Tag Archives: comedy

Review: Bloom (Sydney Theatre Company)

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Venue: Roslyn Packer Theatre (Sydney NSW), Mar 29 – May 11, 2025
Book and Lyrics: Tom Gleisner
Music: Katie Weston
Director: Dean Bryant
Cast: Evelyn Krape, Vidya Makan, Maria Mercedes, Eddie Muliaumaseali’i, John O’May, Christina O’Neill, Jackie Rees, Slone Sudiro, John Waters, Christie Whelan Browne
Images by Daniel Boud

Theatre review
One would hope that retirement homes are the most idyllic places in which the elderly can enjoy their twilight years, but Pine Grove is no such institution. In Tom Gleisner’s musical comedy Bloom, senior residents are treated with no respect, by a management that thinks only of the bottom line. The characters we encounter in Gleisner’s writing are thoughtfully assembled, but his plot unfolds predictably at every juncture, and a clichéd sense of humour guides the tone for the entire presentation.

Direction by Dean Bryant demonstrates little need for inventiveness, focussing efforts instead on creating a show that speaks with poignancy and tenderness. Its efficacy as a heart-warming tale is however debatable, with some viewers likely to respond favourably to its sentimentality, while others may be left unmoved by its hackneyed approach. The music of Bloom, written by Katie Weston and directed by Lucy Bermingham, is somewhat pleasant but the thorough conventionality of its style might prove uninspiring for some.

Set design by Dann Barber, along with costumes by Charlotte Lane, are appropriately and intentionally drab for a story about the failures of aged care systems. Lights by Sam Scott too, fulfil with unquestionable proficiency, the practical requirements of the simple narrative.

The ensemble is commendable for the gleam it brings to Bloom, with their confident singing and spirited delivery of old-school comedy, ensuring a consistent sense of professionalism. Performer Christie Whelan Browne is especially noteworthy for her flamboyant approach, in the hilarious role of Mrs MacIntyre the dastardly owner of Pine Grove. As staff member Ruby, Vidya Makan’s big voice is a treat and a memorable feature, in a production that has a tendency to feel more than a little tired.

www.sydneytheatre.com.au | www.mtc.com.au

Review: The Producers (Hayes Theatre)

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Venue: Hayes Theatre Co (Potts Point NSW), Mar 29 – Apr 27, 2025 | Riverside Theatres (Parramatta NSW) May 15 – 18, 2025
Music & Lyrics: Mel Brooks
Book: Mel Brooks, Thomas Meehan
Director: Julia Robertson
Cast: Anton Berezin, Des Flanagan, Alexandra Cashmere, Blake Erickson, Jordan Shea, Mikey Sakinofsky, Wendy-Lee Purdy, Spencer Cliff, Clancy Enchelmaier, Genevieve Goldman, Joshua Gordon, Ashton Lash, Joe Meldrum, Paloma Renouf
Images by Grant Leslie

Theatre review
Broadway producers Bialystock and Bloom try to stage a flop, when they discover an accounting loophole that would deliver an easy profit. They choose a show that celebrates Hitler, certain that it would be shut down right away, but like at the recent American elections, the unthinkable happens when Nazism wins the day. It may not have been Mel Brooks’ conscious intention, but a revival of The Producer reveals the truth about the USA, and its long-held secret desire to introduce a fascist state.

It is however not an obviously politicised staging, that director Julia Robertson delivers for 2025, who thankfully retains the original essence and remarkable wit of The Producer. Her show is relentlessly exuberant, always clever with how it reinvents each memorable scene of this legendary work. Choreographer Shannon Burns impresses with her rigour and ambition, ensuring that the experience is delightful at every turn.

Set design by Nick Fry is wonderfully imaginative, and endlessly versatile with the imagery it is able to render. Costumes by Benedict Janeczo-Taylor are intricately assembled, effective with all the colour it adds to the production. Lights by Ryan McDonald are quite the resplendent feature, offering unexpected spatial dimensions, and a marvellous sense of theatrical elevation with its dynamic flamboyance.

