Tag Archives: old fitzroy theatre

Review: Masterclass (Old Fitz Theatre / Red Line Productions)

Posted in Theatre by

redlineVenue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Jan 14 – 31, 2015
Playwrights: Gareth Davies, Charlie Garber
Directors: Gareth Davies, Charlie Garber
Cast: Gareth Davies, Charlie Garber
Image by Marnya Rothe

Theatre review
Two actors collaborate on a work for the stage, talking about what they know best. Gareth Davies and Charlie Garber’s Masterclass is about the craft and experience of acting, and all the anxieties associated with it. They take the art of self-mockery to great heights by depicting versions of themselves that are flamboyantly theatrical and deeply cynical, to interrogate the nature of their creative beast. An extreme self-consciousness manifests itself in a persistent need to make light of their art form, which delivers gales of laughter effectively, but its attempts to demystify and deconstruct the psychology and process of the actor takes irreverence to a sometimes uncomfortable place, and one begins to question the exasperating disquiet that Davies and Garber seem to feel about their profession. We see their resistance against taking any of their craft seriously, but we see them exploring this iconoclasm, with impressive commitment and skill.

There is a distinct, almost stubborn sense of humour at play, but the pair manipulates pace, rhythm, and plot dynamics to give the work variations in tone that keep us engaged, despite its very simple premise. Garber has a quiet confidence that allows him to portray the wild comedy of Masterclass with relative restraint. His style is often deadpan, but the clarity of intent he brings to every moment gives a surprising coherence to his unorthodox part, and a convincing strength to his punchlines. Davies’ approach is wider in range, and his comedic choices are decidedly riskier. The man’s energy is the foundation of the piece, and his control over spatial atmosphere and his audience’s responses is quite marvellous. We do not necessarily empathise with every idea Davies expresses, but there is certainly a lot to be admired of his ability to entertain, while conveying concepts that can be quite obscure.

Technical design is a crucial element to the structure and timing of this comedy production. Uncredited work on sound and Benjamin Brockman’s lights add much needed sophistication to an otherwise aesthetically challenged show. The play’s context allows for imaginative use of sets, props and costumes, but no investment is placed on those areas, and Brockman is called upon to provide all visual embellishment in the black box to admittedly satisfying results. Also noteworthy is stage manager Nick Foustellis’ precise and elegant execution of cues and changes.

The play concludes with a hint of poignancy that arrives after a long wait. The two young men prove themselves to be brilliant at light entertainment, but they seem to shy away from the inevitable gravitas that any theatrical piece requires. Not every story needs to give you something to think about, but when careless, jokes can leave you feeling empty. The sweet taste of success is for delighting in, and young talent should learn to embrace their gifts, even in the land of tall poppies.

www.oldfitztheatre.com

5 Questions with Shane Bosher

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by

shanebosherWhat is your favourite swear word?
There are three that regularly vie for #1 spot: bullcrap, fuckpuppet and cunting. All almost unspeakable.

What are you wearing?
I go for a simple look: black t, classic blue jeans, black Nike trainers. Consider it my contemporary take on the classic 1970s director garb: black skivvy, leather jacket, cigarette.

What is love?
Love is a wonderful predicament which has been destroying and enriching people’s lives since forever. It’s simplicity, it’s courage, it’s vulnerability, it’s difficulty, it’s joy – it is all of the things. Without it, stories would be rubbish and I’d be out of a job.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
A touring version of The Sound Of Music in New Zealand. I left after the Mother Superior had climbed every mountain. A gruelling trip up into the Alps with wobbly vibrato and wobblier sets. 2 stars. Am seeing Tabac Rouge tomorrow, so am holding out all hope for that to restore the faith.

Is your new show going to be any good?
It’s a whole lot of crash bang love. Great play, top notch cast, stellar production team and the Old Fitz as you’ve never seen it before. I reckon so.

