Tag Archives: drama

Review: Nucleus (Griffin Theatre Company)

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Venue: Seymour Centre, Reginald Theatre (Chippendale NSW), Feb 14 – Mar 15, 2025
Playwright: Alana Valentine
Director: Andrea James
Cast: Paula Arundell, Peter Kowitz
Images by Brett Boardman

Theatre review
Cassie and Gabriel have known each other for decades, but because the former is an anti-nuclear activist, and the latter a pro-nuclear engineer, they are unable to conceive of their relationship as anything other than adversarial. Alana Valentine’s Nucleus is in some ways a boy-meets-girl story, and in other ways, an exploration into debates about nuclear energy. Scientific portions feel thoroughly researched, able to offer valuable insight, if slightly too densely assembled for this 90-minute production. Romantic aspects of Nucleus may not be entirely convincing, but they certainly keep us attentive to an important subject that relates to the very survival of our species.

Direction by Andrea James provides a sense of precision to the escalation of dramatic urgency, that ensures our investment in the piece. Production design by Isabel Hudson encourages us to regard the show’s ideas with an expansive attitude, whilst manufacturing a satisfying elegance to the staging. Lighting by Verity Hampson, along with video projections by Laura Turner, offer meaningful transformations of atmosphere, although a greater dynamism could improve the experience. Phil Downing’s music and sound are thoroughly considered, to help manufacture an aural richness to inspire sentimental responses.

For the role of Cassie, actor Paula Arundell is required to embody a wide range of temperaments and emotions, and the clarity she brings to all those distinctions of mental states is remarkable to observe. As Gabriel, Peter Kowitz is less detailed in his performance, often looking inadequately prepared and unconfident. Chemistry between the two is sorely lacking, which makes a lot of this two-hander hard to enjoy.

In the current age of distrust in media and of authorities in general, obtaining accurate information on something as crucial as energy resources, can feel an absolute quagmire. Competing interests, with competing truths, make for the gathering of facts so arduous that giving up trying, is almost always the result. In a world where we have grown accustom to having other people, who we never really trust, deal with each and every environmental crisis, it will come as no surprise that the ultimate consequence of populaces not paying attention, is of course going to be dire.

www.griffintheatre.com.au

Review: The Children’s Hour (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Feb 14 – Mar 1, 2025
Playwright: Lillian Hellman
Director: Kim Hardwick
Cast: Sarah Ballantyne, Jess Bell, Amy Bloink, Mike Booth, Annie Byron, Kim Clifton, Romney Hamilton, Martelle Hammer, Miranda Huttley, Deborah Jones, Lara Kocsis, Madeline Kunstler, Kira McLennan
Images by Phil Erbacher

Theatre review
Mary is a terror of a child. She may be just twelve years of age, but her conniving ways are already causing chaos everywhere. When Mary starts a rumour about headmistresses Martha and Karen having a sexual relationship at their residential school, the consequences are devastating. The Children’s Hour is a 1934 play by American playwright Lillian Hellman, significant for its portrayals of queer women at a time when lesbians were rarely represented in the arts, and when homosexuality was severely stigmatised.

The text reflects the immense shame endured by queer people of the time, and although largely obsolete in its depictions, The Children’s Hour serves as a valuable and accurate record of the way things had been. Direction by Kim Hardwick brings truthfulness to the storytelling, so that we may bear witness to the cruelty that humans are capable of inflicting, especially upon the marginalised. Some scenes are more compelling than others, which suggests that a slightly abridged version could be more suited to contemporary tastes.

Set design by Emelia Simcox, along with scenic art by Russell Carey are evocative of the era being showcased. Hannah Yardley’s costumes too are appropriate in style, although not always well-fitted, and some pieces show visible signs of distress. Lights by Jimi Rawlings and sound by Michael Huxley offer unobtrusive enhancements to atmosphere, in a staging that scores points for integrity.

