Knee Deep

Knee Deep

Casus

Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Art

2nd – 9th June 2012

Reviewed by Michelle Bull

Earlier this year I saw a little taster performance of Casus’s Knee Deep at an Adelaide Fringe Festival event and since that moment I have been waiting impatiently for it to come home to Brisbane so I might see the whole show. Well the moment came last night and it was everything I’d hoped it would be.

Comprising of performers from Circa, Polytoxic and The Flying Fruit-Fly Circus; Casus is Jessie Scott, Natano Fa’anana, Emma Serjeant and Lachlan McAulay. Together these dynamic young performers create the embodiment of contemporary circus performance as they combine their outstanding individual talents with a strong sense of ensemble and a childlike sense of play.

Complemented by live projection, onstage cameras and a killer musical score, the performers communicated each movement with sensitivity, tenderness and raw skill, making for a captivating performance that explored and challenged the capabilities of the human body.

Off the back of seeing productions that relied heavily on words and sound to communicate, Knee Deep was a slap in the face as to how much can be said through physical language, as the exploration and discovery of each performers strengths and limitations had the audience gasping and applauding simultaneously.

Communicating ideas of freedom, release, relationships, trust, grace, power, strength and comedy, in Knee Deep circus tricks became more than an execution of technical skill, they seemed to take on a voice of their own, as the performers played with tempo, energy and colour to create shapes and lines evoking pin-dropping silences and emotional responses from the audience.

Using silks and trapeze to create lines and shapes that could only be described as dangerously elegant, the fluidity and softness of each performer showed no sign of strain or the inherent strength required, instead they exuded a gracefulness and ease that was astounding. The minimalistic set and tastefully basic yet effective use of lighting was the perfect accompaniment this, adding mood to the responsive and stripped back nature of the production. Lighting was also used as an active element of the performance as Casus incorporated its effects to add dimension and depth to the artistic visual; suspended shapes highlighted as their shadow stretched far beyond the physical.

The use of eggs as a reoccurring theme throughout the production added emphasis and an element of danger, as well as acting as inspiration for a chuckle or two when Serjeant appears with a hammer!

Small slivers of narrative helped to create context, but were secondary to the exceptional onstage relationships between the performers, whose seamless transitions, strong physical communication and combined explorations were a lesson in stagecraft no matter what your discipline.

I urge everyone to go and see this show. Travelling far beyond mere strength and entertaining tricks, Casus’ Knee Deep is contemporary circus art at it’s finest.

Book your tickets because the buzz surrounding this show is sure to mean a sellout season!

Elizabeth, almost by chance a woman

Elizabeth, almost by chance a woman

Queensland Theatre Company & QPAC

Brisbane Powerhouse

26^th May – 24^th June 2012

How strange, to pit the fragility and reality of a fascinating woman against a comedic mashup that distracts and detracts from the fragility and reality of the woman!

Nobel Prize winning playwright, Dario Fo, has done just that with Elizabeth, almost by chance a woman and Director, Wesley Enoch, has had a field day with it. Freely adapted and translated by Luke Deverish and Louise Fox (who were commissioned by Malthouse Theatre for their production at the Merlyn in 2010), this version is updated and localised to an even greater degree by the most vocal and forward thinking Artistic Director our state theatre company has seen. A champion for local audiences as much as for local artists, Enoch has glued together so many different elements in staging this outrageous production that there is surely something for everyone.

Bawdy comedy and ludicrous antics fill the guts of what would otherwise be a pale, skinny corpse of a drama. I’m not a Fo fan, however, I marvel at the cunning way so many political entrails are unmercifully tossed at us throughout his plays.  (And I do love a bit of commedia dell’arte, some good old slapstick and bold, brash, silly comedy from time to time!).

Despite comedic influences ranging from farce to pantomime to commedia to slapstick (Scott Witt, as Clowning/Slapstick Consultant, has a hand in this and Enoch’s Bonzani troupe experience is obvious), the work avoids getting stuck in any one form for long. It remains unboxed, resisting packaging or prettying up. (It IS pretty, though, thanks to Simone Romaniuk’s sumptuous design; the lavish costumes and simple set are magnificent). It is what it is and we either love it or hate it. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it either. My first thought was that the show begs a stricter hand…one to pull it back a little. A fabulous and fun rehearsal strategy, we often let the actors take things as far as they are willing to go. It’s sometimes a challenge to put a stop to it and ask that they back off a little. Indeed, you may well ask, “WHY?” when what is happening on stage is clearly working for the vast majority of the audience. I suspect that the question more often asked in the rehearsal studio was, “WHY NOT?” When you see this show you might be convinced that the lewdness and bawdy humour is at precisely the right level, if not slightly underdone! For me, it is too many things at once and often just too, too, too OTT. But look, it’s mostly hilarious and I laughed a LOT.

The updated political gags are quick, witty and localised, thanks to the free reign given any company with the rights for this show; Fo wouldn’t have it any other way. His political theatre is continuously evolving, challenging and inspiring public thought and action. These local references will have you chortling (or wondering what everybody else finds so amusing, depending on your knowledge and understanding of current affairs of state). Well, we do love a “CAN DO” moment at the moment, don’t we?!

