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Review: Of Monopoly And Women (Brave New Word)

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brandnewwordVenue: Exchange Hotel (Balmain NSW), Jul 9 – 24, 2014
Playwright: Pamela Proestos
Director: Sascha Hall
Actors: Ainslie Clouston, Bianca Raess, Victoria Greiner, Mark Taylor
Image by David Hooley

Theatre review
Relationships between siblings are often neglected by storytellers. They seem too mundane for the stage, and are a part of life that many take for granted. Pamela Proestos’ script places focus on a trio of sisters and demonstrates that there is much to be explored. Each woman has distinct qualities, and as a collective, they are complex and fascinating. Their bond is exceptionally tight, and within that closeness, they relate to one another with great humour, as well as unbearable cruelty. This calls to mind a quote from spiritual writer Marjorie Pay Hinckley, “home is where you are loved the most, and act the worst.”

In Of Monopoly And Women, we see the machinations of sibling rivalry in all its glory. In the security of their home, our leading ladies live, eat and breathe together, with a no holds barred attitude. They are always their true selves, allowing Proestos to reveal facets of human nature, good and bad, that are universal and unerringly reflective of our own lived experiences. With brutal honesty, she shows us how we treat the people we love, sometimes with unbelievable impertinence, but always amusing.

Production design is thoughtfully executed although its shoestring budget is evident. Demitra Sealy’s set efficiently creates levels and spaces that assist with scene transitions, and adds visual interest with colour and texture that feel homely while also providing a look that is delightfully theatrical. Lighting by Luke Holmes is sensitively created, turning a challenging venue into an effective performance space that provides fluctuating moods.

All performances are accomplished, and the chemistry between actors are well harnessed by director Sascha Hall. It is crucial that the family ties being portrayed are believable, and the production succeeds on this level. The symbiosis of love and hate is delicately balanced and deeply interesting. There is however, a deficiency in some scenes that require a greater range of emotion and comedy. The script allows for quite extreme quarreling on one hand, and hilarity on the other, but a few of these opportunities are missed. The action is fast paced, but charming lines are sometimes not given enough emphasis for them to work more powerfully. Supporting actor Mark Taylor is memorable for giving the most natural performance in the cast, playing one of the women’s boyfriend. His character is simplest to handle, but it is noteworthy that Taylor’s work is consistently compelling.

This is a production that has its heart in the right place. The team has identified the script’s essence accurately, and they present it well, but the show needs a few more dramatic turns in performance tone to prevent its domestic scenarios from descending into a space of mundanity. Ella, Kate and Zoe are multi-dimensioned and likeable women, with inter-playing dynamics that are thoroughly explored and beautifully written. The play and its themes are enjoyable and easy to identify with, even if it exposes us for being so careless with the people we love the most.

www.bnwtheatre.com.au

Review: An Unexpected Execution (Factory Space Theatre Company)

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factoryspaceVenue: Star On The Sea Theatre (Manly NSW), Jul 4 – 19, 2014
Writer: Emma Willis (based on Mary Stuart by Schiller)
Director: Roz Riley
Cast: Daniel Csutkai, Deborah Mulhall, Dimity Raftos, Luke Middlebrook, Melissa Kathryn Rose, Michela Carattini, Roberto Zenca, Ross Scott, Samantha Beames

Theatre review
The story of Queen Elizabeth I and her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots is a well-known one. Torn apart by politics and religion, their feud remains a poignant tale about the ties that bind, and the ways they can break. Emma Willis’ script is an update of Schiller’s play from 1800. The language feels contemporarised, but still poetic and nuanced. The narrative is well structured, and detailed. The complex sequence of events and relationships are relayed to dramatic effect, but it works also as a history lesson for those might be unfamiliar with the saga.

The show is put together with enthusiasm, but the material is challenging. The team is not an experienced one, and the production does not produce enough nuance or creativity for their show to captivate. Queen Mary is played by Michela Carattini who looks half the age of her character. Carattini provides delightful balletic lines with her physicality, but lacks the maturity required for portraying such dire and ominous circumstances. Dimity Raftos is a regal Queen Elizabeth, and we feel her frustration about the state of affairs, but the range of emotions depicted needs to be expanded for the Queen’s perspective to hit home. Notable supporting players include Samantha Beames who demonstrates solid authenticity as Hanna, and Daniel Csutkai who stands out with playful flamboyance, but he could benefit from a little restraint.

