Tag Archives: theatre

Review: There Will Be A Climax (Old Fitz Theatre)

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Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre (Woolloomooloo NSW), Jan 9 – Feb 3, 2018
Playwright: Alexander Berlage and The Company
Director: Alexander Berlage
Cast: Toby Blome, Oliver Crump, Duncan Ragg, Geneva Schofield, Alex Stylianou, Contessa Treffone
Image by Robert Catto

Theatre review
Six clowns in tuxedos are on a constantly revolving stage, wordless but full of shenanigans. We can be certain that Alexander Berlage’s There Will Be A Climax has a strong inner logic. It is abundantly clear that the ensemble knows exactly what they are doing at every moment. What it all means to the viewer however, is quite a different matter.

We can interpret the show to be a meditation on the process of attaining zen, but to approach the production with excessive intellectual interest would probably disappoint. The show is either very funny or curiously macabre, depending on one’s own constitution.

It is a visceral experience, extremely energetic, often impressive with its inventiveness, although with a tendency for monotony in its dogged pursuit for amusement. A more daring approach to lighting would deliver a less predictable outcome, but it is has to be noted that Nicholas Fry’s work on set and costume design is beautifully imagined and cleverly executed.

The cast is a wacky bunch, and very crowd-pleasing; some actors seem more interesting than others, but the team’s ability to share limelight is admirable. There is a lot of trust and generosity amongst the six that gives the show an extraordinary sense of balance and sturdy confidence.

Much of the enjoyment relies on the uncompromising precision being performed, and we feel our attention being manipulated with great rigour, by something incredibly well-rehearsed, but for all its boisterousness, too little of There Will Be A Climax is left to chance. Its artistry, although wonderfully exuberant, can feel too safe. At the theatre, wildness contained, is misplaced politeness. The crowd has been persuaded to listen, but more needs to be said.

www.redlineproductions.com.au

Review: My Name Is Jimi (Belvoir St Theatre / Queensland Theatre)

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Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Jan 5 – 21, 2018
Playwrights: Jimi Bani, Jason Klarwein
Director: Jason Klarwein
Cast: Dmitri Ahwang-Bani, Agnes Bani, Conwell Bani, Jimi Bani, Petharie Bani, Richard Bani
Image by Daniel Boud

Theatre review
Jimi Bani hails from Mabuiag Island, in the near Western part of Torres Strait. His show My Name Is Jimi, is about culture and tradition, and the resolve to keep the uniqueness of his Wagadagam tribe alive and thriving in the modern age. True to form, the production features performers from his own family, across four generations, illustrating the essence and the importance of what is being relayed.

Small communities are always at risk of losing their identity. The young is seduced by external forces, through cultures of technology and consumption determined to establish a conformity, as required and dictated by Western capitalism. We see Jimi’s son Dimitri devouring the smartphone like any other youth, gradually losing touch with the real kinship that surrounds him.

Ambitiously directed by Jason Klarwein, the work is complex and detailed with its depictions. We learn not only what it is, that Jimi is keen to preserve, but also why and how these traditions have come to be of such value. Folklore and dance feature prominently, to inform and to entertain, but perhaps most importantly, as a demonstration of ancestral pride. There is exquisite humour in the piece, alongside its inherent warmth and poignancy.

Jimi Bani’s naturally commanding presence wins us over from the get-go, allowing us to empathise with his story effortlessly, even though his circumstances are admittedly far removed from many of our daily realities. Dimitri shares his father’s humour, delivering memorable moments of comedy. Agnes and Petharie are the senior women providing music, in ethereal, glamorous and dignified fashion. Conwell and Richard are Jimi’s brothers, appropriately sharing the weight of the show, as nimble sidekicks, particularly effective with their live camera work for filmic projections called upon to represent legends of the land. Especially noteworthy is Justin Harrison’s work as sound and projection designer, beautifully transcendent and crucial to the success of My Name Is Jimi.

