Tag Archives: old fitzroy theatre

Review: Masterclass 2 – Flames Of The Forge (Red Line Productions)

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redlineVenue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Jan 12 – 30, 2016
Playwrights: Gareth Davies, Charlie Garber
Directors: Gareth Davies, Charlie Garber
Cast: Gareth Davies, Charlie Garber

Theatre review
In order for artists to embark upon a creative endeavour, they have to locate a certain level of self-belief. This may or may not be justified, or even essentially real, but a kind of confidence needs to be present for potent expression to occur, and actors especially, must be able to cultivate a layer of thick skin in order that they may present their work to the public with any conviction at all. Some have to try harder than others to attain that quality of egotism, but in Masterclass 2, Gareth Davies and Charlie Garber put on unhinged arrogance to provide comical insight into the theatrical process, and behind that false bravado, allow themselves to manufacture an hour of amusing and intelligent reflections on their art form.

The piece has a playful and silly façade, but there is something covertly sophisticated about their approach. Surprising nuance and obtuse concepts betray their unassuming style of delivery. There is a genuine spirit of adventure in Masterclass 2 that makes it more meaningful and elevated than what it claims to be; there is a lot of self-deprecation in how the characters articulate themselves, but seeing through that sense of modesty will reveal thoughtful and intriguing ideas.

The live experience that Davies and Garber provide is full of chemistry and dramatic tautness. Along with Ross Graham’s lights, the show is compelling and always humorous, with captivating sequences that keep our senses bemused and our minds invigorated. It may be difficult to find personal affiliations with their subject matter, but strong performances ensure that we remain interested, at least for the duration.

Davies and Garber half-pretend to be geniuses in their field, and with that calculated and transparent mockery, their true talents are able to shine through. To get to the truth of experience, theatre uses falsities and deception so that we may come to a genuine understanding of our lives and our worlds. The comedy of Masterclass 2 points to something bigger and better than the things it chooses to talk about. Looking beyond its obfuscations is where the real rewards lie.

www.oldfitztheatre.com

5 Questions with Jordan Cowan and Tim Franklin

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Jordan Cowan

Jordan Cowan

Tim Franklin: What about Tender Napalm drew you in?
Jordan Cowan:The way in which Phillip uses language is so powerful and beautiful. There is something about the way he uses heightened language in such a domestic way that took me by surprise. It’s really fucking honest and intimate and doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff and I really dig that.

How do you find the Sydney theatre scene compared to your home town Radelaide?
I love the Sydney theatre scene, it is a lot more diverse and there seems to be a lot more companies just doing what they do best and finding an audience for that. I love Adelaide don’t get me wrong but there simply isn’t as many people so it’s hard for indie companies to get off the ground.

How are you feeling about performing in such an intimate space like the Old Fitz?
I love the Fitz, there is something so magical about the space it is simple and honest and won’t hold anything but the truth and I love that. It’s the perfect space for the show and I’m excited to just be able to talk to people and tell this beautiful story. That’s what theatre is all about right?

What is your favourite line in the play?
Ahhh there are so many but I think, “My cry of grief was so loud it created a black hole in the universe” is pretty beautiful.

What was it like working with the amazing Tim Franklin?
I would like to say how much of a loser he is BUT he is one of the most generous actors I have ever worked with and I couldn’t imagine doing the show with anyone else. He is as honest as they get. Oh, and a total goob.

Tim Franklin

Tim Franklin

Jordan Cowan: What do you love most about Tender Napalm?
Tim Franklin: At the moment I’m having a serious love affair with the poetic nature of Phillip Ridley’s writing. The play has such a dark subtext but the chinks of light that break through are blindingly beautiful.

What has been the most challenging part of the rehearsal process?
I hate to say it but it’s the answer to the age old, “how did you learn all those lines?” I usually say something like “its how you do anything, you do it again and again until you get it” but fuck me there are a lot of lines! My brain is leaking.

What do you think the audiences will love about the show?
I think the audiences will love the fantastical imaginary world that we will create in this extremely intimate space. Hopefully they will like the way we say the words and how our face moves too.

