Something Perfectly Innocent

Ed’s note: Apologies for the late post! I have just emerged from a six year old’s birthday week, which included compulsory school attendance, afternoon teas, family dinners, horse riding, cake baking, the annual Eurovision semi-final living room dance party and the return of three of the six year old’s cousins from their extensive tour with Cirque du Soleil! Then I slept for 2 days. Hence, we only now have the final Anywhere Theatre Festival post from Miss Meredith. Thank you, Meredith! x

Something Perfectly Innocent

Marcus Lilley

10th – 14th May 2012

Delivered via Twitter

Reviewed by Meredith McLean

Earlier this May I sat down to my laptop readying myself for my regular fix of Twitter updates, tumblr posts and Facebook newsfeeds. What can I say? I’m more than comfortable doing this daily, more often than not when I should be doing something more productive. However, I had something up my sleeve this time when my always well-meaning Mum made her weekly concerned phone call telling me to, “Study more. Sleep more. Eat healthy and for God sakes, Meredith, get off the computer!” Like any good daughter I omitted certain stories and instead insisted this week I needed to be on the computer for another reviewing gig.

  (Sorry, Fran – Ed.)

Something Perfectly Innocent. A play that takes place solely on Twitter.  I was really excited to check in each day and read what Claude Nixon; the fabled traveler was getting up to in Brisbane. I was ready for dazzling photos and video clips of subways and alleyways, laneways and skyways, elevators and escalators, friends and adventures; all of it being fed to me through Nixon’s Twitter account. Unfortunately reality fell short of expectations.

The plot is original enough to satisfy but the idea isn’t a new one. Theatre hybrids have been popping up all over the world. From Punchdrunk production’s videogame-theatre concoction in London to Sandra Carluccio’s This Is Kansas City, a play that leads individuals around via text message and phone calls right here in Brisbane. The great thing about this neo-theatre is the possibilities are endless. The concept is future driven. Directors not only have to look to the future and what it may one day contain but also bring the future to their own stage. The Internet posing as a stage is a strange concept that makes me giddy.

In this case I just wasn’t sold. Something Perfectly Innocent consisted of our character, Claude Nixon, a traveler new to Brisbane being embroiled in am inner-city murder mystery. But there were no innovative stunners. Black and white photos, occasional questions to the small 27 Twitter followers for where to find a free newspaper and tweets popping up every hour or so was all it had to offer us. I was looking for interactive videos, topic starters spurning retweets and obscure links leading me on wild chases. There was none of that. It was a very basic multimedia story. Introduction. Complication. Resolution. Curtain Call. That’s all.

I suppose I’m most surprised because Marcus Lilley, British creator behind the concept, seemed so much more promising. In an interview with group Creative Drinks, Lilley confessed he had imagined a different platform with more content for the show but for unspecified reasons ended up basing the play on Twitter. It is not by accident that his interest in film noir is reflected in Something Perfectly Innocent but it wasn’t emphasised as much as what it could have been.

The downfall of Something Perfectly Innocent is not the play itself but that it didn’t reach its full potential. What it didn’t become is more disappointing than what it was. The challenge we set ourselves when taking on multimedia projects is to make it something extraordinary. Twitter, Facebook, the lot of it has become the norm. It’s now nothing of consequence in day-to-day life. By providing theatrical entertainment in these mediums something has to rise above the mundane. Something unique that the audience wishes could be tangible is what creators must strive for. Sadly, Something Perfectly Innocent just wasn’t it. Regardless, I look forward to seeing more interactive theatre and multimedia dramatics. This experience hasn’t deterred me yet. Hopefully I’ll be able to see more of Marcus Lilley’s work. I have faith he can prove to me that this is not his best.

Cirque du Soleil’s OVO

OVO

Cirque du Soleil holds a pretty prominent position in my family’s conversations.

My sister has just returned with her little family from a year’s stint overseas with the Saltimbanco troupe. She’s been calling the show (that’s theatreese for what the Stage Manager does) all through Europe and the Middle East. Her husband will re-join the company next week (in Italy!), after his short tour break here, to continue his role in the tech department until the show closes, after 20 sell-out years, in December.

I should mention that they’ve toured 27 countries with 3 young children!

We all want to run off and join the circus but this family actually did it!

(PROPS TO THE PARENTS WHO TRAVEL INTERNATIONALLY WITH KIDS). 

Speaking of family, I know that my dad will absolutely love Cirque’s newest Australian touring production, OVO. He’s an Entomologist. And quite the Drama King. A presentation he gave at a conference in New Zealand was titled:

Managing avocado pests with romance, intrigue and war –

integrating pheromones, assassins and weapons of mass destruction

Who knew the enemies of the avocados could be so fascinating?

He does love a good eco-drama. And the circus. But then, who doesn’t?!

THIS circus – Cirque du Soleil –  is for everyone! The whole family!

And Queenslanders get to experience it first. Brisbane will host the Australian premiere season of the critically-acclaimed and family-friendly big top production OVO, under the trademark blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau (big top) at Northshore Hamilton, with the 2012-2013 national tour then moving to Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth.