The role of the deceitful Mary is played captivatingly by Kim Clifton, who brings a delicious ferocity to the viciousness that propels the narrative. Jess Bell and Romney Hamilton demonstrate strong chemistry as Martha and Karen respectively, with Bell’s riveting intensity and Hamilton’s restraint, forming a surprising contrast.

In the current political moment, it seems that lies are the greatest driver for our destruction. No longer able to effectively discern truth from lies, or even right from wrong, we find ourselves in a constant state of frustrating bewilderment, unable to trust any information, and subsequently enfeebled with inaction. Queer history, however, proves that no matter how extreme the oppression, the warriors for justice will overcome.

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

Review: Cruise (KXT on Broadway)

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Venue: KXT on Broadway (Ultimo NSW), Feb 12 – 22, 2025
Playwright: Jack Holden
Director: Sean Landis
Cast: Fraser Morrison
Images by Abraham de Souza

Theatre review
Almost four decades on, Michael still needs to talk about the trauma, and fortunately, his story is one that younger generations will always need to hear. HIV may no longer be the death sentence it used to be, but it is in many ways an enduring tragedy that continues to reverberate deeply for queer communities everywhere.

Michael’s reminiscences are not only about those he has lost, but also about the burden those of us left behind, have had to carry. Survivor guilt and social stigma are issues that prompt Michael to call a helpline, at the start of Jack Holden’s Cruise, but as well as being sublimely mournful, the play is also packed with joy. Michael’s personal history is one of liberation – from tradition, from persecution, and from debilitating disease.

The immense depth of Holden’s writing delivers a theatrical experience that many will find powerful, if not completely transcendental. Coupled with dynamic and incisive work by Sean Landis on direction, Cruise is profoundly reflective, along with being fabulously and irresistibly entertaining.

Actor Fraser Morrison delivers this one-person show with a wonderful sincerity that invites our open hearts to observe and share in all the pain, redemption and exaltation, that he so assiduously brings to the stage. Morrison’s capacity for a great range of temperaments and attitudes, keeps us enthralled as he portrays countless characters, in this important recollection of a gay legacy. Assisted by choreographer Jeremy Lloyd’s sophisticated eye in movement, Morrison’s physicality is framed with considerable beauty, in his depictions of gay lives past and present.

Production design by Chelsea May Wheatley provides effective spatial demarcations that allow for a kineticism that the presentation uses to generate urgency. Wheatley’s sound design is admirably thorough, inspiring strong visceral responses to a show that contains an abundance of sentimentality. Lights by Tom Hicks are sensitively and imaginatively rendered, cleverly transportive as we explore time and space in both internal and external, or psychic and material ways.

The trajectory for us can only be forward, but as perpetual outsiders, the journey is always turbulent and arduous. We can always see brighter futures, and even in the darkest moments, we have been able to summon optimism and faith, not only for the betterment of our spirit, but also to propel us ahead in achieving actual improvements for all our lives.

HIV did kill many of us at the end of the previous century, but there is no question that we have emerged to thrive spectacularly in so many ways. Today a new backlash is taking hold, especially against those of us who dare to express gender in authentic but unorthodox ways. There is no certainty about how we are to win this battle, but there can be no doubt that we will once again prevail.

www.kingsxtheatre.com | www.fruitboxtheatre.com.au

Review: Hadestown (Theatre Royal)

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Venue: Theatre Royal (Sydney NSW), 12 Feb – 26 Apr, 2025
Music, Lyrics & Book: Anaïs Mitchell
Director: Rachel Chavkin
Cast: Abigail Adriano, Christine Anu, Noah Mullins, Sarah Murr, Elenoa Rokobaro, Adrian Tamburini, Jennifer Trijo, Imain Williams
Images by Lisa Tomasetti

Theatre review
In Hadestown, the musical retelling by Anaïs Mitchell of an ancient tale, Eurydice makes a deal with Hades for food and shelter. Even though she remains alive, Orpheus’ journey is no safer, as he ventures into the underworld trying to rescue his love. Having the spectacular Greek legend as a basis, means that this 2019 Broadway production contains all the ingredients for something not only fantastical but also sentimental, especially with Mitchell’s excellent song writing offering vivid access to the emotional dimensions of this complex story.

