Mar 05

FESTIVAL – Girl Asleep – The Space, AFC

In Windmill Theatre’s Girl Asleep, we meet Greta (Ellen Steele), a teenage girl who has just moved house for the umpteenth time because of her Dad’s (Matthew Whittet) job and is struggling to work out where she fits in: in her family, in her new school, in the world in general.

Greta’s a fairly quiet type but in the enthusiastic and hilariously geeky Elliott (Eamon Farren), she finds a friend with whom she can share her correspondence to her Finnish pen pal (also named Greta) and love of plastic horses. It is almost her fifteenth birthday and, despite major misgivings, Greta agrees to her mother’s (Amber McMahon) desire to throw her a big party. What ensues is a fantastical journey through supernatural realms and Greta’s inner psyche, as her sister Genevieve’s (Jude Henshall) warning not to fall asleep rings in her ears. Writer Matthew Whittet and director Rosemary Myers has created an Alice in Wonderland for a slightly older generation.

The design of the piece (Jonathon Oxlade) is striking, with the kitschiest of the kitsch from the 70s combining with the strange extremes of a magical adventure. The set is multi-faceted and adapts well for the various settings demanded by the script. The characters, while all being over the top and somewhat stereotyped, are inherently realistic and emotionally truthful. The performances are all impressive, with each actor, aside from Steele, playing multiple and very varied roles; often switching between characters in a seemingly implausible timeframe. Humour is rife throughout, with Greta’s interactions with the vacant and ditzy clones and Elliott’s awkward rambles certain highlights. Additional features such as segments of puppetry and dance are used well to keep the action varied.

The show is probably aimed at a tween and early teen audience, and is likely to appeal to both this age group and their parents’ generation who, having grown up in the aforementioned era, will garner great entertainment from the references to memorable aspects of it. There is some strong language and adult themes included, which may be considered by some to make it unsuitable for younger children, and whether the messages encompassed would mean anything to them is also debatable, but for those bordering on that time between childhood and maturity, it will no doubt ring true and be very enjoyable.

Mar 05

FRINGE – Wendy House – Salad Days – 2.5K

In the disused upper room of a city building, a Wendy House has been created by Pixel Theatre. It is a dystopian future where individual rights have been whittled away by the Government in the name of terrorist prevention, and those found breaking curfew face a future of imprisonment or worse. Individuals who have chosen not to play by the rules hide themselves in Wendy Houses, deserted buildings across the city, in the hope of avoiding capture for another night.

In one such space, we meet an eclectic mix of these fugitives. Clara, a sheltered rich girl, has been taken under the wing of Seb, a sleazy and seemingly unstable young man. Will and Luke, older country blokes, seem to be more experienced in the measures needed to stay undetected, and Peta tries to remain tough despite her youth. The story focusses on the interactions between these five strangers, with the actors following a loose story arch and seemingly improvising the majority of the dialogue. While this may have been aimed at creating an authenticity to the conversations and reactions going on, it seemed strained and flailing for the most part and there was no real flow to the piece. The interactions between Will and Luke offered the occasional glimmer of sincerity.

The majority of what appeared to be the structured parts of the script involve conferences between two characters. Dual conversations occur concurrently and the dialogue seems to be designed so that the sentences from one meld in and fill the gaps in the other. This demands a lot of attention from the audience as the dialogue is delivered at a normal volume for a private chat and from different parts of the room meaning that focus must shift rapidly and regularly. At times it simply wasn’t possible to keep up with what was being discussed.

On a practical level, there were some issues with the space. The detritus strewn about the room created an interesting setting but had obviously been recently added, with paint still fresh enough to come off on the arms of one unsuspecting audience member. While part of the experience of immersive theatre is the feeling that you’re actually part of the piece, on several instances, sections of the audience who were perched on the floor had to move quickly in order to avoid being trampled by the actors. Additionally, though the oppressive atmosphere could possibly be considered reflective of the mood of the piece, the heat and lack of air movement got quite physically uncomfortable near the end of the show, so attendees would do well to dress lightly.

With recent events and political policies, both within Australia and abroad, the world in which the characters find themselves is frighteningly not beyond the realms of possibility and thus the themes explored are thought provoking. A lot of effort has been put into creating a back-story for the piece and the website that relates to it offers some interesting background information to help explain the context. This production has the potential to be an important statement on the direction society is heading, however in its current structure, it does not manage to make the connection with the audience necessary to do so effectively.

