects.

Attention is placed instead on the relationship between author and muse, resulting in charming sequences that explore love and intimacy, as well as the mystical space between “dreaming and death”. The artists also deal with the notion of “story” and the tension that exists in relation to narrative structures and lack thereof, in the creation of their art. A Feat Incomplete is brave in its conscious resistance against conventions of storytelling. This is a risky undertaking that can easily lead to an overly alienating experience, but both artists give performances that fascinate and intrigue.

www.venue505.com/theatre

The Merchant Of Venice (Sydney Shakespeare Company)

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Sydney Shakespeare CompanyVenue: TAP Gallery (Darlinghurst NSW), Aug 7 – 24, 2013
Playwright: William Shakespeare
Director: Steven Hopley
Actors: Mark Lee, Lizzie Schebesta, Anthony Campanella, Alex Nicholas
Image by Rob Studdert

Theatre review
In the modern age of advanced technology and new media, our attention spans continue to diminish at alarming rates. The prospect of sitting through any film or play that runs over 90 minutes can spell torture, but director Steven Hopley’s production makes three hours shrink into just a few blinks of an eye. It is true that time flies when you’re having fun. The Merchant Of Venice is mostly a comedy, and the cast makes full use of comic opportunities, unafraid to explore with silliness and to play for laughs. It can be argued that some of the players are engaged mainly for their ability to make us laugh, and this a decision we are grateful for.

The stand-out actors however, are the ones who excel with the drama they bring to the show. Mark Lee is by far the most accomplished of the group, and is enthralling as Shylock. Lee’s level of focus and conviction in his role brings a level of dignity to the “problematic villain” created by Shakespeare 4 centuries ago. This is an intense and disciplined performance that lifts the entire production, giving it a surprisingly polished gleam. Lizzie Schebesta brings youth and gravitas simultaneously, providing credibility to the otherwise frivolous central love story. Her strong presence holds its own within the male-dominated group, and her Portia impresses as an unexpected feminist figure (as much as the Shakespearean text could allow). Anthony Campanella plays the secondary role of Antonio, but he impresses from the start with excellent command of his lines, somehow able to make every word ring with clarity and truth.

Antonio however, has an awkward relationship with Portia’s fiancé Bassanio, The closeness of these characters is overplayed with a palpable sexual chemistry. This does not lend to the overall balance of the play, especially at its conclusion where all’s well that ends well and Bassanio and Portia are overjoyed at being together at last, with Antonio forgotten in the background. Another matter of disquiet is the handling of the anti-semitic nature of Shakespeare’s work. This production is faithful to its original vision, which does not sit well with contemporary Australian audiences and is a genuine quandary. This issue lingers on after the play has concluded, and one is left with quite shocking ideas of racial prejudice to ponder over, which of course, is never a bad thing.

www.sydneyshakespearecompany.com