| Reviews: October-December 2004
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The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s Production of “Macbeth” Brisbane Arts Theatre This review will be shorter than most as much of the explaining of the Farndale series of comedies and “coarse theatre” has been taken care of in my recent review of Centenary Theatre Group’s production of Chase Me Up Farndale Avenue S’il Vous Plait (see below). So please read that review as a more detailed introduction to this one. In a nutshell, the “Farndales” derive their comedy by depicting a group of amateur actors presenting plays badly … very badly. Brisbane Arts Theatre has selected the first in the series by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jnr, in which we are treated to a very bad production of “that Scottish play”. Produced by the Farndale ladies as part of the fictional Drama Festival Area Final of 1982, the play ends up bearing little resemblance to a Shakespearean classic at all. The only tragedy we are witnesses to is the dreadful performances by the Farndale ladies, complete with laryngitis, crutches, sets placed back-to-front, props falling from the heavens at just the wrong moment, and various other catastrophes. And I have to say that all this hopelessly bad theatre is done very well indeed by Brisbane Arts. Under the masterful direction of Kurt A. Lerps, this production is spot on in terms of timing and pace, with the entire cast and crew working together extremely well throughout. Inevitable mishaps and full-blown disasters occur and are dealt with in such a way that the audience is completely drawn into the story and feel a part of the goings-on. A simple, effective set designed by Graham McKenzie, fantastic costuming co-ordinated by Renate Bowden and wonderful lighting and sound designed by Phillip Carney all come together effortlessly to make this production the success that it is. Congratulations must go to the entire cast for doing bad theatre so well. Plays such as this require a strong, cohesive ensemble and each and every actor seemed completely as ease with other cast members, bouncing off one another and enjoying the experience. Of particular note is the performance of Julie Bray as Mrs Reece. We all have a Mrs Reece in our theatre group and this character is handled extremely well with just the right balance of matriarch and handbag-driven drama queen. Paul Careless delivers a fine-tuned and amusing portrayal of Henry, the stage manager who ends up playing Lady Macbeth, and Katherine Kiorgaard is a pleasure to watch, especially as Banquo’s ghost — on wheels! Ian Rennie’s performance is also enjoyable throughout, playing the hapless festival adjudicator who reveals his feminine side as the play proceeds. As I said in my review of Centenary’s “Farndale”, these aren’t the best scripts I’ve ever read or seen performed, but I have to say that Brisbane Arts Theatre has done the best one could hope for and provides comedy-loving audiences with a very amusing and satisfying night of theatre. —
Andrea Carne (Performance seen: 10 December 2004) www.STAGEDIARY.com: Queensland's Online Stage Magazine Lend Me A Tenor Villanova Players I must start this review with an apology to both the Villanova Players and the Bris Vegas theatre-going crowd. Due to technical hiccups and a hectic work schedule, I was only able to see the second-last performance of this their final show for 2004. Which unfortunately means that it is now over. So I guess this article will be a "review" in the absolutely true sense of the word. I went and saw Lend Me a Tenor for two reasons. The first — as a reviewer — was innocent enought. The second was more nefarious. For it was in a production of the very same play back on 31 December 1999 that I made my debut at the Brisbane Arts Theatre. (See, I sound like a theatre w***er less than two paragraphs in. That's a new record!) In plain speak, I played Maria. It was fun, and a good production to boot, so I was keen to see how the Villanova Players would stage it. OK, I confess. I just really wanted to see if the woman playing Maria did a more convincing Italian accent than me. Let me explain. The play, written by Ken Ludwig, is a farce about opera. The main character, Max, is a dogsbody for an opera company managed by Henry Saunders. They're bringing out the famous Italian tenor Tito Morelli to sing at a special charity performance of Otello. Max likes to sing opera himself, and tries to impress Saunders' daughter Maggie. However she only has eyes for the tenor, otherwise known as "Il Stupendo". Morelli arrives with his fiery wife Maria, they fight, and the tenor appears to top himself. To avoid a public relations disaster, Saunders forces Max to dress up as Othello (complete with black face) and