Portuguese for “egg”, OVO is a headlong rush into a colourful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement.  When a mysterious egg appears in their midst, the insects are awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object, which represents the enigma and cycles of their lives.

When a gawky, quirky insect arrives in this bustling community and a fabulous ladybug catches his eye it’s love at first sight!

The cast of OVO is comprised of 55 performing artists from 14 countries specialising in many acrobatic acts. A highlight of OVO is the stunning Flying Act in which a group of scarabs soar high above the stage, from both edges to the middle landing on a platform. This breathtaking act combines many circus disciplines: banquine, Russian swing and swinging chair.

The Creative Team behind the world of OVO is:  Artistic Guides Guy Laliberté and Gilles Ste-Croix; Writer, Director and Choreographer Deborah Colker (first female director at Cirque du Soleil); Director of Creation Chantal Tremblay; Set and props Designer Gringo Cardia; Costume Designer Liz Vandal; Composer and Musical Director Berna Ceppas; Lighting Designer Éric Champoux; Sound Designer Jonathan Deans; Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Designer hting Designer éclairagesa creative team for the first time at Cirque du Soleilerms of distance between stations.Fred Gérard;  Acrobatic Performance Designer Philippe Aubertin; and Makeup Designer Julie Bégin. 

Cirque du Soleil

From a group of 20 street performers in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Québec-based organisation providing high-quality artistic entertainment.

The company has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,300 artists from more than 50 different countries.

Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators in more than 300 cities in over forty countries on six continents.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL - OVO - 2012/2013 AUSTRALIAN TOUR

Brisbane – From July 14 2012, Northshore Hamilton

BOOK NOW

HOT TIP: book the VIP Rouge Experience - especially if it’s your first time – which offers you premium seating and the complete VIP experience.

I wouldn’t see a Cirque show any other way!

short + sweet sunshine coast

SHORT+SWEET BRISBANE+GOLD COAST+SUNSHINE COAST

10 DAYS UNTIL DEADLINE!

 

Submissions for Actors, Directors and Independent Theatre Groups close on May 31st 2012

 

Got a 10 minute play? Sure you do!

 

Simon Denver adapted So, Where Is It? from the original one-act play, which he wrote for a festival in a matter of days after Sam Coward said one day over a few beers, “WHY NOT? WE’RE GOOD AT VIOLENCE.”

The 10 minute version only came about when I received a phone call during rehearsals for our gig at The Sydney Children’s Festival inviting us to submit something to Short + Sweet and Sam said, in the dressing room of the Seymour Centre, “WHY NOT? WE’RE GOOD AT VIOLENCE AND IT’S JUST 10 MINUTES.”

So, Where Is it? won Brett Klease Best Actor at last year’s Sunshine Coast Theatre Festival and the 10 minute version took out 1st place in the Gold Coast & Brisbane Short+Sweet competitions. It then went to Sydney (thanks to some of YOU! THANK YOU!), where it won third place.

With so many one-act play festivals happening across the Sunshine Coast, why not do the same? Or register your 10 minute play from the recent season in Buderim. IT’S JUST 10 MINUTES! YOU CAN DO IT!

You CAN do it. But do you need some help taking the red pen to your script? Register first! Just do it and then let us know! We can help edit and workshop your one-act play down to just 10 minutes or help you find a new script to work on.

Check out the vast collection that the 10 Minute Play Master, Alex Broun, has made available online for FREE.

The Short+Sweet QLD 2012 Brisbane+Gold Coast+Sunshine Coast theatre season runs from 1st August to the 19th August at

The Loft (QUT Creative Industries)

The Arts Centre Gold Coast

Lind Lane Theatre, Nambour

 SAVE THESE DATES

June 16th Director briefing and welcome drinks

 

June 23rd Sunshine Coast auditions

 

June 30th Rehearsals commence

ACTORS, DIRECTORS AND INDEPENDENT COMPANIES REGISTER NOW!

Remember, it all starts with an idea….. 

This one was just so crazy…it worked!

 

Mummy & Me Princess Par-tea!

 

 

Mummy & Me Princess Par-tea!

Opa! it’s (honey puff) Paniyiri time!

It’s that special time of the year again…

PANIYIRI Greek Festival THIS WEEKEND!

When people first meet me, they often assume I’m Greek. It’s the name. It actually means yellow, which is the version of blond I tend to get if I miss an appointment with my girls at Suite Three Hair and Beauty.

Suite Three Shine Collection

urbandictionary.com will also tell you that it means I’m an urban legend.

Alicia Witt isn’t Greek either.

Also, importantly, I was named after the Greek Goddess and not after the chick with the robots.

Nope. Never read it. Is it any good?

I once put on my CV that I was Greek-Romanian-Indian-Spanish-Australian. I was auditioning for Miss Saigon. I wanted to cover all ethnic bases. Apparently, I was just “too young”. At least they were honest.

