Tag Archives: seymour-centre

The Catastrophists (The Basement Productions)

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catastrophists1Venue: Reginald Theatre, Seymour Centre (Sydney NSW), Sep 17 – 21, 2013
Playwright: Jordan King-Lacroix
Director: Jordan King-Lacroix
Choreographer: Naomi Hibberd
Actors: Jordan King-Lacroix, Eleanor Ryan, Edward Ransom
Dancers: Naomi Hibberd, Ken Ishii

Theatre review
The Catastrophists is about very dramatic characters in three separate stories with slightly different styles of comedy. The three stories are linked with modern dance sequences, but are not obviously connected in any other way.

Eleanor Ryan’s playful performance as Desiree stands out as the most memorable. Her Bronx/Brooklyn accent tickles many funny bones, and the campiness of her character is a perfect fit for the high octane style of the show. Her other character Rachel is equally entertaining but less compelling, due to the complexity of the story that introduces a few too many surprising plot twists. Edward Ransom plays Jack, an awkwardly endearing I.T. professional. There is a lot of quirkiness in his portrayal, which gives his character a complexity and believability that could easily have been overly simple and undimensioned.

Naomi Hibberd’s choreography is charming and has many beautiful touches, but it struggles to find its place amongst the big comedic performances. Bryce Halliday’s music on the other hand, adds to the comedy, and his presence is incorporated well into the production’s staging. One can expect Fringe festivals to deliver the weird and the wonderful, and depending on your personal tastes and disposition, this could be just the production that gets you into fits of laughter.

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Past Tense (Awkward Duck Theatre)

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pasttense1Venue: Reginald Theatre, Seymour Centre (Sydney NSW), Sep 17 – 21, 2013
Playwright: Kara Eva Schlegl
Director: Kara Eva Schlegl
Actors: Joshua McInnes, Liz Jameson, Hanni Trewin, David Reynolds

Theatre review
There are two interesting throughlines in Past Tense. It is mainly concerned with Terry’s predicament as a young woman stuck in a rut, but it is also about her relationship with the narrator of her life story. The play therefore consists of a real life dimension as well as a metaphysical realm, but they are not kept distinct. The Narrator is allowed to interact with Terry and her friends, and through this anomaly, a lot of colour is added to the simple story. The show also attempts to introduce a sense of Brechtian distanciation with the idea of a materialised Narrator, although it is unclear whether creating that effect serves much purpose in this instance.

The players are encouraged to perform their comedy broadly, and their approach comes across more akin to the work of comedians rather than actors. Their main intention for the audience is one of effect, rather than empathy or affiliation. This means that the production is able to deliver lots of laughs, but we are unable to connect with the story’s central character satisfactorily. The biggest laughs are for David Reynolds who plays Rich. He has a keen sense of timing, and attacks his funny moments with gusto and conviction. He is there to deliver hilarity, and he is single-minded about it. Joshua McInnes as the Narrator is a good fit. The young actor has an innate sense of formality that is perfectly utilised. He portrays a character that is somberly rigid yet agile, and the show relies on his focus to keep the plot on track.

Along with the Narrator, a musician is on stage through the duration. Mark Conroy underscores the action and provides a few delightful incidental songs, which add to the joviality of the proceedings. Past Tense has a story to tell, and that story is used as a vehicle for entertainment and laughter. The show’s reverberations fade quickly after the performers have taken their bows, but it is great fun while it lasts.

www.pasttensefringe.com

5 Questions with Matty Grey

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mattygreyWhat is your favourite swear word?
Well, when you perform for kids you have to be a bit careful what you choose for preferred profanities. My favourite at the moment is probably Patootie. It’s not a swear word, but it sounds kind of like it should be.

What are you wearing?
A lion onesie. Anyone got a problem with that?

What is love?
Love is finding the perfect person to watch your back for Creepers while you’re mining ore. If you understand that come to the show. If you don’t, ask a kid and bring them to the show.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
Slava’s Snow Show, there aren’t enough stars in the sky to rate it.

Is your new show going to be any good?
Oh our new show is going to be bloody brilliant, absolutely awesome and talked about for years to come. Unfortunately this is an encore run of our old show, which is still good but you did ask about the new one.