Updating a theatrical work is a bit like creating your own promotional images, inspired by the originals, in order to publicise your show, or the liberty taken by anybody ever, when re-writing I’ve Got a Little List for The Mikado. It’s absolutely intended and indeed, it’s necessary, to keep the content fresh, accurate and relevant. In his Director’s Note, Enoch explains, “Dario Fo believes in engaging in the world and allows the artists involved to improvise and modify the scripts to reflect their socio-political environments.”

Enoch has assembled intelligent actors who love to play. There is a real sense of it and along with the obvious camaraderie; this sense of play will keep the show fresh as a daisy up to and including closing night. I often wonder what a show will be like by the end of its run and if I had the time, this is certainly a show I’d like to see again. It feels like it’s ever changing and almost as if it’s not quite ready for us but, hell, we’ll let you see it anyway. And that’s okay. That’s part of the fun, as if we’d been let into the rehearsal space for a glimpse of how a great story gets put together.

Eugene Gilfedder plays William Shakespeare, who is plotting to kill the queen (and stealing episodes from her life for use in his own plays) and also the fantastic character of Grosslady, which he pwns. PWNS. He is absolutely hysterical in his women’s garb, with his high-heeled gait and that’s before he even utters a word of witty Tranny Speak/Drag Slang, which will have you either in tears of laughter or wide-eyed and quietly, concernedly murmuring to the person next to you, “Whaaaaat the…? What did he say?”

Jason Klarwein plays Elizabeth’s Chief of Police, Egerton, who really does plot to kill Elizabeth, as she desperately, obsessively waits for her lover, the Earl of Essex to arrive. The Virgin Queen? We don’t think so (Dash Kruck’s bare bum soon puts that theory to rest!). Egerton’s news bulletins especially, are brilliant. So slickly delivered on opening night were they that each time Klarwein asked the company whether or not they wanted to hear the report all over again, I wanted to shout in opposition to them, “YES!” His multiple costume changes are baffling though and you just might get a joke that I missed.

The production benefits enormously, as productions do in this town, by having Musical Director, John Rodgers involved. His animated accompaniment is as if we’re sitting in a silent movie theatre, with the movie brought to life before us. Dash Kruck (Thomas, the often ignored and abused Fool) can sing so he does. Although it makes little sense to me to have the songs in the show at all (in the original Malthouse Theatre production they were perhaps better contextualised, rewritten as Elizabethan madrigals), Kruck delivers them well – a little too well for the character – and gives us a reminder of what to expect next from him (no, not necessarily more nudity), as he heads to Sydney soon for a highly anticipated production of the hit Broadway musical, Next to Normal, at the Capital Theatre. I would also like to have heard Kruck’s rendition, from beyond the grave, of The Neverending Story theme song.

But that’s just me.

After only six days of rehearsing with the company in the role of Martha, Sarah Kennedy does her best and it is just enough. She can’t possibly compete with Klarwein and Gilfedder, who have clearly been given a license to party like it’s 1999. At times their relentless antics, like a Battle Round on The Voice, draw attention away from the fragility of the woman whose story it is. Martha brings the focus back to her poor, paranoid mistress each and every time with perfect grace and good humour.

Carol Burns is an absolute treasure and as the aging queen, suffering from paranoia and sleeplessness in the last days of her life, and with the boys club of Gilfedder, Klarwein and Kruck on stage, she holds her own, bounding around the room with her skirts held high and riding atop a giant wooden rocking horse, which Klarwein later sees from a slightly, err, lower perspective (it’s one of the funniest moments in the play). Hers is a highly physical role but Burns impresses most in her final moments, as the frail, brain-addled, heartbroken woman who was Queen. Romaniuk’s imposing quilted white walls and David Walters’ stark white lighting give us the sense that this is indeed – finally – the peaceful end to a mad life. With all the action having happened in Elizabeth’s head, we easily feel empathy for her; a woman who would really probably have preferred, more often than not, to be just a woman, without the royal obligations. This is the magic of Fo’s form, finally revealing once and for all, the humanity of his subject, regardless of class, creed or colour. I found Burns’ performance incredibly moving and I was disappointed that Fo felt the need to bring back his Will Shakespeare character, like Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream or the Prince in Romeo and Juliet, to close the show. Depicting an ailing, confused queen, her behaviour and emotions moving erratically between polar ends of the spectrum for the duration of the play, Burns delivers what might be the performance of her lifetime and I feel like she should have the final light.

Irrespective of its bad language (remember, this show came with a warning!), and its lewdness, this show is not so shocking or offensive that you can’t take your mum or your sister to see it. I took mine (my sister, that is; my mum is gallivanting around Europe). In fact, I think you could safely take your grandmother too!

Elizabeth, almost by chance a woman is zany, bawdy comedy at its most playful and you’ll either love it or hate it but you must see it to know which it is! Enjoy!

