La Ronde
Noosa Arts Theatre
Review by Frank Wilkie
I went to the preview of Noosa Arts Theatre’s production of La Ronde expecting to be confronted and was instead entranced, for 90 minutes.
When first performed in the early 1900s, Arthur Schnitzler’s play featuring a series of interlocking sexual encounters was too much for authorities. It was banned and the playwright jailed for obscenity.
But the passage of 110 years and director Sam Coward’s interpretation of the work sees this show creating waves for all the right reasons.
The meditative sound scape by internationally renowned musician Leah Barclay and the minimalist set and lighting focused audience attention exclusively on the riveting interplay between the characters. Ten in total, they appeared in pairs in ten distinct scenes, during which some form of sexual dynamic was enacted.
Sometimes violent, sad, funny and often beautiful, I found this production always engaging. Audiences saw some exquisitely choreographed work.
The powerful connection between the actors, established during a very intense and barrier-breaking rehearsal process, combined with the intense subject matter had an almost mesmerising effect on the viewers. There was no trace of the self-consciousness that would have sounded the death knell for such an ambitious production.
The cast of Sharon Grimley, Kay Ellsum, Mary Eggleston, Stephen Moore, Shane Ross, Xanthe Coward, Carly Partridge, Nathan Hynes, Meg Monroe and Tim Murfin can be justifiably proud to have broken new ground in Sunshine Coast theatre.
The high-voltage buzz of conversation after final curtain indicated this show hit all the right buttons. Comments ranged from superlatives to “interesting” and “I need to go home and think about it.” One matron advised that her husband was going to “cop a flogging tonight”.
La Ronde will sell out.
The show continues on March 27, 28, April 1,2,3.
Bookings on 5449 9343
XS Entertainment 
0 Responses to “New High for Actors and Audience”