Matty Grey is writer and performer of 2 shows in the Sydney Fringe 2013.

Matty Grey’s Grossed Out Game Show
Show dates: 21 – 24 Sep, 2013
Show venue: Seymour Centre

Age-less 2: Game On
Show dates: 26 – 27 Sep, 2013
Show venue: King Street Theatre

Image by Jeremy Belifante

Oh! My Shattered Illusions (Seymour Centre)

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Kelly Young New CabaretVenue: Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre (Sydney NSW), Sep 12 – 14, 2013
Writer: Kelly Young
Director: Chris Rutherford
Musical Director: Peter McDonald
Performer: Kelly Young

Theatre review
The show starts with a song about taboos. Indeed the cabaret is the perfect space for the exploration of the subversive, antithetical, and rude. Fortunately, even though Kelly Young’s material is frequently bawdy and coarse, her most memorable features are her warm sincerity and open-hearted joy. Without the slightest hint of menace or cattiness, any joke she makes no matter how extreme, is met with gleeful and knowing laughter.

Young’s material is full of thoughtful wit that delivers a wonderful sense of playfulness. Along with musical director Peter McDonald, Young performs her songs beautifully, and every line is allowed to resonate with meaning and emotion. Her voice is perfectly suited to the style of cabaret she and director Chris Rutherford have created, and one gets a sense of a performer finding the ideal niche for her talents in this production.

The show talks about Young’s “shattered illusions” in terms of a woman growing into her own, and discovering that the wonder of life lies not in myths and promises. Her existence is a blissful one, and her performance, uplifting and infectious. This is a night of song and comedy that comes from a place of enlightenment, and what we witness is a labour of, and about, love.

www.facebook.com/KellyYoungNewCabaret
www.seymourcentre.com

Bushpig (Bagabus Inc.)

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rsz_bushpig_seymour_event_build_hero_imageVenue: Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre (Sydney NSW), Sep 10 – 13, 2013
Playwright: Hannah Malarski
Director: Jack Richardson
Actor: Hannah Malarski

Theatre review
This is a one-woman show featuring a young actor who looks like she is having the time of her life, and that there is no other place she would rather be. Hannah Malarski plays Bushpig, an Australian girl who leaves the countryside for “the big smokes”. It is not clear if the story is auto-biographical in any way, but it is evident that both Malarski and Bushpig are destined to be great storytellers.

The play takes on a simple structure, with Malarski portraying the lead character, as well as multiple incidental characters who come into Bushpig’s story. There is a lot of mimicry and playful appropriation of voices and accents, which the audience thoroughly enjoys. Malarski excels at a comedy which is about characterisation, and thrills with every transformation and with every introduction of a new persona. She is an accomplished comedic actor, and one longs to see her in a bigger production, interacting with other performers.

Plot-wise, Bushpig does not offer very much. There are no big dramatic moments, or great spiritual messages, but it defiantly tells the story of an independent female from childhood to adulthood, without mention of romance, marriage or motherhood. Bushpig sprouts from a simple country town, but she stands gallantly on her own two feet.

bagabusinc.tumblr.com
www.seymourcentre.com

Happy As Larry (Shaun Parker & Company)

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happyaslarryVenue: Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre (Sydney NSW), Sep 10 – 14, 2013
Director & Choreographer: Shaun Parker
Music: Nick Wales, Bree van Reyk
Dancers: Timothy Ohl, Josh Mu, Marnie Palomares, Jana Castillo, Joshua Thomson

Theatre review
Dance culture frequently situates itself in tradition and times past, but Shaun Parker & Company’s is a culture that grounds itself firmly in the here and now. Everything about their look, sound and feel stands for a contemporary aesthetic that is not usually seen in the theatre but in other media, especially on film and television. It is a more accurate representation of modern day Australia than those of lofty and more prominent groups, and the company should also be commended for its efforts at showcasing ethnic and gender diversity.