Music direction by Osibi Akerejola is rich and spirited, even if the band is occasionally short on polish. Performer Anton Berezin is perfect as Bialystock, very likeable as the cheeky rogue, and admirable for the precision he brings to the part. Less charismatic, but equally detailed is Des Flanagan who plays the role of Bloom, the earnest protégé.

Alexandra Cashmere is vivaciously comical as Ulla, demonstrating great creativity along with impressive skill, transforming the classic bimbo into someone truly fascinating. The hilarious Blake Erickson is unforgettable as Broadway director Roger De Bris, thoroughly amusing with his camp antics and exquisite timing. Neo-Nazi writer Franz Liebkind is played by Jordan Shea with wild abandon, joyfully absurd in his portrayal of a man who has completely lost his marbles.

In 1967, at the time of the original film of The Producers, it had felt as though the decision had been made concrete, that Nazis had well and truly lost the war, and that the world would invest its all in the grand experiment of democracy. Decades later, we find the USA at an inconceivable juncture today, of fascism rearing its ugly head, in the most resolute ways. The judicial system in The Producers proves effective in quashing nefarious activity; however it remains to be seen, if centuries of well-meaning legislation can withstand sinister attacks, from this new face of despotism.

www.hayestheatre.com.au | www.riversideparramatta.com.au

Review: The Glass Menagerie (Ensemble Theatre)

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Venue: Ensemble Theatre (Kirribilli NSW), Mar 21 – Apr 26, 2025
Playwright: Tennessee Williams
Director: Liesel Badorrek
Cast: Danny Ball, Blazey Best, Bridie McKim, Tom Rodgers
Images by Prudence Upton

Theatre review
Tom’s mother Amanda is pushing him to find his sister Laura a beau, hoping that a gentleman caller would be their ticket to an improved existence. It is St. Louis in the Great Depression of the 1930s, and the Wingfields have little to live for. In Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, characters are in a state of psychological paralysis, inert in their daily misery, unable to dream up better ways to be.

There is a fear at the centre of who they are, that director Liesel Badorrek expresses well in her version of the American classic, with an ensemble that delves deep into the psychologies of these troubled souls. Actor Blazey Best ensures that we empathise with Amanda’s frustrations, even as we witness her comical attempts at presenting a dignified front, to hide all of the Southern belle’s brokenness. The fragile Laura is given kooky charm by Bridie McKim, and with her knowing eyes, successfully thwarts any pitied readings of the role.

Tom Rodgers plays romantic prospect Jim with an endearing exuberance, almost making us forgive his dastardly deceptions. A memorable Danny Ball delivers a sumptuously rhapsodic interpretation of Tom Wingfield, in a beautiful representation of the higher possibilities that await an as yet oblivious and disgruntled young man.

Ball’s brand of lyricism is supported wonderfully by the resplendent music of Maria Alfonsine and Damian De Boos-Smith, who deliver for the show a satisfying dreamlike quality specific to the era being visited. Lights by Verity Hampson are perhaps too often of a naturalistic tone, as is set design by Grace Deacon that although features satisfying hints of stylistic elevation, has a tendency to be overly plain in approach. Costumes, also by Deacon, are judiciously assembled, for accurate depictions of epoch and personalities.

