Tag Archives: review

All My Sons (Darlinghurst Theatre Company)

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allmysonsVenue: Eternity Playhouse (Darlinghurst NSW), Nov 1 – Dec 1, 2013
Playwright: Arthur Miller
Director: Iain Sinclair
Actors: Toni Scanlan, Marshall Napier, Andrew Henry, Anthony Gooley, Ann Deever
Image by Brett Boardman

Theatre review
All My Sons is a lesser known Arthur Miller work, but the decision to produce it today is entirely appropriate. One of its central themes is the relationship between war and commerce, which is a subject of interest for contemporary audiences in today’s socio-political climate. The idea of businesses profiteering from war deaths is a controversial one, and when intertwined with familial discord, the result is surprisingly explosive.

Certainly, Iain Sinclair’s direction is keen for the play to erupt at every available opportunity. Elements of Greek tragedy are characteristic of this work, and Sinclair boldly employs them to enthral and overcome his audience. His care in creating moments of silences before storms, makes for a plot that is seriously exciting. Even though the show is essentially a family drama, this is edge of the seat stuff. The nature of the story is dark and heavy, with deaths, lies and betrayals lurking at every corner, but Sinclair expertly balances the gravity inherent in Miller’s writing with great surges of energy, ensuring that emotional punches are all hits and no misses. It is noteworthy also that sound design by Nate Edmondson is subtle and indispensably effective.

Acting is excellent throughout. The sense of time and space (mid-west USA in the 1940s) is accurately and faithfully re-created by the entire cast. Andrew Henry’s high octane outbursts are crucial to the climax of the play and he delivers them with no reservation. Anthony Gooley plays a supporting role but his portrayal of a man bordering on insanity is fascinating. He brings a lot of colour and drama to the show, and the intensity in his work is truly remarkable. The production however, is dominated by Toni Scanlan who turns in an astounding performance as Kate Keller. The range of emotions she portrays is beyond impressive. This actor owns the show’s funniest and saddest moments, and her depiction of grief and disintegration is unforgettable. The psychological foundation in her characterisation is solid and crystal clear, and she defines the play’s other characters for the audience as much as she does her own.

Darlinghurst Theatre’s production of All My Sons validates the timelessness of Miller’s writing. Other recent examples have demonstrated that current interpretations do not always work, but under Sinclair’s directorship, we have a show that speaks to us deeply, perhaps even more so than most new works from the twenty-first century.

www.darlinghursttheatre.com

La Sylphide (The Australian Ballet)

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lasylphideVenue: Sydney Opera House (Sydney NSW), Nov 7 – 25, 2013
Choreographers: Marius Petipa (Paquita), Erik Bruhn after August Bournonville (La Sylphide)
Image by Jeff Busby

Theatre review
The Australian Ballet’s latest classical offering is a double bill with works from the Romantic era, La Sylphide from 1836 and Paquita,1847. The “grand pas de deux” from Paquita opens the program with electric vibrancy. It is an exciting extract from the original full length work, with principal dancers Lana Jones and Kevin Jackson showcasing their extraordinary technical abilities. Jackson has a dynamic hold of the stage, with magnetic presence and a strapping physique that is undeniably exquisite. Jones’ confidence is spellbinding, and puts on a riveting performance that thrills with its sheer beauty.

In La Sylphide, the story of a Scottish farmer who falls in love with a forest spirit is brought to life with some of the most stunning set and lighting design on the Australian stage. The sense of ethereality they produce is seductive, and the fantasy the audience craves is magically rendered so that we are transported through time and space. Vivienne Wong is memorable as the farmer’s fiancee, impressing with her dancing as well as acting abilities. Madeleine Eastoe is the Sylph, creating lines and movement that are delightful and almost supernatural in their delicacy and lightness, but the slightness of her frame does mean that she can at times, be obscured by the vastness of the production. Daniel Gaudiello as the farmer James is handsome and strong (physically and technically), and every bit the leading man of fairy tales but requires a small dose of artistic hubris to be even more compelling.