Shane Bosher is directing Cock by Mike Bartlett.
Show dates: 3 Feb – 6 Mar, 2015
Show venue: The Old Fitzroy Hotel

5 Questions with Gareth Davies

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by

garethdaviesWhat is your favourite swear word?
Swearing is the refuge of thieves and louts, a thinking man with a moderate grasp of the English language needs not swear to display his displeasure. Although the word ‘cunt’ is pleasing to yell out of bus windows.

What are you wearing?
Hopes, dreams, and some loose thai fisherman’s pants.

What is love?
Love, huh? It’s a warm bicycle seat, paella on the barbecue. It’s a short gasp and a long goodbye. Long fingers. Smooth skin. Sticky hearts. Jewels from a dragons trove. It’s smart casual. But what would I know, right? I’m just one more sucker who looks good in a dinner jacket.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
I don’t see shows because I might pick up bad habits, so, I guess my own? Five stars.

Is your new show going to be any good?
Not our problem.

Masterclass, by Gareth Davies and Charlie Garber.
Show dates: 14 – 31 Jan, 2015
Show venue: The Old Fitzroy Hotel

5 Questions with Charlie Garber

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by

charliegarberWhat is your favourite swear word?
Swear words. My favourite. Hmmm. Well, I’ve always liked *&%^*$$@#%Y. But then there’s *&^. I suppose I’d have to go with ).

What are you wearing?
What am I wearing? What am I wearing?! Jesus! You know, I’ve just trawled Facebook for the last ten minutes. The world is a truly sorrowful place. What am I wearing??!! 2014 has been a ragged year of war, lies, paedophilia and greed… Grey Bonds briefs and a blue and white striped Vanishing Elephant T, all piled languorously on a teal linen doona cover.

What is love?
Love is the chill of a demon baby’s breath glimpsed from an antique pram on a frozen park lake.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
The last show I saw was Cyrano de Bergerac at STC. I give it five bags of popcorn and five bags of soda.

Is your new show going to be any good?
Masterclass is the show and it’s a steaming pile of garbage.

Masterclass, by Gareth Davies and Charlie Garber.
Show dates: 14 – 31 Jan, 2015
Show venue: The Old Fitzroy Hotel

Review: Belle Of The Cross (Harlos Productions / Sydney Independent Theatre Company)

Posted in Theatre by

sitco2Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Nov 18 – 29, 2014
Playwright: Angelika Fremd
Director: David Ritchie
Cast: Gertraud Ingeborg, Colleen Cook
Image by Katy Green Loughrey

Theatre review
Sydney’s Kings Cross is completely unique. Always controversial, vibrant and newsworthy, the area is a tiny geographical spot, but its infamy reaches far and wide. Residents of the precinct range from the very wealthy to the impoverished, including the homeless who often gravitate towards its parks and colourful alleyways. Angelika Fremd’s Belle Of The Cross is not biographical, but Belle is a composite, created from Fremd’s observations of “streeties” in the neighbourhood during her eight years at the Cross. The play is poetic, atmospheric and emotional, with only a light narrative thread holding scenes together. The writer depicts the extraordinary community with affection and dignity, rejecting contexts of mental illness that might cause a reductive reading of her subject matter.

Direction of the work by David Ritchie is sensitive to the considerations of the script, and he builds a sense of grace into the production, but its unrelenting gentleness prevents sufficient dramatic tension from taking hold. Scene changes tend to be overly subtle, with indistinct shifts in time and mood. Gertraud Ingeborg’s performance in the title role personifies warmth and sincerity. Her focus is impressive, and even though the stillness in her presence gives weight to the show, a lack of tonal variation results in a character that does not seem to develop adequately. Belle is an interesting personality that we have a lot of curiosity about, but the play needs to provide more insight to satisfy our desire to know her.

