Tag Archives: drama

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

Review: Homos, Or Everyone In America (New Theatre)

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Venue: New Theatre (Newtown NSW), Feb 6 – Mar 9, 2024
Playwright: Jordan Seavey
Director: Alex Kendall Robson
Cast: Axel Berecry, Sonya Kerr, Eddie O’Leary, Reuben Solomon
Images by Chris Lundie

Theatre review
Jordan Seavey’s Homos, or Everyone in America takes place between 2006 and 2011, with the relationship between two unnamed Manhattanites as its central focus. New York and the United States provide the backdrop and political context, in which we examine modern gay life in Northern America.  The young men bicker and fight throughout the play, as we look at the more dramatic moments of their time together.

Direction by Alex Kendall Robson is correspondingly turbulent, as we witness the couple’s volatility at various points of their 5-year history. The narrative is presented anachronistically, resulting in a somewhat poetic, if slightly chaotic, theatrical presentation. Production design by Zara Pittioni creates effective visual spatial demarcations, but the lack of scenery walls requires performers to speak loudly, to overcome acoustic limitations. Lead actors Eddie O’Leary and Reuben Solomon are generally persuasive and very well-rehearsed, but the unmodulated volume of their speech can prove grating.

Supporting players are Sonya Kerr who brings an enjoyable precision, and Axel Berecry whose mischievous disposition leaves an impression. Also noteworthy are lighting design offering variety to the imagery being showcased, along with sound and music by David Wilson, assisting proficiently with tension and energy, in a show about the Big Apple.

The gays yell a lot in Homos, or Everyone in America, maybe because they have experienced little tenderness, in a world that has for far too long, regarded them only with contempt and disdain. Traditional modes of masculinity further prevents them from accessing softer aspects of being human, qualities necessary for making intimate relationships work. The damage done by homophobia and sexism, is extensive and exhaustive. Legislation can change things overnight, but what happens in the souls of the downtrodden, will take generations to heal.

www.newtheatre.org.au

Review: Tiny Beautiful Things  (Belvoir St Theatre)

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Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Feb 1 – Mar 2, 2024
Playwright: Nia Vardalos (from the book by Cheryl Strayed)
Directors: Lee Lewis
Cast: Stephen Geronimos, Mandy McElhinney, Nic Prior, Angela Nica Sullen
Images by Brett Boardman

Theatre review
Tiny Beautiful Thing was originally a book compiled of Cheryl Strayed’s essays, from her “Dear Sugar” anonymous advice column. Transposing her powerful words from an online literary magazine, to the stage is a real challenge. The author’s intentions are present not only in the content, but also in the form in which she had written, and turning into a play, something meant for reading on devices, proves a formidable task.

Without actual characters or real scenes of interaction, it is debatable whether this adaptation by Nia Vardalos, ever earns our meaningful investment into Tiny Beautiful Thing‘s endless range of strangers’ conundrums. Direction by Lee Lewis attempts to humanise the recitation of previously disembodied words, helping us form an affiliation especially with Strayed’s alter ego Sugar, who is central to every editorial piece. Actor Mandy McElhinney is certainly sympathetic in the role, becoming gradually poignant as we slowly warm to Sugar’s unusual vocation.

Set and costume design by Simone Romaniuk establishes a a context of domesticity, from which we can perceive an ordinariness, or universality perhaps, of Strayed’s life experiences. Lights by Bernie Tan-Hayes emphasise the inherent melancholy of all these people’s search for answers. Brady Watkins’ music and sound coax us into a state of tenderness, so that we may regard these vignettes with sensitivity.