What is your favourite line in the play?
That’s a hostile question. I can’t choose, I wont choose, I refuse to choose. So I’m going to pick three.

“Oh her eyes! Its like gazing into a universe, I see stars and dinosaurs and whales and skeletons and spaceships.” Yummy

“I remember… at one point, as we were struggling with him on the bed, dad’s eyes sort of locked with mine and it was like… like gazing into a million years of stuff.” Ahhhh that one makes my heart hurt.

And last but not least

“your cunt…. Its such a precocious thing”

….yep

Three words that best describe the show?
Fantastical. Poetic. Tragic.

Jordan Cowan and Tim Franklin can be seen in Tender Napalm by Phillip Ridley.
Dates: 19 – 30 January, 2016
Venue: Old Fitz Theatre

Review: Dropped (The Goods Theatre Company)

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redlineVenue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Dec 8 – 20, 2015
Playwright: Katy Warner
Director: Anthony Skuse
Cast: Deborah Galanos, Olivia Rose
Image by Christine Chahoud

Theatre review
Two soldiers are in a war zone, boots on the ground as it were. They are buddies, joined at the hip, supporting each other through the calamity in which they find themselves. Life could hardly be more vulnerable or dangerous, but they are upbeat, perhaps a result of the training they had received, or the innate strength that they had brought to their vocation. They also seem to be losing their minds a little. In their struggle for survival, the women let themselves drift in and out of fantasy, and we never know for sure which of their dialogue is fact, or fiction; it is all too distant from our comfy vantage point.

Katy Warner’s script is ambitious and difficult. Dropped is at times abstract, often turning surreal, and even though it offers effective points of reference for a sense of coherence, the play can be disorienting. It contains sentimental elements to help with an emotional connection, but Anthony Skuse’s direction seems to steer the show for a cerebral experience, attempting to engage our logic instead. The production is a polished one, with Verity Hampson’s lights especially memorable, but it is also alienating. It talks about hope and death, themes that are unquestionably universal, but its profundity escapes us.

Accomplished performances by Deborah Galanos and Olivia Rose keep the energy up, and their palpable commitment to the challenging parts is admirable. Galanos’ sincerity and Rose’s vivacity are appropriately showcased, making their respective characters affable, in spite of the unimaginably horrific circumstance they portray.

It is a new realisation that we no longer live in peaceful times. Stories about war and disaster must now come to the fore, and our consciousness must be reminded of the horrors that many are facing. It is unacceptable to hide behind delusions while our worlds are experiencing carnage. If we send people off to fight, the least we could do is to observe the bloodshed. The damage is real. As long as we fail to find solutions, we must all suffer the consequences.

www.thegoodstheatrecompany.com.au

Review: Swansong (Red Line Productions)

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redlineproductionsVenue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Dec 1 – 5, 2015
Playwright: Connor McDermottroe
Director: Greg Carroll
Cast: Andre de Vanny

Theatre review
Occi is a young man in Ireland, suffering from mental illness and an uncontrollable tendency for violence. He does have moments of tranquillity though, and in between those two extremes, we discover qualities of a complex character that simultaneously repulses and attracts us. It is a tale about isolation, and therefore a statement about community. The monsters that live amongst us are cultivated by the forces surrounding them, and our complicity in the development of people like Occi must be examined. Connor McDermottroe’s Swansong may not contain people or places that we can easily relate to, but it is ultimately an exploration into human nature that we can all understand.

The play is structured with ample amounts of intrigue and tension built into an absorbing plot line that incorporates a satisfying string of revelations and surprises. It offers little insight or new perspectives into its concerns, but the writing provides extraordinary scope for a dynamic staging that can range from very quiet to very wild, within the sometimes restrictive monologue format. Director Greg Carroll and actor Andre de Vanny’s seamless collaboration focuses entirely on the performance of the piece. The production comes without a set design or props, and there is no sound design. Relying only on a simple costume and occasional lighting changes, Swansong is a mighty tour de force featuring an indisputable talent and his boundless energy and commitment. What de Vanny brings to the stage is faultlessly executed. Voice, face and body are operated at capacity, with a sense of euphoria that can only come with total abandonment. Nothing is kept in reserve, and the audience can only respond with an earnestness parallel to the show’s thorough and powerful vulnerability.