Tonight! Elizabeth, almost by chance a woman…

Opening officially tonight, for a four-week season at the Brisbane Powerhouse, Queensland Theatre Company presents a new translation from Nobel prize-winning Italian playwright Dario Fo, of the fabulous monstrosity which is Elizabeth, almost by chance a woman starring Carol Burns in the lead.

This is not the Elizabeth I as you think you know her – pure with virginity, loved by the people and mythic mother to the nation… instead you are invited, by Her Majesty’s appointment, to a right royal arse-kicking.

An ailing Elizabeth clings desperately to her throne and her sanity. She hasn’t slept for 11 days and to make matters worse, her love, The Earl of Sussex, is busy in an attempted coup d’état against her.  There are boob lifts and leech-o-suctions, ripping bodices, hearts held in treacherous hands, assassination attempts and constant conspiracies. Elizabeth suspects everyone is out to get her, even William Shakespeare, who in her mind, seems to be basing all of his plays on her life. And then there’s that ghost of her beheaded cousin Mary Stuart. It’s not easy being Queen.

Inspired by historical accounts, and drawing on all the energy and spirit of original commedia dell’arte, ‘historical factionalist’ and Master Italian playwright Dario Fo has created an Elizabeth of our nightmares – pompous, potty mouthed, paranoid and certainly no virgin!

Wesley Enoch, QTC Artistic Director, and Director of this comic gem, says Nobel Prize Winner Dario Fo has drawn on the spirit and spontaneity of original 16^th century commedia dell’arte, to offer up a modern stage masterpiece. His works are often translated into other languages with a local twist, and such is the case in this new adaptation of Elizabeth: almost by chance a woman (1984), by Luke Devenish and Louise Fox for Queensland Theatre Company.“Although the obvious route to take would be to draw on Elizabeth’s ‘accidental’ throning, Dario instead draws on her womanhood as the quirk of fate,” he said. “He paints an all-too-human portrait of Elizabeth, as frightened, flawed, ferociously foul-mouthed, and quite unlike any other version seen of the Virgin Queen.”

Starring Logie award-winning Carol Burns as Elizabeth in her final hours of life, this farcical and yet strangely moving production is at once a gloriously wicked satire on the insanities of power, and a paean to human mortality. Its equal parts a bawdy burlesque, riotous nosethumbing of authority, and a surprisingly touching insight into the challenges of womanhood.

Warning: there is some incredibly naughty language in this production - 52 f***s and 4 c***s

Elizabeth – almost by chance a woman

by Dario Fo

26 May – 24 June

Brisbane Powerhouse

Directed by Wesley Enoch

Featuring Carol Burns, Eugene Gilfedder, Jason Klarwein, Dash Kruck, 

Sarah Kennedy, John Rodgers

Monarch. Maiden. Superfreak.

 BOOK ONLINE

For those who didn’t pay attention at school… 

Elizabeth 1 – her accession to the throne:

-       Elizabeth was born with an older sister, Mary, who was an illegitimate child due to Henry having annulled his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

-       This means Elizabeth is the legitimate heir to the throne at this point…

-       However, when Elizabeth was two years old, Ann Boleyn, her mother, was beheaded, and therefore giving Elizabeth the status of an illegitimate child also.

-       A year later, Henry remarried and produced a male heir, Edward.

-       Edward became King at age nine, after Henry died.

-       Edward died at age 15 – leaving Elizabeth and Mary (his half sisters) out of his will – he excluded them from being able to succeed the crown.

-       He appointed someone else, who soon lost public support.

-       Mary then came along to succeed the crown, with Elizabeth at her side.

-       Mary jailed Elizabeth some time later, for suspicion of supporting Protestant rebels.

-       Mary later died and Elizabeth succeeded the crown.

-       All this before Elizabeth had turned 25, at which age she became Queen!

DARIO FO    

Writer, Actor, Director and living Master of World Theatre          

Dario Fo (1926 -) is a recognised master in world theatre, and is reputedly the most performed living playwright of the last 40 years. His works draw heavily from the Italian commedia dell’arte tradition – a vibrant, improvisational style of theatre popular in the Renaissance, where troupes of actors would travel the country providing free entertainment, relying largely on donations to survive. Their performances would combine instantly recognisable stock characters and familiar storylines with topical additions and local references to add some spice for audiences.

Inspired by the circus and carnivals, his theatre uses slapstick, puns, ridicule and parody to explore social and political issues and to criticize authority of all kinds. Fo’s politics lean decidedly to the left and his works are highly critical of those elements in society who abuse their power: politicians, royalty, the upper class, the church.  In 1997 he famously received the Nobel Prize for Literature for “emulating the jesters of the Middle Ages in scourging authority and upholding the dignity of the downtrodden.”

Outside of his home country of Italy, it is perhaps his 1970 work Accidental Death of an Anarchist which has brought him most recognition. But within Italy, he is best known for his legendary production of Mistero Buffo, in which he also performed, and which enjoyed an astonishing 5000 performances. The play, a satirical take on the medieval mystery plays, once aired on television and was labeled by the Vatican as “the most blasphemous show ever transmitted.”

