Feb 21

FRINGE 2016 – Amazing Drumming Monkeys – “The Tree Show” – 3K

By Julia Cudsi

Despite this act having been around for some years, I have never quite gotten around to seeing The Amazing Drumming Monkeys, so I was very excited to finally take my brood along to see this show.

Very much a “what you see is what you get” style show, this performance melds impressive puppetry with funky drumming and a strong environmental message aimed at young children. There were several minor glitches, chiefly with visual tricks not working quite as anticipated. Although this is readily forgivable in a Fringe show, and particularly a show aimed at children, it became quite irritating when the same trick was tried some five or six times until it eventually succeeded – it would have been preferable for one or two attempts to be made before the show moved on, particularly given the age and attention span of the audience.

Apart from this, the show was definitely charming – both “monkeys” had a delightful, self-effacing sense of humour, and it was a great treat for all audience members to be able to have a go at the drums.

A minor word of warning – this show will most probably not engage your children unless they are quite young, and certainly under seven.

Otherwise this is a beautiful introduction to the Fringe for your young kids.

3K

 

Feb 21

FRINGE 2016: THEATRE – What Would Spock Do? – The White Queen – 4.5K

Fandom is a way of life and, let’s face it, if you’re not part of a particular fandom, the passion can seem a little odd from the outside. This seems to be particularly true with regards to fandoms relating to science fiction. Why are these obsessions viewed by society as strange when others, such as with sporting teams, aren’t? Who knows? At the end of the day though, they are, and so for some, being a member of this group is not something they proudly acknowledge, but rather something that is hidden.

Such is the case here for the protagonist, Gary. Gary is a 30 year old guy, who has fashioned himself a life involving a decent, if uninspiring, job, and a circle of colleagues-come-friends, who like drinking and football, and for whom television shows or films set in space are interchangeable. His childhood passion for Star Trek, and particularly Mr Spock, has been relegated to online interactions and a covert annual trip to a convention, for a childhood friend’s birthday. These two parts of Gary’s life are very separate and, if he had his way, ne’er the twain shall meet. A desire which is complicated by the appearance of an attractive temp, Kira, dressed as Mr Spock.

There are plenty of intricate details interspersed throughout writer/director Jon Brittain’s script, which should succeed in giving super-fans a nerdgasm. At the same time, this is done in a manner that is also non-exclusionary for those who might only be familiar with the show on a more casual viewing basis, or through general pop-culture knowledge. Brittain has managed to finely balance the creation of a portrait of fandom with the overarching examination of love, passion and the development of an acceptance of oneself.

Performer Sam Donnelly is terrific, giving Gary just the right blend of awkward geek and average bloke. As he takes us through Gary’s inner monologues and accompanying interactions – often stepping into the roles of Kira, various friends and family members, and the school bully Shane – you can understand the dilemma he’s facing and where his bad choices are coming from, while also wanting to slap him for being so stupid. Occasionally the transitions between characters are a little clunky, when Donnelly actually moves from one spot on the stage to another in order to show the change, however for the most part they work well and are smoothly executed with a simple shift of body language. The conversation between Gary and his mother, as she tries to understand the premise of Star Trek, is one hilarious highlight.

What Would Spock Do? is sure to have fans laughing as they see themselves and/or friends reflected in Gary’s story, but is also a highly enjoyable piece of theatre regardless of your sci-fi knowledge base.

Kryztoff rating: 4.5K

Feb 20

Fringe 2016 : A Blues And Burlesque : ” It’s You It’s Not Me” : La Boheme : Rating 3.5K

By Julie Robins

La Boheme, with it’s prohibition era style, provides an ideal setting  for Dexys Pete Saunders, who entertains with an hour of accomplished blues piano and bitter-sweet “love” songs.  The clinking of bottles and glasses from the nearby bar adds to the ambience.  As compere Vicious Delicious is absent there appear to be some cast changes to this year’s Fringe show.  Running commentary full of dry wit was provided by Saunders himself.  He is accompanied by Rudy, a sad white faced sort of a clown, and also a burlesque dancer.

The result is a bluesy vaudevillian music hall experience, a little awkward and mildly confusing but maybe that is the intent?  The burlesque dancer seems like a last minute add-on who smiles and skilfully removes her clothing.  Perplexingly she almost seemed to be wearing more at the end of the show than at the beginning.  Rudy the clown character has some interesting and surprising talents and provided plenty of laughs, but I wasn’t sure of the point of him being there.  Perhaps the choice of cast was influenced by the fact that most of the songs were about dysfunctional relationships.

For patrons wanting some good blues and clever songwriting this should provide an enjoyable evening.   Many of the songs are very good, especially “It’s You It’s Not Me”. The burlesque element is quite minimal so fans of this genre may not be as well catered for as they might expect.  An early arrival is recommended if a comfortable seat is preferred (there was a good sized crowd so dancing was not an option).