If we believe everything that people say about us, we will forever be stifled and dejected. Our sociality has a strong tendency to disempower. It propagates a disillusionment, so that we feel further subjugated and diminished. We then act in weakness, thus allowing the reckless to usurp more than their rightful share. To demand equity requires bravery, and a firm belief that we can co-exist with individual fulfilment, that there are ways to be wholly who we are, without encroaching on the rights of others.

www.ensemble.com.au

Review: Guys & Dolls (Opera Australia)

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Venue: Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour (Sydney NSW), Mar 21 – Apr 20, 2025
Book: Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows (based on a story and characters by Damon Runyon)
Music & Lyrics: Frank Loesser
Director: Shaun Rennie
Cast: Annie Aitken, Jason Arrow, Thomas Campbell, Doron Chester, Bobby Fox, Joel Granger, Naomi Livingston, Tony McGill, Kieran McGrath, Cody Simpson, Angelina Thomson, John Xintavelonis
Images by Neil Bennett

Theatre review
Never mind that the men are not deserving of these women. What matters in Guys & Dolls, is that the women get their hearts’ desire. The 1950 rom-com musical is completely about light entertainment, at a time when the USA was dominated by political conservatism. Gambling is portrayed as a serious crime, and all the girls want is to get married.

Director Shaun Rennie however, injects a modernity in the way we perceive Adelaide and Sarah, the “dolls” of the piece. Their agency becomes a key feature in the story, and what should have been something way past its use-by date, seems palatable again. These women appear to be creations of their own making, never sheepish about the careers and the men they enjoy, even if the latter are more than a little questionable.

Ideologies aside, it really is all about the spectacle in a production choreographed by Kelley Abbey, who melds old with new for an utterly delightful, and sometimes surprising, showcase of classic musical theatre. A sensational ensemble delivers with marvellous precision, in a staging memorable for its sharp exuberance. Music direction by Guy Simpson is ceaselessly uplifting, across a delectable range of styles that never fail to captivate.

Scenic design by Brian Thomson relies heavily on a giant New York City taxicab, that transforms elegantly to provide a series of requisite backdrops. Additional set pieces are outlandishly craned in, somewhat comically, but certainly impressive with its sheer ambition. Jennifer Irwin’s costumes are an unequivocal highlight, bringing colour and texture to a challenging outdoor location, while making every character look distinct and attractive. Lights by Bruno Poet keep energy sustained, for almost three hours of merry nostalgia.

Performer Angelina Thomson stuns as cabaret artist Miss Adelaide, with her incredible spirit and authentic charm having us enthralled at every appearance. Sarah is played by the pitch-perfect Annie Aitken, who introduces sass alongside sweetness for her clever rendering of a likeable Christian mission worker. Cody Simpson and Bobby Fox are the two rogues Sky and Nathan, both dashing men with big presences who convince us of the women’s devotion. Also noteworthy is Jason Arrow who as Nicely brings the house down with his electric rendition of “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat”.

It is easy to criticise all the choices made by Adelaide and Sarah, even when it is clear that circumstances dictate so much of how a woman thinks and behaves. In worlds determined to make things difficult for women, it is only right that we get behind her own decisions and celebrate her endeavours. If her aspirations prove to be flawed after they are attained, we can get cheer her on again when she does better, next time round.

www.opera.org.au

Review: Ophelia Thinks Harder (KXT on Broadway)

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Venue: KXT on Broadway (Ultimo NSW), Mar 14 – 29, 2025
Playwright: Jean Betts and W Shakespeare
Director: Alex Kendall Robson
Cast: Zachary Aleksander, Julie Bettens, Eleni Cassimatis, Shaw Cameron, Richard Hilliar, Brea Macey, Pat Mandziy, Lucy Miller, Finley Penrose, Hannah Raven
Images by Phil Erbacher

Theatre review
Written in 1993, Jean Betts’ Ophelia Thinks Harder seems today almost desperate in its need to demonstrate, that Shakespeare’s women are no fools, even if Shakespeare had intended them to be portrayed as such. How we perceive of the Bard’s oeuvre has changed in recent years, thanks to efforts of those just like Betts, who have had enough of the gendered denigration inherent in his ubiquitous writing.

Even though strong and considered, Ophelia Thinks Harder does feel superseded in its attitude. Direction by Alex Kendall Robson offers little that could provide an update, to a style of feminist theatre that seems very much of the previous wave. Performer Brea Macey is convincing as a disturbed Ophelia, intense in her portrayal of a young woman awaking to the injustice that she is destined for. Shaw Cameron impresses as a comical but despicable Hamlet, as does Lucy Miller who brings a valuable irony to her measured depictions of the play’s maternal characters.