Kryztoff Rating: 2.5K

 

Mar 05

FRINGE – Jack Druce – Tuxedo Cat – 4K

7032_JackDruce-fringe_EFUL_GUIDEBy Peter Maddern

The likeable Jack Druce, with the Happy Days looks of Ron Howard and the jaws of a thoroughbred, opens with eschewing the usual banter of stand-up comedians and has the courage to stay there. Indeed his show is big on courage, especially with tales involving adventure travels.

But there is so much more to a show than that, especially as it covers fifteen minute railway journeys, stone fruit, hiking back in time, Gumtree and doves for sale for nothing! Throw in some references to Hemingway, Socrates and F Scott Fitzgerald and you are in for a ride.

For a young guy, this is a polished performance, with excellent audience interaction, complete control of his patter and no water bottle as a crutch. Indeed, beyond his own tales on the subject, in fact the most courageous part of Jack’s show is that he does dare to be different from the usual swill of boorish sex jokes and musings of a drop out with zero world experience.

But don’t let that in any way put you off – this is a funny show and you will thoroughly enjoy your hour under his spell.

Hold the line Jack.

Kryztoff Rating   4K

Mar 03

Faulty Towers The Dining Experience – The Ambassadors Hotel – 5K

Anthony Sottile (Manuel), Benedict Holme (Basil), and Karen Hamilton (Sybil)

Anthony Sottile (Manuel), Benedict Holme (Basil), and Karen Hamilton (Sybil).

By Olivia Henry

 

Inspired by the beloved BBC Series, Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is the perfect night out for all ages.This internationally loved performance is back on home turf for a fully interactive theatre show. The evening provides two hours of entertainment accompanied by a very enjoyable, 70’s style three-course meal.

Karen Hamilton (Sybil Fawlty), Anthony Sottile (Manuel), and Benedict Holme (Basil Fawlty) have really perfected their characters. It is easy to forget you are not watching the original cast bounce around the restaurant. The night begins in a bar adjacent to the dining room – Patrons are told upon arrival that Mr Fawlty will join them shortly to show them to their tables. After a short time, Manuel hobbles into the room to mingle with the guests. From this moment onwards, the audience is thrown into the world that is Fawlty Towers. Basil storms in to abuse Manuel. Sybil scolds Basil for losing the guest list. It’s immersive. It’s funny. It’s exciting. And the audience isn’t even seated at their tables yet.

The show is highly improvised; only one-third is actually scripted. This combination provides the perfect medium to see memorable moments from the old series revisited in a fresh way. These instances are a hit for fans, as they provide a tenuous link to the series without being too predictable or repetitive. At the same time, this means that the show is enjoyable for anyone, including those who may be too young to have seen the classic series.

Like being pulled into a television, it is an almost magical experience to be thrown into such a beloved show. For fans of the old series, this is a must-see. For those who have never seen the show, go and see it anyway. To be served by a bumbling Manuel, to have Basil grumble at you, to get a ‘selfie’ with Sybil. Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is worth every penny.

 

Kryztoff Rating: 5K

 
For tickets and show times, click here.

For more information about Interactive Theatre International, click here.

Mar 03

FRINGE – They Saw a Thylacine – Tuxedo Cat @ Raj House – 4.5K

Two women, two powerful stories set in 1930s Australia. We witness their passions, the battles they faced, the adventures they had and their personal experiences with the last remaining Tasmanian tigers.

The thylacine holds a special place in the communal Australian psyche. To most of us, it’s a mystical creature, already long gone by the time we came into existence, but still recent enough for us to feel its absence. We get a sense of the nature of these animals, and the circumstances that lead to their demise, through the stories of a tough female tracker (Sarah Hamilton) trying to catch one of the beasts, collect the financial reward and make her way to the mainland, and the daughter of the care-taker of Hobart zoo (Justine Campbell), fighting the male administration to protect their thylacine, Ben.

The first thing that hits you is the smell of the fruit being consumed by the two performers as they smile welcomingly at the audience from within their cage. It’s a sense that is not often utilised in theatre and it – along with the speckles of light from a half mirror ball and some jazzy tunes – does wonders to create an enticing and engrossing atmosphere. The writing is beautiful; it’s the best kind of storytelling there is, where it washes over you, draws you in and creates clear pictures in your mind. The tales themselves are engrossing – providing suspense, adventure and pathos. Both performers are confident and captivating in their roles and cannot be faulted with regards to the feeling, intonation or flow injected into the verses of the magnificent text. The blocking is simple and yet is all that is needed, as the focus of this show is very much on the words and the images they create.