Director Rachel Chavkin’s staging is often mesmerising, delivering magical imagery that helps our consciousness traverse the bridge between reality and fantasy, to meaningfully encounter the supernatural aspects of Hadestown. Musical direction by Laura Tipoki bears a valuable idiosyncrasy that encourages us to respond with a commensurate sense of whimsy, but some of its execution can feel slightly restrained and sterile.

Playing the lovebirds are Abigail Adriano and Noah Mullins, both commendable for their visibly rigorous investment in the central romance. They bring a believability to the show, derived from their realistic portrayals of sheer humanity. Hades and Persephone are less compelling, as performed by Adrian Tamburini and Elenoa Rokobaro who exhibit technical proficiency, but whose portrayals of larger than life personas, feel somewhat superficial.

As Hermes, Christine Anu impresses with her unmitigated soulfulness, carried through voice, face and body, to make the truth resonate, in the midst of distracting frivolity. Fate is represented by the exceptional trio of Sarah Murr, Jennifer Trijo and Imani Williams, who demonstrate astonishing artistry and cohesiveness, in their embodiment of what is certainly one of the production’s most memorable elements.

In Hadestown we observe a love story, as well as a story about power. Hades could easily have orchestrated the union of Eurydice and Orpheus, but he chose not to. We are capable of cruelty as much as we are in need of tenderness. Humans are a myriad of shifting things, but a constant seems to be that we are contradictory. We have all seen the face of peace and love, yet the part of us that insists on jeopardising all that is good, seems always to be rearing its ugly head.

www.hadestown.com.au

Review: Three Sisters (Flight Path Theatre)

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Venue: Flight Path Theatre (Marrickville NSW), Feb 5 – 15, 2025
Playwright: Anton Chekhov (adapted by Victor Kalka)
Director: Victor Kalka
Cast: Matthew Abotomey, Meg Bennetts, Alex Bryant-Smith, Nicola Denton, Barry French, Sarah Greenwood, Jessie Lancaster, Alice Livingstone, Ciaran O’Riordan, Mason Phoumirath, Joseph Tanti
Images by Samuel Webster

Theatre review
It is becoming increasingly odd to see characters in Chekhov’s Three Sisters talk about “work” like it is something optional. The notion of nobility has faded so far from popular consciousness, that any alternative to a life of work, is now proving unimaginable. In this adaptation by Victor Kalka, we may not be able to relate much to the lifestyles of these Russians from the year 1900, but it seems that Chekhov’s representations of existential angst can still resonate.

This is a version that, at just over 100 minutes, should have been easily digestible, but early portions struggle to connect. The constant lamenting of a bygone era is tiresome, with characters expressing grievances that are entirely alienating. After the fire however, they are made to grapple with something more authentic, and in the concluding moments, Three Sisters comes back to life.

The cast of 11 can be lauded for establishing a uniformity in tone, even though some performers are certainly more compelling than others. Set design by Kalka thoughtfully positions entrances to the stage that facilitate smooth movement, but it is arguable if his take on modernised costuming depicts the nature of class appropriately for the story. Lights by Jasmin Borsovszky bring elegance to the presentation, along with pleasant variations to atmosphere. Sounds by Patrick Howard offer simple enhancements for a sense of theatricality.

It can be construed that the people in Three Sisters are looking for purpose, rather than literal work, in what they feel to be an aimless existence. In 2025 we are discovering that work can easily be just as unfulfilling, if not completely self-jeopardising, in this era of the oligarch’s aggressive re-emergence. In the present moment, authoritarian figures of power are demonstrating their patent disregard for our welfare as contributors to their successes, whether as consumers or as resources for production. We can still think of work as honourable, but more than ever, the understanding of what our labour is really serving, needs to come to the fore.

www.flightpaththeatre.org | www.virginiaplaintheatre.com

Review: Wuthering Heights (Roslyn Packer Theatre)

