Feb 26

FRINGE THEATRE – The Professor – The Bakehouse – 3K

By Peter Maddern

Bob Paisley is a University professor who arrives at class and reveals that he intends changing the usual single topic lecture to one spanning all of western culture and his great new discovery. Dressed in fawn jacket and matching corduroy pants he is the archetypal Don, combining effusive enthusiasm for minutiae with absent mindedness that can drive you crazy.

The lecture starts off seemingly all together but as time it goes on it descends into farce, with its semi-finale delivered with fulsome amounts of phlegm and wind.

As good as Paisley is, his material from Brian Parks lacks edge. We may sweep through western culture, from the discovery of pi to the beauty of Bach, but the anecdotes around them are more  contributions than the  dollops of the humour required in a Fringe like this. Indeed Messrs Bach and Mozart are reduced to about eight seconds each and little else. There were times this reviewer was reminded of Robin Williams triumphs of teaching in Dead Poets Society but nothing here felt comparable.

As much as western culture may be under attack these days by friends of this type of professor, it is hardly defended by The Professor; all its breadth and depth, beauty and beat offer more moments of impact that this hour delivered.

Kryztoff Rat  ing            3K

Feb 26

Fringe 2019- SUFI MUSIC PARTY-Farhan Shah and Brothers

SUFI MUSIC PARTY    

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Farhan Shah and Brothers- Church Of The Trinity -Sunday 24th Feb 6pm

Sufi Music Party featuring brilliant Qawwali singer Farhan Shah and his very talented brothers  deliver a joyous celebration of Sufi Music and traditional dance incorporating a fusion of traditional and modern music and food to feed the heart and soul.  Held at the architecturally interesting venue of The Church of The Trinity on Goodwood Road this was indeed a party.   The Adelaide folk and music legend Keith Preston introduced the event not only acting as MC but also contributing as a member of The Farhan Shah and Brothers Ensemble.

As we entered the venue a warm welcoming aroma of freshly prepared Pakistani/North Indian food greeted us.  We checked in then availed ourselves of some of the delicious fare presented by Farhan Sha’s delightful wife and her dedicated and friendly crew.  Samosas, Chat, Biryani, Dhal  were all on offer and once sated we wandered off to the main space for the performance.  There was an excellent crowd and almost no seats to spare.

To kick off the party we were treated to Syrian musician Zuhir Naji Arabic Ensemble. … including his 12 yo son. The Oud, percussion, tambourine and vocals blended beautifully despite some minor sound mixing problems.   This was the entree and the room was suitably warmed up for the main course.

After a 15 minute intermission where we scuttled off to the dining room to scoff more delectable treats we were invited to return for the headline act.   Farhan Shah and his Brothers including Keith Preston kicked off a rivetting, lively set of Sufi Fusion music incorporating traditional Qawwali singing and chanting and modern western rhythms and instruments.  The combo of musicians including organ, keyboards, percussion and guitar created a perfect platform for Farhan Shah to launch his soaring vocal  acrobatics to astounding effect.  His voice control was rapturous demonstrating an operatic range combined with blistering passion.  Shah doesnt merely sing the notes, he ignites them !.  Taking all of us with him.

The audience were willing captives and many took up the offer to dance .   Shah is a master of both his vocal artistry but also his stage craft as he engaged his audience in the traditional call and response back and forth build up  that encapsulates this musical art form.   By the end not one person who was able to stand and dance was left seated.  A remarkable performance and a wonderful experience.  Sure there are slicker, high end professional music shows on offer but few with more heart and soul.

Review by Gary Clarke  –              4. K stars

 

Feb 26

Fringe 2019 – ESPANA EL VITO – The Spirit of Spain – The GC Underground

MATHEW FAGAN

GRAND CENTRAL UNDERGROUND – 2:30pm Sunday 24th Feb 2019

 

Review by Gary Clarke.   4.5 stars

Mathew Fagan once more graced us with his presence and his virtuoso guitar playing at the intimate GC Underground to promote his new vinyl album “El Vito” taking us on a journey through Spain and Spanish influenced music.