go on, pretending to be Morelli. Hilarity then ensues with two Othellos running about, dodging Saunders, each other and some very "excited" fans (including a hotel porter). It's one of the better farce comedies I've seen. The writing is sharp and funny, the pace is frenetic, and it has all the elements of farce — slamming doors, people hidden in cupboards and bathrooms, mistaken identities, trousers round the ankles, that sort of thing. Overall, Villanova did it admirably. They successfully transposed the play from its original setting of 1940s Cleveland, Ohio, to modern day Brisbane, Queensland. That gets rid of costuming dramas and also solves the issue about accents and consistency — except of course for the two actors playing Italians! I quite like the original setting (remember, everything I say is through rose-tinted glasses!) but it works well in the modern day. And hey, it's a farce, so you leave your sense of logic at the door anyway. Dean Patrick was a good choice for the lead role of Max. He's the everyman, trying to impress the girl and improve his status in life. Patrick got that across — and he was also a lovely singer, what little bits we heard of him. Michael Byrnes was suitably tense as the perpetually wound-up Henry Saunders — but I felt the delivery of some of his lines could have been sharper. Anna Woodall and Rhyll Davis worked well as the yin and yang of female sexual expression. (Woah, big words). Anna as Maggie — sweet, caring, wanting her encounter with an opera singer to be an ecstatic moment of bliss — and Rhyll as Diana, the vampy soprano keen to use her sexual wiles on Tito to get out of Brisbane and onto the New York stage. As for Christopher Lynagh as Tito Morelli himself — well, see here I'm spoiled for a partial opinion. The man who played Tito Morelli in the version I was in was actually a) Italian (or close enough) and b) a professional singer, fully trained in opera. But to Lynagh's credit, he gives more than enough to make you believe he's the hapless, over-indulging opera star. His complete confusion at events in the second act works well, but sometimes his Italian accent blurred some of his killer lines of dialogue. Catherine Hegarty was great as Tito's long-suffering wife Maria — it made me remember why I liked the role (however small it was). Robert Gettons as the fawning hotel porter and Nancy Johnston as the nosy Opera Company's chairwoman rounded out the cast. The set, a hotel suite, was simple and effective — although there were a few unsteady doors and the odd breaking of the invisible middle wall. (But we've all done that). The lights and sound worked well, and congrats to director Brian Cannon and the production team. Villanova Players have this year been using the theatre facilities at the Morningside Campus of the Southbank Institute of TAFE for their productions. Chatting to some of the theatre's members at interval and after the show, I found out that they involve the students during term to help with production, lights, sound, costumes etc. I was really encouraged by this, and I reckon Villanova and the TAFE people deserve a pat on the back for forming such a partnership. In an age when many community theatres are struggling for audiences (thank you DVDs and X-Boxes), it's great to see new ways of keeping it alive emerge. Again, I apologise that this review comes after the fact. However Villanova have already announced their program for next year, and it looks good. If they continue producing shows the calibre of Lend Me A Tenor I think we're in for a good year. And while we're shamelessly plugging 2005 shows, you should all come and see "Miss Bosnia" on at the Arts Theatre in February. It's going to be great. It's got a fabulous cast.....SHAMELESS! Completely shameless! Happy Holidays everyone! —
Natalie Bochenski (Performance seen: 4 December 2004) www.STAGEDIARY.com: Queensland's Online Stage Magazine Chase Me Up Farndale Avenue S’il Vous Plait Centenary Theatre Group It seems the popular Farndale series of comedies is alive and well in Brisbane with two productions running concurrently at Centenary and Brisbane Arts theatres. Written by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jnr, the plays revolve around the theatrical efforts of the Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society — a group of aspiring thespians who definitely put the ‘a’ in ‘amateur’. With each Farndale production attempt, things inevitably go horribly wrong as cast members forget lines, come on early or late or as the wrong character altogether. Then there are the cast members who don’t turn up at all, forcing the others to take their place. Add to this a liberal sprinkling of sound and lighting cues that are missed or messed up, sets that fall apart, doors that jam, etc etc…and I’m pretty