HI, I’M XANTHE. I’M NOT REALLY GREEK AND I LOVE PANIYIRI

(AND HONEY PUFFS)!

WHAT? YOU’VE NEVER BEEN TO PANIYIRI?!

Dine al-fresco en masse, inhale the smell of the Greek BBQs, dance the Zorba into the Guinness World Record books, smash plates, soothe your inner Greek with the live sounds of the bouzouki and the lira, eat 25 honey puffs in one minute, see a film, experience traditional Greek cooking demonstrations, stomp grapes and see inside the stunning Greek Orthodox Church! And that’s not all!

Paniyiri started 36 years ago. Fast forward to 2012 where more than 50,000 Greeks and honorary Greeks will once again descend on Musgrave Park in South Brisbane for the city’s biggest, loudest and yummiest party, Paniyiri Greek Festival! Join George Houvardas (Packed to the Rafters) and Rob Palmer (Better Homes and Gardens) on Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20, when Brisbane overloads on Greek gastronomy and Hellenic hospitality as this legendary kaleidoscopic cultural explosion takes over Brisbane town.

Here’s what you need to know in 2012….

GREEK DANCING WITH THE STARS

Be there to find out what happens when George Houvardas a.k.a Nick ‘Carbo’ Karandonis from Channel Seven’s Packed to The Rafters, and Better Homes and Gardens’ DIY expert, Rob Palmer, fight it out on the dance floor yet again during the hotly contested Greek Dancing with the Stars competition on Saturday May 19 at 7.10pm. GREEK Dancing with the Stars promises to be colourful, comical and controversial, when celebrities including George Houvardas and Rob Palmer, plus Seven presenter Liz Cantor, Queensland Weekender presenter Chris Parsons, B105 presenter Pete Curulli and Emily Everywhere blogger Emily Jade O’Keeffe, and 4BC’s Peter Dick collide chaotically in a challenge that will separate the twinkle toes from the two left feet.

GUINESS WORLD RECORD ZORBA ATTEMPT

Brisbane, it’s time to step up and step out to take the Guinness World Record for the Longest Zorba! The attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for the World’s Longest Zorba will happen on Saturday May 19 at the Paniyiri Greek Festival at Musgrave Park, at 6pm. Leading the Zorba World Record attempt will be Packed to the Rafters star and good Greek lad George Houvardas, together with his best mate, Better Homes and Gardens resident DIY guru, Rob Palmer!

PLATE SMASHING

There is something about the Greeks that makes you want to smash plates!  Sure to be a smash hit with festival goers, test your speed and dexterity with the quintessential Hellenic act of breaking plates which will take place several times over during Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20.

EAT

Help Brisbane eat their way through 200,000 honey puffs, 500kgs of haloumi and take a journey of the senses through 30+ food stalls representing the Aegean, Mainland Greece, Cyprus, Chios, Crete, Rhodes and more all day Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20 at Musgrave Park.

TRADITIONAL GREEK COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS

Learn the culinary secrets behind Greek cuisine with sweet and savoury demonstrations all weekend at The Greek Club. At 3pm on Saturday May 19 Channel Seven presenterLiz Cantor and Queensland Weekender presenter Chris Parsons will battle it out on stage to see who will come out victorius in the kitchen. A 3pm on Sunday May 20 George Houvardas (Packed to the Rafters) and Rob Palmer (Better Homes and Gardens) will heat things up when two best mates don the aprons and stir, beat and fold their way through a Greek recipe. AND PROSPECTIVE CHEFS NOTE: the producers of My Kitchen Rules will be scouting for potential talent over the two days!!!

THE MUSIC, THE DANCE

Paniyiri is famous for non-stop dance and music. This year witness the Bouzouki Spectacular (when), when 10 Bouzouki players perform together in a first on Australian soil. Experience hours of Greek entertainment including The Hellenic Dancers, Aegean Groove, DJ Kossi, Herc & Xena and more all weekend. Festival-goers can burn off the Haloumi and Honey Puffs at Trella: The Official Paniyiri After Party with sounds from Brisbane’s own DJ Kossi and more at The Greek Club on Sunday May 20 from 8pm. Tickets available for $25 at the door

GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ST GEORGE

Explore the history and mystique of the renowned South Brisbane Church with guided tours on Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20.

CULTURAL LECTURES

Delve into the past with a feast of knowledge delivered through a series of lectures by a number of interesting speakers from the University of Queensland in the Greek Club’s Acropolis Room on Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20.

HONEY PUFF & OLIVE EATING COMPETITIONS

Devour your way through countless juicy Greek olives or treat your sweet tooth to mountains of mouth-watering Honey Puffs all day Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20. Heats for both the competitions will take place on the Channel Seven stage, with the finals on the Coffee Club Stage in Musgrave Park.

SIDESHOW ALLEY

Plan a detour down Musgrave Park’s vibrant Sideshow Alley to find a host of amusement rides and games for the young, and young at heart, all day Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20 at Musgrave Park.