A visually pleasing set design by Hannah Yardley and Jimi Rawlings proves effective in addressing various scenic requirements. Costumes by Robson are inconsistently rendered, with some pieces more imaginatively assembled than others. Lighting by Sophie Parker can be more detailed in approach, but is nonetheless skilled in calibrating atmospheric transformations. Sounds by David Wilson too can be more rigorous in their enhancements, but are successful in implementing a sense of drama at key moments.

For some, all this debate about Shakespeare is tired to say the least, but his omnipresence in the West remains undeniable. We can see the extent to which his legacy is fundamental to the ways we regard the arts, and how pervasive his influence has been, in our assessments of merit in theatre. Feminism should want to make him irrelevant, to make all that he stands for no longer central to how we experience the world, but the patriarchy’s obstinance is one of its main features. A thorn in the side insists on wearing a person down, but it also functions as a reminder of the bigger harms it is always poised to reinstate.

www.kingsxtheatre.com | www.fingerlesstheatre.com

Review: Furious Mattress (25A Belvoir)

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Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Mar 11 – 30, 2025
Playwright: Melissa Reeves
Director: Margaret Thanos
Cast: Julian Garner, Alex Malone, Matilda Ridgway, Shan-Ree Tan
Images by Robert Catto

Theatre review
Else was not the first woman to be described as difficult, and not the first to be subject to an exorcism for that very reason. Based on a true story from 90s rural Victoria, Furious Mattress by Melissa Reeves is a dark comedy exploring parochialism, ignorance and intolerance. A scathing indictment of prevailing systems, most notably the Abrahamic religions which perpetuate all manner of social exclusionary, Reeves’ deeply subversive writing is as thrilling as it is mischievous.

The play is a wild ride, using poltergeist activity and demonic possession as basis for its renderings of theatrical magic. Direction by Margaret Thanos provides an exhilarating kineticism that represents female rage in the twisted form of absurd comedy. Although memorable for that surreal extravagance, its humour can also be wickedly deadpan in naturalist scenes. Either way, Furious Mattress makes us laugh from a condemnatory position, for a satirical chastisement on superstitions and traditions, that insist on the rejection of gender parity. Also noteworthy is the work by Harry Milas as magic consultant, giving literal and figurative elevation to the show.

Angelina Daniel’s set design is immediately evocative of country life, with the incorporation of padded surfaces further suggesting interiors of psychiatric institutions, while providing functionality for this highly dynamic presentation. Costumes by Ruby Jenkins guide us to a recent past, but it is a surprise macabre creation that truly excites. Lights by Ryan McDonald are a powerful element, especially satisfying in its delivery of optical illusions for this exploration of paranormal phenomenon. Sound design by Cameron Smith and music composition by Daniel Hertern dial up the drama, for an instance of storytelling that invites us to approach its serious themes with a delicious duality of solemnity and playfulness.

Actor Matilda Ridgway brings a wonderful defiance to Else, demanding that we see the world through her eyes. Ridgway’s cheeky presence keeps us endeared to the central character, even if it is interpreted as demonic within the text. An extremely funny Alex Malone plays Christian zealot Anna with a marvellous cynicism. Else’s husband Pierce is imbued admirable integrity along with the most subtle of incisive derision, by a captivating Julian Garner. Shan-Ree Tan as charlatan exorcist Max adds to the intensity, for a production that elicits a complex melange of emotions from its audience.