sure you’ll have the picture. And while they may not be the greatest scripts I’ve ever read, they are nonetheless good fare for amateur groups wanting a nice, safe comedy that will please their regular patrons. Centenary Theatre Group has chosen Chase Me Up Farndale Avenue S’il Vous Plait, the fourth in the series, in which we see the Farndale ladies producing a French farce with a plot we’re advised in the program NOT to try and understand. It’s just as well, since the comedy comes not from the play they’re trying to produce, but from how badly the characters try to produce the play. If this all sounds confusing, just think of it as theatre done badly — on purpose! Now, for a piece of so-called “coarse theatre” to work properly, good actors need to play bad actors well, and timing and pace needs to be of the highest level. Amateur groups tend to choose farcical comedies because they are popular with audiences and supposedly “easy” for cast and crew, but in reality they require timing and pace like no other type of play. One of my acting teachers once told me that “drama is easy, it’s comedy that’s hard”, and I’ve since discovered first hand that he was indeed right. If comedy does not have correct timing and pace, it falls flat and the audience do not get the level of comedy the author intended. This production, directed by Chris Guyler, comes frustratingly close to achieving what’s needed, but a lack of acute timing and pace in several scenes unfortunately lets them down from achieving the ultimate goal. It’s just not quite as slick as it should be. Part of the problem involves actors pre-empting things that are about to go wrong and this cannot happen in coarse theatre. The characters need to appear totally oblivious to what’s going on around them for this type of comedy to work seamlessly. At times it worked well, very well, but other times saw some actors apparently waiting for the sound cue to go wrong or the piece of set to fall down, which ultimately spoiled the charade. Having said that, there are indeed some nice performances from the cast who work hard from start to finish. Stacey Lake is one of the hardest workers of all, desperately trying to keep things together as the ever-smiling Mrs Reece who introduces us to the production and then takes on various roles within it, even stopping midway to share a special cake recipe with us. This actor obviously enjoys the role and it shows. David Bell also sweats it out on stage (literally), being the only male member of the cast who still has to don a dress and a bad wig at one point. Amy Coutts shines as Minnie, the costume assistant forced to take on a major role when someone pulls out. Jane Newman and Selina Kadell complete the cast, competently playing various roles, male and female. The set, complete with panels that fall down, doors that get jammed and furniture that collapses, has been designed well by the clever Sue Watson. Costumes are well chosen and the entire cast thoroughly enjoy themselves on stage. The audience seemed to like it too, which of course is the main thing. Disappointing to see so few there to enjoy what is a very commendable attempt at a very difficult type of comedy. —
Andrea Carne (Performance seen: 28 November 2004) www.STAGEDIARY.com: Queensland's Online Stage Magazine Far Away Queensland Theatre Company A short, sharp shock of a play, Far Away turns the world that the comfortable middle class thinks that we’re living in inside out, to reveal the brutal realities of an adversarial existence where the only rules are to keep your head down and your eyes blinkered, and trust no one and nothing. It’s not surprising, then, that the way in which playwright Caryl Churchill has chosen to show this has, in itself, a polarising effect on the audience. Those first nighters who found it an innovative and powerful statement clapped enthusiastically, while those who saw it as obscure, or pretentious, or bleak, or all three, stayed their hands. That it could be viewed as a theatrical experience rather than a conventional play is reinforced by an unusual element in the program notes, which follows the operatic convention of providing a one page summary of the plot. And while in general I have a preference for discovering the story as it unfolds, I can see that it could be helpful to read the brief outline beforehand in a play such as this one, which is — at the same time — both conceptually complex and elliptical. Director Leticia Cáceres has less than one hour to track the disintegrating world of Far Away, and succeeds in doing this in such a way that the play stays with you long after it is over. In this, she is aided by a cast which — while not exciting — is certainly competent. Carol Burns, as Harper, is extremely effective in her reluctant construction of a menace that