Family can mean different things to people, but there is no denying the emotional hold it can have over each of us. Watching Jimi and his loved ones cultivate their extraordinary closeness, is reassuring, but also challenging to those who seek a radical independence in today’s climate of rationalism. It is now normal in many societies, to find definition for the self as an entity distinct from practices of the past, especially when one identifies weaknesses and problems associated with those customs. Jimi’s emphasis on language however, is noble and inspiring. Words contain so much, and they allow us to connect with histories when we choose to. Times will change, but forgetting the past, will only hamper any effort to progress. As we seek to become better, a link with earlier experiences is invaluable. Talking with those who had come before necessitates a bridge, and understanding cultures, especially one’s own, is often more rewarding than we can imagine.

www.queenslandtheatre.com.au | www.belvoir.com.au

Review: Fag/Stag (The Last Great Hunt / Griffin Theatre Company)

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Venue: SBW Stables Theatre (Kings Cross NSW), Jan 10 – 27, 2018
Playwrights: Jeffrey Jay Fowler, Chris Isaacs
Directors: Jeffrey Jay Fowler, Chris Isaacs
Cast: Jeffrey Jay Fowler, Chris Isaacs
Image by Robert Catto

Theatre review
Corgan and Jimmy are best friends who live the easy Australian middle-class existence. Fag/Stag sees them fumble and struggle through episodes of triviality, as young men with few legitimate worries, save for the difficulties of having to negotiate the perils of modern masculinity. Without the burden of work and children, nothing very serious ever happens to them, yet anxiety and pain are constants. Their concerns are often silly, but we nonetheless understand that first-world problems are real, for we recognise those symptoms to be genuine, and identify with what is being presented through the creators’ admirable honesty.

Jeffrey Jay Fowler and Chris Isaacs create an amusing hour examining the privileged lives of our young white men, straight and gay. Fag/Stag is a dynamic work, compelling and entertaining, even though its persistent earnestness seems somewhat misplaced. As writers, directors and performers of the piece, Fowler and Isaacs seem never to be critical of Corgan and Jimmy, but it is evident that much of the problems the boys encounter, are a result of their self-absorption. The characters do nothing for society, spending all their days inside their own little inconsequential dramas.

Fowler is more vibrant and animated an actor than his counterpart, tenacious with every nuance, eager for his audience to gain a deep understanding of his Jimmy. Straight guy Corgan is suitably restrained, played sensitively by Isaacs whose portrayal is memorable for its sense of familiar authenticity. The pair is tremendously endearing, and warmly comedic in their depiction of a very close friendship. We like them, and many will allow ourselves to be convinced of the hardships being proclaimed.

White men may be in positions of power, but it is questionable if things are necessarily easier for them. Sexism is detrimental to all genders. In many ways, we can see that Corgan and Jimmy have it easy, but all of that convenience adds up to an aimlessness, that causes meaning to be elusive. We watch them suffer, as a result of having nothing substantial to live for. They turn to each other, for comfort and support, and for affirmation that something of value and import, can ultimately be discovered.

www.thelastgreathunt.com

Review: Green Day’s American Idiot (Sydney Opera House)

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Venue: Sydney Opera House (Sydney NSW), Jan 11 – 14, 2018
Music: Green Day
Lyrics: Billie Joe Armstrong
Book: Billie Joe Armstrong, Michael Mayer
Director: Craig Ilot
Cast: Kaylah Attard, Kyla Bartholemeusz, Erin Clare, Connor Crawford, Linden Furnell, Phil Jamieson, Alex Jeans, Nicholas Kyriacou, Vidya Makan, Phoenix Mendoza, Phoebe Panaretos, Christopher Scalzo, Maxwell Simon, Ashleigh Taylor, Kuki Tipoki
Image by Ken Leanfore

Theatre review
Comprising songs by American punk rock band Green Day, American Idiot is a musical, or a rock opera to be slightly more precise, that showcases the band’s unquestionably popular songwriting talents. Billie Joe Armstrong, Tré Cool and Mike Dirnt are Gen X’ers who have found an audience with their brash but commercial sound, and like many successful music artists today, exploring a jukebox musical with their pre-existing catalogue is now par for the course.