Once dubbed “Lord of The Strings” Mathew Fagan demonstrated that the title is no affectation. He is a guitar playing phenomenon. His extraordinary range and dexterity … and sheer brilliance had me gasping at times. We were immersed in arrangements of some of the great Spanish composers: Juan Rodrigo, Enrique Albeniz, Jorge Strunz and a healthy dose of George Bizet’s Carmen, all delivered with panache, skill and passion via Mathew’s signature 10 string Richard Howell acoustic guitar.

We explore Andalucia the home of El Vito and we are tutored in the roots of music from this region of Spain as Mathew demonstrates the musical links between Northern India and Andalucia with a flawless transition from an Indian Raga to a flamenco piece.. Superb!  When you closed your eyes at times it was hard to believe there was only one instrument involved !

After being utterly seduced by 45 minutes of brilliant guitar playing, interspersed with Mathew’s slightly offbeat but amusing repartee we are introduced to Latin America via some delightful Bossa Nova featuring Kellie Grace on vocals.  We explore the music of Villa Lobos, and a highlight are renditions of Luiz Bonfa tunes adeptly arranged by Mathew and sung by Kellie.  None other than the legendary Paco Pena described Mathew as a “true artist” !  High praise indeed and well deserved. If you love the guitar you will love this.

El Vito is the term used to describe the music and culture of Andalucia.   It’s a reference to  St Vitus who danced with joy!  But you don’t need to be St Vitus  to let your spirit dance to this music you just need a pulse!  Bravo !

 

Gary Clarke for Kryztoff RAW            4.5K  stars

Feb 25

FRINGE 2019 – Koto Music Concert – “Shiki” – 3.5K

by Riccardo Barone

The mesmerizing Koto repertoire is well known for its intensity, vibrational ancient energy coming from thirteen strings tuned following different traditional ways; indeed during the brief concert (only forty delicious minutes) the Koto performer Kawaguchi Etsuko had to switch from one to another, according to tradition.

The Maestro Kawaguchi Etsuko has been an ambassador of Japanese Traditional Music here at the Fringe for eleven years.

Unfortunately the premises of the Garage International were not really full (let’s hope for a Womad performance) but the audience, in religious silence, couldn’t wait to show appreciation and enthusiasm at the end of each piece, asking for a bis at the end of the concerto but without any success.

The four pieces program included three pieces of Miyagi Michio, an important Japanese composer and So player of the last century, and a brilliant finale by Yoshizawa Kengyo, a blind Japanese musician and composer born in the 1800.

Kryztoff rating: 3.5k

Feb 25

FRINGE DANCE, Art in Motion, Goodwood Institute Theatre, 3.5K

Alexander Ewers

Art in Motion is a creative dance performance by the junior members of Adelaide Entertainment Group. The goal is ambitious and admirable: using the medium of dance to explore some of the epochs of art evolution, and to extrapolate on key moments and movements in the history of art. It is a refreshing attempt at marrying art forms and thereby celebrating both the individual and combined wonders of each,. Whilst falling a little shy of this mark, it remains a mesmerising and whole-hearted dance performance.

Following a loosely chronological journey, Art in Motion utilises a multimedia approach to express and harness the spirit of 8 art periods. The group dance against a backdrop of projected images and animations featuring core works from the relevant periods. Combined with a carefully curated musical score, the resultant audiovisual montage is indeed impressive. The choreography fluctuates between solo and ensemble items, each with an undiluted emphasis on the art of movement itself, thus allowing for a minimum of props.

The collective choreography did feel a little discohesive initially and one struggled at times to find tenable links between the choreographic energy projected, and the tone of the audiovisual and artistic context. However, early falterings ceded to a more fluid, professional and settled atmosphere, thanks in no little part to the influence of Alix Kuijpers. As one of the lead dancers, he injected an abandon, a passion, a visceral dynamism into his central role, and this vitality proved a contagious and steadying barometer elevating the performance of each of his colleagues. The momentum continued to build progressively, producing some truly powerful performances. The sequences devoted to surrealism, pop-art and minimalism were particularly memorable, the imagery and atmosphere created on-stage coalescing perfectly with both soundtrack and the zeitgeist of these artistic epochs.