We all have times of loneliness, but Belle’s struggle is to do with isolation and aloneness. Although she is quite content with her own company, we must question our capacity and willingness as neighbours and community to furnish an environment that is safe and nourishing. Homelessness is a complex issue, one that crosses paths with a society’s stance on human rights and its economic ideologies. Belle Of The Cross gives a voice to the often seen but rarely heard, and is therefore essential and important, if we believe ourselves to be civilised.

www.sitco.net.au

Review: The Les Robinson Story (Type Faster Productions / Sydney Independent Theatre Company)

Posted in Theatre by

sitco1Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Nov 18 – 29, 2014
Playwright: Kieran Carroll
Director: Ron Hadley
Cast: Martin Portus, Matt Thomson
Image by Katy Green Loughrey

Theatre review
When a person commits their life to the arts, it is often a conscious decision to go against many societal expectations, and therefore, to become resolutely anti-conformist. Many struggle to make ends meet, and few achieve great critical success, yet there are those who persist through hardship, believing that it is their devotion to their art that provides the greatest meaning. Les Robinson was a Sydney writer who had had only one book published, The Giraffe’s Uncle, in 1933. Between the 1920s and 1960s, the eccentric figure lived a one-man bohemia in shacks and caves around the Sydney harbour, listening to records, fishing and of course, writing.

Kieran Carroll’s lovingly crafted play immortalises a forgotten soul, one whose stories provide us with insight into an unusual life, and a fresh perspective of the city that we love. Carroll’s work is deeply melancholic, but it is also wonderfully inspiring. We hear about iconic artists everyday, but to learn about one of the others, is unexpectedly comforting. The Les Robinson Story could easily be a depressing one, but Ron Hadley’s direction takes care to serve up the joy with the sorrow, always leading us to the light at the end of each dark tunnel. The depiction of time’s passage however, could be made clearer, in order for us to gain a more detailed impression of the character’s evolution.

Martin Portus is not a neglected writer living under a bridge, but the actor certainly makes us believe that he and Robinson are one and the same. The level of authenticity he achieves is the great beauty of this staging. Portus’ presence is strong and sturdy, and his eagerness to share this buried tale is quite moving. As with all great storytellers, we often find ourselves suspended in time with the performer, losing awareness of before and after, completely captivated by right now.

The Les Robinson Story might be about disappointments, loss and regret, but it will be remembered for the man’s spiritedness and his tenacity at living a life of truth and honesty. Robinson never pretended to be anything but his genuine self, and that alone trumps everything else.

www.sitco.net.au

5 Questions with Martin Portus

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by

martinportusWhat is your favourite swear word?
Bum. My father used to say it, along with something else very odd – a load of old cock!

What are you wearing?
Black. Going to Melbourne for a few days to chair an ideas forum.

What is love?
Steadfastness, patience and laughter.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
Switzerland, the terrific new thriller and ideas comedy from Australia’s Joanna Murray Smith, which will be an international hit and, I’m sure, a film. Four and a half stars.

Is your new show going to be any good?
Yes, we’ve perfected it now with two earlier seasons and it avoids those pitfalls of one person-shows. This eccentric Sydney writer Les Robinson really wants to reach his audience, and win their laughter and empathy for him and his times.

Martin Portus is starring in The Les Robinson Story, with Type Faster Productions.
Show dates: 18 – 29 Nov, 2014
Show venue: The Old Fitzroy Hotel

5 Questions with Gertraud Ingeborg

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by

gertraudingeborgWhat is your favourite swear word?
I don’t swear that much, I’m much better at it as a character, like as ‘Belle’. But ‘damn’ might have to do it!

What are you wearing?
Leotard (because I just went to a ballet class), leggings, a black soft top and flat shoes.

What is love?
Love, there are some many types of love, for a man, your children, your dog, your family. It’s all about caring, I think and giving.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
At the Old Fitz. The Irish play, Howie the Rookie, 3 stars

Is your new show going to be any good?
Yes, of course it will be, the writing is very good and so is the directing by David Ritchie and Colleen Cook who is going to do a great strip! My acting – of course it is good!! (At least my director thinks so).