Advice columns have existed for centuries, providing not only insight and solutions, but also reminding individuals that we are not alone. In this social media age, where all we see are varnished and filtered images, we often find ourselves isolated, with personal problems that feel unique and particular. It is no wonder that “Dear Sugar” and its many variations persist. There will never come a time when our humanity is void of struggle, but the more we are able to see in one another, the inevitability of our tumult and anxieties, the more we can, ironically, attain a sense of peace.

www.belvoir.com.au | www.queenslandtheatre.com.au

Review: Saplings (ATYP)

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Venue: The Rebel Theatre (Sydney NSW), Jan 24 – Feb , 2024
Playwright: Hannah Belanszky
Director: Abbie-lee Lewis
Cast: Maliyan Blair, Nyasha Ogden, Wesley Patten, Ioane Sa’ula
Images by Clare Hawley

Theatre review
Teenagers in Hannah Belanszky’s Saplings are in the habit of running foul of the law. The system goes after them, always threatening to enforce punishment, but nothing is in place to ameliorate or mediate situations. Belanszky’s compassion and grace for her characters, demonstrates clearly that something is not working, or maybe something in the system is built intentionally to go against these Blak and brown kids.

Saplings delivers the full humanity of those labelled “wayward youth” or “juvenile delinquents”, often with great humour, offering authentic insight that prevents any viewer from regarding them as contemptible. Directed by Abbie-lee Lewis, we find ourselves instinctively developing affection for these vibrant souls, able to connect with each of them, beyond every boundary, whether they pertain to age, class or race.

An endearing cast ensures our investment for every anecdote in the episodic presentation. Maliyan Blair’s effervescence is an immense joy, Nyasha Ogden’s sass is a gratifying representation of budding feminism, Wesley Patten’s unwitting tenderness melts our hearts, and Ioane Sa’ula’s precise dynamism gives real emphasis, to many of Saplings‘ meaningful resonances.

Lights by Morgan Moroney offer sensitive calibrations to atmosphere. Angela Doherty’s costumes contribute to the authenticity of the characters, though at times, the distinctions may not be entirely clear when actors assume multiple roles. The set, co-designed by Moroney and Doherty, establishes with an appealing minimalism, a certain presence for places and circumstances, along with useful tiers that help make the staging visually appealing. Music and sound by Michael Weir manipulate accurately our emotional responses, especially effective with the incorporation of rap and hip hop created by those in our youth justice system. Also noteworthy, is Tim Dashwood’s joltingly kinetic choreography for fight sequences, contributing to the zeal of a show about today’s youth.

It is evident in Saplings that Blak kids are not a problem to be solved. It is colonialism that needs to retreat, and for rightful custodians of these lands to have substantially greater control, over the values we hold, the ways we live, and the bridges we build. In the play, we see future elders being beaten down continually, but their glow never diminishes. What needs to be provided is fortifying nourishment, instead of the toxicity being deployed persistently over recent centuries. The resilience of our oppressed is certain to prevail; we just have to make way for them.

www.atyp.com.au

Review: The Strong Charmion (Flight Path Theatre)

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Venue: Flight Path Theatre (Marrickville NSW), Jan 17 – 27, 2024
Playwright: Chloe Lethlean Higson
Director: Jess Ramsey
Cast: Gabrielle Bowen, Emily Crow, Niky Markovic, Alyssa Peters
Images by Clare Hawley

Theatre review
Chloe Lethlean Higson’s The Strong Charmion takes place 1921 in Sydney, where circus artist Rosalie Whitewood works a striptease trapeze act, delighting and titillating crowds with her exceptionally tall and muscular physique. Inspired by American strongwoman Charmion, Higson’s play is about the life and loves of a woman who dared, a century ago, to be different not only with her appearance, but also with her evolving desires.

Characters in the play are fascinating, with thoroughly modern depictions of people in a historical context, making this a meaningful exercise in nostalgia. Direction by Jess Ramsey demonstrates a distinct spiritedness, but greater attention to detail is required, for the storytelling to be more engaging. Actor Gabrielle Bowen brings an appropriate sense of authority to the eponymous role, leading a cast brimming with passionate dedication.

Bella Saltearn’s set and costume designs are memorable, richly imagined and implemented with exceptional taste, bringing considerable finesse to the production. Lights by Catherine Mai are sensual and inventive, effective at conveying the appropriate tone for each scene. Music and sounds by Andy Freeborn offer dynamic range to the staging, bringing both heightened drama and restrained melancholia, to help amplify emotional dimensions of The Strong Charmion.