The dancers have a physical carriage that sets them apart from other professional dancers who tend to be from balletic backgrounds. There is a b-boy/breakdance sensibility that permeates this crew, even though their work is much more varied than that single genre reference might suggest. In fact, it seems to be an ambition of the work to encompass as many dance forms as possible, which provides the show with variety and freshness, and extremely high entertainment value.

Dancer Josh Mu stands out in a memorable sequence that fuses the opposing styles of breakdance with lyrical. Mu is able to be equally powerful in these divergent forms, and the fluidity in his blending of both is completely arresting. Other dancers are less technically brilliant in their abilities, but all are athletic and authentic in their approach. It is also noteworthy that this is a group that places some emphasis on acting and facial expressions, which is always a crowd-pleasing feature.

The invention of a big black rotating box (picture a shipping container) in the middle of the stage is genius. By simply introducing countless options for entrances and exits, the choreography quickly becomes layered and complex. The mobility of the box also removes predictability by altering the stage and performance space, creating a show that continually surprises. It is a matter of contention when considering where “direction” starts and “choreography” ends, but Shaun Parker is undoubtedly strong at both. His work seeks to use dance as a communicative medium, and his point of view comes across with clarity and conviction.

www.shaunparkercompany.com

5 Questions with Kelly Young

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kellyyoung1What is your favourite swear word?
Let’s just say that singing a song called “Everybody [is having a lovely time with their partners] But Me” answers that question. That’s the print friendly title, by the way…

What are you wearing?
I’m wearing as many jumpsuits as I can. I have 15!

What is love?
My daughter.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
The last show I saw was the STC’s Roz and Guil. 5/5 stars. I loved existentialist Minchin.

Is your new show going to be any good?
My new show is going to be hilarious, quirky and touching. It’s going to be great! Read Suzy’s review here

Kelly Young is writer and star of Oh! My Shattered Illusions, part of Sydney Fringe 2013.
Show dates: 12 – 14 Sep, 2013
Show venue: Seymour Centre

5 Questions with Lisa Chappell

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lisachappell2What is your favourite swear word?
Fuck a duck in a bucket.

What are you wearing?
My nighty, which is a blue singlet.

What is love?
Kindness.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
The Twelfth Dawn at The Old 505 , a beautiful piece that re-inspired me about the magic of theatre.

Is your new show going to be any good?
Fred, my one woman show about cannibalism and ice cream seems to be tickling everyone’s funny bone which is fantastic. It’s a riveting rollercoaster ride both for me and the audience.
Read Suzy’s review here.

 

Lisa Chappell is writer and star of Fred, part of Sydney Fringe 2013.
Show dates: 28 Aug – 8 Sep, 2013
Show venue: The Old 505 Theatre

5 Questions with Keira Daley

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keiradaley2

What is your favourite swear word?
I’m working on a 90s-themed show right now, so I’d have to say “dickwad”.

What are you wearing?
To find out, call 0055…

What is love?
“Baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me, no more…” I dunno, chocolate and tolerance.

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
I ignore star ratings because I’ve seen some “5-star” garbage and some “2-star” brilliance. The last show I saw was Squabbalogic’s Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and it was bloody, bloody great.

Is your new show going to be any good?
It’s as good as yo’ mamma… Oh no I didn’t! Read Suzy’s review here

Keira Daley is writer and star of Keira Daley Vs The 90s, part of Sydney Fringe 2013.
Show dates: 18 – 21 Sep, 2013
Show venue: Seymour Centre

5 Questions with Elena Gabrielle

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elena

What is your favourite swear word?
I don’t swear, I’m a wholesome girl.

What are you wearing?
Edible Glitter… It’s easily digestible, non-toxic and will make your insides sparkle.

What is love?
Baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me, no more!

What was the last show you saw, and how many stars do you give it?
A variety show featuring burlesque, cabaret, comedy and the like here in Melbourne… I gave it 4 stars.

Is your new show going to be any good?
Of course, I wouldn’t be bringing it to Sydney if it wasn’t.

 

Elena Gabrielle is writer and star of The Sexual Awakening Of Virgina Poppycock, part of Sydney Fringe 2013.
Show dates: 25 – 28 Sep, 2013
Show venue: Seymour Centre
Image by 3 Fates Media.