The tale is dramatic, but the show’s direction is simple and direct. In the hands of stronger members of the cast, we follow the plot adequately, but scenes become confusing when performances falter. Not all who love the theatre receives opportunities for formal training, but they should not be discouraged from participation. The selection of text is crucial, and on this occasion, the discrepancy between the group’s ability and the script’s demands is significant. Every moment on stage is a learning experience, and there is no doubt that these thespian talents will continue to flourish.

www.craftwaresolutions.com.au

Review: Love And Death And An American Guitar (Highway Run Productions)

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highwayrunVenue: Hayes Theatre Co (Potts Point NSW), Jun 4 – 6, 2014
Playwright: Toby Francis
Director: Neil Gooding
Musical Director: Andrew Worboys
Cast: Toby Francis, Noni McCallum, Andrew Worboys

Theatre review
Jim Steinman is a living American rock legend. Best known for power ballads made famous by the likes of Meatloaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply and Celine Dion, his music is deeply ingrained into pop culture the world over. Like many song writers responsible for the most popular music ever recorded, his fame has never matched those who are centre stage. Toby Francis’ new script is mainly a monologue that incorporates the cabaret format. He performs it with an accompanist, along with a support vocalist who provides a female voice for several numbers. The story gives us some background into Steinman’s work and subsequent estrangement with Meatloaf, then goes on to an imagined depiction of Steinman pitching to us, an idea for a rock opera. Neverland was the precursor to Steinman’s seminal Bat Out Of Hell, but Francis’ vision is assembled like a concerto of greatest hits.

The song list is selected wisely, with many of Steinman’s crowd-pleasers included. Francis is on stage, dressed in denim, wielding a guitar and a microphone stand. On his right is musical director Andrew Worboys on a grand piano. It seems an awkward arrangement, but the rock cabaret works. The glam quality in Steinman’s songs provide a romantic flamboyance that makes sense for the context. Pre-programmed backing tracks give the songs their arena style volume, but all vocals are sung live. There is no doubt that the strongest element of Love And Death And An American Guitar is its standard of singing. The notes that emerge from Francis and his female counterpart Noni McCallum’s voices are astounding. One of the great joys of live performance is to be in the presence of superhuman talent, and these singers’ abilities are beyond what any combination of iPod and earphones can encapsulate. Also accomplished is Francis’ storytelling and the script he has prepared for the show. There is a beautiful lyricism to his writing, although the story does lack vividness at times. His skills as an actor are persuasive enough for the production, but the command over his physicality requires training.

Much as Steinman is one of the greatest song writers ever to surface, he does not have the makings of a rock god. Successful rock stars lend style, attitude and personality to the stage. They need to resonate sexuality, danger, confidence and power. In his show, Francis is positioned somewhere between cabaret, musical theatre and rock. He has a vulnerability that is alluring, but there is a politeness that belongs to the more formal world of musicals. The songs belong to stadiums that seat thousands, but Love And Death And An American Guitar translates them for a much smaller venue, and an entirely different genre of show. Francis sheds new light on these classic tunes, allowing their many fans to fall in love all over again. To borrow from the man himself, “it’s so hard to resist and it’s all coming back…”

www.hayestheatre.com.au | www.highwayrunproductions.com

Review: La Ronde (Enigma)

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enigmaVenue: Coronation Hall (Newtown NSW), Jul 2 – 12, 2014
Writer: Arthur Schnitzler
Director: Steven Hopley
Cast: Amy Scott-Smith, Peter Jamieson, Alison Lee Rubie, Jasper Garner Gore, Emily Elise, Leigh Scully, Emilia Stubbs Grigoriou, Brendon Taylor, Amanda Maple-Brown, Jaymie Knight

Theatre review
Arthur Schnitzler’s La Ronde was written over a hundred years ago. It is mainly about sex, but it is also about hypocrisy, deception and promiscuity. Not everything in the play has stood the test of time, which is an excellent signifier that the sexual revolution had successfully propelled civilisation forward. Schnitzler’s writing has an aura of scandal and taboo about the sex that happens in every scene, but this feels antiquated and childish by today’s standards. Fortunately, the text contains plenty more to explore that is timeless and universal.