While it is somewhat refreshing to have the punk genre incorporated into this almost always contrived genre of show, a stronger book is required for American Idiot to speak to those who are less than fanatic about the band’s oeuvre. We see characters go through the semblance of a plot, but glean no detail from any of their stories. Cheesy choreography and unimaginative use of projections, cause the show to further alienate.

The adaptation of music is however, fairly effective, with dramatic arrangements helping to sustain interest. It is a committed cast of varying abilities, most memorable of whom is Linden Furnell in the central role of Johnny, exquisitely confident in his multidisciplinary approach to the production’s quite exacting requirements. His effortless blend of rock and broadway, along with a physical agility, provide us with a sense of impressive polish and professionalism. Much less comfortable on the musical stage is Phil Jamieson, who although exhibits good presence from his years as a rock musician, is visibly disoriented in this switch in performance style.

It is certainly one for the fans, but there is no reason for the bar not being raised higher. There is excellent energy and poignant intent in each of the songs being sung in American Idiot, and when presented appropriately, there is plentiful opportunity for a wider crowd to connect. The talent here is evident, but greater diligence is necessary for a show that could speak to more, with better clarity and at a more affecting depth.

www.americanidiotlive.com.au

Sydney Theatre Awards 2017: Nominations

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Nominations were announced today for the Sydney Theatre Awards for 2017, which will be presented at a gala ceremony on Monday 22 January 2018 at 6pm at the Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre.

Leading the list with a record 12 nominations is Muriel’s Wedding, produced by the Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures, followed by Sydney Theatre Company’s Cloud Nine and Only Heaven Knows from Luckiest Productions and Hayes Theatre Co, both on nine nominations. Calamity Jane, produced by One Eyed Man Productions in association with Neglected Musicals and Hayes Theatre Co, was awarded eight nominations, while both The Trouble With Harry from Siren Theatre Co and Seymour Centre, and Assassins from Hayes Theatre Co received seven nominations. Red Line Productions’ A View From The Bridge received six nominations.

Nominations in the 35 categories were spread across 51 productions which played on Sydney stages during 2017.

BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Cloud Nine (Sydney Theatre Company)
Hir (Belvoir)
Mr Burns (Belvoir)
Shit (Sydney Festival)

BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Dry Land (Outhouse Theatre Co and Mad March Hare)
The Ham Funeral (Siren Theatre Company)
The Trouble With Harry (Siren Theatre Co in association with Seymour Centre)
A View From the Bridge (Red Line Productions)

BEST DIRECTION OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Anne-Louise Sarks (The Merchant of Venice)
Imara Savage (Mr Burns)
Anthea Williams (Hir)
Kip Williams (Cloud Nine)

BEST DIRECTION OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Claudia Barrie (Dry Land)
Kate Gaul (The Ham Funeral)
Kate Gaul (The Trouble With Harry)
Iain Sinclair (A View From the Bridge)

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Genevieve Lemon (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf)
Heather Mitchell (Cloud Nine)
Kate Mulvany (Richard III)
Helen Thomson (Hir)
Ursula Yovich (Barbara and the Camp Dogs)

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
John Bell (The Father)
Mitchell Butel (The Merchant of Venice)
Darren Gilshenan (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf)
Pacharo Mzembe (Prize Fighter)
Steve Rodgers (Diving for Pearls)

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Belinda Giblin (Doubt)
Jodie Le Vesconte (The Trouble With Harry)
Sarah Meacham (Dry Land)
Gabrielle Scawthorn (The Village Bike)

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Tommy Bradson (Nosferatutu)
Ivan Donato (A View From the Bridge)
Tobias Manderson-Galvin (Puntila/Matti)
John O’Hare (The Night Alive)

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Kate Box (Cloud Nine)
Elaine Crombie (Barbara and the Camp Dogs)
Anita Hegh (The Father)
Claire Lovering (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf)

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Harry Greenwood (Cloud Nine)
Brandon McClelland (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf)
Josh McConville (Cloud Nine)
Michael Whalley (Hir)