It seems we are only now beginning to acknowledge, that some people’s sexualities do change with time. In The Strong Charmion there is admirable effort not only to demonstrate the naturalness with which a person’s sexual proclivities can transform, but also that each person’s relationship with their own body image is unique, and can therefore never really adhere to traditional modes of categorisation, including the gender binary. It is probable that humans are by nature queer, that the immovable cisgender-heterosexuality that has come to define our hegemony, is actually experienced only by a real minority.

www.flightpaththeatre.org

Review: Tiddas  (Belvoir St Theatre)

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Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Jan 12 – 28, 2024
Playwright: Anita Heiss
Directors: Nadine McDonald-Dowd, Roxanne McDonald
Cast: Lara Croydon, Sean Dow, Jade Lomas-Ronan, Nadine McDonald-Dowd, Roxanne McDonald, Anna McMahon, Perry Mooney
Images by Stephen Wilson Barker

Theatre review
Having been childhood friends for thirty years, this group of five women has nothing to hide from one another. In Anita Heiss’ Tiddas, it is the frankness of these characters, that guide us to a meditation on some of the deeper aspects of life on this land. Most of the people we meet in the play are Aboriginal, and we benefit from their socially resonant discussions about identity and sovereignty. On more intimate levels, there are explorations into topics such as motherhood, romance and friendship; all dealt with in a fiercely authentic way, that enables us to examine some of the central elements of our shared humanity, with admirable clarity and honesty.

Directed by Nadine McDonald-Dowd and Roxanne McDonald, Tiddas is consistently engaging, always an entertaining watch, whilst keeping our minds attentive to the sensitive subjects being explored. There is a gentle beauty being rendered by aesthetical aspects of the show, a softness perhaps that is commensurate with the diversity of feminine qualities we encounter. Set and costumes by Zoe Rouse are vibrant, colourful and with a sense of sumptuousness that puts us at ease, so that we remain open to the ideas being studied. Lights by Jason Glenwright and sounds by Wil Hughes, are both intricately consistent with every ebb and flow of the drama and the comedy, ensuring that the atmosphere is in complete harmony with each stage of the storytelling.

The cast of seven is exceptionally warm,  with a wonderful chemistry that makes every interchange believable. There are however moments in their performance that can be excessively declarative in style, in ways that move our involvement as an audience away from instinct and emotion, to somewhere a little too logical. It is when the personalities are convincingly natural, that we can really sink our teeth into all the richness that Tiddas intends. Roxanne McDonald (aforementioned as co-director) and Perry Mooney are particularly strong with the level of naturalism they introduce, allowing us to relate meaningfully, to the many worthy concerns of the show.

There is so much in modern life that prevents us from being real. It is only in the presence of close friends and family that we can be who we truly are. It is also in art, that we can be encouraged to peel away pretences and mendacities, to understand our truest natures. In Tiddas we can see what are most important to the five women, and decide for ourselves, how much in common we have with their bliss.

www.belvoir.com.au | www.laboite.com.au

Review: Send For Nellie (Wharf 1 Theatre)

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Venue: Wharf 1 Sydney Theatre Company (Walsh Bay NSW), Jan 10 – 14, 2024, with further performances at Art House Wyong (January 19–20) and Merrigong Theatre Company in Wollongong (February 14–17)
Playwright: Alana Valentine
Director: Liesel Badorrek
Cast: Elenoa Rokobaro, Eleanor Stankiewicz
Images by Wendell Teodoro

Theatre review
Born 1900 in Sydney, Nellie Small worked many of her adult years as an entertainer, eventually establishing a career as a male impersonator in the 1930s. As a gender non-conformist, and a prominent person of colour living in Australia a century ago, Small remains an important figure in our queer history. Alana Valentine’s play in a cabaret style Send for Nellie, is an admirable attempt at immortalising the memory of Small. It is a respectful tribute, albeit offering a somewhat sanitized impression of Sydney nightlife.