In keeping with the commedia dell’arte tradition, and with Fo’s approval, his works are often translated into other languages with a modern local twist, and such is the case in this new adaptation of Elizabeth: almost by chance a woman (1984), by Luke Devenish and Louise Fox for Queensland Theatre Company.

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.

The Miser

The Miser

Growl Theatre

Windsor State School Hall

18th – 26th May 2012

Reviewed by Michelle Bull

Last Saturday night, I headed out to see Growl Theatre’s latest production ‘The Miser’ by French playwright Moliere.

With greed being a central theme, it was a rather apt choice of entertainment for the night as I had just swiped the last of my fiancé’s chocolate on my way out the door… a frequent (and rather impolite) habit of mine!

Entering the space and settling myself with a glass of wine, I was immediately drawn to a character I could only assume to be La Flèche (Luke Farrow) wandering across the stage, casually sweeping under the audiences feet and mingling silently with the audience. This immediate intimacy was a welcoming beginning to the play, and one, which I was not expecting given the open aesthetic of the space.

Known widely as a comedy of manners, ‘The Miser’ is typical of Moliere’s character-driven writing. Typically it focuses on the exploitation of a specific attribute, often journeying to the point of the ridiculous to make the point. The Miser focus’s largely on the greed of the protagonist Harpagon, a rich, ill tempered Miser, who values money and wealth more than the welfare of his own children, Elise (Rosanna Brennan) and Clèante (Matthew Seddon). Love is also a reoccurring motive as the children both yearn to run away with their respective lovers, Valère (James Meggitt) and Marianne (Ellen Carseldine). Enter a comical archetypal supporting cast; a stolen casket of gold, and watch the drama unfold.

Staged in Windsor State School Hall, Growl Theatre made the most of a space that, while functional, lacked theatrical atmosphere. The play itself was set in Harpagon’s living room, the stage simply dressed with a focus on functionality. Despite this it managed to evoke a sense of the play’s personality with quirky touches like a stack of books propping up a table leg.

Minimalistic sets always appeal to me, and in this case the choice was obviously fitting to the frugality of the central character, but it also gave the actors the opportunity to make the space come alive without the distraction of an overly- stuffed stage.

I particularly enjoyed the use of the space off stage as an entrance and exit point. I would have loved for some more of the dialogue to have happened from these points to really immerse the audience, as the few times this was done were by far the most engaging moments in the play. Frequently breaking the fourth wall with direct dialogue to the audience is a charming characteristic of this work and one that I felt could have been used to greater effect with some different staging choices.

The cast of The Miser presents this story with a great deal of enthusiasm and dedication to the archetypes that underpin each character. While on the whole the characterization was rather one dimensional, however each performer had a certain charm or skill they bought to the role.

Jason Sharland in the role of Harpagon is tireless in his approach, and performs the role with consistent energy and a clear understanding of the characters motivation. Sharland incorporates a physicality to the role that is reflective of Harpagon’s age and vigor, however I would have liked less of an affect on his vocalization of the role, which at times got in the way of a clear delivery of the text and the credibility of a weighted tone.

Rosanna Brennan in the role of Elise and James Meggitt as her love interest Valère both gave wonderfully natural and well measured performances. Showing a respect for the natural rhythm and shape of the text they are clear in their characterization of the roles although at times Brennan’s lack of vocal projection meant some text became lost. As Valère, Meggitt gave a well-considered performance of the text but tended to rush his delivery. As love interests they had a wonderfully believable chemistry onstage and showed a keen awareness of ensemble.

Matthew Seddon as Clèante exuded a boyish charm in his role and an energy that matched those playing opposite. His portrayal of the character was most effective when it was also embodied physically (another strong offstage moment), as at these points in the play it had a natural rhythm and pace that at other times seemed artificial.

Clèante’s love interest Marianne, played by Ellen Carseldine was a standout for me in this production.  With an insightful treatment of the text, this young performer showed a wonderful depth to her characterization, balancing the parameters of the archetype with a sincere interpretation of character.

The other standout performer for me in this production was Luke Farrow in the role of La Flèche. A wonderfully natural performer, he performed with a casual elegance that added weight to his scenes. With an innate sense of comic timing and natural physicality onstage he was utterly believable in a role that he clearly has established ownership over.

Lee St Clair as Anselme, Master Simon and Brindavoine also gave a strong performance, his commanding stage presence aided by some striking costume design (Anne Grant). Likewise Rhiannon Said in the role of matchmaker Frosine, brought an liveliness and enthusiasm to the role that was matched by a clear and strong vocal delivery.

Simon Corvane as Master Jacques and Jude Marko in the roles of La Merluche and the Police Officer also brought comic relief and a sense of joyfulness to their roles, playing the archetypes with a sense of abandon that although perhaps in need of some refinement were a constant source of energy throughout the show.