Modern lives are increasingly mundane. Technology encourages us to retreat and evolve into beings more and more insular and impassive. Witnessing the dancers of our national ballet company is a reminder of the human capacities at achieving unfathomable heights of beauty and athleticism. Like all great artists, they bring to us the great gift of inspiration that uplifts us from our daily lives; as we stop to smell the roses at the theatre, and realise the potential each ordinary day may hold.

www.australianballet.com.au

The Maintenance Room (King Street Theatre)

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rsz_a_maint_room_gs_-_124_lowVenue: King Street Theatre (Newtown NSW), Nov 7 – 30, 2013
Playwright: Gerry Greenland
Director: Allan Walpole
Actors: Kim Knuckey, Lynden Jones
Image by Geoff Sirmai

Theatre review
Every show is a collaborative effort comprised of many disciplines and disparate elements, but in The Maintenance Room, the actors’ performances are so fine that it is hard for the audience to focus beyond their spectacular work. Gerry Greenland’s script has an excellent plot that never gives room for any predictability, and its every twist and turn keeps us engaged and fascinated. The story might not be particularly interesting, but Greenland’s storytelling is calculatedly clever. However, his depiction of the two women characters (who we hear a lot about but do not appear on stage) disappointingly utilises the madonna and whore dichotomy, which is convenient and somewhat regressive.

Allan Walpole is director and set designer, and he does both jobs marvelously. The set is complex, realistic and believable, providing a wide variation of levels and spaces for movement and activity during performance. Walpole’s work as director is much more subtle. He wields an invisible hand through the show, but we see extraordinary chemistry between the actors, and their many dialogues are timed to perfection. It is impossible to divorce the actors abilities from Walpole’s direction, but he must be given credit for the liveliness they bring from start to finish, even when the scenes are quiet and sorrowful.

The Maintenance Room is really about the actors, Kim Knuckey and Lynden Jones. Their portrayals of the complicated experience of human suffering, and the constant shifting of emotions in that space of grief and fear, are incredibly real and compelling. Jones masterfully manipulates physical performance and internal authenticity, accurately balancing emotional realism with theatricality. Knuckey’s work impresses with the remarkable believability of his character. The being he creates on stage is palpable, and the rawness of his crisis is felt as undeniable as the flesh and blood right before our eyes.

Theatre is about many things, but when it is about stunning performances, the experience is immensely rewarding. Most of us are likely to remember that when we fell in love with the stage, it was the work of actors who first drew us in. Great acting is divine, and The Maintenance Room is magnificent because of it.

www.kingstreettheatre.com.au

Cristina In The Cupboard (Subtlenuance)

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cristinainthecupboard1Venue: TAP Gallery (Darlinghurst NSW), Jul 4 – 14, 2013
Playwright: Paul Gilchrist
Director: Paul Gilchrist
Actors: Sylvia Keays, Stephen Wilkinson, Alice Keohavong, Helen Tonkin, Peter McAllum, Kelly Robinson, Sonya Kerr, Sinead Curry

Theatre review
Cristina is spending time in her cupboard, and she invites us in to witness her thoughts as she searches for explanations and meanings of life. Surrounding her are a host of friends and family who live unexamined lives, and we see exactly what she is retreating from. Paul Gilchrist’s script is poignant and beautiful. Cristina’s philosophising is gentle but true, and the ideas being discussed delve deeply into crevices of our minds that we know exist but do not often acknowledge. Gilchrist’s excavation into the human psyche is a creative process but he is guided by honesty, which is the key to his writing being accessible to all.

Leading lady Sylvia Keays is earnest and full of conviction. She gives her character a childlike quality, and that innocence encourages her audience to listen with the same wide eyed wonder and openness. Helen Tonkin plays Cristina’s mother Gwen with soulfulness and warmth, and is memorable in several moving scenes that highlight family dynamics. Sinead Curry’s performance as the minxish Belinda gives the play a cheery vibrancy, and her comedic talents help a great deal with the entertainment value of the show.

In fact, all performances are strong and effective, but direction of the work tends to rely heavily on the words, with visual aspects sometimes left under-explored. There is a lot of space in the script for more imaginative expression and adventurous flights of fancy but instead the actors are often left in contexts of realistic dialogues, and their lines are sometimes drowned out by even more lines. On occasions where breathing space is provided, Gilchrist’s genius lines really do ring through the air with their strong resonances. Cristina In The Cupboard is a timeless work that speaks with intellectual and emotional clarity, and should be staged every place there is a thinking audience.

www.subtlenuance.com

Apples And Pears (Barestage Theatre)

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applespears1Venue: Old 505 Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Nov 6 – 24, 2013
Playwright: Sean O’Riordan
Directors: Sean O’Riordan, Deborah Jones
Actors: Sean O’Riordan, Deborah Jones, Geoff Sirmai, Eleanor Ryan
Image by Ahron Eisman

Theatre review
The show opens with a fascinating monologue, featuring lead character Max in his extraordinarily dilapidated home (set design is very successful). Sean O’Riordan’s writing immediately impresses with wit, colour and suspense. The play has a simple premise, but its characters are full of vigour and intrigue.