she starts off by fighting to keep at bay through denial and the outward signs of a conventional world, but to which she finally surrenders when panic becomes the only logical response. Emily Tomlins brings considerable warmth to her role of Joan, the innocent who travels from normality to chaos, although she remains a touch too breathlessly and lispingly childlike as she shifts into young adulthood; and Marc Richards works hard, but is not totally convincing as Todd, who becomes her guide and lover. Visually, the shuffling volunteers make a strong impact in the second act parade, while the dramatic scenery (designed by Tanja Beer), lighting (by Jo Currey) and sound (by Pete Goodwin) make a vital contribution to the overall power of this production. And, at 55 minutes and with no interval, it’s well worth going to see — and make your own mind up about — this controversial play. —
Anne Ring (Performance seen: 11 November 2004) www.STAGEDIARY.com: Queensland's Online Stage Magazine Provenance Ronnie Burkett Cremorne Theatre An invitation to a puppet show with the warning "not suitable for children under 14" is a worry — although arguably many a Punch & Judy show merits such a caveat. Provenance is indeed an M-rated production, but not so much through cheap voyeurism as in its adult themes which are provocative and disturbing. In a masterly work of theatre, Provenance yields a series of fascinating characterisations and eery stories. The main protagonist is Pity Beane, an earnest and plain art student from Canada. From her early teens Pity has been fascinated with and indeed in love with the character of a strange painting in pre-Raphaelite style of a nude boy embraced by a swan. "Laddie and the swan" , her art professor has mercilessly dubbed it, a contempt for which Pity gets her revenge in a most effective way through an hilarious seminar presentation in which she ridicules the professor and his pretensions. When unexpected riches come her way, Pity travels to Europe in quest of the painting and its history, or provenance. Her journey takes her to Vienna and to acquaintance with an extraordinary array of characters who people a classy brothel wherein the painting is located. In her dialogues with the characters, and in particular the madam of the establishment, Pity unravels the mystery of the painting while deepening her understanding of art and the human angst it can represent. Her journey includes consideration of such issues as bullying and abuse, loss of innocence and the many dimensions of love. Among other things, Pity's quest involves a search for beauty and for the meaning of artistic truth. The production is a quite remarkable tour de force by Ronnie Burkett. For more than two hours he is continuously and energetically on stage, manipulating and providing voices for the marionettes and other puppets, as they walk, sit, chat, sing, dance and even skate around the set. All this on top of having made the marionettes and painted the central work of art, Burkett is revealed as multidimensional in his embrace of the arts. The drama is not consistently successful. At stages during its uninterrupted flow the momentum evaporates and the show at times slides into self-indulgence. Yet for most of the production the pace and direction make for an evening which is unusual and absorbing. Indeed some of the little characters in their acting out of the drama become so captivating that at times I felt I had zoomed in and was perceiving them as of human stature, with Burkett hovering behind in the darkness like a giant. Others share the credit with Burkett for the success of Provenance, including fellow Canadians Cathy Nosaty for her music and sound design (how nice it would be to see this show with the music live rather than recorded) and Bill Williams for his lighting design and Kevin Humphrey as director of lighting (which must be a particularly hard ask with such small targets to illuminate!). —
John Henningham (Performance seen: 30 October 2004) www.STAGEDIARY.com: Queensland's Online Stage Magazine Reservoir Dogs Nash Theatre The violence and drama of Reservoir Dogs has been brought to the stage by Nash, but in an interesting twist every role has been cast with a female. In an adaptation of a movie predominately about men interacting with each other in stressful situations and father-son roles, this reversal of gender has brought entirely new meaning to the popular Quentin Tarantino cult movie. For those who haven't seen it, it's a story about a diamond heist that goes wrong when the cops show up from nowhere. At the rendezvous point of an abandoned warehouse, the surviving perpetrators argue and scuffle about whether or not there was a rat in the ranks, and who it could be. Directors Christopher Doolan and Daniel James have produced a play