The thylacine could be compared to that amazing Fringe show that you didn’t manage to get to and now everyone is talking about. As the disappointment builds inside that you’ll now never get to see it, a tiny part of you clings to the hope that it will come back for a return season. Don’t be left hoping after this Fringe is finished; get to the Tuxedo Cat and enjoy this great production now.

Kryztoff rating: 4.5K

Mar 02

FRINGE – Kraken – Tuxedo Cat @ Raj House – 4K

To the beautiful sounds of Regina Spektor, Trygve Wakenshaw takes to the stage to show off his impressive physicality and delightful humour. He is not afraid to bare all to do this.

This short show is apparently a work in progress as Wakenshaw experiments with different characters and audience reactions. It is roughly structured around several characters including the archer, the juggler, and the hula-hoop twirler. As each engages in their favourite activity, the absurdity of their movements and the cheekiness of Wakenshaw’s portrayal combine to create some irreverent, absurd comedy.

Even in this early stage, Wakenshaw has managed to use his considerable clowning abilities to make a show that is quirky, charming, non-threatening and just plain fun. Who knows whether it will morph into something with more of a storyline in the future. For now, each of the segments is enjoyable in their own right and together they offer a half hour of hilarity.

Kryztoff Rating: 4K

Mar 02

FRINGE – The Situation – Ayres House – 3.5K

Sophie’s not dealing well with her break-up from Jase, even after a considerable period of time. Her friends decide that the way for her to move on from her obsessional Facebook stalking and drunken text rants is to get back in the dating game. Given how interested (read obsessed) with the online world she is, the obvious avenue to meet new guys seems to be online dating. However, it’s a whole new world to Sophie and what she gets isn’t necessarily what she was hoping for.

Writer/performer Amanda Jane Porter has created a charming show, featuring a character that is both likable and relatable. As she walks us through Sophie’s initial hesitation about joining the world of online dating and then describes the men encountered and the positions in which Sophie finds herself, it all rings true. Indeed there are some knowing looks being exchanged between friends and partners in the audience.

There are occasional stumbles over words or a phrase, which are a little disappointing, but overall the performance is solid and highly enjoyable. The space is basic but all that is needed, with costume changes and visual aids used well throughout to provide some variation in action. Unfortunately, the venue suffers from a considerable amount of outside noise as the crowd for another show goes in, and the lamp from the ceiling was incessantly swinging, which was rather distracting.

Overall, this is a well-constructed, light-hearted, fun show which would make a great girls night out but will also appeal to a wider audience.

Kryztoff Rating: 3.5K

Mar 01

FESTIVAL – Roman Tragedies – Festival Theatre

Roman Tragedies isn’t just a play, or even three plays, it’s a complete theatrical experience, crafted by Toneelgroep Amsterdam, under the direction of Ivo van Hove. It’s up to you to decide what you want to make out of it, as after the opening sequence, pretty much anything goes. The entire stage space, including the costume, make-up and technical areas, is open to the audience, except for a walkway between two glass walls in the centre. The reason for this specific exclusion becomes apparent as the action continues to unfold and this becomes an integral space, utilised as a linking theme through each of the three plays, Coriolanus, Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra.

On stage, comfortable couches and small block stools are arranged around flat screen TVs on which the action is relayed; if your view is obscured you can choose to watch the performance via this medium instead. Food and drinks are available for purchase throughout, so you can sit down with a glass of wine and a piece of cake, while you chat to those around you, take photos, tweet, and more. Exploring the space, you might run into a friend – or make a new one as you bond over the shared experience of revelling in the fun unfolding. Others you won’t see but will know they’re around somewhere because a comment from them has appeared on the twitter feed. It’s like a giant sleep-over movie marathon except instead of bad 80s horror flicks, the entertainment is Shakespeare and it’s live.

If you prefer to remain in the auditorium and watch the drama unfold without getting so up close and personal, that’s also fine. Even for those who do venture on stage for periods of time, an interlude back to the stalls can provide a welcome opportunity to take in the full spectacle unfolding. While the action takes place in various sections of the stage, the majority has been blocked in a way that plays to the traditional audience perspective. There are aspects of the show, including the information scrolling across a digital banner, that are best viewed from this perspective, and the impressive drumming of the bl!ndman group in the orchestra pit is a sight to behold. People tend to move around fairly regularly so, while areas can become cramped at times, it stays reasonably easy to get about and take things in from a number of points of view.