At just an hour’s duration, with an abundance of song-and-dance incorporated into the staging, Send for Nellie is an excellent showcase for a performer like leading lady Elenoa Rokobaro, whose powerful vocals and precise execution of choreography, elevates the presentation with her exceptional polish. There is however an absence of a certain queer sensibility, that we know instinctively to be a crucial element in any recounting of Small’s life. Eleanor Stankiewicz plays several supporting characters, each one more vibrant than the last, but none of whom distract from the main attraction. Also a delight is the three-piece band of women musicians with Zara Stanton as Musical Director, although it is worth pointing out, that acoustics are a major sore point in this production.

Direction by Liesel Badorrek gives Send for Nellie an abundance of variation and movement, but the show never really connects. We feel as though the soul is missing, from a person we want to know better. On a positive note, visual design is generally of a high standard, for a work as handsome as the person it wishes to memorialise.

For the benefit of every person in queer communities, we must continue to tell stories about our forebears, in order that we may be inspired by their resilience, their resourcefulness and their innumerable achievements. We need always to see how as a people, we continually prove them wrong, that we are of great worth, that what they have construed of us for generations, is reprehensible and must always be met with resistance. To have survived her times as a queer person of colour, Nellie Small was unequivocally a warrior. It would not have been easy, but it does mean that greatness is absolutely within our grasp.

www.thearthousewyong.com.au

Review: Big Name, No Blankets (Ilbijerri Theatre Company)

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Venue: Roslyn Packer Theatre (Sydney NSW), Jan 10 – 14, 2024
Playwright: Andrea James
Directors: Dr Rachael Maza AM and Anyupa Butcher
Cast: Baykali Ganambarr, Googoorewon Knox, Teangi Knox, Aaron McGrath, Jackson Peele, Cassandra Williams, Tibian Wyles
Images by Brett Boardman

Theatre review
It was 1980 when the Butcher brothers from Papunya in the Northern Territory, along with some great friends, formed the iconic Warumpi Band. Bringing their act all over Australia, and to Europe, the group cemented themselves as an integral part of our national and Indigenous cultural histories. The new play with music Big Name, No Blankets by Andrea James, offers an opportunity to acquire a deeper knowledge of the band, juxtaposing anecdotes of their formation and stories from the road, with legendary songs that prove to stand the test of time.

Co-directed by Dr Rachael Maza AM and Anyupa Butcher, the show shifts seamlessly between its dramatic portions and its musical sections, perfectly blending both aspects for a wonderfully cohesive telling of a captivating tale. Performer Baykali Ganambarr leads the charismatic cast, playing the role of Sammy Butcher Tjapanangka and serving as narrator, with a humorously tender approach that engenders a consistent simpatico connection with the audience.

Also noteworthy is Googoorewon Knox, who as the band’s lead singer George Burarrwanga brings glamour and energy, completely electrifying when performing Warumpi Band’s many rock numbers. Music direction by Gary Watling, together with arrangements by Crystal Butcher, are an unequivocal joy, presented powerfully by live musicians who demonstrate beautifully the genius of the source material. Sound design by James Henry create further auditory embellishments, to keep us engaged and invested.

Set design by Emily Barrie addresses sensitively the various spatial requirements of the storytelling. Lights by Jenny Hector fill the atmosphere with warmth, but switch effortlessly to alluring vivacity when characters are in rock star mode. Video projections by Sean Bacon, Patricia McKean and Guck help us contextualise times and places, as we delve into different pockets of the past. Costumes by Heidi Brooks provide a sense of authenticity for the personalities we encounter, and for an era that most do still remember.

Members of Warumpu Band followed their hearts, and created a legacy out of passion and bliss. Big Name, No Blankets represents and exemplifies the integrity that we should all seek in how we make our decisions, and in how we live our lives. In the show, we see people being their true selves, and are reminded that trying to be anything else, is always a futile, and often harmful, exercise.

www.ilbijerri.com.au