Occi’s life is full of struggles, but Swansong is not interested in our sympathies. We are free to look and judge him how we will, as we are want to do in our every day, but our eyes are opened to the experiences of an unusual existence, one that has tasted extremities that thankfully elude many of us. At the theatre, we seek our reflections, but what can be equally rewarding, is to catch a glimpse of some strange life that will never touch us otherwise. Our individual worlds can often be too small, and art is the antidote.

www.oldfitztheatre.com

Review: Debris (Red Line Productions)

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redlineVenue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Nov 24 – 28, 2015
Playwright: Dennis Kelly
Director: Sean Hawkins
Cast: Felix Jozeps, Megan McGlinchey

Theatre review
Two small children, isolated and severely neglected, completely unaware about how the rest of the world lives. Their normal is in fact horrific, but they are none the wiser. We bring innocent lives to be, and imagine that every baby is given love and care because the alternative is unfathomable and simply unbearable. Dennis Kelly’s Debris illustrates a truth that we know exist but rarely acknowledge. It exposes the ugliest of humanity, and amplifies their brutality by having them voiced by the very young, removing any possibility of moral justification on our part as viewers.

The script is highly evocative and poetic in its surreal, or perhaps fantastical approach, inspired by the minds of children, and their unbridled way of interpreting things that they encounter, but the production is a simple one, with emphasis on performance by two fine actors and not much else. Our own artistry is called upon to visualise a more vivid experience than what is actually presented on stage. Lighting has a tendency to be too obvious in its creative choices, but sound design by Tom Hogan is delicate, thoughtful and effective. Felix Jozeps and Megan McGlinchey play the forsaken children with an enormous energy that keeps the show fast paced and taut. Their roles are harrowing but ultimately straightforward, with insufficient complexity built into the performance that could deliver nuances beyond the predictable.

Debris is an intense and emotionally violent show that demands our attention, but has nothing unusual to say. It is an excellent platform for actors who wish to flex their dramatic muscles, and we are certainly entertained by the display of extraordinary passion, but for all the pain that we see unleashed, we feel little of it. The fact that there are children suffering is not news to anyone, but it is information that bears repeating. We can think about how to make lives better, but it is also true that we do not need to create more lives at all.

www.oldfitztheatre.com

Review: I Am My Own Wife (Oriel Group / Red Line Productions)

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orielVenue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Nov 17 – Dec 5, 2015
Playwright: Doug Wright
Director: Shaun Rennie
Cast: Ben Gerrard
Image by Rupert Reid

Theatre review
There is something unique about representing queer life on stage. Like many minority groups who have experienced persecution, LGBT stories need to create a legacy from hardship and struggles, so that injustices are prevented from recurring, and also for future generations to understand the histories from which they emerge. Unlike issues around ethnicity and religion that can have greater levels of visibility, LGBT identities have a tendency to be subsumed by a sense of normativity. The more gender and sexual diversity becomes accepted, the more it disappears from public discourse. A tension exists between the attainment of equality and the loss of nuances in individual differences.

Doug Wright’s I Am My Own Wife documents the controversial life of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German museum curator and transgender celebrity, through the tumultuous years of the Third Reich and East Berlin. The play takes the form of a monologue, but does feature a multitude of minor characters, including the playwright himself. As von Mahlsdorf’s story unfolds, we are reminded of Wright’s presence as an interpretor of events, and correspondingly, the ambiguities between truth and fiction in the details being uncovered. The writing is full of charm and humour, with a plot that intrigues at every juncture. Vividly descriptive, we find ourselves immersed effortlessly in its slightly alien but seductive narrative.

Direction is provided by Shaun Rennie, whose outstanding use of space keeps our senses engaged and active, astutely controlling our perceptions of the show’s frequent contextual transformations, in terms of personalities, time and place. Excellent work on lighting by Hugh Hamilton and a subtle but highly effective set by Caroline Comino add greatly to the quality of unpredictability of the viewing experience. Nate Edmondson’s complex sound design is executed with impressive refinement and is noticeably adventurous with its concepts.