KID’S ZONE

Get creative in the Kid’s Zone with mural painting, art and craft, storytelling and face painting on Saturday May 19 from 1pm until 4.00pm and on Sunday May 20 from 11.00am until 4.00pm. Barn Yard Babies will also keep the little ones entertained as they pet, play and have their photo taken in the gorgeous animal nursery.

FIREWORKS

Sample Greek sweets while watching the spectacular fireworks display explode across the skies of South Brisbane on Saturday May 19 from 8:45pm and Sunday May 20 from 7pm.

FASHION – Friday May 18

Brisbane’s most fashionable set will officially kick off Paniyiri Greek Festival with a flurry of ruffles, colour and Grecian glamour. Working their way down the catwalk,  Greek-Australian models will showcase celebrated Greek designers and retailers plus seasons trends  from Westfield Chermside including the crowd favourite children’s segment. Bazaar Market Stalls staring Hellenic retailers and a complimentary Revlon Booth for guests will help keep faces and wardrobes glowing all night! Tickets are $20 through the Greek Club (3844 1236) or on the door on the night.

Paniyiri is Queensland’s signature celebration of all things Greek. Paniyiri is a community initiative of the 25,000-strong Greek community of South East Queensland. Funds raised are channeled back into the community via the Greek Orthodox Community of St George, Brisbane’s oldest Greek community established in the 1920s.

Paniyiri 2012 Fast Facts

                         Saturday May 19 & Sunday May 20, 2012

                     From 12noon on Saturday and 10am on Sunday

               Musgrave Park & The Greek Club, Edmondstone St, South Brisbane

 $10 Adults (13+), $2 Aged Pensioners, Children free

      www.paniyiri.com or 07 3844 1166

Check out this Queensland Weekender story (remember this year’s dates are this weekend, 18th – 21st May)! And enjoy again, my favourite “zorba” of all time!

Wonderland, Gremlins & It Plays to Move

Anywhere Theatre Festival 2012

Saturday 12th May

Experienced by Kathryn Rose

Ever heard of a plane being piloted by a loaf of bread – with Gremlins as cabin crew?  Or a play being directed by someone who has never laid eyes on the script?  These are just a few of the bizarre circumstances you could find yourself in during the Anywhere Theatre Festival.

I first heard about this concept when my gorgeous boy, Matt, attended the TEDxBrisbane event in October last year.  He forwarded a recording of a presentation by Paul Osuch talking about the Anywhere Theatre Festival and its aims.

The main objective is to encourage, and provide opportunities for, more people to experience live performances in places other than the traditional theatre complex.  Artists pay to register their act and have it promoted on the Anywhere Theatre website, then get to pocket all the proceeds, thereby cutting out the middleman and hopefully channelling more remuneration to the actual performers.

Matt and I started our Anywhere Theatre experience on Saturday in Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall with Wonderland, a cirque-type act with a group of very talented young people. This free performance was very much appreciated by the large group of shoppers who stopped to have a look.

From there it was off to a very different venue in Auchenflower – the lounge room of Mark Theodossiou, an actor, producer and director from Australian Actors Network.  Due to circumstances beyond their control, Matt and I were the only audience members for that session.  But the show must go on (and we’d paid our $22!), so Mark and Michelle explained the concept of their performance.  We were offered the choice of four two-hander scripts and asked to choose the style and direction of delivery we wanted from our actors.  We had to nominate which actor would play each role and the emotion or motivational features we wanted from the characters.  We had a lot of fun watching Mark’s character, Linus, being besotted with the recorded voice on Linus’ mobile phone in Ma Belle. For the second selection I asked them to perform the play, Jammed, conventionally first then we mixed it up with some challenges for our capable actors. At the end, both actors said they really enjoyed my direction (I bet they say that to ALL the girls!).

After a leisurely dinner at Southbank, we continued our adventure and headed to a rather seedy part of Woolloongabba, where The Gremlins were performing.  The ‘venue’ was an enclosed area at the front of the Reverse Garbage warehouse, with a motley assortment of chairs arranged in rows.  We handed over our $12 each and collected our ‘boarding passes’ for the inaugural flight of the Gromlot family’s new budget airline. At 7pm we were all ushered into our barely-half-completed plane where our hosts proceeded to entertain us with pure escapist, joyful nonsense that had us rolling around laughing.  Because Matt had previously seen The Gremlins perform at Woodford, he had high expectations – and they definitely didn’t disappoint.

The Anywhere Theatre Festival is a wonderful mixture of random, artistic and highly-creative acts that is sure to catch on further around the world.  Let’s hope the Sunny Coast embraces this concept as well; the possibilities are endless!

Ed’s note: See the final performance of EPIPHANY by 2Muse Productions on Saturday 19th at 5pm at the Sunshine Coast School of Photography, Yandina.