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Antoinette Barboutis (Puntila/Matti)
Charmaine Bingwa (Doubt)
Zoe Terakes (A View From the Bridge)
Janine Watson (A View From the Bridge)

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Justin Stewart Cotta (This Much Is True)
Andrew Lindqvist (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo)
Lex Marinos (Sunset Strip)
Johnny Nasser (The Ham Funeral)

BEST STAGE DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Dale Ferguson (Away)
Michael Hankin (Hir)
Marg Horwell (Shit)
Jonathan Oxlade (Mr Burns)

BEST STAGE DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Alicia Clements (Assassins)
Isabel Hudson (Dry Land)
Alice Morgan (The Trouble With Harry)
Lauren Peters (Calamity Jane)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Elizabeth Gadsby (Cloud Nine)
Michael Hankin (Hir)
Jonathon Oxlade (Mr Burns)
Gabriela Tylesova (Muriel’s Wedding)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Alicia Clements (Assassins)
Alice Morgan (The Trouble With Harry)
Lauren Peters (Calamity Jane)
Emma Vine (Only Heaven Knows)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Paul Jackson (Away)
Chris Petridis (Mr Burns)
Nick Schlieper (Chimerica)
Emma Valente (The Testament of Mary)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Alexander Berlage (Doubt)
Alexander Berlage (4:48 Psychosis)
Matt Cox (The Trouble With Harry)
Hartley TA Kemp (The Ham Funeral)

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Nate Edmondson (Cloud Nine)
J. David Franzke (Away)
Max Lyandvert (The Testament of Mary)
The Sweats (Chimerica)

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Nate Edmondson (The Ham Funeral)
Nate Edmondson (Jatinga)
Nate Edmondson (The Trouble With Harry)
Benjamin Freeman (4:48 Psychosis)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Chris Williams (Cloud Nine)
The Sweats (Chimerica)
Alana Valentine, Ursula Yovich and Adm Ventura (Barbara and the Camp Dogs)
Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall (Muriel’s Wedding)

BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK
Barbara and the Camp Dogs (Ursula Yovich and Alana Valentine)
Black is the New White (Nakkiah Lui)
Muriel’s Wedding (PJ Hogan, Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall)
Shit (Patricia Cornelius)

BEST NEWCOMER
Maggie McKenna (Muriel’s Wedding)
Michelle Ny (Dry Land)
Kurt Pimblett (Hir)
Zoe Terakes (A View From the Bridge)
Ebony Vagulans (Diving for Pearls)

BEST PRODUCTION OF A MAINSTREAM MUSICAL
Beautiful (Michael Cassel, Paul Blake, Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Mike Bosner)
Kinky Boots (Michael Cassel by arrangement with Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig)
Ladies in Black (Queensland Theatre, Sydney Festival and Sydney Lyric)
Muriel’s Wedding (Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures)

BEST PRODUCTION OF AN INDEPENDENT MUSICAL
Assassins (Hayes Theatre Co)
Calamity Jane (One Eyed Man Productions in association with Neglected Musicals and Hayes Theatre Co)
Only Heaven Knows (Luckiest Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co)

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Dean Bryant (Assassins)
Richard Carroll (Calamity Jane)
Simon Phillips (Muriel’s Wedding)
Shaun Rennie (Only Heaven Knows)

JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Annie Aitken (Melba)
Virginia Gay (Calamity Jane)
Esther Hannaford (Beautiful)
Maggie McKenna (Muriel’s Wedding)

JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
David Campbell (Assassins)
Tim Draxl (Only Heaven Knows)
Toby Francis (Kinky Boots)
Ben Hall (Only Heaven Knows)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Blazey Best (Only Heaven Knows)
Justine Clarke (Muriel’s Wedding)
Madeleine Jones (Muriel’s Wedding)
Christie Whelan Browne (Muriel’s Wedding)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Matthew Backer (Only Heaven Knows)
Rob Johnson (Calamity Jane)
Joe Kosky (High Fidelity)
Hayden Tee (Only Heaven Knows)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL
Andrew Hallsworth (Assassins)
Andrew Hallsworth (Muriel’s Wedding)
Cameron Mitchell (Big Fish)
Cameron Mitchell (Calamity Jane)