When something supernatural happens, and the church is the first authority called upon to solve its mystery, we can observe the extent to which that old institution controls our understanding of the world. When a woman seems to be losing her mind, and the only available discourse regarding her perceived brokenness relates to religion, we ignore the inherent systemic requisites of keeping women down. Some women will not adhere, and they are usually the ones who speak the truth.

www.belvoir.com.au | www.legittheatreco.com

Review: Henry V (Bell Shakespeare)

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Venue: Sydney Opera House (Sydney NSW), Mar 1 – Apr 5, 2025 | Merrigong Theatre Company (Illawarra Performing Arts Centre) Apr 30 –May 3, 2025
Playwright: William Shakespeare
Director: Marion Potts
Cast: Jack Halabi, JK Kazzi, Alex Kirwan, Odile le Clézio, Ava Madon, Harrison Mills, Ella Prince, Jo Turner, Mararo Wangai, Rishab Kern
Images by Brett Boardman

Theatre review
It could be argued that Shakespeare had intended for the play Henry V to remain ambiguous, in its attribution of heroism to the titular role. Thousands die as a result of Henry’s war, yet there is no significant disparagement of the king’s character. We may like to think that changes have occurred over these four centuries, and our attitudes about war are no longer what they used to be, but in this very moment of political reversion, it appears that efforts to normalise aggression between nations, are back again.

Director Marion Potts however takes a decidedly anti-conflict stance, in a staging that makes no bones about the brutality that inevitably ensues, when soldiers are required to do their leaders’ bidding. There is no glorification of the battlefield, even if the king does retain his air of majesty. Movement and fight direction by Nigel Poulton is a memorable feature, as we watch the troops’ kineticism being expressed with an enjoyable poetic quality.

Lead actor JK Kazzi demonstrates strong focus and commitment, if slightly deficient in charisma. It is overall a cohesive cast, effective at manufacturing dramatic tension for key moments. Set and costume design by Anna Tregloan are contemporarised with a pleasing sleekness, and are appropriately masculine in style. Lights by Verity Hampson depict a severity necessary for this exploration of violence, but could benefit from a greater embrace of the story’s heightened sentimentality. Sounds by Jethro Woodward are wonderfully theatrical, and impressive for the rigour that allows us to detect every shift in time and space.

In the west these recent years, wartime had begun to seem a distant past. Today there is a shift afoot, and peace is again under threat, as powerful leaders disrupt old alliances, in favour of new arrangements that undermine democracy. It is a shameless power grab, the nature of which is so alien to current generations, that we feel ill-equipped to fight against. So much is lost by the end of Henry V, but they still call it a victory.

www.bellshakespeare.com.au

Review: Don’t Save Me (KXT on Broadway)

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Venue: KXT on Broadway (Ultimo NSW), Feb 26 – Mar 8, 2025
Playwright: Karina Young
Director: Nelson Blake
Cast: Raechyl French, Ben Itaba, Holly Mazzola
Images by Phil Erbacher

Theatre review
Jade is not only battling a terminal illness, she has to fight her husband Pat who plans to create a digital facsimile of her, using the latest in AI technology. As well as the subject of consent, Don’t Save Me by Karina Young explores the ethics around the replication or simulation of a person after death. Although timely, the play is insufficiently imaginative, with a persistent mundanity to its dialogue that makes a fascinating concept seem almost banal.

Direction by Nelson Blake places emphasis on locating the emotional truth of the piece, and little more, resulting in an experience that feels somewhat pedestrian. There is however a great sense of commitment on the stage, with cast members Raechyl French, Ben Itaba and Holly Mazzola, bringing diligence to their interpretations of characters.

Production design by Andrea Knezevic offers efficient solutions that transform the space into a conventional living room. Lights by Topaz Marlay-Cole help render an elegance to the imagery being presented, and sounds by Felix Partos are introduced at key moments to enhance tension.

Don’t Save Me is not quite science fiction, as the circumstance it depicts has already arrived, yet we are still struggling to grapple with that new reality. Technology forges ahead whether we welcome or resist it. We have in the past been able to shape its development, but in this age of tech autocracy, there is little that our democratic will can do.