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Venue: Roslyn Packer Theatre (Sydney NSW), Jan 31 – Feb 15, 2025
Adaptor: Emma Rice (from the novel by Emily Brontë)
Composer: Ian Ross
Director: Emma Rice
Cast: Sam Archer, Nandi Bhebhe, Matthew Churcher, Rebecca Collingwood, Frederick Double, Stephanie Elstob, Thomas Fox, Stephanie Hockley, TJ Holmes, John Leader, Robyn Sinclair
Images by Steve Tanner

Theatre review
It is the story of star-crossed lovers Heathcliff and Catherine, from the pen of Emily Brontë but adapted for a contemporary stage. The circumstances around the dark romance of Wuthering Heights may seem a relic of the past, but the emotions that it represents prove enduring.

Transformed into a musical, we are swept away by compositions from Ian Ross that are alternately ethereal and intense, creating a majestic soundscape that takes us far away to 18th-century northern England. Its characters make choices that are unlikely to make sense today, but the music connects with something primal, for an instinctive understanding of how they might have felt.

This reinvigorated version by Emma Rice is as imaginative as it is exuberant, with pop influences that help the old novel resonate anew. Choreography by Etta Murfitt introduces an unexpected kineticism, adding a sense of palpable urgency. Production design by Vicky Mortimer may look somewhat home-spun and dwarfed by the lofty sleekness of the auditorium, but quirky elements are nonetheless delightful.

It is an endearing cast that takes the charge, with John Leader’s idiosyncratic interpretation of a marvellously suave Heathcliff, earning our investment in his epic tale of ambition and regret. Stephanie Hockley’s passionate defiance as Catherine brings an undeniable spiritedness to the production. Also notable are Nandi Bhebne as Leader of the Moors, and Robyn Sinclair as Young Cathy, both highly compelling with their splendid vocals and considered depictions.

There are so many tragic deaths in Wuthering Heights, most of which are related to the notion of a broken heart. Heathcliff was indeed devastated by the loss of his love, and even though it is a truism that life without love is worth little, it is easy to mistakenly believe the same about romance. Only love is essential, and fortunately much more attainable than its illusory and evanescent echo.

www.wutheringheightsaustralia.com

Review: Wally (KXT on Broadway)

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Venue: KXT on Broadway (Ultimo NSW), Jan 24 – Feb 8, 2025
Playwright: Nick Vagne
Director: Amelia Gilday
Cast: Alicia Badger, Andrew Badger, Madison Chippendale, Lana Filies, Tammie Harper, Iley Jones, Suz Mawer, Nick Vagne, Chad Traupmann
Images by Amelia Gilday

Theatre review
Lou and Suzie have lost their young son, and as they try to mourn his passing, shocking revelations about circumstances around his death are making things even harder. Wally by Nick Vagne is a murder mystery that takes its drama to risky spaces involving the tricky subject of child abuse. Some might consider it a valuable initiation of discussions on the subject, and others might think it sensationalist. In any case, viewers will need to be prepared to be exposed to these sensitive issues, even if the staging is careful to not be excessive with its enactments.

Directed by Amelia Gilday, Wally proves an intriguing experience, if slightly confusing in sections, with the inclusion of red herrings and tangents to the narrative, that are typical of the genre. Set and costume designs by Margot Politis offer simple solutions, for scenic locations and character types. Lights by Alicia Badger, along with sounds by Frank Dwyer, are particularly effective in the enhancement of tension for this dark story.

