Archive for February, 2010

RAW: I Need Your Love

Contemporary dancers from The Melbourne Dance Theatre performed a lovely piece at the hot Fringe venue Arcade Lane. The dancers conveyed all things associated with love: loneliness, sadness, vulnerability, beauty, abuse, violence and passion.

The versatility and flexibility of the troupe of 9 ensures that these messages are resoundingly clear, even to the uninitiated. Also expect beautiful balance poses and some spectacular dives to some world music – not a single English word.

Lighting cues were occasionally slightly amiss. The audio was sometimes mingled with sounds from outside the Theatre and occasionally distorted. However, the dancers drew the focus away from these shortcomings rather successfully.

Only on until Sunday 28th February, the troupe from the Melbourne Dance Theatre are well worth checking out.

Kryztoff Rating: 3.5K

>> Check out more interviews, videos, feature articles and polished previews in our latest Fringe Guidehttp://www.kryztoff.com/fringe

RAW: Mark Trenwith – ‘Fun’

At the opening, Adelaide native Mark Trenwith made his show’s ethos clear – laughter enjoyed for it’s own sake.

Shortly afterwards, this ethos materialised as chuckling front row audience members came to terms with the reality that they had been left alone to wash dishes and dust the stage.

Offering unusaul impersonations, prop-based jokes, footage of his bold public antics, and a collection of stories based on his attempts to create more fun out there in the world – Mark’s enthusiasm for taking the piss sparkled with national potential.

Now that Rove is gone, who knows?

Kryztoff Rating: 3.5K

>> Check out more interviews, videos, feature articles and polished previews in our latest Fringe Guidehttp://www.kryztoff.com/fringe

RAW: Burlesque Hour @ Spiegeltent

Cutting edge, dynamic, entertaining, challenging. An amazing show, do not miss it.

Kryztoff Rating: 5K

>> Check out more interviews, videos, feature articles and polished previews in our latest Fringe Guidehttp://www.kryztoff.com/fringe

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RAW: Animals, Aliens & Vegetables @ Ambar Lounge

Pity some shows dont run on time. Faced with incredible crowds in the Garden for a later show, I was forced to abandon Animals, Aliens & Vegtables a half hour after it was meant to start and I was still waiting, being told that the show was ‘being set up’.

>> Check out more interviews, videos, feature articles and polished previews in our latest Fringe Guidehttp://www.kryztoff.com/fringe

RAW: My Sweet Specter – Star Theatres

Anna McInerney’s ‘My Sweet Specter’ is another ambitious project this Fringe pitting looming, young Adelaide talent against a tough assignment. But for the most part, she and her cast and crew pull it off.

In Nicole Miller’s play and the Film Noir tradition of the Prohibition era, Miss Scarlett (Shaez Mortimer) comes to Chicago to make her name but quickly gets embroiled in some foul play and deception with the nightclub moguls the Blacks – Vivian “Vixen’ (Joanna McGovern) and John (Peter Enright) – for which her own shady past is well prepared. As the story develops dance scenes break out, led seductively by Rebecca Plummer and Madison Kuerschner (amongst the girls) and the stylish Joel Anderson. There is a lot of the musical style of Chicago in this and the players are up to the multiple roles of actor, dancer and singer with both Mortimer and McGovern giving stand out performances.

Thomas Phillips’ choreography and Krysia Vucic and Shannon Adams’ costumes are great for a performance on this scale but it has to be said the show at times suffered for its amateurish bits – the lighting (especially front of stage) was weak and for a theatre the size of the Star the use of microphones depreciated the performances.

But overall, great fun and entertainment and here’s to hoping McInerney brings more shows together and that dancing on this scale and high level can also get a regular guernsey in town. If her future shows are as well patronised as this, then any company Anna forms will have a strong following to support it.

Kryztoff Rating 4K

>> Check out more interviews, videos, feature articles and polished previews in our latest Fringe Guidehttp://www.kryztoff.com/fringe

RAW: Circus Oz – Barely Contained

Circus Oz was all the delight it promised to be. Fast paced acrobatics, innovative routines, multi-talented performers that together were both awe inspiring and immensely entertaining for all ages. In the air-conditioned big top on the Parade Grounds, local girl, Eli Green, as Vanessa, hosted the show and led the dominant female contingent. The by-play between circus strong woman, Mel Fyfe and diminutive Emma Hawkins was great fun that continued all show. If anything the first half is more compelling than the second but opinions may well be divided on this.