The play could however, benefit from a graver exploration into the darker aspects of von Mahlsdorf’s story. There seems a reluctance to portray her duplicitous nature with a stronger sinister edge, and we are kept somewhat distanced by that jovial artifice, perhaps just the way she would have wanted. Ben Gerrard is marvellous in the production. The speed and clarity at which he alters voice and physicality to depict all his different characters, whilst maintaining psychological accuracy and an air of authenticity through every change, is astounding, and very satisfying theatre. The actor exhibits wonderful commitment, along with an exquisite creativity that is remarkably intelligent and sensitive.

I Am My Own Wife entertains and fascinates. It is strangely lighthearted, given the brutalities that appear in the text. The production should hold more poignancy in its observations of war, Nazism and queerness, but as though borrowing from Charlotte von Mahlsdorf’s strength of character, unpleasant parts of the story are diminished with an unconscious ease. There certainly are lessons to be learned here, that may pertain to personal identity or to social concerns, but they require an investment of thought and attention. Alternatively, a very pleasant jaunt is offered by the show, with resonances that last until the inevitably enthusiastic curtain call.

www.iammyownwife.com.au | www.oldfitztheatre.com

Review: A Girl With Sun In Her Eyes (Red Line Productions)

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redlineVenue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Oct 27 – Nov 14, 2015
Playwright: Joshua Rollins
Director: Andrew Henry
Cast: Martin Crewes, Kai Paynter, Gabrielle Rogers, Jeremy Waters, Kate Williams, Ezekiel Simat
Image by Vanessa Wright

Theatre review
Life is not a bed of roses. It is a hard fact to come to terms with, but we live with evil around us, and people make decisions everyday that cause harm to others. In Joshua Rollins’ A Girl With Sun In Her Eyes, we see law enforcers at work, and as they confront the darkest sides of human nature, what they reveal are some of the worst that we are capable of. The filmic script jumps between short scenes to concoct a sense of intrigue and to manufacture a plot that can be placed squarely in the suspense genre. Characters are not created with great complexity, but their narratives are strong. There are sequences that aim to shock, and even though they border on the exploitative, their effects are unquestionably powerful.

Director Andrew Henry focuses on bringing intensity to individual performances, but chemistry between actors is lacking. Leading man is the magnetic Jeremy Waters who puts on a very high energy show, but counterparts do not often meet on his level. The staging and interpretation of scenes are straightforward, with little theatricality involved. The choice for a naturalistic approach is logical, but it seems to prevent the exploration of its quite brutal themes to extend beyond the surface. The production’s literal spacial configurations also create issues with scene transitions requiring an excessive number of blackouts that inevitably cause dramatic tension to dissipate repeatedly. Sound and lights help with a sense of continuity, but the piece struggles to find a coherent and sophisticated theatrical realisation of the episodic writing.

A Girl With Sun In Her Eyes is deeply pessimistic, but its ugliness is recognisable. It exposes the duplicity that we all share, of the possibilities for good and bad that reside in all our decisions. We may not wish to acknowledge personal intentions as ever being purposely harmful, but there is no doubt that people around us act with less than honourable motives, and one can never be too careful about becoming entangled. Innocence is a beautiful thing, especially when out of reach.

www.oldfitztheatre.com

Review: Dead Centre | Sea Wall (Red Stitch Actors Theatre)

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redstitchVenue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Oct 20 – Nov 14, 2015
Playwrights: Tom Holloway, Simon Stephens
Director: Julian Meyrick
Cast: Rosie Lockhart, Ben Prendergast
Image by Jodie Hutchinson

Theatre review
The more we hurt, the more difficult it is to find expression for our internal struggles. We compartmentalise pain, and with time, become more adept at denying their existence, but their effects do not fade. Tom Holloway’s Dead Centre and Simon Stephens’ Sea Wall are two half hour monologues that deal with sorrow and depression. We encounter the protagonists in traumatic states, and see them fumbling through life trying to find a way out of their anguish. Holloway’s piece is vividly descriptive, with evocative fragments that softly, but actively, fire up our imagination. Stephens’ work is equally poetic, but takes a completely different tone. Focussing on the grieving process, he uses the difficulties in articulating painful experiences as a basis for the text, and creates a quiet work that escalates suddenly at the end to deliver a powerful revelation.