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Daniel Edmonds (Only Heaven Knows)
Isaac Hayward (Muriel’s Wedding)
Nigel Ubrihien (Calamity Jane)
Andrew Worboys (Assassins)

BEST CABARET PRODUCTION
Betty Grumble’s Love and Anger
Blue, the Songs of Joni Mitchell
Hot Brown Honey
Mother’s Ruin: A Cabaret About Gin

BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN
Diary of a Wombat (Monkey Baa)
Junk (Flying Fruit Fly Circus)
Kaleidoscope (Company 2 and Sydney Festival)
You and Me and the Space Between (Terrapin Puppet Theatre and Sydney Festival)

BEST PRODUCTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Dignity of Risk (atyp/Shopfront Arts)
Moth (atyp)
Oedipus Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (atyp)
When The Streets Had a Name (Monkey Baa)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
To be announced at the Awards ceremony

Suzy Goes See’s Best Of 2017

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Suzy Goes See Best of 2016

After 186 reviews for Suzy Goes See’s 5th year, I still can’t quite wrap my head around the number of shows being staged every evening, all over Sydney. Like this website, many of these theatre productions, attract no significant financial reward to speak of. We do it all for love, and with the understanding that art is a natural, essential part of human existence. We refuse to let money alone decide the things we leave behind, choosing instead to pursue something infinitely more meaningful, and almost always more challenging than we had ever prepared ourselves for. It is an honour to be part of this wonderful landscape, and having the opportunity to help shape it into something better, is truly the most fulfilling vocation. Best Of 2017, a personal selection, and away we go…

Suzy x

♥ Avant Garde Angels
The bravest and most creative.

♥ Quirky Questers
The most colourful characters.

♥ Design Doyennes
For sound, lights, sets and costumes.

♥ Musical Marvels
Outstanding performers in musical theatre.

♥ Best Supporting Actors

♥ Best Ensembles

♥ Best Actors (Comedy)

♥ Best Actors (Drama)

♥ Best New Writing

♥ Best Directors

♥ Shows Of The Year
The mighty Top 10.

 

End

Best of 2018 | Best of 2016 | Best of 2015 | Best of 2014 | Best Of 2013

Review: A Christmas Carol (Lies, Lies And Propaganda)

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Venue: Kings Cross Theatre (Kings Cross NSW), Dec 14 – 24, 2017
Playwright: Melissa Lee Speyer (from the Charles Dickens novel)
Director: Michael Dean
Cast: Aslam Abdus-Samad, Dymphna Carew, Bobbie-Jean Henning, Jacqueline Marriott, Monica Sayers, Bishanyia Vincent, Michael Yore
Image by Omnes Photography

Theatre review
The famous Mr. Scrooge is resurrected, in Melissa Lee Speyer’s retelling of A Christmas Carol. The notorious characteristics remain, but his story is updated for our times, with new resonances for the Trump era. This new Scrooge belongs to the tribe that believes in the “trickle-down effect” of conservative politics; the kind of man who tells his employees that they have to work harder, whilst he dreams up new ways to cut their wages. Scrooge’s sin is not that he has an aversion to Christmas, but that he is selfish and unkind. On that one day his workers are away, and he is unable to scheme and torture, ghosts come to haunt him as he faces his own desperate loneliness. On Christmas Day, money proves ineffectual, and he has no recourse but to confront the man in the mirror.

It is a strong adaptation, poignant and accurate with its melancholic observations of contemporary life. Michael Dean’s direction of the piece turns A Christmas Carol into a pantomime for grown-ups, silly in parts, but impressively enthusiastic in the way its message is communicated. Music by Miles Elkington brings a quirky edge, and although not always calibrated to perfection, its function as guide for our emotional responses from scene to scene, is indispensable. The cast is adorable, and very sprightly, with Bobbie-Jean Henning as a captivating, if not entirely convincing, Scrooge. Michael Yore is memorable as the Ghost of Christmas Past, with splendid comic timing and an endearing sense of mischief. Similarly noteworthy is Bishanyia Vincent, especially in the role of Mrs. Cratchit for the production’s most moving sequence, with a contribution surprising in nuance, proving to be remarkably powerful.