Geoff Sirmai is perfectly cast as Max. He performs the script’s broad comedy style with flair and conviction, and creates a character that is complex yet relatable. In addition to writing and directing the play, O’Riordan appears admirably in the second half as the villain, but does not generate as much menace and cruelty as the story requires. Deborah Jones is co-director, but proves herself to also be a delightfully vibrant actor. She brings a great deal of energetic flamboyance to the show, and the bawdy quality of her performance is outstanding in her opening scenes.

This is an enjoyable show with a plot filled with playful farce and dark humour. Jones and O’Riordan put the emphasis of their direction squarely on entertainment value, which ensures Apples And Pears to be a real crowd-pleaser.

www.venue505.com/theatre

Anaconda (Tamarama Rock Surfers)

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rsz_1390679_658422944190319_399168425_nVenue: Bondi Pavilion Theatre (Bondi NSW), Oct 29 – Nov 23, 2013
Playwright: Sarah Doyle
Director: Sarah Doyle
Actors: Damian de Montemas, Simon Lyndon, Leeanna Walsman, Martin Broome

Theatre review
There are stories that appear time and time again in our theatres because they contain evergreen ingredients, but once in a blue moon, a new story emerges that is poignant, interesting and representative of the times we live in. Anaconda is a tale that can only be told in civilisations that have achieved some level of gender and sexual liberation, and where religion is open to scrutiny. Taboos are omnipresent, but they evolve. What was once unspeakable is suddenly given release, and now is the time that themes of sexual abuse, and their many repercussions, are beginning to gain attention in public fora of certain societies.

Sarah Doyle’s script is an important one. It investigates the unraveling of sexual trauma in adult males from different perspectives, and we are provided valuable insight into hidden truths that are buried underneath the surfaces of our daily lives. Revelation is one of the most revered purposes of art. The play does not hold back at exposing gruesome details (although re-enactments are thankfully avoided), and descriptions of those details resonate powerfully with appalling terror.

Less successful however, is Doyle’s direction of her own writing. Characters do not develop as extensively as the story allows, and they come across overly simplified. The dynamics of the wife and husband relationship in particular, lack chemistry and credibility, even though performances are fairly strong. Actors are cast well, and all four bring conviction and gravitas to their roles, but the show requires greater “light and shade” for the dramatics of the script to work more effectively.

The greatest beauty in Anaconda is the way its plot unfolds. Full of intrigue and suspense, it provides great theatricality to what could have been a dreary, depressing experience. This show is a captivating one, and the air of mystery it creates ultimately finds gratification when it divulges its gritty and shocking secrets.

www.rocksurfers.org

Bodytorque.Technique (The Australian Ballet)

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bodytorqueVenue: Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay (Sydney NSW), Oct 31 – Nov 3, 2013
Choreographers: Joshua Consadine, Halania Hills, Richard House, Ty King-Wall, Ben Stuart-Carberry, Alice Topp
Image by Branco Gaica

Theatre review
The Bodytorque seasons by The Australian Ballet feature works by emerging choreographers, and this year the company presents six excellent and diverse pieces. There is an emphasis on the idea of technique this season, and these young artists have all brought to the event their individual perspectives, which are distinct, confident, and strong.

Alice Topp’s Tinted Windows is modern and romantic, with an immense sensuality that is quite overwhelming. It conveys romance so effectively, proving that narrative storytelling is no match for dance forms when appealing to those emotions of longing and intimacy.

Finding The Calm by Richard House is memorable for its theatrical sensibility, juxtaposing stillness with dance to create poignantly moving moments. Some of the shapes he creates in various pas de deux are surprising, and deeply affecting in a way that only flesh on flesh connection can communicate.

In Polymorphia, Benjamin Stuart-Carberry focuses on the beauty of movement, as well as of the human body. It is the perfect commencement to the night’s program, and is immediately arresting and captivating.

The dancers are of course, divine. Vivienne Wong exudes extraordinary aura from every pore; she is a real star of the evening. Jarryd Madden has the rare ability to create dramatic tension in his dance, with minimal reliance on facial expression. Chengwu Guo’s athleticism and the uniqueness of his discipline allows him to stand out, and his abilities are showcased perfectly in Ty King-Wall’s The Art Of War.