Steven Hopley’s direction is straightforward, but the decision to stage the work, theatre-in-the-round, is a highlight. The intimacy he creates is fascinating. We are a fly on the wall, privy to the secret lives and exposed bodies of these comedic fornicators. We only see what happens before and after sex acts, of course, but Hopley manages to light up enough libidinal fire between actors so that we experience something quite unusual. It is certainly not everyday that we feel tension and energy of this nature without being a direct participant. The most entertaining feature of the show however, is its comedy. Hopley identifies the play’s irony well, but how effectively the laughs are delivered, depends largely on the proficiency of the players, which varies wildly on this stage. The director’s approach is too gentle. These characters inhabit a bawdy world, but the production is polite. Even though we do see some skin, and people kiss a lot, there is never a sense of transgression, which one would argue is necessary for dealing with taboo subjects.

With a flamboyance that is indulgent and delicious, Amanda Maple-Brown steals the show as The Actress. She has pitched her performance at just the right tone for the material, and the laughter she inspires is quite euphoric. The dramatic transformation of personality in two short scenes cannot be more extreme, but Maple-Brown is entirely convincing. Her performance is intelligent and brave, and the chemistry she creates with both her bedfellows is as madcap as it is sizzling. Also memorable is Emilia Stubbs Grigoriou as The Sweet Girl. The actor has marvelous presence, and delivers a surprisingly truthful performance. She can appear over earnest at times, which can obscure some funny lines, but the conflicting qualities of innocence and lust that define her character are balanced well. Brendon Taylor as The Writer is dynamic and precise. It is good to see him enjoy a joke about Belvoir as much as we do. Leigh Scully is a little coy in his portrayal of The Husband, but the energy he brings to the stage is valuable. His animated physicality provides a theatricality to a show that is sometimes oddly tranquil.

La Ronde does not comment on the implications of promiscuity. It merely puts it on display. We observe deception at every turn, but the production is not antagonistic towards any of its characters. The hypocrisy we recognise is infuriating, but that emotion is not imposed upon us. There are many ingredients that could be added to make the show a spicier experience, but what it serves up is clearly hot enough.

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Review: Hedda Gabler (Belvoir St Theatre)

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belvoir

Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Jun 28 – Aug 3, 2014
Playwright: Adena Jacobs (from Henrik Ibsen)
Director: Adena Jacobs
Cast: Branden Christine, Lynette Curran, Ash Flanders, Marcus Graham, Anna Houston, Oscar Redding, Tim Walter
Images by Ellis Parrinder

Theatre review (originally published at auditoriummag.com)
Not every audience member would know what Ibsen’s story is about, but virtually everyone who enters the Belvoir Street venue would be aware, even before the show commences, that the main woman on this occasion, is played by a leading man . Gender subversion remains controversial in the twenty-first century. We all invest on a deeply personal level, gendered concepts that are applied to our daily lives, both consciously and unconsciously. Adena Jacobs’ Hedda Gabler is strange. Like the unusual casting decision, Jacobs’ work resists conventions, expectations and sometimes, comprehension. It is easy to be dismissive of Jacobs’ artistic decisions when they are unexplained and mystifying, but to paraphrase the art critic Robert Hughes, “no painting that is of any quality can be easy to understand because the value of a painting is its ability to expand one’s experience, and so if it were easy to understand, then it would fall within what you already knew.”

Within the landscape of Australian theatre, Jacobs’ creation is a valuable one that deals with issues of feminism, transgenderism, racism, and social aspirations. Before the show begins, a television set on stage plays what looks to be a telenovela. We see a wedding taking place in the soap opera, as well as familiar archetypes arguing and displaying exaggerated emotion. The stories it tells have been told thousands of times before, with unchanging dramatic arcs and predictable conclusions. Jacobs’ work reinvents dynamics and mechanisms, using a 120-year-old text as starting point. What happens to Ibsen’s characters do not change, but how they are presented is drastically overhauled. The production bears a severe and muted tone, almost rejecting any empathy from its audience. We are encouraged to observe, but feelings are sacrificed for contemplation. We react in a way that is diametrically opposed to the experience of watching bad television. Impotent passivity becomes political action.

In an environment of “strangeness”, the viewer’s mind goes into overdrive, persistently questioning artistic choices, and ceases to be a receptacle for easy entertainment. The director’s hand is prominent. Much as we ponder the enigma of Hedda, we never stop wondering what Jacobs wishes to say. Her message is not a straightforward one, which results in a play memorable for its depth and complexity, although there is no question that many would find her approach daunting. Big issues cannot be reduced into easily digestible morsels if their essence are to be retained, but battles must be chosen wisely, and some might consider the aggressively alienating nature of Jacobs’ Hedda Gabler to be self-defeating.  The conviction of her vision however, is undeniable, and the idiosyncratic style evident in this staging demonstrates an originality that must not be buried.

