Tag Archives: old fitzroy theatre

Review: The Cherry Orchard (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Aug 8 – 24, 2024
Playwright: Gary Owen
Director: Anthony Skuse
Cast: Jane Angharad, Talia Benatar, Deborah Galanos, Charles Mayer, Amelia Parsonson, James Smithers, Dorje Swallow
Images by Braiden Toko

Theatre review
It is 1982 and Rainey has returned to the Welsh countryside, to face the financial difficulties associated with her family estate. Much like Chekhov’s original, Gary Owen’s The Cherry Orchard is interested in the matter of class, in a play depicting the deterioration of an old upper echelon. Essentially a humorous work, the tragedy at its centre is however portrayed by director Anthony Skuse, with considerable empathy. There is no nostalgic longing for a bygone glory, but we are encouraged to regard characters in the story with humanity, and their foibles with some level of compassion.

Actor Deborah Galanos is certainly committed to putting all of Rainey’s deficiencies on display, highly convincing with both the narcissistic alcoholism and the mournful brokenness that define the role. The incisive Charles Mayer brings delicious comedy to the part of Gabriel, middle-aged but laughably naïve from a sheltered life. Lewis is played by Dorje Swallow who represents the new bourgeoisie with an appealing earthiness, able to deliver a complexity that prevents us from reading the personality with undue exaltation.

The overall aesthetics of the production could make a stronger statement, although what it does present is satisfactory. Set design by James Smithers conveys an appropriate sense of fading glamour. Lights by Topaz Marlay-Cole and sounds by Johnny Yang are overly restrained, but occasional dramatic gestures prove to be judiciously rendered.

It is now well over a century since Chekhov had dreamed up the ruin of Ranyevskaya’s property, and today we find ourselves back to anticipating the felling of cherry trees. Wealth discrepancy is again a significant social issue, with housing problems becoming an exacerbating concern. What should be an element of wellbeing and indeed survival, is concurrently being hoarded by the rich, who can only think of home ownership in monetary terms. People simply need places to live, but we are failing at fulfilling that very basic requirement, unable to allocate resources in fair and just ways, choosing instead to help people with more than they need, to keep endlessly accruing.

www.oldfitztheatre.com.au | www.secrethouse.com.au

Review: Cut Chilli (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Jul 5 – 27, 2024
Playwright: Chenturan Aran
Director: David Burrowes
Cast: Noel Hodda, Kelsey Jeanell, Susie Lindeman, Brendan Miles, Nikki Sekar, Ariyan Sharma
Images by Phil Erbacher

Theatre review
Jamie has started thinking a lot about his birth mother in Sri Lanka, which is proving to be a great annoyance for his white Australian adoptive parents. In the beautifully observed Cut Chilli by Chenturan Aran, transracial adoption is the main subject that spurs discussions about racial identity, and about the current state of Western discourse that pertains to our political lives. Conflicting values, represented by a generational divide and along racial lines, are examined with incisiveness and great humour by Aran, whose clever dialogue helps soften the blow of his many provocative but manifestly meaningful expressions.

Direction by David Burrowes brings an excellent vibrancy to the play’s politics, but its comedy is perhaps less finely honed. Chemistry between cast members is inconsistent, although markedly captivating in moments when the actors do find a sense of connectedness. Leading man Ariyan Sharma introduces an authenticity to the show that translates as complexity and credibility, allowing us to engage with its ideas in a sophisticated manner.

Set design by Soham Apte demonstrates considerable resourcefulness and creativity, with proficient demarcations of space that make good sense of the locations being depicted. Costumes by Rita Naidu enhance the realism of Cut Chilli, whilst maintaining visual balance and a quiet elegance. Lights by Isobel Morrissey and sounds by Sam Cheng are fairly minimal in approach, but appropriately so. Also noteworthy is the video content in the show’s prologue and epilogue, as gracefully captured by cinematographer Jamie Gray.