Kryztoff Rating 3.5K

Feb 20

Fringe 2016 – Burlesque Idol – Nexus Arts Theatre – 4K

It’s not often you’ll see a burlesque Dr Who performance – or for that matter a feather dance. But Burlesque Idol brought us all this and much more.

Technically the performance was excellent – each participant had to apply and be accepted into the Adelaide heat. The audience was given a phenomenal show with laughs, screams and cheers regularly emanating from the crowd. The dancing and musical timing was fantastic; the dancing owned the stage and carried a confident energy with them throughout their performances. The lynch pin of the performance was the outfits, vibrant, sequinned and boisterous. Even the few minor wardrobe malfunctions were carried off with style and finesse.

The audience got several opportunities to be involved, apart from yelling, clapping and cheering the performers on. The best dressed members of the audience were invited on stage and asked to dance for a prize. Had I not known one of them personally, I would have assumed they were all plants as their dancing was almost as good as the performers!

Another highlight was a reimagining of Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Zombie burlesque is not something you see very often, but after seeing that performance it is hard to imagine why it is not more popular. A gentle reminder that Burlesque started as a parody like performance intended to poke fun at more earnest areas of society.

Overall a particularly entertaining evening and one for a good cause – raising funds for Burlesque Idol across Australia. The winning performer will be sent to Canberra to compete in the national competition – well deserved after her energetic and talented performance. A fun show with a huge amount of energy and crowd support definitely worth viewing at next years Fringe and worth checking out in Canberra.

 

 

 

Feb 19

FRINGE 2016: THEATRE – The Flanagan Collective: Fable – The Red Queen – 3.5K

Kicking off with an opening that is reminiscent of the Trainspotting intro (choose life), but with a bit more heart, a bit more positivity, and a bit more of a call to action in amongst the acknowledgment that daily life can be a grind, Fable is a rumination on the connection we have to the world, the universe; to our place in it, to the other people in it, and to how we let this slip away.

We are introduced to J (Holly Beasley-Garrigan), who lives in Birmingham, teaches physics and carries on, despite the ever-present drudgeries of adulthood. While deep inside she still dreams of becoming an astronaut, she hasn’t got the heart for it. Literally. She has a congenital defect which restricts her life in some ways, so that for a number of things the best she can hope for is to experience them via the internet. Despite this, she still brims with an infectious determination and can’t quite let go of her dream. When her life drifts from its expected trajectory, she takes the opportunity to do something spontaneous and meets Blair (Dominic Allen), a frank and idealistic tree surgeon, in a small town on the Scottish coast. Their meeting is awkward, yet affable; an exchange of passionate ideas.

The stark, cavernous surrounds of the old Queens Theatre creates an appropriate atmosphere for this stripped back show. Presented almost like a lecture, complete with projections, the third person narrative is an interesting choice. It allows the audience to be given insight into, and connect with, the character’s innermost thoughts and feelings, and for quick transitions of the action through various jumps in time and space. However, it also makes the piece feel heavy going in parts, and can seem a bit self-indulgent.

Both actors do an excellent job, filling the stage with their energy and projecting a nice mix of amiability and disillusionment. Unobtrusive live background music (performed by Wilfred Petherbridge) provides a pleasant soundscape for the story; though the merging of this into the final sequence doesn’t quite reach the crescendo for which it seems to be striving. This is an interesting, if not entirely galvanising, exploration of the life-choices people make, the connections we have with each other, and the human propensity to want more from our existence.

Kryztoff rating: 3.5K

Feb 19

FRINGE 2016: My Life as a Gay Bum – 2K

By Anthony Nguyen

9888_mylifeasagaybum_square_800_EFUL_GUIDESet in the darkest of rooms illuminated only by the faint light of a single lamp, Peter Baecker stands in the middle of the small stage for his 2016 Adelaide Fringe one-man show titled My Life as a Gay Bum.

Written, produced and performed by Baecker under the alias ‘nick42berlin’, the autobiographical show tells of his adventures and misadventures as a sexual tourist in the gay social nightlife. From the notorious dark rooms, gay saunas, cruising for hook-ups and dealing with open relationships, Baecker does not shy away from the crude details from the highs and lows of his experiences. It provided an interesting insight into the large sexual infrastructure that occupies the gay community around the world today.

Contrasting to the typical storyline format, the show is set as a collection of random stories told one after another. However, Baecker constantly had to check back on his notes, moving back and forth between the room’s single light source, which highlighted the disorganisation of the performance. Additionally, Baecker’s delivery, though strong, lacked some eloquence as there were sudden pauses between sentences which quickly lost the flow and build-up of the narrative.

Interestingly, the setting of the room replicated a dark room, and so would provide an insightful night if you can spend 45 mins in a slightly humid room. Performed with clear R rated material spoken with no censor, My Life of a Gay Bum continues its run most nights until March 1st at Tuxedo Cat located on Hyde Street.

Kryztoff Rating: 2K

Feb 19

FRINGE 2016: Luminous – 3K

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By Amy Nancarrow.