Dayna Morrissey’s set design provides an appropriately sterile beauty to Hedda’s world. It conveys luxurious decadence, but also a distant coolness that is reflective of her disconnection from that world. Action is kept away from the audience. We want a better understanding of the characters but they are always around the house or in the car, both located far upstage, claustrophobic and inaccessible. These people do not connect with each other, and it follows that we too are estranged. Danny Pettingill’s lights are glamorous but rarely warm. It is a cruel and chilly kind of beauty that is achieved, one that speaks volumes about Hedda’s depressive state. Costumes by David Fleischer are oddly naturalistic, especially on the male characters. Thought is put into exposing Hedda’s body rather than concealing it, which is remarkably intriguing, but its aesthetics seem an uncomfortable match against the sophistication created by set and lights.

Performances in the piece vary subtly in style and tone between actors. Each appears almost to be starring in individual shows, thereby enhancing the quality of isolation in each character. Marcus Graham is an exuberant Judge Brack. Complete with toothy grin and a Hollywood tan, Graham plays up the role’s artifice and disingenuity with flair. Brack’s falseness is cunning and understated, but also doubtless. Eilert Lovborg is played with great conviction and vigour by the effortlessly magnetic Oscar Redding. His portrayal is the most dramatic of the group, leaving a strong impression with the only truthful outpouring of emotion in the production.

Ash Flanders as Hedda Gabler is highly provocative, but does not embody his character with great authenticity. His work is quite literally a drag act, where a performer pretends to be singing, dancing or acting, while pretending also to be “the opposite sex”. His work seems to emulate legendary film actors like Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich and Joan Crawford, which is an interesting fit for a production that often takes stylistic cues from classic cinema. Hedda’s famed mysteriousness suits Flanders’ method, as he hides more than is revealed, but his presence lacks the allure and power of those movie stars who were able to achieve a great deal while appearing to be doing very little. Flanders is seen half naked for most of the duration, which prevents us from forgetting the contentious dimension of gender being discussed. Having a man play an Ibsen woman is a novelty at this particular point in time, but it also makes a poignant statement. Hedda is a tragic heroine created by a man, with her victimisation and subsequent demise inflicted by her playwright. The surest way for a feminist interpretation of the text is either to reconstruct it radically, or simply not to have a woman play the part at all. Maybe this is a role that makes better sense when taken on by a man.

Branden Christine is the only actor not of Caucasian appearance. She plays Berta, the maid who barely speaks but exudes a silent but impactful tension. The colour of her skin, along with the stark degraded social position she occupies is challenging, if not purposefully antagonising. The production makes several powerful statements, and the one about ethnic discrimination is unintended by Ibsen, but is central to this staging.

This is a work about freedom, and its opposite. It exposes the way people come under each other’s control, and depicts the struggle for an idealistic life in the most pessimistic manner. There is however, more than a glimmer of hope that exists in the form of the production’s transgressions. Revolution happens when oppressive structures are dismantled. Jacobs’ efforts at inventing a new theatrical language, and her interpretation of the classic text, propels theatre towards something far greater than recreation. It improves culture and political discourse. Points of comfort in our shared notions of art are the canary in a coal mine, which this production of Hedda Gabler locates and unleashes upon them, ruthless waves of disruption.

www.belvoir.com.au

Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir
Hedda Gabler 2014 Belvoir

Review: Every Second (Michael Sieders Presents / Darlinghurst Theatre Company)

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ensembletheatreVenue: Eternity Playhouse (Darlinghurst NSW), Jun 27 – Jul 27, 2014
Playwright: Vanessa Bates
Director: Shannon Murphy
Actors: Simon Corfield, Glenn Hazeldine, Julia Ohannessian, Georgia Symes
Image by Louis Dillon-Savage

Theatre review
Art emerges from all walks of life in Australia. The egalitarian nature of our society means that diverse voices are heard in theatres that reflect the many facets and classes that co-exist on this land. Correspondingly, stories are told that do not necessarily speak to all audiences across all spectrums of communities. Vanessa Bates’ Every Second is a well structured script with thoroughly explored characters, but their concerns are specific, and probably not as universal as initially hoped for; or perhaps, it is not always an artist’s priority and indeed responsibility, to consider how a work might be read and received. Bates’ expression of upper-middle class worries is valid, but finding the empathy from audiences might prove to be a challenge.