Within these scene of intimacy involving Jamie’s loving family, we cannot help but regard the behaviour of our political adversaries with a certain generosity. Contemporary “rules of engagement” have provided little room for tolerance, with good reason, but in Cut Chilli we are reminded that perhaps kindness does count for something, even if it is attached to ignorance. The road to hell may be paved with good intentions, but without any desire to do better, nothing worthwhile could ever be achieved.

www.oldfitztheatre.com.au | www.newghoststheatre.com

Review: King James (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Jun 7 – 29, 2024
Playwright: Rajiv Joseph
Director: Bali Padda
Cast: Aaron Glenane, Tinashe Mangwana
Images by Daniel Asher Smith

Theatre review
It was when the legendary LeBron James made his momentous NBA debut in 2003, that Matt and Shawn first connected. Over the course of 13 years, we see each of the pair’s lives go through ups and downs, as do their relationship, in Rajiv Joseph’s 2022 play King James. It is the simplest of two-handers, but irresistibly charming, with an intricately observed and authentically represented study of friendship, that communicates meaningfully and universally.

Direction by Bali Padda places appropriate emphasis on nuances between characters, always ensuring that the unspoken is conveyed with as much accuracy as the delivery of dialogue, in order that we may be entirely convinced of the depth and longevity, of the bond being portrayed. There are many moments that resonate with extraordinary intensity, as we are encouraged to reflect on our own experiences, and on the people who mean most.

Playing Matt is the captivating Aaron Glenane, who brings a wondrous creativity to his depictions of an ordinary person, as well as an effortless charisma that endears us to his dynamic storytelling. Also very engaging is Tinashe Mangwana as Shawn, persuasive whether delivering subdued or exuberant interpretations for his part, with a warmth that makes us feel a certain familiarity with the show’s situations and personalities. The duo’s admirable commitment to fostering a genuine chemistry, is central to our enjoyment of the piece.

Also noteworthy is set design by Ian Kanick, which surprises with its versatility. Rita Naidu’s costumes help to make the performances even more believable. Lights by Priyanka Martin provide the ideal amount of embellishment, just as Michael Toisuta’s music is able to introduce a greater sense of theatricality, at the right moments.

It can feel frustrating, that relationships with people and things that we care about, seem to ebb and flow, that they are rarely consistent in how they manifest. Matt and Shawn go through periods when loved ones become difficult, when their careers encounter challenges, and when their finances face pitfalls. Circumstances then turn around, and new phases of upswing inevitably take hold. This life is a rollercoaster ride, and much as we begrudge the hard parts, we also understand that if the journey never takes us to dark places, we will never see any light.

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

Review: No Love Songs For Lady Basses (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Jun 11 – 16, 2024
Playwright: Sheanna Parker Russon
Music: Lillian M. Hearne
Director: Cassie Hamilton
Cast: Sheanna Parker Russon, Lillian M. Hearne
Images by Jamie James

Theatre review
Having transitioned fairly recently to living as a woman, Sheanna Parker Russon is coming to terms with some of the more practical shifts in the way she has to navigate her day to day. In No Love Songs for Lady Basses, Parker Russon talks about the lack of songs appropriate and available to her lower vocal register, in a world that is so resolutely gendered and binary. She discovers that trying to match her own conceptions of womanhood, with what is considered normative, is proving to be a highly challenging process. This of course, extends beyond the context of singing, and it is with these realisations,  that Parker Russon begins to question how a woman can determine for herself, the parameters of gender, which is itself a construct that any individual has to constantly negotiate, with their respective environments.

This discussion of what happens internally and externally, when a person is transgender, is managed thoughtfully in collaboration with Cassie Hamilton, who as director of the show brings an excellent sense of variety, to the tones, textures and sensibilities being rendered. There may seem a greater emphasis on comedy than is necessary, but the artists’ ideas are always presented with admirable salience.

Live accompaniment by musicians Aisling Bermingham and Lillian M. Hearne, provides energy and an enjoyable polish to the staging. Songs by Hearne and Parker Russon are replete with charming wit, offering valuable counterbalance to the more earnest spoken sections. Lighting design by Hana Truban is noteworthy for its accurate calibrations of atmosphere, along with the visual interest it delivers for the experience.