that captures the tension and relationships of the original movie, but also brings this action to within a couple of feet from the audience in an intimate atmosphere afforded by the small scale of the stage. This closeness serves to enhance the shock and humour factors, making the inherent nastiness in Tarantino's masterpiece enjoyably unavoidable. The interpretations of characters played by such legendary actors as Harvey Keitel and Steve Bucemi are well suited to the stage, and such hard acts to follow are touched with an original flavour. Performances of note include Lara Kappler as Mr Pink, Lesa Bell as Joe Cabot and Liza Callinicos as Mr Orange, who did a particularly impressive show of slowly dying from a gunshot wound to the gut. At some points it is not clear whether it is a cast of women playing men, or the story had been changed to be about women. The characters all refer to each other as "Mr White" or "Joe", yet their costume suggests otherwise by being all skirts and singlet tops. Although this is probably meant to enhance the absurdity of the aggressive behaviour of the male characters, the contradiction nevertheless serves to occasionally destroy the suspension of disbelief. The most enjoyable parts of the production are the classic moments of angry dialogue set in the warehouse. The scenes involving Mr White and Mr Pink, and Mr Blonde and the cop are executed with near perfect timing and heart-pumping ferociousness. The setting of the Alliance Tavern in Spring Hill serves as a nicely suitable venue for Reservoir Dogs. The sparse walls and the view of the city lights out the back window create an appropriate background for the backwater scenes and locations in the production. The mystery, suspense and tension of the story would be heightened for anyone who has never the original movie. However for those who have, the Nash theatre production presents an original and exciting twist on the cult hit. —
Tom Guerney (Performance seen: 27 October 2004) www.STAGEDIARY.com: Queensland's Online Stage Magazine The Idiot Harvest Rain Theatre Company Harvest Rain has presented an intriguing version of Dostoevsky’s The Idiot, in the form of an adaptation — by Greg McLarnon — that pares the richness of the original work down to a cast of four characters and a focus on their inter-relationships. And both Harvest Rain and McLarnon are to be commended for reminding us of a novel that is part of a by-now largely ignored body of classical literature. How well a budget version of Dostoevsky’s book works as contemporary theatre is a more complex question. For me, there were too many ghosts from the original rattling their chains around the large and somewhat spartan stage, but — that said — it did provide an interesting if not always successful mix of contemporary issues, timeless moral dilemmas, and the outmoded social constrictions, constructions and values of a bygone era. The structure of the novel has also been modified, with the modern version using a form of flashback that anticipates the events to come. Under the directorship of Nerida Jaaniste, these are competently played out by the appealing cast, through a series of set pieces that move inexorably to the dramatic conclusion. The stronger performances come from Ray Tiernan, who captures the aesthetic appearance and manner of the recovering epileptic and gentle man, Prince Muishkin, and from Emma Skelton as the spirited and assertive Aglaya Epanchine. Joachim Seilo is more erratic as the Prince’s sometime friend and jealous rival Parfen Rogojin. This may be because of the character that he is playing, of an outgoing but aggressive and jumpy personality, but he is also somewhat perfunctory in some of his more emotional scenes. And Caroline Frewin is not always convincing as the tormented and tragic Nastasia Barashkovna. As a theatrical experience, this production has a superficiality that gives soapy overtones to the Russian darkness, and at times appears to be played (and responded to by the audience) as comedy rather than drama. A few of the most dramatic moments, moreover, miss their mark to the point where — on the night I saw it — there were titters from some parts of the audience. This is, nonetheless, a show that meets Harvest Rain’s aspirations to be both entertaining and thought-provoking, and is likely to encourage more than one of its audience (myself included) to go back not only to the original novel, but also some of Dostoevsky’s other powerful works. —