The story involves two married couples, both desperate to conceive. Through their crusade to fall pregnant, we observe the mechanics of the wife-husband relationship, discovering its resilience and points of weaknesses, its evolution, and struggle for longevity. Child-bearing and marriages can be alienating concepts for many, but the play does explore more general themes of love and self-fulfillment, although to a lesser extent. Shannon Murphy’s direction is careful to keep all her characters appealing in spite of their individual faults and annoyances. The people on stage, and their relationships, all feel genuine, and the pain they experience does manage to resonate even if contexts fail to connect. Indeed, Murphy’s strength is in creating vulnerability and palpable emotions that are immediate and powerful.

Andy McDonnell’s set is a visual representation of the quagmire being played out. The circular structure, reminiscent of a whirlpool or tornado, is a constant reminder of the pressure and volatility that overcomes the characters. The greatest effect of McDonnell’s design is the focus it puts on the actors by shrinking the stage, and literally containing them within the structure itself. With the assistance of lighting by Verity Hampson, the vast venue becomes intimate, thereby enhancing intensity of the dialogue and amplifying energy of performances.

Julia Ohannessian as Meg is powerful and exuberant. The woman she portrays is at time exasperating, but Ohannessian works hard to provide dignity, and manages to elevate her role from mere baby-making machine. She wins our understanding and affections, transforming a neurotic housewife into an authentic persona. Meg’s husband is played by Simon Corfield who bravely embodies a man buckling under the stress of a fractured home life. We catch Tim at a time when he can do no right, but Corfield’s portrayal is full of humanity and compassion that allows us to see him in the same forgiving light. Glenn Hazeldine delivers many surprising moments of laughter. His comic abilities are impeccable, and he keeps the show buoyant as Bill. Hazeldine’s chemistry with stage wife Jen (played by Georgia Symes) is touchingly tender, and a scene that sees their declaration of love for each other leaves a beautiful impression.

Every Second is compelling entertainment, performed by a skilled and thoughtful cast. Their story does not cater to a very wide audience, which depending on your perspective, could be a good or bad thing. Art should have no rules about social acceptability and conventions. Theatre should exist for all, even for the bourgeoisie.

www.darlinghursttheatre.com | www.michaelsiederspresents.com

Review: The Mercy Seat (Gentle Banana People / Sydney Independent Theatre Company)

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gentlebananaVenue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Jun 24 – Jul 5, 2014
Playwright: Neil LaBute
Collaborating directors: Samantha Young, Andrew Wilson, Peter Mountlord, Alistair Wallace
Cast: Rebecca Martin, Patrick Magee
Image by Katy Green Loughrey

Theatre review
This is a love story that is not particularly romantic. It is however, written with a great sense of truth, and is reflective of real experiences in our love lives. Yes, there is some sweetness, but, like in life, the relationship being explored is fraught with issues. We are refused the clichéd and comforting notion of a love that fixes everything. Instead, what Neil LaBute discusses is the inherent difficulties, and there are many of them, when two people get together. The themes in The Mercy Seat are innumerable. Through Abby and Ben, we observe the often ugly complexities of love, relationships and human nature. Theatre does something noble, when it provides difficult revelations.

The production is directed well. Emphasis is placed on the narrative, and it is clear that work has been put into bringing nuances to light. The writing’s intrigue and its structural quirks are materialised beautifully. The unorthodox characters are allowed to be challenging, always fluctuating between  likeable and objectionable. The story is told without convenient heroes and villains, but it communicates successfully, probably because of the way its honesty speaks closely to our deepest feelings. We understand Abby and Ben because their fears are so fundamental and intimate, they leave us nowhere to hide.

Rebecca Martin as Abby is spirited and flashy. The actor is a determined entertainer, and never fails to grab our attention. There is considerable bravery in her work. We feel Martin’s heart on her sleeve, and she portrays a character with very clear intentions and emotions, conveying an internal journey that is complicated, yet coherent and recognisable. The role of Ben is played by Patrick Magee, whose comic timing is impeccable. He delivers the subtle and dark comedy with a gentle assuredness, careful to prevent funny moments from obfuscating his impressively earnest characterisation. Magee is a dynamic performer, and the enthusiasm at which he oscillates light and shade is thoroughly enjoyable. Both actors are able to deliver a wide range of tone and emotion, but both share a common lack in authenticity when playing sadness.  A reason could be the speed and energy at which their performance is pitched. The characters go through very drastic alterations in mood, which is terribly exciting to watch, but evidently difficult to embody. Even though the actors have excellent chemistry throughout the piece, they do not muster up a convincing sexual energy which is important to their tale.