Gertraud Ingeborg is starring in Belle Of The Cross, with Harlos Productions.
Show dates: 18 – 29 Nov, 2014
Show venue: The Old Fitzroy Hotel

Review: V.D. (Copanirvana Theatre Co / Sydney Independent Theatre Company)

Posted in Theatre by

sitco2Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Oct 28 – Nov 15, 2014
Playwright: Pete Malicki
Director: Lisa Eismen
Cast: Eliza St John
Image by Katy Green Loughrey

Theatre review
This is a story about a woman in love only with two things; herself and alcohol. Pete Malicki’s script is crafted with some skill. His jokes are incessant, and timed with a natural flair. His characters are abused and ridiculed, and no one is presented in a positive light. There is very little beauty and inspiration in the play, but it has a humour that will appeal to many. It is a harsh truth that Australians find alcohol funny. We laugh at people making destructive decisions and falling over due to drunkenness, and V.D. capitalises on that unfortunate part of our culture. It also takes advantage of the fact that making women desperate and dateless gets laughs easily. Sophie Webb is hopeless, almost idiotic, but she is not unrealistic, and of course, our artistic landscape must make room for all kinds of characters no matter how undesirable.

The script is skilfully executed by director Lisa Eismen and actor Eliza St John. Presentation of the comedy is wide ranging, from the very broad to the very subtle. Character development is sometimes uncomfortable in the plot, but the women manage to create a narrative that is often believable, although the show’s ending is quite bewildering. St John’s performance is masterful. She is wild, intuitive and considered, with a conviction that can turn water into wine. Her work is completely absorbing, and she manages to endear herself to her captive crowd, like using sleight of hand techniques to mask the hideous uselessness of the woman she portrays.

The world can be an ugly place, and it is necessary to know its flaws. The theatre is not reserved for snowdrops and daffodils, and artists must not be censored, but audiences look for morals in stories, and maybe even find meaning in listening to what is being said. What V.D. articulates is sometimes true, but also very sad indeed. Life is worth living because of hope, and we need to acknowledge the darkness that we live with, but we must always recognise it as such.

www.sitco.net.au

Review: November Spawned A Monster (Fly-On-The-Wall Theatre / Sydney Independent Theatre Company)

Posted in Theatre by

sitco1Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Oct 28 – Nov 15, 2014
Playwright: Alex Broun
Director: Robert Chuter
Cast: James Wright
Image by Katy Green Loughrey

Theatre review
Morrissey’s music courses through the veins of his fanatic devotees, and William is a young Melbournite who has the rock star’s records underscoring key events of his life. We meet him at a time of mourning, having recently encountered a deep personal loss. The struggle for clarity, direction and a new lease on life is a familiar experience, and Alex Broun’s script is an honest representation of that shared phenomenon. Melancholia is created beautifully in a plot that takes us from everyday banality to extraordinary circumstances, with gentle humour and a generous slew of Morrissey songs that provide poignant irony, and a remarkable coolness.

Also very cool, is Benjamin Brockman’s lighting design for the production, which gives a sense of differentiation between scenes so that we perceive a variety of moods as the leading man goes through scenes of transformation and evolution. Brockman’s work is intelligent and sophisticated, giving the show a visceral sensuality that connects with Morrissey’s omnipresence. Robert Chuter’s direction of the one-man show cleverly finds every opportunity to manufacture shifts in tone, preventing the production from ever being monotonous in spite of its monologue format. Chuter finds nuance in William’s journey and depicts the human condition at a time of sorrow with great sensitivity.

In the role of William is James Wright, who has the challenging task of memorising an eighty-minute play entirely on his own, along with singing a big selection of the idol’s highly idiosyncratic greatest hits at regular intervals. Wright is an enthusiastic performer who has the ability to be engaging, but his confidence levels are inconsistent, and on this stage, there is simply nowhere to hide when the actor’s consciousness is fractured, however briefly. Notwithstanding its energetic rhythm, November Spawned A Monster is chiefly about pain, which Wright does not sufficiently embody. It is almost a metaphysical quality that can be perceived when a person lives with a broken heart, and on the stage, that quality can be forcefully seductive, but that brand of charisma which we can see in Morrissey, is sadly absent in this show.

“Youth is wasted on the young”, said George Bernard Shaw, but William’s story is a reminder that feeling stranded in one’s youth is important for achieving an understanding of grief, and therefore, gaining an appreciation of all that is significant in life. It is not all a bed of roses, but that’s how people grow up.

www.sitco.net.au