Featuring Korean performance artists, well-known to Brisbane indie audiences, Younghee Park and Pak Hoyoung, with Mary Eggleston and seven young Sunshine Coast actors, this is a re-imagining of the production we saw last year. With funding to support the community development goals and the time to explore a few brand new plot points, it’s a very different show and well worth a (second) look. Incorporating effective AV elements (Sue Davis, Judy Barrass, Julia Dawson & James Muller), an evocative soundscape (Eggleston & Bruce Hamilton) and live musical accompaniment by popular Sunshine Coast entertainer, Simon Russell-Baker, EPIPHANY is a fine example of what an independent company can do with limited resources and limitless imagination, blurring the lines between training and entertaining and providing opportunities for young artists to develop their craft alongside professional performers without having to leave the beautiful Sunshine Coast!

EPIPHANY is a whimsical, magical, fantastical tale, which you’ll relate to if you’ve ever wished you could escape your current reality. Escape once more on Saturday 19th May. 

Edythe Brooke Cooper Playwriting Competition

UPDATE:

Congratulations to all involved in staging Sharon Durley’s Pieces

Best Actor (Harry Bayliss)

Best Actor (Susie Pritchard)

Best Director (Paul barrs)

Best Play

 

Congrats also to David Coleman and co

winner of the Audience Choice Award for Sue Sewell’s Once Bitten

 

The 3 winning one-act plays, from the inaugural 
Edythe Brook Cooper playwriting competition.


Thicker Than Water  a drama by Neil Ronald Anderson from Victoria, Directed by Jacqui Mata Luque, Once Bitten a light drama by Sue Sewell from Buderim, Directed by David Coleman, Pieces  a drama by Sharyn Anne Durley from Dayboro, Directed by Paul Barrs.
 Three stories that explore life’s questions of love, aging, death, duty and family.

Edythe Brook Cooper Playwriting Competition

BATS Inc.

Buderim Memorial Hall

12^th May – 18^th May

Thicker Than Water

By Neil Anderson

Directed by Mary Newton

“Geez!” There’s some stilted dialogue and deliberate gesture in this, the first of the three finalists in the Edythe Brook Cooper Playwriting Competition; it’s the declamatory style that comes from inexperience. Unfortunately, the overall effect was unnatural communication between the characters. Projection was a problem for the boys playing the two sons (Alex Tillack and Dominic Morley) but we have to remember that, in this space, like so many community halls used as theatres, the sound gets a little lost in spaaaaace!

More specifically though, actors need to work on voices that come from intent and not just from their knowledge of the lines. Who is it you’re speaking to? What does that person mean to you? What are you communicating to them (this is not always just what you’re saying!)? Who is working with new performers on this?!

The clipped consonants coming from the boys sound super polite and normally I love a bit of good, clear enunciation but this time it doesn’t fit, particularly when their father, Ross (Michael Parlato) grimaces and mumbles much of the time. He’s perfectly typically Australian and we miss a lot of what he’s saying. I felt similarly about his performance in Bruce Olive’s award-winning play, A Knock at the Door. I’d like to see Parlato loosen up next time. This might help the less experienced actors to connect with him. We needed a slightly stronger connection between he and PJ Grabbe’s character, the girlfriend, Ruth. Has she been told to turn away from him? Her posturing seems diametrically opposed to what she wants to do in the scene, which is to make him stay for the night. PJ has some good, natural reactions and we warm to him as he warms to her.

It’s interesting staging, seating the couple – Parlato and Elisa Sanchez – at the table in the restaurant without facing each other. Sitting facing the audience looked (and must have felt) completely unnatural. At this point, PJ makes a cameo appearance in a Pretty Woman style wig! Her role in this scene, in addition to that of Wendy Marks as the waitress, who recognises Greg from the newspaper, is redundant. While Sanchez gives a lovely, sweet performance, she also demonstrates the rookie error that we have seen from everybody else in this cast: she suddenly breaks away from Parlato’s embrace and directly addresses the audience. “Hey! What are we going to tell our friends and relatives?!” These two seem to want to linger together but may have been told to do otherwise. There is no chance in the scene to explore that renewed relationship and the intimacy and sexual attraction that sparks it, even though it’s there in the lines. It seems a shame not to go there.

In terms of the writing, there’s a little too much exposition, leaving nothing to the audience’s imagination. Bryce Courtney says don’t explain or describe everything. I remember hearing Courtney explain a writing exercise, which he gives to his new students. They are instructed to write, “It was a beautiful morning in Africa.” And that’s all. Readers have their own version or vision of “a beautiful morning in Africa”. It’s a good lesson for playwrights.

Once Bitten

By Sue Sewell

Directed by David Coleman

Once Bitten is the one comedy of the three finalists. This staging is better, more balanced, than the first and the company appears to be better rehearsed (or more relaxed). The lines flow more easily, making it easy for us to enjoy the pace and humour of the piece. Director, David Coleman, shows genuine trust in his actors by allowing them time in each scene to listen to each other and respond in a natural manner.