Anne Ring (Performance seen: 15 October 2004) www.STAGEDIARY.com: Queensland's Online Stage Magazine A Masked Ball Opera Queensland I was chagrined to find that my Night at the Opera was to coincide with the reality opera of the national tally room in the vote-counting for Australia's federal election. The human drama of triumphs, disappointments, counterfeit forbearance and dummy spits usually makes for entertainment on a grand scale, even without the singing. But A Masked Ball proved a fitting substitute, particularly through its strongly political themes of intrigue, self-fulfilling prophesy and character assassination. There was even the parallel of an adulterous public figure getting the bullet from a critical public. This original Australian Opera production, almost 20 years old, has worn well, the chosen ensemble of performers backed by orchestra and chorus giving an energetic and absorbing interpretation. Verdi's opera fell into trouble with the censors before its first airing, with the result that the plot line of the assassination of a Swedish king had to be changed — to of all places, pre-revolutionary Boston, in the form of plotting against a colonial governor. If Verdi had heard of Australia he may even have thought of setting the story Down Under during an election campaign. Mercifully, the original intent has been well and truly restored in this production, and we are treated to a feast of opulent costuming and sets, summoning up the court of an 18th Century absolutist monarch. The audience is teased with views of the throne room through a gauze curtain during the playing of the overture, and the lifting of the curtain provides a feast for the eyes. The sets of John Gunther and costumes of Michael Stennett are dazzling, complemented by Nigel Levings' lighting design. Each of the contrasting scenes: court, fortune-teller's lair, gallows graveyard, palace interiors and the ballroom is impressive. Director John Wregg has succeeded in applying the original scheme of John Cox, with many clever touches and great feats of organisation, although a number of the settings seem rather static, and, wonderful as it is to have a full choral sound, there often seem too many bodies on stage. The final scene of the famous masked ball itself is more like a modern disco in terms of the press of bodies, and with little room to move, the dancing, such as it is, is passive and stilted. Conductor Richard Divall does well to command the large orchestra and vocal ensemble. The complex dynamics work well, the only disappointment a near-drowning of the tenor in the climax of the grand court scene of Act 1. The overall sound from orchestra and chorus is magnificent. Particularly memorable is the percussion work. Brisbane audiences are treated to some splendid vocal performances. Bulgarian tenor Kaludi Kaludow is a commanding King Gustavus, his beautiful tenor voice enrapturing his listeners. He is well-matched by Rosamund Illing as Amelia, the woman he illicitly loves. Kaludow and Illing sing a stunning duet at the start of Act 2, one of the vocal highlights of the night. Barry Anderson as deceived secretary-of-state Anckarstroem started a little shakily on opening night but was well into the swing of things by the second act and gave a strong performance overall. Peter Axford and Harry Coghill act menacingly and sing powerfully as the two conspirators, while Irene Waugh as the fortune teller and Stuart Neilson-Kemp as the chief justice make worthy contributions. Jason Barry-Smith sings well in his cameo role, and fellow Queensland Con graduate Leanne Kenneally is dazzling as the king's page, Oscar, almost upstaging the entire court with her zesty personality and thrilling vocals. —
John Henningham (Performance seen: 9 October 2004) www.STAGEDIARY.com: Queensland's Online Stage Magazine Footloose Ignatians Musical Society (Schonell Theatre) It was a night about conservative values and the suppression of youthful exuberance. No wait, that was the re-election of the Howard government. All right, so I had to start with a bit of near political satire. But the musical Footloose, based on the 1984 movie of the same name, is all about the clash between a conservative older generation and their Wild One free teens. But that's only if you look too closely. Take Footloose by its glossy, spangly exterior, and it's about fighting for your right to party. I'd only just come back from an overseas holiday when the editor of Stagediary asked if I would review Footloose. Sure, I said. Any musical that features a number by Kenny Loggins has got to be worth a view. I did have my doubts though — because (cue guilty secret music) I've never seen the original 1984 movie starring a buff Kevin Bacon. I know, I know. But I was a wee young'un, not ready for Kev's moves. After the curtain went up, I realised I would probably never be ready for Kev's moves. It has to be said, and I'm sure Ignatians will agree with me, that Footloose is cheesier than a weekend in a French cheese shop eating cheesy cheesy cheese. Young teen Ren (Matt Fennell) moves with his mother Ethel (Sara Reynolds-Sly) to the small