Actor Madison Chippendale plays Lou with convincing emotional intensity, and Suz Mawer as Suzie provides a foundation of authenticity, so that the show communicates at some level of validity. Abilities of other cast members are mixed, but there is sufficient commitment by all, to keep our attention sustained throughout. The stakes are so high in Wally that when we get to the revelatory end, the pay off that we uncover, was probably always going to be somewhat underwhelming.

www.kingsxtheatre.com | www.moonbureau.com

Review: Jacky (Belvoir St Theatre)

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Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Jan 16 – Feb 2, 2025
Playwright: Declan Furber Gillick
Director: Mark Wilson
Cast: Danny Howard, Mandy McElhinney, Guy Simon, Greg Stone
Images by Stephen Wilson Barker

Theatre review
Having moved to the city, and now starting to put down roots, Jacky is hoping to finally be able to buy his home. Even though he is of Indigenous background living on unceded lands, he accepts that the prevailing system requires a lot of jumping through hoops, before he can be granted approval for a loan. In Declan Furber Gillick’s marvellous play Jacky, we watch as the titular character twists and contorts himself into all manner of awkward and humiliating states, in order that he may feel like he is getting ahead in life.

Jacky strives for success and is willing to compromise endlessly his own integrity to attain his dreams. However, the realities of a colonized existence gradually reveal demands that extend beyond his personal sacrifices. Furber Gillick’s writing makes an exceptionally powerful statement about injustice, through a narrative of normative modernity, contextualising contemporary politics in a way that resonates with all. His work is blisteringly spirited, whilst being consistently witty and entertaining, effortlessly holding our attention as it drives home some of the hardest truths about the foundations of our communal life.

Direction by Mark Wilson is commensurately daring, memorable for pushing the delicious but agonising drama to the edge of our nervous limits. Difficult discussions are presented unvarnished, allowing us to consider these matters of national importance with absolute candour. Although unyieldingly serious, the show is often very funny, filled with ironic humour for an experience nothing less than scintillating.

Design elements of the production are all rendered with efficacious simplicity. The set by Christina Smith delivers logical demarcations of performance space. Emily Barrie’s costumes help create believable personalities from everyday life. Lights by Matt Scott, along with sounds by James Henry, offer uncomplicated solutions that signal movements in time and space.

Leading man Guy Simon sets the tone with restraint and charisma. His minimalist style of presentation is thoroughly mesmerizing, perhaps due to the contrast with the many provocative situations Jacky finds himself in. Simon articulates perfectly the immense complexities involved, when Indigeneity has to navigate structures that are fundamentally about the entrenchment of white supremacy. 

Danny Howard plays Jacky’s brother Keith, with wonderful effervescence and disarming depth. An admirably nuanced Mandy McElhinney in the role of Linda confronts the values of our white middle class, asking troubling questions about whether a person can survive the economy, without furthering racist agendas. Greg Stone is fearless as Glen as he demonstrates most convincingly, the extent to which racism can appear so benign yet be so damaging.

Linda and Glen are entirely oblivious to the hurt and harm they cause, in fact they only ever think of themselves as being generous and helpful. We see in them, the familiar intention to do good, followed by a painful observation of devastating results. We are reminded of the famous words from American activist Audre Lorde, that “the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house”. In Jacky it can be seen so clearly, the very real problems that hold us back, and only if we really want to, we can detect the solutions that Jacky provides.

www.belvoir.com.au | www.mtc.com.au

Review: Snowflakes (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Dec 6 – 22, 2024
Playwright: Mike Bartlett
Director: Jo Bradley
Cast: Claudia Elbourne, James Lugton, Lilian Alejandra Valverde
Images by Robert Miniter

Theatre review
Political discourse seems to be in a state of unprecedented turmoil, as reflected in Mike Bartlett’s Snowflakes, a play about conflicting values and the possibility of resolution. Maya had left home shortly after the Brexit referendum, no longer able to tolerate her father Andy’s beliefs and opinions. Several years later, Maya and Andy attempt a reunification at Christmas time, but peace does not come easy.

It is a discussion we need to have, much as it is an inevitably fraught and upsetting one. The chasm between us is ever exacerbating, and in Snowflakes we certainly observe how challenging it is for our minds to meet. Bartlett provides for Andy’s more conservative side ample, and possibly excessive exposition, often maddening with his obstinacy, much as the text attempts to imbue him with endearing qualities. The role is performed by James Lugton, whose admirable precision and personal charisma helps to sustain our interest, but some viewers will nonetheless find tiresome, the unceasing efforts to make Andy likeable.