When Scrooge is shown the error of his ways, we are reminded of tyrants everywhere who refuse to acknowledge the damage they do, even when presented with incontrovertible evidence. Our cynicism in the age of “fake news” has taught us to expect the worst from men in power, who will deny all their crimes, no matter how plain the truth that is laid out before their eyes. We cannot afford to do nothing and wait for bad men to come to their senses, but their dominance in our world means that we have little at our disposal, in terms of remedy or retribution. It is idealistic, indeed fairytale-like, to wait for the miraculous return of kindness in today’s climate, but on the darkest days, it does seem to be the only thing left. It is perhaps pertinent at Christmas time to remember that Jesus Christ had said, “do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

www.liesliesandpropaganda.com

Review: Brothers Karamazov (Arrive. Devise. Repeat)

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Venue: PACT Centre for Emerging Artists (Erskineville NSW), Dec 6 – 16, 2017
Playwright: Richard Crane (based on Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel)
Director: Viktor Kalka
Cast: Alice Birbara, Ryan Devlin, Patrick Howard, and Lucia May
Image by Clare Hawley

Theatre review
There are only so many conclusions a person can come to, when contemplating the existence of God. In Richard Crane’s adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s Brothers Karamazov, an enormous novel is condensed, leaving only its big philosophical ideas feebly accompanied, by futile episodes of theatre that can only seem reductive in their attempts to make a point.

The depiction of religious struggle in Brothers Karamazov is timeworn, although clearly persistent in its relevance to millions, who continue to structure their lives around all things mystical and illusory. It is an attractive production, with ambitious work across all design faculties from Liam O’Keefe’s lavish lighting to Victor Kalka’s evocative set. Often beautiful and alluringly moody, our senses are kept attentive, even when our minds withdraw from engagement.

Four actors play a range of characters, with unfortunately confusing results. Unable to sufficiently identify the personalities we encounter, the show takes an inordinately long time to establish coherence. Nonetheless, it is a compelling cast, each one full of energetic conviction. Patrick Howard is particularly memorable, with an arresting presence, determined to entertain.

A world in which everything is permissible, is doubtlessly frightening. Self-preservation requires that we invest, in the name of safety and order, in social contracts that we think to be noble, but whether state or religion, the institutions we exalt, never fail to overreach with the powers they are accorded. The same instruments we need for protection, are used invariable to oppress. To keep them constantly monitored is paramount and to have them regularly dismantled and refreshed, is arduous but critical.

www.arrivedeviserepeat.com

Review: I Walk In Your Words (Blood Moon Theatre)

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Venue: Blood Moon Theatre (Potts Point NSW), Dec 7 – 9, 2017
Director: Kristine Landon-Smith
Cast: Lily Black, Yerin Ha, Nicholas Hasemann, Elliot Mitchell, Mark Paguio, Jens Radda, Laila Rind, Nikita Waldron

Theatre review
The performers have headphones on, listening to the very recordings that they present to us. These are interviews with Australians from all walks of life, about culture, identity and belonging. Many of the stories are about the migrant experience, but Indigenous voices bring the show to an end with exceptional poignancy. I Walk In Your Words centres the discussion around those who matter equally, but who are systematically erased, in favour of the dominant colonialist ideology that white Australia tenaciously imposes.

The technique seems an inelegant proposition, but from the very instance the show begins, it becomes clear that the visually awkward headphones serve a unique and quite marvellous purpose, of unparalleled accuracy in the representation of real lives that rarely attract attention. It is not just the words that are spoken, but also the spaces surrounding those sentences, in breaths, chuckles and silence. Actors are prevented from interpretations that would change these personalities to fit standardised narratives. The headphones make it a requisite that we hear the tone, and sense the energy and aura, of the people being featured.