There is a profound authenticity to Parker Russon’s performance, of what one assumes is her autobiography. In embracing her womanhood, she quickly discovers the trouble with gender, that however a person tries, it is almost always an imperfect endeavour. We know that although gender can be affirming and gratifying, it is also an apparatus by which control is exerted. Oppressive systems have long relied upon our adherence to those norms, and on our acceptance of those corresponding hierarchies, for their machinations to prevail. This can only mean that although gender is hitherto ubiquitous and indomitable, we should regard it with irreverence and subversiveness, and always be at the ready to dismantle and redefine it, if only to remind ourselves, that much as we cannot help investing into it, gender is ultimately meaningless.

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

Review: The Eisteddfod (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), May 21 – 31, 2024
Playwright: Lally Katz
Directors: Jess Bell, Miranda Middleton
Cast: Fraser Crane, Ziggy Resnick
Images by Monique Placko

Theatre review
Abalone and Gerture have reason to despair, and escapism seems the only way they can deal with things. Lally Katz’s The Eisteddfod plays with notions of reality, for a work that charms with its abstract approach, along with a quirky sense of humour that never hesitates to venture into very dark territory.

Directed by Jess Bell and Miranda Middleton, the show sings with an unmissable emotional intensity, whilst portraying the young siblings in a macabre yet endearing fashion. There is a lot to be amused and intrigued by, as we watch the pair’s bizarre activities unfold.

Lights by Aron Murray are sensitively calibrated, with a dynamism that provides visual interest throughout. Sounds by Zac Saric are deeply whimsical, effective in manufacturing a mesmeric quality that keeps us attentive. Also noteworthy are costumes by Kate Beere, for delivering a dash of colourful glee, to the adolescents’ story.

Actor Fraser Crane plays Gerture, with a memorable delicateness that emphasises the fragility of what is being depicted. Ziggy Resnick is cheeky and rambunctious as Abalone, always reminding us of the characters’ tender age. Both bring great creativity and precision to the performance, but it is the poignancy they introduce that is most enduring.

There is so much about existence that is intolerable. Often it is incumbent on our minds’ agility, to reinterpret circumstances, so that we can proceed. It may be that we occasionally fall into traps of delusion and avoidance, but as a survival mechanism, these lies we tell ourselves, may well be the only recourse available, if only for a moment’s reprieve. Reality is harsh, but with time, each individual does have the unequivocal capacity to grow stronger, and yesterday’s fantasies can then begin to make way, for a closer truth.

www.oldfitztheatre.com.au

Review: Isolde & Tristan (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), May 3 – Jun 1, 2024
Playwright: Esther Vilar
Director: Damien Ryan
Cast: Sean O’Shea, Tom Wilson, Emma Wright
Images by Kate Williams

Theatre review
In Isolde & Tristan by Esther Vilar, the Irish princess Isolde is being cargoed off to England, like an item of merchandise, where she is to marry the king of Cornwall. In charge of dispatch, is the handsome Tristan, who had very recently beheaded Isolde’s betrothed, by the king’s order, which makes the journey exceedingly interesting.

The German title of Vilar’s play is Stundenplan einer Rache (or Timetable of a Revenge), which draws unambiguous attention to its revenge narrative, but under Damien Ryan’s direction, in a refreshing translation by Udo Borgert and Laura Ginters, we are made almost to forget the heroine’s vendetta, as she negotiates her very survival, on board a vessel to an anguishing future. The complexities of Isolde’s plans are diluted in the drama, and the show consequently loses tension at some points, but it is nonetheless a charming work memorable for its flirtations with controversy.

A delicate balance between humour and a sense of danger, is struck by a very competent cast comprising Sean O’Shea, Tom Wilson and Emma Wright, who demonstrate admirable ingenuity and instinct, in their presentation of Vilar’s contentious ideas. Live singing by Octavia Barron Martin, accompanied by Justin Leong on piano, features extracts from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde to add an extravagance to the experience.