The Miser is the second offering from new organisation Growl Theatre. An ambitious undertaking, director Nicole Tate succeeds in delivering a play of good dramatic pace and momentum with a cast that give it their all. I look forward to seeing this new organisation continue to grow and evolve.

Biddies

Biddies

CDP Production

QUT Gardens Point Theatre

18^th – 19^th May 2012

Reviewed by Meredith McLean

Friday often comes and goes by me with a comedy of errors. I like to think I’m part of the Age of Awkward. I threw my back out at the gym while trying to look energetic. As night came around I threw on a scarf and hunched over towards the bus. In the city I banged my leg on a bench. Why was that bench even there in the first place? Clearly it is in the way of my path. As I got closer to QUT’s Gardens Point Theatre the chill bit into me and I wrapped my scarf like a shawl. Waddling up the steps with my sore back and hobbled leg I looked like I was part of the show, another in the cast of Biddies.

Biddies lights up to five little old ladies enjoying a good old “stitch and bitch” in their old classroom. Unforeseen circumstances leave them locked in their coop with nothing but their wits to guide them. The most important thing to remember is they are anything but old. There are songs to be sung, dances to be danced and even gossip sessions that have passed decades. Each biddie reveals their triumphs and flaws of the past. The constant theme of “Men: can’t live with them. Can’t live without them,” is something each woman in the audience can’t help but laugh at.

Just because these ladies are still blasé and youthful in their age does not mean the kids can come along too. I started to self-consciously giggle to myself at some of the crude wisecracks coming from these ladies mouths. It wasn’t long before all of the audience cracked up too, casting aside any guilt in something so rude. It’s anything but a serious affair.  But somehow the jokes reminded me these old ladies have stories we can all relate to. Very cheekily calling out ,“Said the actress to the bishop,” at the drop of a suggestive comment. It sent a shiver down my spine, how similar it was to something I might say to friends. The modern adaption being something along the lines of “That’s what she said!” Though I’m a lady, I would never, ever say such a thing…”

Of all the cast two wildly youthful biddies caught my attention. Donna Lee is no stranger to theatre. Every rude comment, every break into song completed with tap dance and spinning parasols; her role as Connie was behind it. She preempted the laughter for me. On the other end of the character scale was Agnes played by Maggie Blinco. She’s a television icon of four generations in her own right. Watching her take on the role of independent spinster Agnes instilled all the wisdom of a powerful woman every young girl dreams of. She needs no man to save her and with just a dash of Sambuca in her coffee she can quip the words of Shakespeare or Wordsworth. She’s the kind of sassy old woman I wouldn’t mind being when I’ve seen decades of change before my eyes.

Admittedly, Biddies was not particularly my cup of tea. I’m not even a tea drinker. I think that’s the problem. I was craving a flat white from Merlos and I got a cup of Earl Grey.  The play indulges a certain frame of humour, very marginalised with not too many surprises. Not to say the play is uneventful. There are certainly some great surprises in the show.

Ultimately these limitations of genre were no chip on my shoulder. I spent the night laughing, as did everyone else in the theatre. It’s one of those light-hearted pieces of writing that leave you feeling strange. Words like pleasant, or splendid and other adjectives I don’t usually utter come to life. Because that’s what this is: a splendid evening with some anything-but-old Biddies.

 

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!

 

The Alleyway Project

 

The Alleyway Project

Cradle Productions & The Alleyway Collective

Winn Lane

14th -15th May 2012

Reviewed by Michelle Bull

FULL. ON. SHOW.

Theatre that pushes boundaries…

“Are you sure this is it?” asked my concerned fiancé, dropping me off in front of a grimy looking laneway in the bowels of the Valley…”

“Yep!” I grinned as I eyed a chalkboard sign crudely pointing down Winn Lane, where a mishmash of people wandered wide-eyed into the darkness…

Kissing him goodbye, I joined those heading to see The Alleyway Project, a new work presented by Cradle Productions & The Alleyway Collective and directed by Kat Henry for the Anywhere Theatre Festival 2012. With stories of love, loss and chaos from Brisbane playwrights Dan Evans, Eloise Maree, Dan Maloney and Maxine Mellor, The Alleyway Project was set to breathe new life into little ol’ Winn Lane; turning it into an eclectic performance space full of possibility.

Upon arrival I was welcomed into the atmospheric little space by costumed alley-cats encouraging me to help myself to the hanging casks of goon suspended from the rafters and pull up a milk crate and cushion for my comfort. Half a cup of Sav Blanc and a few ‘cat-mask-wearing’ happy-snaps later, a commotion started up behind me and the show began.

Entering from the street came a disheveled barefoot reveler; frantic and slightly unhinged, he ambled through the audience befriending some and using the bemused expression of others to play out his hysteria. Searching for his missing loafers and recounting a hectic tale of his boy’s night out we soon learnt that despite his plucky exterior, something was fatally amiss. Stripping down to reveal a bloodstained shirt and gradually unraveling to a sobbing heap before us, the audience was left silent and captivated by the spectacle.