The interviews are compiled deliberately, to provide a picture of Australia’s minorities that is respectful and harmonious. The verbatim format proclaims objectivity, but the politics of I Walk In Your Words are unabashedly subjective. The moment we notice that only the admirable sides of these people are revealed, is when the show becomes less persuasive; the discord between its hyper naturalism and the overblown virtuousness that it poses, turns us sceptical.

The production is however, thoroughly engaging. The cast is uniformly impassioned and well-rehearsed; with every actor coming across convincing and endearing. Kristine Landon-Smith’s precise and minimal direction keeps focus appropriately on the all-important results of the interview process, although a more creative approach to lights and sound could bring valuable enhancement to the experience.

Our community is an unimaginably large one, but we all exist in little enclaves, forgetting or perhaps refusing to acknowledge, the many who are different. We may not see a pressing need to intermingle, but injustice clearly exists in the discrepancies between communities, and silence is misconstrued as consensus. The simple truth is that we cannot allow portions of Australia to suffer while others are prospering. The selfish denial of another person’s well-being, is simply oppression. To witness suffering and then choose to do nothing, is the lowest of sins.

www.bloodmoontheatre.com

Review: The Seagull (The Depot Theatre)

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Venue: The Depot Theatre (Marrickville NSW), Dec 6 – 16, 2017
Playwright: Anton Chekhov (adapted by Anthony Skuse)
Director: Anthony Skuse
Cast: Jane Angharad, Paul Armstrong, Matthew Bartlett, Charmaine Bingwa, Alan Faulkner, Deborah Galanos, Tony Goh, Leilani Loau, Abe Mitchell, James Smithers, Shan-Ree Tan
Image by Bob Seary

Theatre review
The characters in Chekhov’s The Seagull seem to become increasingly obscure as the years pass. Our hectic lives are now the antithesis of Konstantin’s circle. Where Chekhov had lamented the futility of Russian lives that sat around talking too much and not doing any work, we are today, a century later, in an age where being busy is glorified, and rarely does anyone take the time to congregate and shoot the breeze. That is not to say that the truths of The Seagull are no longer valid, only that their resonance has inevitably faded.

It is a relief then, that director Anthony Skuse places emphasis on the comedy of the piece. Like the Real Housewives and the Kardashian family of reality television, the high-intensity dramatics of the wealthy are certainly fodder for laughs. Our reality involves so much time worrying about making money, but all these people seem to do, is worry about having nothing to do with their undepletable resources. Chekhov’s love for the representation of angst is however, not trivialised in the production. There are innumerable scenes of depression and anxiety, sensitively formed, often robust in their manifestation.

Skuse’s dramedy is highly enjoyable, with scintillating dialogue and playful, vibrant characters. Konstantin is performed by James Smithers, a genuinely forlorn presence, who introduces a sense of gravity that prevents the show from ever turning frivolously farcical. Deborah Galanos is outstanding as his narcissistic mother Arkadina, flamboyant with exquisite timing and an admirable capacity for nuance. Her sex scene with Abe Mitchell’s Trigorin is the unequivocal highlight, palpably revealing in more ways than one. Mitchell is himself a captivating actor, passionate and convincing. Equally memorable is Charmaine Bingwa whose emotions are as dark as they are fiery, for a viscerally despondent Masha.

Music is cleverly incorporated into many scenes, with Matthew Bartlett’s considerable talents showcased over a variety of instruments. Also noteworthy is Kyle Jonsson’s marvellous set design, providing an unmistakable aura of luxury and crumbling decadence, ably supported by the delicate lighting design of Liam O’Keefe.

The production is a dynamic one, but for all that we are able to see portrayed in its impressive range of emotions, there is a conspicuous lack of poignancy in The Seagull. We find ourselves in a strange situation, engaged but unmoved. Its personalities prove to be fascinating, but we struggle to connect with them. From another time and place, their concerns are not readily identifiable, perhaps irrelevant to the people we have become. Nevertheless, there is an undeniable beauty in the classic, that on this occasion, is splendidly revived. Relics are so called, because they survive, even as their lustre wanes.

www.secrethouse.com.au