Pamela Burchall is a joy to watch; her take on the main character, Pixie, is delightful and she’s very natural and comfortable in the role. On opening night we listened patiently while she stumbled through a lengthy monologue, which gradually revealed the events leading to the death of her husband but I’m sure this won’t happen again. Overall, Burchall offers an endearing and amusing performance, her attitude towards each of her daughters giving us a glimpse into the differing relationships and keeping it real when the premise, which I won’t give away, is really, superbly over-the-top and ridiculous. She says to her daughter, “I’m sixty, Abbie, what does life hold for me?” which sets up the lovely notion that, despite the jeers and judgments of others, when it comes to improvising a bucket list, anything is possible.

There is terrific sibling rivalry at play and a great connection between the daughters (Kathryn Barnes and Megan Mackander). Lee, played by Mackander is a fabulous force once she settles and audiences will enjoy her brash performance very much as her cynical and rapidly fired one-liners provide much of the comedy. Again there appears to be a little out-front delivery from a couple of cast members. Is this deliberate? Is there some fear that we will miss a gag? Whatever happened to the fourth wall?!

Sue Sewell’s plot unravels nicely, offering us, like a pass the parcel, one surprise after another. The audience thoroughly enjoys it.

Oliver Osborne, who plays Harry, is the youngest cast member in the season and he does an excellent job. He is just enough and some of the adults can learn from his self-assurance, focus and stillness on stage. He is certainly one to watch.

A different play would have ended with “I’m ready…” (When you see it you’ll see what I mean). Of course there is a twist, though and it’s a good one, however, as previously mentioned, it was hard work on opening night to get there! Luckily for Burchall (and the playwright), she finishes strongly, delivering the punch line with aplomb!

This play is likely to be the audience favourite.

Pieces

By Sharyn Durley

Directed by Paul Barrs

The final play in the program is Sharyn Durley’s Pieces, directed by Paul Barrs. It has the Paul Barrs stamp on it and that’s not a bad thing. It works.

An interesting opening, a young soldier, Tim (Harry Bayliss) visits Nan (n.b. not his nan) in her home, which we know from the program to be an “assisted care” facility. A nurse visits her from time to time, you know, to make sure she’s still there and kicking. Nan, played by Susie Pritchard, is sharp of tongue and terribly cynical. Her dry humour should be funnier. I guess we all know old people like that…old people who should be funnier. The staging is mostly static and it mostly works. Good listening, Bayliss.

A nice relationship develops between the two and as Nan procrastinates, not wanting to complete her jigsaw puzzle, the performers work hard building and defusing tension to give us a rather complicated story.

Newcomer, Virginia Moriones, as Nurse Patricia, is simply gorgeous. From Spain, she has an accent we love to hear and her delivery is clear enough. Moriones’ energy is the kind we need to see more of in Sunshine Coast community theatre; she glows. We also see some nice work from another newcomer, Alys Gwillim (young Nan), who shows sensitivity as well as a sense of drama in the role.

Don’t leave before casting your vote for the Audience Choice Award!

Reading Panel: Ian Austin, Glenda Connors and Peta Beattie

Performance Adjudicator: Keith Souter

Season concludes May 19^th 2012. Book online.

theatre anywhere!

Between 10 – 19 May you’ll find new plays in alleys, puppets in bars, cabaret in warehouses, comedy in your home and office and performances you can be a part of online from Texas to London, Hamilton to Toowoomba.

Anywhere Theatre Festival is the brainchild of husband and wife power couple Paul Osuch and Alexandra McTavish. They’re pretty humble about conceptualising, developing and continuing to run the whole thing so when you see them around – anywhere but in a theatre for the ten days between the 10th and the 19th of May – please congratulate them and give them big hugs and a whole heap of love!

N.B. Some shows are already SOLD OUT!

What will you be seeing anywhere but in a theatre???

In the tradition of murder-balladeer Nick Cave, the femme fatales of Babushka invite you into their bloody nightmare to indulge in dark tales of murderous passion, sinister sirens and the infinite beauty of death in the debut season of Where the Wild Roses Grow.
Late night Cabaret at its finest.
DATES: Thu 10th & Sat 12th @ 9:30pm
PLACE: 275 Macarthur Avenue, Hamilton Reach

A family of Gremlins has taken residence in Brisbane. Roxoff, Mofball & Botolf Gromlot are trying to launch their new budget airline and fulfill their dream of flying. Tickets sales are going well, and their maiden voyage is due to take off shortly. There is only one problem….they haven’t built the plane yet.
DATES: Thu 10th to Sat 12th @ 7:00pm & Thu 17th to Sat 19th @ 7:00pm
PLACE: Reverse Garbage, 20 Burke St, Woolloongabba

As a collective the cast and the directors have come up with a collage of 5 scenes exploring life on the brink; public transport, romance, hospital drama and misadventure. 3 Windows will be an excellent opportunity to see Cinematic Theatre for and by Young People at it’s most vivid and vibrant… don’t miss it.
DATES: Fri 11th & Sat 12th @ 7:30pm
PLACE: 37 Manilla St, East Brisbane

Set in the heart of Fortitude Valley, four playwrights turn a dirty alleyway into the legends of nights out – where drunken youth roam free and the pavement becomes a stained and silent tapestry of history.
DATES: Mon 14th & Tues 15th @ 7:00pm ONLY
PLACE: Winn Lane, Fortitude Valley, 4005

 

10 Really Fast Festival Facts

 

1. Brisbane does it first
The 2012 Anywhere Theatre Festival is the only fringe festival in the world for performance anywhere but a theatre.