Lilian Alejandra Valverde plays Natalie, a peacemaker character, with excellent vitality and passion. Maya makes her entrance later in the piece, via actor Claudia Elbourne who brings a youthful idealism valuable to the narrative. Valverde and Elbourne represent the progressive side with palpable passion, even though the writing seems to provide insufficient material to help them argue their case.

Director Jo Bradley has the unenviable task of making the family drama resonate in tandem with the combative politics that become increasingly apparent through the duration. The tender aspects of Snowflakes are probably not as persuasive as they should be, but the production’s rendering of adversarial dynamics is undoubtedly compelling.

Set and costumes by Soham Apte are effective in their depictions of time and space. Lights by Luna Ng are sensitively calibrated, to convey shifting moods and on occasion to add some theatricality, to the show’s essential realism. Sounds by Daniel Hertern are understandably restrained, in a story that emphasises the normalcy of these fissures in our daily connections.

As a young queer woman, Maya has come to the realisation that the system is designed to work against her. Understanding that much of what is traditional and customary serves a hegemony that she wishes to dismantle, everything her father stands for can only be seen as disdainful. In time, she will learn that Andy too suffers from the system’s failures, albeit through different manifestations, and learning to work against the system and not individuals, should help her find a more harmonious existence.

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

Review: People Will Think You Don’t Love Me (KXT on Broadway)

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Venue: KXT on Broadway (Ultimo NSW), Nov 15 – 30, 2024
Playwright: Joanna Erskine
Director: Jules Billington
Cast: Ruby Maishman, Tom Matthews, Grace Naoum
Images by Phil Erbacher

Theatre review
Michael has had a heart transplant, but it seems that he may have inherited more than just Rick’s organ. People Will Think You Don’t Love Me by Joanna Erskine is an intriguing work about consciousness and sentience, particularly how they intersect with human biology. Full of fascinating speculations, Erskine’s play brings into the domestic realm, some of the biggest questions about the mind — where it resides, and how it can transform. 

Direction by Jules Billington brings great focus to these intimate explorations, highly compelling with their ability to make believable, these often outlandish conjectures. There is however a diminishment of dramatic intensity, in concluding portions of the show where we are poised in expectation of an escalation. Its cerebral quality though, does fortunately persist to the end, for a satisfying experience that is likely to remain with viewers long after the curtain call.

Sam Wylie’s production design is a visually pleasing amalgamation of locations, successful at representing the various settings, and accurate with costuming that illustrates the regular Sydney folk we encounter in the story. Wylie’s lights operate well to encourage our sentimental responses, but can afford to be more ambitious in segments that veer into surreal territory. Sounds and music by Clare Hennessy are extremely delicate, memorable for their efficacy at bringing subtle tension, to these scenes of mounting discord.

A strong cast of three presents People Will Think You Don’t Love Me with admirable deliberation and detail. Tom Matthews brings a valuable naturalism to the role of Michael, to keep us invested and persuaded of the play’s extravagant musings. Playing Michael’s wife Elizabeth, is Grace Naoum who introduces urgency whenever required, and is always convincing when portraying the anxiety navigated by someone under constant stress. The organ donor’s partner Tomasina is depicted by Ruby Maishman with a wonderful idiosyncrasy that makes her character feel familiar and realistic. The compelling chemistry between actors is a marvellous feature, especially when unexpected humour arises, in this otherwise quite sombre staging.

In the enactment of our capitalistic lives, there is often insufficient care and respect for the bodies we inhabit. The heart, soul and mind are often relegated to something almost abstract, even though we know them to be absolutely central. We often fall into thinking ourselves as somewhat ephemeral, whilst simultaneously mistreating our corporeality, endlessly making bodies serve their capitalistic purposes of productivity, and ignoring their more esoteric capacities. Love and the human spirit are real, and they could very well be living not in the ether, but in all of our blood, skin, flesh and bones.

www.kingsxtheatre.com | www.facebook.com/littletrojantheatre