American town of Bomont after their father runs out on them. Bomont is virtually run by the moralistic preacher Reverend Shaw Moore (Richard Murphy), and dancing in public is forbidden. Plucky Ren refuses to stop doing his groove thang, and starts a movement to lift the ban, while at the same time falling in love with the Reverend's a-little-bit-too-worldly daughter Ariel (Michelle Matthews). Will the town's teenagers succeed in their mission to be able to tango, cha-cha and boot-scoot freely? I won't tell, but rest assured Kenny Loggins is involved. So yeah, it's cheesy, but that shouldn't reflect badly on Ignatians. You've got to hand it to them. As far as musicals go, Footloose isn't spectacular. But the dedicated and bouncy cast turn it into a fine night out. The Schonell is a gorgeous theatre and they use the space well, with clever set pieces, ceiling drops and good lighting. The energy and enthusiasm of the cast is infectious, and you can't help toe-tapping along to some of the jazzier numbers, like "I need a hero" and "Let's hear it for the boy" (RIP Laura Branigan). In terms of performances, Matt Fennell is big of smile and quick of toe, and makes a fine Ren. He even looks a bit like Kevin Bacon. Sara Reynolds-Sly is good as Ethel, but I felt she was too young to really be his mother. Richard Murphy is a totally convincing Reverend Moore — his singing voice is great and his mid-west American accent probably the best of the lot. Michelle Matthews is fine as his emotionally distant and wilful daughter, also with a lovely voice. But my favourite was Craig Anderson as Ren's country bumpkin friend Willert. He's just brilliant, playing the comic relief part to perfection. The romance between Willert and Ariel's friend Rusty (a Ellie-May-esque Heidi Robinson) is a sweet side story, and Willert's instructional song "Mama says", performed with a group of line-dancing kid cowboys, is the musical highlight for me, and judging by the huge cheer, the crowd as well. The supporting cast also do a great job, most particularly Danika Saal and Lucy Ivers as schoolgirls Wendy Jo and Urleen, and Kerrie Lange as Vi, the Reverend's wife. She and Ethel have a lovely duet of sorts in "Learning to be silent". However, I felt some of the older members of the cast looked a bit out of place. They're supposed to be stiff and staid teachers and parents in the story, but sometimes it comes across as just being wooden acting. There are some problems with accent continuity and voice microphones, so that may have contributed. Technically, the show is put together well. The choreography is well-designed by Cathy Gunton, and the cast pull off by some challenging routines. There were times when I couldn't hear the lyrics over the music, and other times where certain singers drowned out others, but for the most part I was amazed by the professionalism of this community theatre group. I was most certainly jealous of all the talented singers and dancers — makes me wish yet again for a good voice and physical co-ordination. The big crowd in on the night obviously shows Ignatians are bucking the trend of small audiences at theatre shows, and proves people will always love a song, a dance and a happy ending. So if you like your sequins with a good dose of cheese, then Footloose is for you. Congrats to director Suzanne Murphy and musical director Harmony Lentz and Ignatians as a whole for their hard work. Now everybody cut footloose. —
Natalie Bochenski (Performance seen: 9 October 2004) www.STAGEDIARY.com: Queensland's Online Stage Magazine The Fifth Elephant Brisbane Arts Theatre The Fifth Elephant features those things that make Terry Pratchett stories great. Reformed vampires, talking street dogs and feminist dwarfs all appear prominently in what is a successful attempt at capturing the imaginative and cartoon atmosphere of Terry Pratchett's Discworld. Yet the stage adaptation by Stephen Briggs somewhat lacks the quantity of jokes and punch line moments that is needed in this kind of comedy. The Fifth Elephant is the fifth instalment in Pratchett's city watch series of Discworld novels. The characters involved in the production have grown and developed over many adventures, and some of the more subtle elements of humour are lost in the efforts to explain their histories and motivations. However, Gaspode (Leesa Connelly), the doggie narrator for the first half, succeeds in making the geography and history of the Discworld as clear as possible. The story begins with chief of police and duke of Ankh-Morpork Sam Vimes (Colin Smith) travelling to the mysterious fat-rich country of Uberwald with a host of his fellow coppers, a clerk, and his wife. He is to appear as the Ankh-Morporkian ambassador at the coronation of the dwarven low king in order to secure trade deals with