Art in Motion sets itself a high bar: that of turning the amplifying lens of art, onto art itself. The execution falls short of a convincing and consistent intersection between the painted medium and that of dance whereby one is directly illuminating the other. However it does afford a mirror experience, an opportunity to sit and reflect about the greater universe of art through two parallel vehicles. It is about art reflecting art; it is about ways of interpreting; it is about the eternality of art. And in this, the performance touches on a rare truth. Art is NOT static. It is NOT simply historic. Art is in motion.

Kryztoff Rating 3.5

Feb 25

FRINGE 2019 – ALL CHANGE – 5K

by Riccardo Barone

Life’s cycle. But the memory remains. Or it could remain, maybe hidden between a daily ink-check of our favorite pen and a weekly visit of our first daughter. No, hang on, our second daughter.  But did she really come?

In the scene every object establishes a strong bond with the past becoming a return ticket to the past, sweet flashbacks drenched in melancholic jungian dialogues between an early widower and his daughter.

Nevertheless time goes fast, and the little plant is becoming an adult tree whilst the adult tree is slowly loosing its branches. And we know it; when a coat of hoar starts to cover our fur, every little complaint becomes a huge demand. Old age is merciless: there is no room for sugarcoated words, just truth, flowing emotions, a pinch of cynicism and an ocean of tenderness.

The show opens a crack in the walls of a common man suffering from dementia; we put our eye in it and we may think how dramatic life could become due to a drastic change of circumstances, such as moving into a new and “safer place”.

The train represents a Pirandellian element of the story, where this time Mattia Pascal will jump on it against his will, pushed by the inexhaustible aging process.

The duo Tim Marriott and Stefanie Rossi sparks again, this time with a comedy, after the unforgettable dramatic last year Fringe show  Mengele, showing  perfect versatility and polyhedrical mastery of the scene.

Kryztoff rating: 5k

Feb 24

FRINGE CIRCUS & PHYSICAL THEATRE — LE AERIAL — Apollo Theatre, Adelaide Convention Centre — 3K

By Belle Dunning

Le Aerial showcases the high-flying skills of home-grown athletes and dancers in a family-friendly performance.

The show is made up of various aerial acts by young performers from Aerial Artists Australia, who show-off their strength and flexibility on ropes, silks, chains and a variety of suspended objects. A singer accompanies each act live on stage, adding some theatre and turning this into a cabaret-style performance.

The aerial acts were graceful, and complemented well by the lighting and costuming, but they lacked excitement and that something extra that makes a Fringe show truly memorable.

Although the audience seemed to enjoy the show (and on the back of a sell-out 2018 season), I found it a little forced and clichéd in its delivery. There wasn’t a cohesive link between each aerial act or song choice, the showmanship felt overdone at times, and it lacked the depth and grit needed to really pull you in.

Le Aerial is a solid performance of aerial skill and strength suitable for all ages. It shows potential but hasn’t yet found its own unique voice in the Fringe physical theatre scene. 

Kryztoff Rating 3K

Feb 23

FRINGE THEATRE, The Archive of Educated Hearts, Holden Street Theatres, 5K

Alexander Ewers

What is an educated heart? Have you an educated heart? Why is the educated heart so frustratingly inarticulate? How then do you tell a story about things that cannot be condensed into words?

Archive of Educated Hearts is one such story. It is an intensely personal and arresting account of four women forced to confront the certainties and uncertainties of cancer. It is a story about re-evaluating the real in the realities we create for ourselves, finding some to be shallow and meaningless, and discovering other neglected side-alleys of reality to be all-important. It is a story in which Casey Jay Andrews is both a participant and an observer, a purveyor of the objective and the subjective. And yet in her hands, it is so much more than a story. It is a vehicle, a means, by which to illuminate the visceral questions raised by the sorts of life events that represent a “line in the sand”. How does the heart survive such moments that reshape all that came before and will shape all that comes after? And what of the present that is left as a gaping chasm bridging the between?