We sometimes cry at the theatre, but those tears are usually shed for the people on stage or for the scenarios that we witness. Seldom do we react emotionally for our own circumstances that a work recalls. The Mercy Seat strikes a chord when you least expect it. The show ends with a little pessimism, along with some idealism. How we choose to proceed is incumbent upon ourselves.

www.sitco.net.au | www.pantsguys.com

Review: Oleanna (Sydney Theatre School / Actors Not Feelers)

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Oleanna 4 MEDVenue: Sydney Theatre School (Chippendale NSW), Jun 25 – Jul 6, 2014
Writer: David Mamet
Director: Jerome Pride
Cast: Grace O’Connell, Jerome Pride

Theatre review
David Mamet’s script is powerful, complex and intellectual. It is an anarchic work about anarchy. It makes its point by shattering conventional paradigms of discourse, and uses theatre to discuss politics in a way that would be challenging for any audience. There are many ways that texts can be interpreted, but Mamet’s Oleanna is resilient, with a message that is unyielding. There might be room for some ambivalence in the plot, but what it wishes to say is clear. Anyone taking it on must capitulate to its structure in order for the characters to make sense, and for dramatics to take effect, or risk a show that is unconvincing and nonsensical.

Jerome Pride’s direction handles the play’s concepts carefully. Reverence is paid to the writing, and the results are manifestly impressive. Controversial and sophisticated ideas are expressed with surprising clarity. Daring propositions avoid the curse of sounding like highfalutin abstraction, and are made credible and real. Both actors enthrall with interesting and dimensioned portrayals. The pace and tone of dialogue are perfectly tuned, so that we are gripped from beginning to end. Design elements however, are neglected. There is no need for very much embellishment but the set and costumes are overly basic. The actors’ work would benefit with a more defined sense of space, especially with the cast’s eagerness for movement.

John is played by Pride, who invests in his role, an appealing coupling of impulsiveness and thoughtfulness. We can see him thinking, but we also feel the instinctual timing that he trusts to rely on. The story’s characters are flawed, and we need to be repulsed by them as much as we relate to them but Pride’s creation is endearing, which poses a problem for the production. Perhaps better wardrobe choices could play a part in helping to create a less affable impression.

John’s adversary is Carol, whose development over the course of the play is startling. Grace O’Connell’s performance is not entirely convincing. Some of her creative choices lack authenticity, and we come away slightly confused with the character’s evolution. Nevertheless, O’Connell comes to life after the first act. Her energy and conviction is spellbinding. There is a lot to enjoy in this actor’s work, which is robust yet heavily nuanced.

Mamet’s story gives us important and difficult questions, but it is debatable whether answers are to be found therein. Oleanna deals with the injustices in our lives. It talks about systematic oppression and victimhood, but more significantly it talks about the prospect of dismantling those systems and imagines its alternative. The show’s title refers to a failed utopian state. We always want something better, and in some cases, we know exactly what needs to be improved but the question must always be asked about how we get there. Removing the status quo requires a replacement, but it is human nature that seduces and shapes every new status quo into tomorrow’s conundrum.

www.sydneytheatreschool.com

Review: Richard III (Ensemble Theatre)

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ensembletheatreVenue: Ensemble Theatre (Kirribilli NSW), Jun 24 – Jul 19, 2014.
Also playing at Riverside Theatres (Parramatta NSW). 22 July – 26 July.
Playwright: William Shakespeare
Director: Mark Kilmurry
Actors: Danielle Carter, Patrick Dickson, Matt Edgerton, Mark Kilmurry, Amy Mathews, Toni Scanlan

Theatre review
Tales about Machiavellian ambition are timeless. The darkest parts of human nature often relate to our ability to compromise morality in order to satisfy the urges of greed and vanity. Political climates seem to evolve, but shades of betrayal and deceit are persistent. As long as the need for kings and leaders remain, the threat of malice at the highest rungs will always be present.