The billionaires who rule technology are completely impervious to any of our objections. We continue to think that how we spend our money is able to sway their operations, but it is evident that their wealth has become so immense that any reduction in profit we can effect, no longer means anything. Legal recourses have proven ineffectual, even as they are being taken over by a new era of oligarchy. It is only revolution that remains, but it is doubtful if we can awaken soon enough, from this soporific state of our tech-fuelled stupor.

www.kingsxtheatre.com | www.instagram.com/puncherschanceco/

Review: Candide (Sydney Opera House)

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Venue: Sydney Opera House (Sydney NSW), Feb 20 – Mar 14, 2025
Composer: Leonard Bernstein
Librettist: Richard Wilbur
Director: Dean Bryant
Cast: Annie Aitkin, Euan Fistrovic Doidge, Alexander Lewis, Dominica Matthews, Andrew Moran, Eddie Muliaumaseali’i, Eddie Perfect, Lyndon Watts, Cathy-Di Zhang
Images by Carlita Sari

Theatre review
Voltaire’s 1759 novella “Candide, ou l’Optimisme” sees its protagonist travelling the world, learning many of life’s big lessons before finally landing on solid ground. Leonard Bernstein’s musical operetta, simply named Candide, takes that big journey and transforms it into a wild fantasia, filled with colourful characters and comically bizarre scenarios.

Direction by Dean Bryant makes full use of the work’s absurd elements to manufacture a vivacious experience, chaotic and rambunctious in its imaginative renderings for theatrical amusement. Dann Barber’s ironic set design features a recreational trailer as centrepiece, magically unfurling scenic designs that represent the many cities in Candide’s journey. Barber’s costumes are extravagantly campy, and a clear highlight of the production. Lights by Matthew Scott imbue a sense of lavishness, effective at delivering enchantment, if slightly lacking in poignancy for the show’s concluding moments.

Leading man Lyndon Watts displays unequivocal technical proficiency in the role of Candide, but it is his charisma that many will find memorable. Annie Aitken is a delight as Cunégonde, offering exquisite vocals along with some truly splendid humour. Playing Voltaire (and Dr. Pangloss) is Eddie Perfect, whose affability and confidence provide for the staging additional polish.

On this occasion, Candide seems a celebration of frivolity and little else. Certainly there is space in the arts for lightness, but in any performance, surely an audience needs to feel some level of personal investment, to be held attentive in meaningful ways. It can be argued that little of Candide remains resonant, even though it is observable that people are meant to be having fun.

www.opera.org.au | www.victorianopera.com.au

Review: Your Silence Will Not Protect You (Qtopia)

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Venue: Qtopia (Darlinghurst NSW), Feb 20 – 22, 2025
Playwright: Gavin Roach
Director: Lauren Hopley
Cast: Gavin Roach

Theatre review
In the one-person show Your Silence Will Not Protect You, Gavin Roach reveals details about their own mental health issues, alongside memorable instances of what could be described as bad decisions. It may not be that every one of those misadventures are a consequence of Roach’s illnesses, but as we witness the playwright and performer articulate their stories from a singular vantage point, it becomes inevitable that one should draw correlations between the two.

It can be an awkward experience, listening to Roach’s challenges. They appear eager to entertain and even amuse, but the gravity of the subject matter almost precludes us from responding in any way that might suggest that the information is being received for entertainment purposes. We feel as though the appropriate stance should be somewhat clinical in attitude, that either laughter or excessive empathy could be patronising, or even harmful.

Nonetheless, Roach’s delivery ensures that their psychological condition is being witnessed, that mental illness in general, is seen in Your Silence Will Not Protect You. Their proficiency on stage demonstrates that a person’s suffering is almost always disguised, and that judging a book by its cover is indeed meaningless. Much of illness is not visible. The people we encounter could be harbouring all manner of undetectable maladies, and our first instinct should always be one of kindness.

www.qtopiasydney.com.au | www.gavinroach.com