The original text has been translated into Dutch, with English surtitles projected on a screen above the stage, the TV screens, and several other surfaces, so that you’re able to read them no matter where you’ve chosen to place yourself. It is particularly interesting to experience these plays without the traditional rhyme and meter of the Shakespearian language. The cast are uniformly wonderful, most featuring in each of the three plays. In between their scenes you might encounter them relaxing on the couches with audience members or tucking into a spot of dinner. Each of the interpretations of these three classic plays would be interesting and commendable as productions in their own right, even if performed in a more traditional space. Without that solid foundation, it’s unlikely that the overall experience would work so well.

While some may consider the six hour running time a deterrent, it absolutely shouldn’t be, because the time flies by. The reason it works without dragging could be attributed to the production being so well structured, despite the flexible and unique ways available to view it. The boundaries for audience members are clear, a run-down of the scene timings is provided in the program and there are several flagged scene changes scattered throughout which provide the opportunity to plan a trip to the bathroom or bar. Countdowns are also provided for the major events in each show – you’ll know when someone is going to die or give a famous speech, so can plan around that. This is helped by the show being based around Shakespeare’s plays as a lot of people are familiar with the storylines and so can easily keep track of what’s going on despite missing chunks if distracted.

There was a lot of hype leading up to this show and it was very pleasing to find that it was warranted. The ability to adapt it to your own personal preferences and desires as an audience member means that it’s a particularly memorable and special experience.

 

Mar 01

Jonathan Prag – Classical Guitar

by Heather-Jean Moyes
An intimate setting and superb classical guitarist, filling the room with music that at times carried me away – a very pleasant opening to the festival. It was the Fringe actually but Friday night was opening night of the festival, I could tell because outside I could here the cars. Inside it was bliss. The whole ‘up close’ thing, a guitar that was alive with warmth and seemingly a part of the musician’s body, and music – it was a privilege to be a part of such a simple and yet exquisite experience. The opening night started with a plaintive George Gershwin Prelude and covered a range of styles from Spanish to Russian, to British contemporary and Classical works each masterfully performed. Some virtuoso dynamics in a Neil Smith Scottish medley, and some moments of toffee flavoured bittersweet brilliance, as a non-Spanish guitarist let loose with a convincing Issac Albeniz – Asturias, and Paco Pena – Herencia Latina were highlights for me. Those and an old favourite Satie tune. A rendition of Matthew Sear’s America ranged through American motifs – Mexican, LA traffic, silent movies and a touch of Zydeco and blues before hitting a hint of New York Klezma all bound together and driving on as Jonathan carried the audience forward with technical brilliance. Finishing with a playful approach to a snazzy Brazilian number, Jonathan left us impressed.
Jonathan Prag – Classical Guitar, is on at the HATs Courthouse on Saturday 1st March, the Church of the Trinity on Sunday 2nd March, The Singing Gallery on Friday 7th March and Ayers House on Sunday 9th March.

Feb 28

FRINGE – DNA – Channel 9 Kevin Crease Studios – 2.5K

Under the direction of Charlaina Thompson, a young group of girls come together to present a play focusing on several topics pertinent to today’s youth: friendship, love, bullying, guilt, peer pressure, responsibility, fear, etc. DNA will be of interest to school groups as an exploration of these issues and how they are presented in theatre.

This is the story of a hazing ritual gone awry and the characters’ subsequent attempts to cover it up. It shows the power dynamics at play amongst the group, which lead to a spiral of bad decisions and progressively more serious potential consequences. Though their inexperience shows in several areas, the cast all do a reasonable job in their roles. Each seems comfortable on stage, knows how to present to the audience and together they manage to fill the large stage space with energy. However, more focus needs to be put on ensuring that cues are hit on time so that the dialogue is more naturalistic and the punchy, manic strength of the text comes through.

Physical movement/dance pieces (choreography by Craig McCardle) are scattered throughout the performance. These provide some interesting divisions between what could be considered the separate “acts” of the play. The fairly neutral staging, in conjunction with digital projection, creates an adaptable, agreeable set; though it could have done without the half painted fake tree.

Thompson has adapted the original script by Dennis Kelly (probably best known for his recent collaboration on Matilda the Musical with Tim Minchin) to be performed by an all-female cast. This has two effects on the play in that the dynamics of the groups become very different and some of the characters simply didn’t ring true as females. In its present iteration it is somewhat like a Crucible of the modern age, as the girls look to their manipulative leader for direction and, as a group, make decisions which will have an immense, serious impact on the lives of others.

This production is a formidable effort from such a young cast, who will no doubt grow from the experience of performing in a Fringe Festival. As a piece of theatre it will be of most interest to those in the demographic that it portrays.

Kryztoff Rating: 2.5K