The two pieces are presented one after another, but visual elements suggest an entwinement between both stories. Design of the production is understated, but elegant and sensual. Matthew Adey’s lights and Katie Cavanagh’s video projections, along with Ian Moorhead’s sound design, establish an understated but concentrated atmosphere in which the actors offer their very delicate tales. Direction by Julian Meyrick gives a beautiful cohesiveness to the two halves, with a sensitive approach that highlights the similarities between each character’s experiences. We witness the fragility in our humanity, and realise the importance of accepting and understanding the weaker moments of our personal lives.

Rosie Lockhart plays Helen in Dead Centre, fleeing England for Uluru, in search of an answer to her indescribable troubles. The actor’s engaging presence grips us from the start, but it is her ability to communicate a wealth of emotion with a seemingly minimal mode of performance that truly impresses. Helen never tells us what her problems are, but Lockhart leaves us in no doubt about the depth of her torment. Also remarkable are the flashes of humour that emerge, brief but effective, and key to installing a solid connection between actor and audience. Alex in Sea Wall is played by Ben Prendergast, whose portrayal of loss and bewilderment resonates with an intimate familiarity. The evasiveness and fear of sentimentality that he exhibits is a perceptive interpretation of how we deal (or do not deal) with immense emotions, but concluding moments see outbursts of intensity that appear too suddenly, and we question the accuracy of those dramatics.

Catharsis frequently occurs through the artistic process, but not usually at the same degree for all involved. Artists can indulge boundlessly in their excavations of private feelings, but the inspiration brought to their audience must not be ignored. In Dead Centre | Sea Wall, emotions run high, but they tend to stay safely on stage. The poignancies that it imparts are muted, but they are also real. We do not get embroiled too closely with Helen or Alex, but we study them intently and learn about the nature of suffering. The stories are theirs, but the way they help us explain and comprehend life, becomes universal.

www.redstitch.net

5 Questions with Rosie Lockhart and Ben Prendergast

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Rosie Lockhart

Rosie Lockhart

Ben Prendergast: What is your earliest memory of performing?
Rosie Lockhart: I have a vague recollection of playing the Virgin Mary at my preschool Christmas concert. I think I was about 2? Or maybe I just remember the photos? I think I was wearing an old blue sheet on my head. Indie theatre needs more funding people!

If you had to karaoke for your life, which song would you choose and why?
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. The Wizard Of Oz was one of those films (like Annie, Mary Poppins and The Sound Of Music) I used to watch over and over but fast forwarding through the “scary bit with the monkeys”. As a teen I sang the Judy Garland song at a Tamworth Eisteddfod. I can’t remember but if I won or not. Then at Sydney Uni, I sang the Eva Cassidy version at an inter-college music competition. I came second that year, bummer. I guess you could say that it’s been with me through the ages…

What’s the most memorable piece of advice a parent/mentor has left you with?
“Do what you love. If you stop loving it, do the thing you love.” My parents have always encouraged my creativity and to pursue a life of an artist. They’ve held my hand a lot of the way but I wouldn’t be living this artist life if it wasn’t for them. Legends.

If you could dine with any person living or dead, who would it be and why?
Ooh hard one. Probably Meryl Streep or Helen Mirren. They seem like the kind of woman who’d be up for “pot luck/bring whatever/whoever and a bottle of wine” kinda vibe. No fuss. No expectations. Good chat.

What’s Sydney’s most underrated feature?
Rosso Pomodoro. Ssh it’s Sydney’s best kept secret. A family owned pizzeria down on the docks in White Bay, just next to Rozelle. It’s the only restaurant at the base of an apartment block, BYO, no corkage, no half half toppings, genuine Italian fare. My brother and I inhaled many a margarita (each) when we lived in Lilyfield during my Sydney Uni days. Best. It’s my favourite place to visit whenever I’m in town.