2. Already the biggest performance festival in Brisbane
The 2012 Anywhere Theatre Festival has over 50 productions and 200 performances already confirmed meaning it has more productions and performances than Brisbane Festival.

3. Attracting interstate and international
The 2012 Anywhere Theatre Festival features 6 companies from the U.K., Two from the U.S., one from New Zealand, Tunisia and France.

4. Brisbane proves it has a depth of untapped talent
Recognised companies such as Queensland Theatre Company and Circa Presents mix with independent and up and coming companies.

5. A theatre festival with performances on Twitter
A mix of international and local performances from streamed international performances to interactive augmented realities.

6. A Brisbane festival from the Sunshine Coast to Perth
Performance locations range from the Sunshine Coast down to the Gold Coast and across to Perth.

7. A two person volunteer team producing the biggest festival in Brisbane 
The festival is organised by a core husband and wife team over evenings and weekends with financial contribution from Arts Queensland.

8. Theatre Anywhere – even in your house
This year theatre anywhere will be taken to the extreme with performances you can book to come to your home or office! Other performances happening in elevators, parks, city cats (tbc).

9. A Brisbane idea to the world
The purpose is to bring fringe festival to everyone, especially to places with a lack of theatres. We are already discussing how the festival can move to regional centres and other states.

10. International institutions want to know how we do it!
Since the 2011 festival we have been asked to advise on how to do theatre anywhere and have an invitation from the Milan Commissioner of Culture to talk as they prepare for their 2015 Universal Expo.

Apocastrip WOW!

Apocastrip Wow!

Judith Wright Centre

Saturday 3^rd March

Reviewed by Mel White

I have a confession to make.

I sent this review to Xanthe a little late.  Actually, it was very late but at no point was this intentional.  If I can be perfectly honest with you here, it was because of this:  I just didn’t know where to start.

This is by no means due to a lack of experience in writing reviews; as a Secondary Drama teacher, I see my fair share of shows and I have drafted, marked and even written too many reviews than I care to think about.  No, I didn’t have the faintest idea where to start because – and here’s some brutal honesty – it took me a long time to decide how I felt about this show overall.  And since I’m laying down all the cards here, I’ll go one further and say this:  I STILL don’t know how I feel about this show in an overall context. Of course, I have feelings towards every item that forms this unique showcase, and I intend to share them here, but to form an overall opinion?  Well, I’m yet to partake in that delight.  So with that in mind, allow me to share my conflicting opinions…

Writer/Performers Mat Fraser (aka The Freak) and Julie Atlas Muz (aka The Showgirl) have created a performance that is, by their own admission, “the best send-off show for the end of the world”.  Operating under the premise that the apocalypse is coming in 2012, Apocostrip Wow attempts to validate its existence by suggesting that we should “go crazy and do anything we want”, since we are in our last year of the world as we know it.  Indeed, Fraser and Muz lead by example in what can only be described as a roughly hewn showcase of poor taste.

The show begins with a flurry of fast paced (and, subsequently, incomprehensible) voiceovers, roaming spotlights and a dancing entry from Fraser and Muz, which more resembled a pair of drunks walking home after a big night at the pub.  Much to my chagrin, this kind of talentless choreography would appear frequently throughout the show, serving as a linking device between acts; a very underwhelming linking device at that.

From this point, for a good proportion of the show, the 2 performers mostly alternate in appearance:  he to intrigue the audience with his considerable skills that hinge on his disability, she to perform her stunning strips.  Being a thalidomide baby, Fraser, who performs under the stage name “Sealboy”, is affected with phocomelia, leaving him with arms that resemble seal limbs.  Whilst it is certainly fascinating to witness the many skills Fraser has acquired over the years (the way in which he shaves his face was a highlight), it is his singing that truly deserves applause.  Throughout the show, Fraser is continually upfront about his disability, frequently resorting to humour and fact recitation in order to alleviate potential awkwardness about his physical appearance.  Whilst this is initially intriguing, it also gets old very fast and this leads to, in my opinion, the show’s undoing.

Towards the end though, the sprouting of factual evidence gives way to audience interaction and this always forces you to take notice as, if you’re like me, you’re hoping like hell they don’t pick you.  As it turns out, I’m rather thankful that I wasn’t plucked from the raucous audience, as audience involvement has never been more lunatic than what ensued.  Six audience members are firstly asked to bare their rear ends and two are then chosen as the best “asses”.  These two audience members then engage in a beer drinking game set around the need to have virtual beer sex in a hostage situation.

After the audience interaction madness dies down, Muz commences a nude interpretative dance, complete with child-like slip ‘n’ slides across the stage whilst Fraser sings ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’.  It was at this point that I began to accept the madness for what it was and I found myself simply taking joy in the stupidity.