The intimacy of an actor in the same space as their audience is often as problematic as it is effective. Despite a few visual restrictions, in this case, it is used to great effect. The familiarity created between audience and actor fostered much needed empathy for the highly charged emotional journey to follow and although extreme, made it more easily digestible through an authentic and honest performance by the actor.

The next performer made a quiet yet strong entrance. With a wonderful feel for language, this tale of unrequited love and gritty lust was both beautiful and grotesque. I enjoyed the audience connection created particularly by the first actor, whose settled performance also showed respect for the rhythm and shape of words as a vehicle for sincerity. I felt this was not executed as well by the object of his affections, Ren, who whilst presenting a wonderfully courageous performance, was outweighed in this respect by her counterpart.  That being said, she brought a wonderful physicality to the role and showed a commitment to character that made for a believable and truthful performance. It was in this scene however, that visually much was lost, as a rather large number of audience members were unable to see the focused performance space and were therefore disconnected from the story.

As the lights went down on this story of young love, we were ushered onto the staircase and told to pack in tight. Like kids at a school assembly, we perched shoulder to shoulder, as fittingly, a chattering pack of schoolgirls came into view. With bra straps showing and all the bravado of youth, this scene held nothing from the imagination as vulgarity spewed from their pink-chapsticked lips in the form of bullying, racism, sexual escapades and even abuse. While this scene had quite a few lighter moments in its characterisation, in reflection it was probably the most affecting.  There was a gravity that was not overlooked as it hinted at abuse and the ability of pop culture to become a tool for its distribution. All three actors gave strong performances that made no apologies for the sensitivity of the subject matter. I particularly enjoyed the Queen Bee and her interpretation of what was a challenging role. Although at times I found the interpretation a little one-dimensional, her commitment to character and onstage energy was captivating to watch. All in all, the three embodied these overtly sexual school-aged characters in a way that left me stunned and wondering if this was a true representation of the sexualisation of high schools today?

The final part of our Alleyway journey came in the form of a scene that I fear may be more common than not in the Valley on a Saturday night. Emerging from the shadows a vomit-soaked couple, interrupted in their moment of passion schlepped slowly into the space. What followed was an amusing conversation about ‘hooking up’, labels, drugs, promises and eczema, providing light-hearted relief to what had been a heavy journey so far. The actors in this scene had a great chemistry that made their interchanges hilariously raw and dreadfully believable. Embodying the stereotypes to a tee, they navigated their way through chunks of vomit and cheesy pickup lines to a place where common ground was found and the nature of a drunken hook up exposed. While often light-hearted, I felt this scene made interesting comment on the casual nature of relationships and sexual encounters within the club scene, presenting without judgment, the gritty underbelly of this side of social culture. It was a fitting and somewhat gross end to what was an exhausting yet enjoyable journey.

Overall, The Alleyway Project is a lot to chew on. The themes presented are shockingly real and hard to swallow in an intimate setting. This however, is also a huge strength of the show and one that I hope audiences do not shy away from. The actors are to be commended for rising to this challenge, as are the writers and director for their courageous choices. The Alleyway Project engagement with the space was also on the whole, highly successful, enlivening the quiet laneway in a manner that enhanced the poignancy of the themes inherent in the material, whilst embodying the true spirit of the Anywhere Theatre Festival.

 

 

A Hoax

A Hoax

La Boite & Griffin Theatre company

The Roundhouse 

5th – 26^th May 2012

In a pristine white setting (Designer Renee Mulder), against a photographer’s backdrop used in conjunction with images projected onto 2 screens (Music, Sound & AV Designer Steve Toulmin) to create “hotel room”, we meet four mismatched characters, each with their own issues and their own perfectly acceptable selfish agendas. One is a literary agent and one is her PA. One is a writer. No one has heard of him because he’s a middle class, white skinned social worker. One is an Aboriginal girl. No one has heard of her because she’s a lower class, black skinned Indigenous chick. They are all desperately unhappy in their ridiculous situations (ie normal life) and seek success and happiness via that dodgy vehicle, fame. And why not? Everyone’s a star! Aren’t they?

Now, don’t go blaming Andy Warhol! He was talking about 15 minutes. 15 MINUTES, PEOPLE!

(Thank you, that’s all we need today).

If you must create this future for yourself, here is what you’ll need:

• A bit of ambition (it doesn’t take much, just enough to make you brave enough to take the first steps towards your new, incredible life as a famous person)
• A supportive somebody (it doesn’t matter who it is as long as they promise to stick to the script)
• A tough skin (never mind those cynics, they’re delusional themselves. Don’t they see what the public sees?)
• Access to the media (and a YouTube account, a Twitter account and a Facebook page that are all regularly updated by your brazen manager, agent or their PA. See below)
• A brazen manager or agent and their marginalised-in-whatever-way PA (none of them have to believe in you they just have to make others believe in you. They’re probably jealous of you anyway and will skim as much as they can off the top so you’d better be famous AND crazy wealthy)
• A story to make ‘em weep (or cringe in horror. n.b. it doesn’t need to be true it just needs to be SOLD)

So, you see? Achieving fame and notoriety is easy! Everyone’s a winner! So we are led to believe. This modern restoration comedy smashes that perception and then, strangely, disturbingly, reinforces it.