This is a breathtaking night at the theatre. Some of the music is performed live, and listening to these emotive and sometimes euphoric classical compositions is a truly special experience. The same euphoria is delivered time and time again through each choreographer’s work, all varied but all accomplished. Ballet is not always for everyone, but this program has wide appeal, and it is hard to imagine anyone able to resist the unquestionable genius of these artistic triumphs.

www.australianballet.com.au

Spoil Your Love Life (The Newsagency)

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spoilVenue: The Newsagency (Marrickville NSW), Oct 29 – Nov 9, 2013
Performer and devisor: Michelle Pastor
Musical director: Alison Avron

Theatre review
Michelle Pastor and her show Spoil Your Love Life are above all else, quirky. Pastor’s brand of endearing silliness is amplified in one of the smallest venues in Sydney, The Newsagency. This 40-minute comedy cabaret piece is not the most ambitious of creations, and it springs forth from the simplest of premises, but “small theatre” like this can certainly amuse and entertain.

Pastor is a performer with great conviction and natural charm. The songs for her show are well-chosen, and Alison Avron’s arrangements are pleasantly structured. Pastor has some tuning issues that are exposed by the intimacy of the room, but her phrasing is strong, and she uses the songs well to tell her character Hanna’s story.

Hannah has a deep infatuation for movie star Hugh Jackman, and the glitzy Hollywood lifestyle he represents. The elusiveness of “the big time” is a theme of the show, but it is a comforting idea that emerging Australian theatre practitioners like Pastor are able to showcase their work, irrespective of clout or stardom.

www.michellerose.com.au

An Ordinary Person (Sydney Independent Theatre Company)

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anordinarypersonVenue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Oct 22 – Nov 16, 2013
Playwright: Robert Allan
Director: Julie Baz
Actors: Cherilyn Price, Alexander Butt, Mel Dodge, Jai Higgs, David Jeffrey, Carla Nirella
Image by Katy Green Loughrey

Theatre review
At the heart of An Ordinary Person is an unusual relationship. It is an unconventional marriage not often represented on stage, but it is an entirely believable one. Robert Allan has written an interesting story, and he has crafted characters that are idiosyncratic, curious and memorable. The structure of the plot, however, is a challenging one. The show’s first half is full of intrigue, but not much else. It takes its time introducing the various characters in an air of mystery, but the audience needs a stronger sense of the impending drama for these characters to be compelling. Fortunately, the second half is much more satisfying, with drama bursting at all its seams.

Performing the piece is an ensemble of uniformly strong actors. Cherilyn Price is particularly impressive, playing her character Aggie at two different ages. She switches effectively between the portrayal of a middle-aged woman and her 14 year-old version, without the use of costumes or makeup, relying only on her acting. It is quite an experience to see Price’s method in her subtle but distinct transformations. Carla Nirella plays Fiona, and stands out with the effortless intensity and conviction she brings to the production. Her role is a simple one, but she attacks it with clarity and energy, giving very solid support to the key characters.

The play’s themes are dark and uncommon but Julie Baz’s direction does not exploit them gratuitously. She is careful to depict all characters with compassion, so that we leave the show thinking about our society’s issues in a mirror that reflects the social, rather than the personal. Although fundamentally a singular species, ordinary persons bear infinite differences between each and every separate entity. It is in the meeting of these individuals that extraordinary things happen, good or bad.

www.sitco.net.au

Love Field (Bakehouse Theatre Company)

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lovefieldVenue: TAP Gallery (Surry Hills NSW), Oct 22 – Nov 2, 2013
Playwright: Ron Elisha
Director: Michael Dean
Actors: Lizzie Schebesta, Ben Wood
Image by Tessa Tran, Breathing Light Photography

Theatre review
Jackie Kennedy and Lyndon Baines Johnson (the 36th President of USA) feature in this fictional story situated on a jet, immediately after the Kennedy assassination. Ron Elisha’s writing is imaginative and his thoughts are complex. There is a sense of something wild bubbling under his constructed universe, although the surface is deceptively restrained and conventional.

Direction of the production focuses on the creation of a naturalistic environment, and relies heavily on the actors’ lines to convey Elisha’s ideas. This is a tall order, as these concepts are deep and seem to demand more elaborate exploration. On the other hand, what results is an elegant work with a dignified simplicity.

Both actors are gifted with impressive but easy, stage presence. They are naturally fascinating creatures that absorb our attention effortlessly. Ben Wood plays Johnson, with a commanding speaking voice and great conviction. He instils clear character transitions throughout the play, and allows us to perceive several dimensions to his personality in a relatively short time (it runs for approx 75 mins). Lizzie Schebesta’s performance of the newly widowed Jackie Kennedy is beautifully melancholic, but she comes across slightly young for the role, and a little muted in her approach.

Although lacking in extravagant dramatics, Love Field is interesting and engaging. Its attempts at discussing issues of gender and social politics are well-meaning, and because modern times always seem to be in a state of “political turmoil”, the play is a timeless one.

www.bakehousetheatrecompany.com.au