Sound design by Sorie Bangura makes certain our awareness around the characters being at choppy seas. A set by Tom Bannerman delivers alluring, if slightly unrefined, shapes to help us perceive the nautical surrounds, with lights by Sophie Pekbilimli ensuring we are conscious of time’s movement, from one scene to another. The overall visual quality of Isolde & Tristan can be improved, but costumes by Bernadette Ryan are a cut above the rest, with the princess’ attractive and extensive wardrobe proving especially noteworthy.

Isolde’s story seems so much to be about who she belongs to, but even though she has no real autonomy, there is definitely no shortage of agency in how she operates. Vilar seems to celebrate in her writing, the heroine’s capacity at inflicting harm upon her adversaries, even if it comes at an extremely high cost. This is about a woman trying to beat men at their own game. Much as we often have to play by their rules, we know that it is not the gender of winners that matters, but the nature of the game itself. We need to arrive at a place where we can decide on our own circumstances, and never to be possessed by anybody else.

www.oldfitztheatre.com.au | www.sportforjove.com.au

Review: Do You Mind? (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Apr 23 – 27, 2024
Playwright: Shay Debney
Director: Julia Robertson
Cast: Shay Debney
Images by Julia Robertson

Theatre review
Shay Debney has lots of questions, but it is more likely that he is finding a way to communicate, than being genuinely inquisitive about so many different things. In his one-person show Do You Mind?, Debney demonstrates a burning desire to connect, so he keeps making queries in hopes of finding a way to bridge the gap. A lot of art is about that need for humans to see one another, and Debney’s show is certainly a worthwhile exploration of that relationship between seeing and being seen.

The concept is meaningful, but as a theatrical conceit it can make Do You Mind? feel somewhat hollow in the moment, as we wrestle with the glaring absence of a conventional narrative. Director Julia Robertson however ensures that the viewing experience is a rich one, with inexhaustibly surprising variations to the ways in which Debney’s simple text is delivered. Commensurately, lights by Ryan McDonald are in constant flux, with a notable warmth that keeps us from ever feeling alienated by the work’s abstract nature.

As performer, Debney is immensely endearing, and with his remarkable skills in physical expression, our attention is easily and enjoyably sustained. There is an irrepressibility to Debney’s presence as an artist. It may not be obvious what he wishes to say, but his need to create is evident. In Do You Mind? he exemplifies the artist at work, with trepidation but without restrictions. There is a freedom in his practice that reveals something about the expansiveness and the unorthodoxy of what we require of artists, and in our interaction with his work, that freedom proves inspiring.

www.oldfitztheatre.com.au

Review: Sparkling Darkly (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Apr 17 – 27, 2024
Playwright: Nick Coyle
Director: Nick Coyle
Cast: Sandy Gore, Anna Houston, Ed Oxenbould, Andre de Vanny
Images by Phil Erbacher

Theatre review
Nick Coyle’s Sparkling Darkly features five short monologues in which public speaking takes an unsuspected turn. Providing contexts are a wedding reception, a retirement party, a courthouse, a funeral and a radio station, all places where a certain decorum is expected, but things are not quite what they seem, when seen through Coyle’s wild imagination.

Macabre humour is order of the day, whether exploring supernatural phenomena or simply venturing into the morbid recesses of human psychology. The five pieces all bear that same twisted flavour, even if their potency can feel inconsistent between each tale. As both playwright and director Coyle is able to introduce a distinct idiosyncrasy to the staging, along with an enjoyable playfulness that makes it a worthwhile 75 minutes at the theatre.

Performers are Sandy Gore, Anna Houston, Ed Oxenbould and Andre de Vanny, all of whom are captivating presences, able to showcase professional skill and inventiveness, for their respective take on a range of kooky characters. Production design by Kate Beere is cleverly conceived, with a simplicity that proves highly effective, in their suggestions of strange goings on. Lights by Alex Berlage are commensurately distilled, only making dramatic gestures when necessary, but certainly elegant for the entirety. Sounds by Zac Saric are gently stimulating, with just enough embellishment to keep us relevantly attentive.