The star of the show is the brilliant premise and it’s a doozy! Inspired by some of the great contemporary literary hoaxes (the misery memoir or fake autobiography), A Hoax proves that Rick Viede was not a one hit wonder with his Premier’s Literary Award winner in 2010, Whore but an up and coming ROCK STAR. I can perfectly envisage his career catapulting, at the same rapid pace and in the same general upward direction, as the fictitious character Currah’s does during the course of the play. Let’s hope there’s no mistaking his identity though!

Remember Barry Levinson’s 1997 film, Wag the Dog, about the creation of a war hero? A Hollywood producer and a spin-doctor dream up a fictitious war to distract the American public from a presidential sex scandal. It works! It’s marketing! It’s ALL marketing. Of course, on the other end of every successful hoax, there’s human nature. In any context, we all want to believe.

I love the play – with some reservations because any variation on Stockholm syndrome is unnerving and the notion of anyone taking delight in the horrendous abuse she’s suffered is completely unsettling – it’s refreshing, raw work of heightened realism, allowing a great deal of profanity and non-PC-ness (sexism, racism and issues surrounding homophobia are rife), which means it is bound to work equally as well, if not better, as a screenplay. Viede states in the program notes that he is happy with the political shocks in the play but at times the heightened delivery does him (and the play) a disservice by sanitising the shocking truth of our modern media-run world.

I found the world premiere a little clunky. We could feel the gears shifting, as if a Learner driver had gotten their hands on a shiny new Ferrari! Shame! A week into the run, I have no doubt that this will have been remedied. I feel that, in its baby state, the piece is overwritten and I expect the red pen will come out before A Hoax goes on in Sydney. Interestingly, in conversation during the interval, with Griffin’s Artistic Director, Sam Strong, he commented that it was good to see the work getting “a bit of a clean up” on the Brisbane stage. Director, Lee Lewis, has clearly allowed for some play time during the rehearsal process and now her actors need to settle in and play!

Overwritten, slightly self-indulgent scenes in Act 1, that languish over a singular point, sometimes feel drawn out and a little repetitive. Act 2, at a cracking pace, works better. The climatic scene works like a shock to the system and it visibly affected the audience on opening night. In an instant, uncanny silence replaced uneasy laughter. We know what is going to happen, we’re dreading the cruel inevitability (it’s set up extremely well) but even just the sense of it is enough for me, without having to sit through the entire humiliating scene. Truly squirm-worthy, perhaps that’s the point. Overload the senses, boost the shock factor, get the people talking and get the sales!

Shari Sebbens is a wonderful, real and really pretty shocking Currah. She’s the brash, loud-mouthed (foul-mouthed) stereotypical Indigenous kid, with a fabricated past and a bright future, as long as she can gain – and retain – control of it. Sally McKenzie is at her best, in her driest version of the stereotypical Sydney literary agent, Ronnie Lowe. There’s a plum role for Sally in David Williamson’s play, Emerald City. I know because I played opposite Robyn Nevin in the role in Noosa for a special event produced by the Corrilee Foundation and Noosa Longweekend. Interestingly, Glenn Hazeldine directed the Melbourne production of One Night in Emerald City at the Malthouse.

The arc of A Hoax gives Tyrell Parks the biggest journey and Eric Morris trained Charles Allen doesn’t let up or let us escape from his side for a moment. He gets under our skin as we bear witness to his meteoric rise from rags to rehab to riches. He who dares wins! There is some brilliant, crude comedy from Allen before he reveals Tyrell’s darker side. It’s Hazeldine however, as Dooley, who impresses most, quietly simmering and staying hidden in the shadows, supporting his “ward” as far as the public are concerned but sticking his white, middle class nose in where it’s not wanted, according to Tyrell and Lowe. In this role, Hazeldine demonstrates how to beautifully underplay the pivotal character.

It’s taken me almost a week to write this review (sorry), because I really loved it but didn’t really LOVE it, you know? But A Hoax is so real and at the same time, so OTT that others are bound to love it. If you don’t, let me know and we’ll discuss it over a drink. Viede has my utmost respect and A Hoax gets my vote for most surprising new work – there’s no doubt it’s a sure-fire hit – but it hasn’t got all my love…yet.

The Rat Trap

The Rat Trap

Polytoxic & Queensland Theatre Company @ The Greenhouse

Bille Brown Studio

10th – 26th May 2012

Reviewed by Michelle Bull

In a dimly lit corner glistens the muscled physique of a Burlesque King come doorman. He watches intensely as a set of wide-eyed twins chatter and titter girlishly to the audience. A giant anchor dangles from above while Pacific culture is mounted phallic-ally on the wall beside a table laden with champagne…It’s Friday night and we’re here to spend the evening at The Rat Trap, a candy-coloured Tiki bar, that’s steamy, playful and more than a little bit cheeky.