A show such as this naturally draws comparison with Circus Soleil. This is a much simpler show that loses nothing for not having the glitz of the other troupe. It is perhaps its more egalitarian approach to performing that not only stamps it generally but also as a truly Australian production. Simple everyday objects for props (glass bottles, wooden chairs, a toaster) and a consistent and effective intermingling of audience and performers makes the show very welcoming.

Great entertainment and it is also great to have Circus Oz back in town for this year’s Festival.

Kryztoff Rating 4.5K

>> Check out more interviews, videos, feature articles and polished previews in our latest Fringe Guidehttp://www.kryztoff.com/fringe

RAW: Die Roten Punkte – Rock! @ Le Cascadeur (GoUD)

Die Roten Punkte, or The Red Dots, are a brother-sister rock and roll combo straight out of Berlin. The show sees drummer Astrid – fresh out of rehab – and straight edge guitarist Otto, dueling for the audiences attention in a series of hilarious songs and between song banter.

A Pixies-inspired song about a banana, a futuristic keytar number about a robot with intentions of one day being a lion, the ‘first album trilogy’, and an acoustic love song penned for a ‘kind of’ vegan audience member are just a few of the many highlights. Astrid is a riotous highlight, while Otto’s constant posing and Iggy Pop stage moves and windmills make for a thoroughly entertaining show, with laughs never far apart.

If you have any interest in music, see this! If you don’t, you will still bloody love it!

Kryztoff Rating: 4.666K

>> Check out more interviews, videos, feature articles and polished previews in our latrest Fringe Guidehttp://www.kryztoff.com/fringe

RAW: Philip Escoffey: Six IMpossible Things Before Dinner @ Umbrella Revolution (GoUD)

Philip Escoffey’s show sure is a mind bender. From the first impossible sketch to the moment you open your fortune cookie after leaving, you wonder, is this possible?

Philip does not claim to be a psychic nor does he want you to believe that he cheats, so how does he do it? And by the end you are certain he can’t be cheating? Is this possible? you will ask again and again.

A very entertaining show with a fantastic level of energy. Another not to be missed even though you will be left wondering until you open your fortune cookie, just to be stunned once again.

Philip deserves a top rating for top entertainment.

Kryztoff Rating: 5 K

>> Check out more interviews, videos, feature articles and polished previews in our latrest Fringe Guidehttp://www.kryztoff.com/fringe

RAW: Skitch Tease @ The Pod (GoUD)

Liz Skitch puts a lot of effort into her solo show, Skitch Tease. Quite litteraly starting of with a bit of a strip tease and then covered only with her accordion she presents an entertaining blend of stand up, stories and song. Liz decided to try it in the nude after reaching the conclusion that stand up comedy isn’t scary enough, she says. And she asks not to tell her mother.

The engaging Liz manages to keep a good pace with entertaining lines and a great level of energy.

Kryztoff Rating: 3 K

>> Check out more interviews, videos, feature articles and polished previews in our latrest Fringe Guidehttp://www.kryztoff.com/fringe

RAW: Red Bastard @ Umbrella Revolution (GoUD)

Most times when you leave a show you know what the show was about and you pretty much have an idea what you would tell your friends about it. This however is not the case with Red Bastard. Is this the point, that you are left wondering, wondering was that supposed to make sense or did this really just happen? I wouldn’t describe it a show without a story line, the story is the Red Bastard, and a bastard he is. The audience was raised to some laughter, some a little strained.

At times the Red Bastard managed to bring the energy level extremely high. And some attempts of audience interaction are made however it still all revolves around the Red Bastard. At the end of though you do wonder, what did I just see? I was entertained but was there a point to it all? 

Kryztoff Rating: 2 K

>> Check out more interviews, videos, feature articles and polished previews in our latrest Fringe Guidehttp://www.kryztoff.com/fringe