Public speaking is not a common occurrence for most, and when one is required to attempt it, terrifying thoughts of faux pas and other embarrassing mishaps, are par for the course. We understand that to present the self in a certain way, although a non-negotiable requirement of polite society, is never a completely true iteration of how we feel on the inside. It is implied that what is denied, and to be deemed unacceptable, must be ugly or abominable. Some of those estimations are appropriate, but many of those judgements are just waiting to be dismantled.

www.oldfitztheatre.com.au | www.sugaryrumproductions.com

Review: Sotoba Komachi 卒塔婆小町 (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Apr 6 – 13, 2024
Playwright: Yukio Mishima 三島由紀夫
Director: Jeremi Campese
Cast: Jeremi Campese, Millie Hing, Jasper Lee-Lindsay, Susan Ling Young, Wern Mak, Rachel Seeto
Images by Karl Elbour

Theatre review
A poet meets a 99-year-old vagrant in a park, and philosophical discussions promptly ensue. The young man is by nature inquisitive, and the old woman knows a lot, by sheer virtue of experience. Sotoba Komachi 「卒塔婆小町」 by Yukio Mishima 三島由紀夫 is a 1952 adaptation of the 14th century Nō classic; characteristically surreal and lyrical, it explores themes of ageing and mortality, that in turn inspire thoughts about how we exist in the here and now.

Direction by Jeremi Campese demonstrates an appreciation for the macabre beauty inherent in the Japanese piece, but although intentions to honour the play’s illusory and phantasmal qualities are evident, the execution often feels excessively realistic. Sound design by Johnny Yang does however help to provide for the production, an atmosphere that is haunting and moderately evanescent. Chris Milburn’s lights are effective when dialling up the production’s theatricality. Rita Naidu’s set design is minimal but sufficiently evocative, and her costumes are well-considered, if slightly lacking in boldness.

Actor Susan Ling Young plays Komachi the elderly figure with a commendable emotional intensity, while Wern Mak takes on the role of the unnamed writer, with visible dedication. The aforementioned Campese joins as supporting cast, along with Millie Hing, Jasper Lee-Lindsay and Rachel Seeto, in a staging that is although stylistically deficient, shows no shortage of spirited commitment.

Times will change, but ghosts are constant and eternal. They represent the essence of who we are, and what we see them to possess, corresponds with the most fundamental of our values and beliefs. Intuitively we know that the ghosts have shed all that is gratuitous and meaningless. They remain as a manifestation of our very core, and every meditation on their nature, can only be a reflection on who we truly are, in the breathing moment.

www.oldfitztheatre.com.au | www.newghoststheatre.com

Review: Black, Fat And F**gy (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Apr 3 – 13, 2024
Creator: Milo Hartill
Cast: Milo Hartill
Images by Abraham de Souza

Theatre review
In her provocatively named Black, Fat and Fa**gy, Milo Hartill reflects on her twenty-three-year-old life, at the intersections of marginalisation that relate to all the identity markers, so vividly described in the title of her one-woman show. The presentation is a statement spawned from radical acceptance and defiant joy, of an individual overcoming obstacles of prejudice, and who has found success as a performer, influencer and model.

Hartill’s writing may not be the most inventive, but her skills and charisma for the stage are undeniable. Collaborator Robin Goldsworthy is credited as “head chef”, on hand to ensure that the star is never to be perceived as anything but delightful and scintillating. Music direction is provided by Lucy O’Brien whose piano accompaniment on songs from Sinatra to CupcakKe, imbues additional spiritedness to an already irrepressible force of nature. Also noteworthy are lights by Isobel Morrissey delivering unexpected atmospheric transformations that help us tune in, to every shifting nuance of what Hartill intends to convey.

Black, Fat and Fa**gy is about the indomitability of an artist who understands intimately and comprehensively, the nature of violence in all its forms. From the perspective of someone who embodies all that is antithetic of hegemonic power, Hartill demonstrates how a person may thrive in spite of forces that intend to be exhaustively annihilating. We are graciously spared having to delve too deeply into her spaces of trauma, but in the witnessing of all her celebratory assertions, it is clear what the darker dimensions of her, and by implication all of our, stories are.

www.oldfitztheatre.com.au | www.andrewhenrypresents.com