Black lights. UV Paint. Circus performances. It’s a match made in psychedelic heaven, and this is what Sydney troupe Art Kinetica attempt with their performance of Luminous, a show filled with contortionists, circus performers, and an other-worldly cast of creatures.

The concept is fantastic, and in a lot of ways, Luminous does impress. The opening of the show was fantastic – the creatures slowly evolve, cleverly using black cloth and a very impressive floor crew – and there are some captivating physical performances. The costuming and staging are particularly impressive, as is the physical strength of the performers.

It is a shame, then, that Luminous had to be housed in Gluttony venue The Peacock. The venue offered decent views from the middle of the room only; with two massive poles on either side of the stage, it was hard to see particular elements of the show, including the impressive opening. Furthermore, when the volume of the music decreased, music from other shows in Gluttony could be very clearly heard, which somewhat shattered the illusion that Luminous was attempting to create. The other thing that Luminous would have benefited from is a more succinct narrative thread. It’s what they attempt at the beginning, but it’s quickly dropped in favour of the performances. Without some thread keeping the otherworldly theme together, Luminous at times becomes disjointed, and distracting.

Overall Luminous is a good experience; it’s more that its issues perhaps could be solved with a different venue and more of a narrative thread throughout the show.

Kryztoff Rating: 3K

Feb 18

Fringe 2016 – Knee Deep – Casus Circus – The Garden – Rating 4K – Review by Julie Robins

By Julie Robins

Knee Deep,  presented by Brisbane-based Casus Circus, is an acrobatic dance performance in which the dancers work around themes of fragility and strength, both physical and emotional.  In the intimate setting of the Vagabond venue, sound, lighting and music  are expertly used to manipulate the mood throughout the show.

The troupe display exceptional physical skills with strength, control, and great timing.  The show is full of wit, humour and pathos. Some of the action seemed a little clunky at the beginning but this soon became smoother and they made even the most intricate moves seem almost effortless.

The beautiful and surprising images they create, especially those involving eggs and aerial ribbons, linger long after the show has finished.  (I imagine that many omelettes were made during the workshops that led up to the finished show).

Recommended for all ages.

Kryztoff Rating 4K

Feb 18

FRINGE 2016 – Puddles Pity Party – Garden – Rating 4.5K – Review by Julie Robins

By Julie Robins

Riding into 1970s Adelaide on a city free bike, Puddles is a very tall gently menacing and rather depressed whiteface clown with a fabulous baritone singing voice and an engaging manner who has the audience onside from the moment he rolls into the room. Supported by Popeye, Kevin Costner, robotic failures and sad animals, the Puddles Pity Party is fifty minutes of rollicking good fun.

The audience could not help but join in with his renditions of songs such as Dancing Queen, Under Pressure, and the Angels’ : Am I Ever Going To See Your Face Again. He took us from decorous tea parties through cabaret and disco to popcorn explosions. Filming and photo taking were encouraged (Puddles is a master of the selfie) but no audience member was safe from his attentions. He chose his victims well and drew out their inner charms and talents.

A sad wise clown from Atlanta who sang with us, danced with us, schmoozed with us, he was effortlessly funny and entertaining throughout. The queue that formed after the show to wait for Puddles cuddles showed just how many hearts he won. Recommended for all ages with a language warning ( which is entirely due to the audience, not Puddles!)

Kryztoff Rating 4.5k

Feb 18

FRINGE 2016: FAG/STAG – 4K

By Anthony Nguyen

10546_Jeff_Chris_EFUL_GUIDEBased in Perth, Jeffrey Jay Fowler and Chris Isaacs debut at the 2016 Adelaide Fringe with their award-winning show FAG/STAG. Narrated separately between the two performers, the story tells of the troubled struggles of two best friends (gay and straight) from different and sometimes conflicting perspectives.

As told through the eyes of the characters: Jimmy (Fowler) and Corgan (Isaacs), the narrative shows a complicated friendship and the drama leading up to the big wedding day of Corgan’s (and Jimmy’s) ex-girlfriend Tamara. All while bonding through games of Donkey Kong, both characters display emotional turmoil with Jimmy handling his breakup with his boyfriend, Tim, through Grindr hook-ups and Corgan dealing with the struggles of his own insecurities with masculinity and self-worth.

With a commanding stage presence and impressive vocal delivery, it is without a doubt that Fowler and Isaacs are strong and emotional theatrical performers. The show consists of a good balance between storytelling with some comedic tones, and also dealing with the heavier darker topics that occur in the story. Additionally, the show utilizes backing audio and stage lighting effectively to set the location and tone during the performance.

It is the intense storytelling and writing that prove that Fowler and Isaacs are strong performers in theatre. Through the brilliant execution a moving and emotional story, the performance highlights the strong love that the two best friends have for each other despite their misgivings. Located in the intimate Ukiyo tent, FAG/STAG completes their run on February 28th with shows on most nights at the Royal Croquet Club.

Kryztoff Rating: 4K