Mark Kilmurry’s direction of Richard III is colourfully creative, but faithful. His playful style ensures that we are consistently involved with his stage (even when the Shakespearean language becomes challenging) but his artistic liberties are careful to keep original intentions intact. Kilmurry’s creation is a rich theatrical experience that explores the collaborative nature of the art form thoroughly. Cast and creatives are allowed freedom of expression, which in turn encourages a level of audience engagement that is sophisticated, intelligent and surprisingly enjoyable. As leading man, Kilmurry is mesmerising, delightful and appropriately repulsive. He invites us to share his love of the text, and everything within it that is genius and delicious. It is a supremely confident performance by a skilled showman who knows how to steer a vehicle, and we are his trusting happy passengers.

Danielle Carter’s portrayal of Queen Elizabeth is enigmatic and very strong. Her impressive presence is utilised effectively, and the solid stillness in her performance contrasts and stands out from a busy production. Carter’s scenes of confrontation with Kilmurry are especially dynamic. The chemistry and timing between both actors are phenomenal, forging moments of gold for fans of high drama. Matt Edgerton plays a total of five characters. This is a tall order, and one of the show’s few misjudged decisions, but Edgerton’s energy and focus are entrancing. This is an adventurous cast with a passion for their work that has elevated a classic play into an event brimming with charm, wit and poignancy. Amy Mathews closes the show with a soliloquy that is heartfelt and starkly genuine, reminding us of the gravity in Richard III‘s story and evils that prevail in our world.

The production’s design and technical aspects are equally accomplished. Set, props and costumes are subtle but evocative, all contributing to the small space an aesthetic that is beautifully au courant. Nicholas Higgins’ lighting and Daryl Wallis’ sound design are sensitively considered, never drawing undue attention to themselves, but consistently adding to the action on stage. Stage manager Rebecca Poulter should also take a bow for the incredibly smooth running of what must be a complicated backstage and control booth, to which we are completely impervious.

Kilmurry is a leader of fabulous talent. His show is brilliantly put together, and everyone he enlists is showcased marvelously. Shakespeare’s work is probably not very much about democracy, but drawing parallels with our own governmental structures is irresistible. It provokes questions about secrecy in high offices, and the trust we lay upon the people we elect. It prompts us to remember the value of irreverence that is so much a part of our national identity, and to cherish our ability in this country to question authority. We must not forget that the bastards do need to be kept honest.

www.ensemble.com.au

Review: My Name Is Truda Vitz (Somersault Theatre Company)

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TRUDA13Venue: TAP Gallery (Darlinghurst NSW), Jun 25 – Jul 6, 2014
Writer: Olivia Satchell
Director: Pierce Wilcox
Cast: Olivia Satchell
Image by Julia Robertson

Theatre review (of preview performance)
Olivia Satchell’s work is a personal journey of discovery and invention. It is concerned with family history and Satchell’s link with her ancestral past. Truda Vitz is Satchell’s grandmother, and this show obsessively explores her life from memory, investigation, and rigorous fantasy. It becomes clear that lives today can be hollow without acknowledgment of what had come before. Satchell finds meaning and establishes her own identity by thinking about blood relations. She tries to see what her grandmother might have seen, and feel what would have been felt. From an unexplained longing, she makes a connection with the dead in her writing, acting, and through the music of her cello.

Satchell’s performance is quiet but it contains passion. There is not great sadness or elation, but we see the manifestations of a meditative process that is deeply truthful even though a sense of fiction is always present. As an actor, Satchell’s strongest quality is her presence and confident engagement with her audience. The weakest quality of the production is the overly languid tone that persists from beginning to end. Although it only goes for an hour, one cannot help but wish for greater fluctuations in mood and emotion. The show is sincere and thoroughly authentic, but it grows cool where more power could be fabricated.

The sound of Satchell’s cello is sublime. In the small venue, subtleties are easily magnified, and the musical instrument’s every nuance becomes sensationally beautiful. Widely described as being able to produce sounds that are closest to the human voice, it adds a dimension of dialogue to the one woman play. At certain times, it allows us to feel like Satchell is speaking with herself, and at others it represents a voice from the afterworld. The cello’s resonances are mighty, and its incorporation into the fabric of the work shows good creativity and impressive sensitivity.

Life without romance can prove fruitless, but romance itself often seems absurd. My Name Is Truda Vitz is more sweet than bitter; it is lighter than it is dark. Its melancholy is gentle and mild, perhaps an accurate reflection of the artist’s inspiration and inner world. This is theatre that embraces simplicity, in a time when simplicity might be at its loneliest.

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