Getting naked for naked’s sake doesn’t really appeal to me and this is what I found Apocostrip Wow to be:  just an excuse to get naked with no real reason behind it.  I’m certainly not a prude – I did enjoy some moments within this chaotic display of “talent” – but overall, I still feel mixed emotions about the impending doom that is Apocostrip Wow.

Vicious Salon: stillness

Meredith McLean went along last week to check out heartBeast’s latest initiative:

Vicious Salon

“In the theatre there should be neither naturalism nor realism, but fantastic realism. Rightly found theatrical methods impart genuine life to the play upon the stage. The methods can be learned, but the form must be created. It has to be convinced by one’s fantasy. That is why I call it fantastic realism. Such a form exists and should exist in every art.”

Evgheny Vakhtangov, Theatre Director

There’s a push of new force happening in the Trinity Hall on Church Street. Some fuel this push with a simmering passion while others nurture it like a mother over-seeing her young. Vicious Salon is the result of the sinews and limbs that make up the body of heartBeast, the not-for-profit theatre ensemble in Brisbane.

A very excited Michael Beh, director and core member of heartBeast’s vicious faction, greeted me. He made me excited to be seeing the reading of Even Stillness Breathes Softly Against a Brick Wall. The performance had the effect I was hoping for. It commanded me to sit on the edge of my seat watching two actors, Anna O’Hara and Peter Crees, fall into chaos on stage. But they wouldn’t be in this void of stability if it weren’t for the playwriting of Brad Birch.

Birch’s script examines office culture, love and madness. The language is honest often times leaving me feel like the words were taken from my mouth. There were volleys of the C word which some of the audience confessed to disliking while others accepted it. I have sworn on my part not to use the “R word” (Meaning review, but don’t repeat it!). This isn’t an “R Word” for a very particular reason. Because at the heart of Vicious Salon no matter how vicious the words are from actors and writers mouths the performance is not a finite piece to be graded. It is an exploration of someone’s creation where both actor and audience alike can learn.

The name it self refuses all misgivings. Michael explained to me it was a comment on life. “Life is vicious. A kiss can be vicious. A tear falling down a cheek can be vicious. A smile can be vicious. The trickle of water in a stream can be vicious.” It’s an observation I’m sure many can relate to. In contrast to this poetic examination of the modern, “salon” comes from a deep root of theatre in history. Nothing like the “hair salon” middle aged ladies in their graying stages may refer to but salons in the 17^th and 18^th centuries when people would gather to laugh, learn and refine their craft in theatre. This clash of modern and historic all pools together for a warm-hearted night of discussion in the shadowy hall on Church Street.

Enjoying bruschetta and white wine I started to feel almost philosophical as we gathered in a circle to pick at and pull apart Birch’s work. The minimalism of the performance had many haunting analogies. Using the shadows as a backdrop and tumbling pages of the script on the floor to set the scene the theme of analysis rather than sell-out performances was evident. Many people forming the circle would have gone home satisfied with this deeper connection to a play while others gravely looked onto the social implications at hand.

Greg Goriss, the production manager associated with heartBeast, made clear he was not blind to the state of theatre around him. He questions the Queensland government’s default “You have QPAC, what more do you want?” response towards the theatre community’s concerns. But QPAC doesn’t offer this more honest level of communication between theatre-goers and the actors. For some this idea of speaking in depth with those involved in a performance over drinks and snacks is an alien concept. Goriss reminded me there is a difference between community theatre and underground theatre, and that underground theatre needs more attention than it is receiving at this time.

Undoubtedly this is true which is why I was delighted to see what Vicious Salon was achieving. Both Peter Crees, a co-founder of the project, and Anna O’Hara who had come aboard last year beamed as they put in plain words what it was the salon sessions accomplish. O’Hara reveled in her previous work with Michael Beh quoting a prior performance she had done as “a collaboration between Michael and Shakespeare”. The ways, in which Vicious Salon and heartBeast for that matter function, is to nurture someone’s craft. Especially for actors fresh out of any acting schooling she explained.  Michael Beh agreed, “We’re trying to build our little theatre family, and were happy to take in new people.”

This concept blossomed a few years ago when Beh found himself in a teacher position above Peter Crees as the student. I easily recognized Peter’s talent to revolve and capture the space of a stage and Michael must have seen it as well because soon their collaboration became a project, and that project became heartBeast. The company has done many shows ranging from contemporary like A Beautiful Frankenstein to an upcoming historical recount in the Anywhere Festival called Mother Country.

Brad Birch’s work also demonstrates a diverse but artistic choice in the company’s line up of performances. Based in Wales he has the caliber of a Writer in Residence position at Undeb Theatre as well as many prestigious commissions and programmes to his name. The blends of things such as the archaic and modern, well written but still budding, observant yet creative all link in with the purpose of Vicious Salon.

More of these Vicious Salon events have been lined up for June, July, August and September so far. Hopefully many more of these will follow, and I will be one in a crowd of those attending.