Time fades into irrelevance as one steps into the Manse at Holden Street Theatres. The setting is intimate. 15 seats in a gently-lit sitting room, surrounded by the familiar and comfortable farrago of personal mementos and belongings. But this is not merely a convenient venue. The impression is of stepping into the innermost sanctum of another’s life. It is like Casey has projected her memories and mind to the dimensions of the room, and we are embraced inside this sphere. And that sense of unclothing of self continues. Casey remains in close and gaze-holding proximity, both guide and participant in the unfolding of her mind, a physically present tethering point for the agonies of the educated heart. She becomes the coherent link between a number of audio-visual media that feature throughout the performance: photographic images and voice recordings speaking to the theme of a heart not just alive, but wrenched into the necessity of truly living.

Herein lies the archive of an educated heart. It is moving; it is frank; an honest discussion about living. And yet the inarticulacy of life is raw – one can sense anger, passion, grief, joy, intensity, creativity, vitality, all swirling and heaving beneath and between the lines of the script. But the goal is far from simply eliciting emotions, or rousing action, or raging against the futility of attempted action. Casey remains composed and measured, setting a tone that is both reassuring and regenerative.

Perhaps this elegant piece of theatre is best condensed into the orated quote by Gelett Burgess. “Everything can be done beautifully by the educated heart.” One leaves feeling indeed touched by beauty, and having been gifted a question: “Have you an educated heart?”

Showing 6 days a week until the close of the Fringe Festival. A must-see.

Kryztoff Rating 5K

Feb 23

FRINGE MUSIC – Sound & Silence – The Mill – The Breakout, Adelaide – 4.5K

By Alisha Dyer

No amplification, no accompaniment, no frills – just vocal skills! Award-winning contemporary vocal ensemble Voice of Transition presents a 30 minute a Cappella show that will ignite your senses and leave you wanting more!

The performance takes place in a small, dark hall, the only light source the warm glow of flameless candles. The audience is seated back-to-back as the vocalists enter the room single file and line the walls to completely surround and enclose you. It feels intimate and almost ritual like. The room is silent with anticipation.

That first deep breath is followed by a chorus of voices singing in unison, softly at first then growing louder and pausing with precision. You can’t see many faces but you hear many voices. You are immersed in the sound of the human voice. You can feel the passion for music in the energy that flows between performer to listener in every direction. I found myself closing my eyes and dropping my shoulders as my mind and body relaxed into a meditative state.

When the last song was announced I didn’t want to leave my chair. I would have happily sat through a full hour of Sound and Silence. The only thing holding me back from a 5K rating is the fact that I was left wanting more. More skin tingling harmonies, louder rises and a longer performance. Move me to tears – I know you can!

The ticket price is very reasonable (a bargain really) and there are only two performance dates left (and selling out fast) so get in quick! Book your experience on Friday 1st or 15th March at The Mill.

Sound and Silence is suitable for all ages that can sit quietly, wheelchair accessible and comes with complimentary goosebumps.

Kryztoff Rating 4.5K

Feb 23

FRINGE 2019 – Yummy Deluxe – 4.5K – The Garden of Unearthly Delights

Yummy took the Adelaide Fringe by storm in 2018 and now they’re back with a bigger and better show than before.

Yummy Deluxe brings back most of your Yummy favourites (Karen from Finance, the much-loved MC from last year, was unfortunately missing) for a night of fun and frivolity. Some numbers were more bizzare than others, some slower, some more poignant – but nonetheless all numbers were entertaining. Valerie Hex was a fantastic MC, getting the crowd ready for some fantastic performances, and participating in a few of the best ones herself.

MVPs of the night were Hannie Helsden, queen of the hoop, and Zelia Rose, one of the world’s best burlesque stars. However, all of the Yummy case brought something magical to the stage, eliciting laughs, whoops, and cheers from the audience throughout the entire show.

The reason this isn’t five stars is that there were a few numbers from last year’s show that were included, where there was space to showcase new, exciting work – and two of them were the weakest numbers of the show. It was a shame, as with such talented performers, there was opportunity here for exciting new content.

However, this is a small gripe. Overall, Yummy Deluxe is a fantastic night out and you won’t regret purchasing a ticket. Get along for a night of fun, dancing, and talented performances.

Kryztoff rating: 4.5K