Ben Prendergast

Ben Prendergast

Rosie Lockhart: Would you rather be a) renovating your house b) making personally scented soy candles c) designing websites & software d) acting?
Ben Prendergast: The notion of making personally scented candles appeals, for example you could have a Kanye West or Cathy Freeman or Ryan Gosling and really move some units, but it could be fraught, so I guess I’ll just stick with d) personally scented acting.

What are you reading at the moment?
I have about 20 books on the go at once, piled next to my bed. The one on the top of that pile at the moment is the Laurence Olivier biography by Philip Ziegler, and I’ve also just started The Moth by Catherine Burns; 50 true stories captured from the famous storytelling event where guests from Bill Clinton to the Sultan of Brunei’s concubine give an impromptu speech.

What do you love about being in the Red Stitch ensemble?
For as long as I can remember I’ve been a creative fella, and being creative sucks in a vacuum (see what I did there?), so it really feels for the first time that I’ve found a group of creatives who are all as driven as I am to make something and shine a light on things that matter. So whether we’re slugging it out on a Tuesday night to decide which of the 50 plays we’ve read should make it into next season, or we’re cutting a rug together during a launch event, or sharing anecdotes of an audience member touched by one or our shows, it’s like a family. A big, incestuous, somewhat creepy, but ultimately good looking and wholesome acting family.

What excites you most about Sydney?
An unexpected vista of the water, the shiny people, not so shiny bridge, colonial flashes, the one way streets. Any city I’ve ever spent time in I’ve always brought my runners and explored. We’re staying with a friend who lucked out buying a Penthouse Bondi apartment a number of years ago, so we’re living large. So I have a month to explore the city by day, and put up a wonderful show at night. Maybe we shouldn’t leave?

If you could invite 5 people to dinner, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
I was going to say the Beatles and George Martin, but then I realised that I’d be missing a huge opportunity to understand something about everything. So firstly I’d like to stipulate that each of these guests must be alive (you could get me on a technicality and then I’m having dinner with four dead people and the Dalai Lama), but they would be: John Lennon, Albert Einstein, The Dalai Lama, Adolf Hitler, and My Nanna Betty. Music, science, religion, and stupidity, and my Nanna Betty (who would hold her own).

Rosie Lockhart will be appearing in Dead Centre by Tom Holloway and Ben Prendergast in Sea Wall by Simon Stephens, a double bill presentation by Red Stitch Actors Theatre.
Dates: 20 October – 14 November, 2015
Venue: Old Fitz Theatre

Review: Bacon And Eggs (Only Children Theatre Co)

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baconandeggsVenue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Sep 29 – Oct 10, 2015
Playwright: Chris Edmund
Director: Chris Edmund
Cast: Ryan Jones, Tom Dent, Adrian Mulraney

Theatre review
Two actors down on their luck spend the night drinking too much, and stumble upon the ghost of Francis Bacon. When artists struggle with their work, it is important to consult those who have come before, for wisdom, experience and history. Time spent on analysis and self reflection is crucial to the artistic process, especially at those frustrating, but necessary, moments of failure. Chris Edmund’s Bacon And Eggs is a thirty-minute meditation on the greats of European theatre, from Beckett to Shakespeare. Like any artist in any discipline, we study subjects considered to be exemplary, finding appropriate material to inspire and define our personal approaches. Bacon was by any measure, a fascinating figure, but this manifestation of his apparition is particularly straightforward. The play is a very simple one, and even though it does not bear ambitious pretences, there is a monotony to its rhythm and themes that can be challenging.

Performances are quirky but insufficiently varied. Ryan Jones and Tom Dent are strong with their small sections of comedy, but they sustain a singular mode of confusion for a long duration of the work, revealing an overly simplistic understanding of their parts. Adrian Mulraney plays a Bacon who is predictably flamboyant, but there are insufficient dramatic shifts in temperament and motivation to justify a full-fledged standalone production. It is doubtless that interesting ideas can be found in Bacon And Eggs, but at this early stage of its development, many more ingredients are required before the recipe can sizzle.

www.oldfitztheatre.com