Blending elements of dance, burlesque, circus, vaudeville and physical theatre, Polytoxic’s latest creation divulges tales of five characters caught in the sultry bordello of The Rat Trap. Stripping back to reveal a narrative that mashes pop culture with the Pacific; they whoop, wine and gyrate through high flying burlesque, airborne martial art fight sequences and breathtaking acrobatics, all serving as fitting expressions for their despair, delight and innate penchant for mischief.

Co-Created by Polytoxic and renowned physical theatre and circus director Anni Davey, it is clear that this playful production is determined to challenge, shock and delight its audience. With a soundtrack that takes us straight to the sticky backbench of a seedy bordello in the backstreets of Harlem, The Rat Trap is a visual and aural feast from start to finish. From the moment the doors of the Billie Brown Studio are locked and we meet our host for the evening JanUri, (a delightful diva in drag that to quote one audience member has “better legs than Barbie”), we are lured into the intoxicating world and the delightful ruckus that follows.

Ever the perfect hostess, JanUri (Fez Fa’anana) makes a glorious entrance clothed in a hooded robe and stiletto boots that add to this vaudeville superstar’s commanding presence and absolute magnetism. Destined for the spotlight and effortlessly sexy, JanuUri serves as ringmaster to the characters that take to the boards, as well as instigating much of the mischief that follows. Fez Fa’anana is riveting to watch in the role; his energy and dynamism make for an elegant yet cheeky performance that demonstrates his technical skill without any compromise to theatrical honesty. With strong character development and a clear commitment to the role throughout, it is clear just how much this performer loves his craft!

Helena and Marlena (Lisa Fa’alafi & Leah Shelton) are the next to appear. Siamese twins and all round diva femme fatales, they begin with a tale of a violent separation due to a freak boat anchor incident at sea. Playing out their anxiety upon the ropes (and lips) of the bordello stage, in tandem voice and turn of verse they tell their tale in a style that is reminiscent of a Greek chorus and schoolyard rhyme rolled into one. Particularly charming is the telling of a tale where their kimono robes double as a storyboard, such a unique and kitsch storytelling device! Both these performers show innate comic timing and a beautiful embodiment of their roles both emotionally and physically. In addition to possessing great technical skill in the physicality of their roles, the energy in their ensemble work was electric, and showed a true connection to character and narrative. Equally as strong as their duo are their solo moments, where we get a glimpse of another dimension of their characters and individual journey.

Maurice (Natano Fa’anana), father of the twins, Samoan chief and survivor of the Pacific slave trade is equally compelling in his role and adds a wonderful weight to the chaos around him. Maurice’s Pacific inspired dance and aerial routine, was stunning and had the audience dropping their drinks and jaws at Fa’nana’s physical skill and artistic expression. Never far from the chaos, the character of Maurice is constantly drawn into the rowdiness of his companions but his efforts to maintain composure amidst the commotion make him compelling to watch. Fa’anana quietly commands your attention with his portrayal of this role and performs with grace and theatrical honesty.

The dangerously handsome doorman Mohito (Mark Winmill), and his sparkling…personality were also hard to ignore. Cheeky as a five year old with sticky fingers and just as passionate, he ordered the attention of his audience with all but a devilish glint of his eye.  His ‘anchor’ aerial act was quite the showstopper, and immediately showcased this assured performers strength and physical expertise. Dramatically, Winmill performed with a fiery and roguish charm that made him utterly convincing in the role.

For all its glitter and grime, there is an abundance of touching moments in The Rat Trap, as we are given glimpses into the underbelly of these characters. Aided by the use of tastefully composed multimedia and a simplistic approach to choreography, moments of theatrical significance are ‘book-ended’ and given reverence without compromising the high energy flow of the production. My only disappointment in this production was that at times parts of the set were not visible from where I was seated. That being said, the space was used to it’s potential with the performers performing inclusively through the space, but with such a fantastic set and multiple performers onstage at all times I was greedy for more!

Overall this show is a fantastic offering by Polytoxic Dance Company. It cultivates a sense of danger, spontaneity and excitement within its audience that serves as a timely reminder of what is so thrilling about live theatre! The physical skill of each performer along with their dedication to a rich narrative, loyalty to ensemble and character driven drama makes The Rat Trap a mishmash of mischief too good to miss!

Following The Rat Trap on Friday night, Queensland Theatre Company’s Greenhouse program NightGarden welcomed us back into the world. Emerging from the show buzzing with excitement and wandering into a fairy lit garden where the wine flowed as fast as the post show chitchat was a brilliant way to share the experience with other audience members and fellow creatives descending upon the space for the nights festivities. Billed as “a visceral hothouse of art, ideas and exploration” the NightGarden treated us to pop up performances by Anywhere Theatre Festival participants  Instantaneous Associated: Define and SeeD Theatre Productions, as well as musical stylings by Michelle Xen & The Neon Wild. This new little hotspot is a fantastic hub of creativity and a wonderful way to share a wine or two with like-minded souls, not to mention a splendid way to end a magical night.