the nation. However a political scandal is revealed when the dwarven relic "the scone of stone" is stolen, and Vimes and his friends must endure the fiendish schemes of werewolves, vampires and dwarves to get to the bottom of this mystery. Terry Pratchett is a master of the story arc, and all his works build up to an explosive climax with great viscosity. In her fourth production of Pratchett, director Sally Daly successfully transfers this story momentum to the stage. As a result, most of the funniest moments are in the latter half of the production when the groundwork of the narrative is laid and the silliness is allowed to let loose entirely. Costume designer Robyn Edwards puts her art to great comedic effect. For example the character of Cheery Littlebottom (Susan O'Toole), a female dwarf who is rebelling against dwarven traditions of femininity, is portrayed very simplistically as a regular looking girl in high heels, a dress, and a massive plaited beard. The Fifth Elephant contains a huge diversity of fantasy characters and they are all brought wonderfully to life. Performances by the main cast are mostly captivating, but one or two are fairly boring, and when these two levels of acting skill are both present on stage it becomes hard to suspend ones disbelief. Performances of particular note are by Colin Smith (Vimes), Francesca Gasteen (Lady Ramkin), Leesa Connelly (Gaspode), Stephen Davies (Captain Carrot), Dylan Roberts (Willikins) and Trevor Holland (Igor). Congratulations also go to Karri Audsley, who has been involved in theatre for over ten years in backstage and front of house roles to debut successfully in The Fifth Elephant as the terrifying dwarf Albrecht Albrechtson, who spends most of his stage time screaming in a foreign tongue. The Fifth Elephant is an altogether charming adaptation of Pratchett's novel, but could be snappier with the humour for which the author is renowned and which audiences expect. —
Tom Guerney (Performance seen: 8 October 2004) www.STAGEDIARY.com: Queensland's Online Stage Magazine Ring Round the Moon Centenary Theatre Group Centenary Theatre Group has a good production on its hands here. Director Ron Finney has assembled a fine cast in a fast-paced and amusing rendition of this charming play. Jean Anouilh’s work is not often seen on the amateur stage (or professional for that matter). However, while his “black plays” such as the well-known Antigone are not exactly community theatre crowd pleasers, the much lighter Ring Round the Moon is a good choice for Centenary and the cast and crew have done the work proud. Billed as a mixture of “champagne, liaisons, farce, romance and mistaken identities”, I cannot reveal too much of the plot without spoiling the experience for potential audience members. Suffice to say the play offers much to its actors and each cast member attacks their role with gusto. As the feisty Madame Desmermortes, Patsy McCarthy delivers an excellent balance between family patriarch and nosy manipulator. She is complemented well by Leigh Varma as her faithful companion Capulat who manages to portray the girlish naivety of the character in a most believable manner. The other standout is Sarah Strachan as Isabelle who has the audience in the palm of her hand from start to finish, complemented well by June Finney as her pleasantly dotty mother. Of the male cast members, I was particularly amused by Hugh Taylor’s portrayal of Joshua, the long-suffering butler. This actor has lovely comic timing and some of the funniest lines of the play. In the central dual role of twins Hugo and Frederic, Michael Lawrence has plenty of energy and obviously enjoys the fun of switching characters at the drop of a hat. I would however prefer a more pointed contrast between the two roles with a clearly defined change in posture and vocal delivery. On the whole, the entire cast work together as a cohesive ensemble with entrances, exits and line delivery well-paced throughout. Plays of this kind need to be slick and Ron Finney has obviously spent a great deal of time working on the fast pace required to make the piece work. Tightly choreographed scenes such as a fabulous tango sequence and an all-out brawl between two of the women work particularly well and provide a variety of movement for actors to enjoy and audiences to relish. Lighting, sound and a beautifully understated set designed by Sue Watson all contribute to a very polished production. If there is anything negative to say, I don’t feel the ending works as well as it could and I would like to see more attention to detail in the costuming. While the vintage daywear, evening gowns, furs and dinner suits set the scenes well, some inappropriate choices of modern footwear (both male and female) unfortunately spoil the charade. These are very minor criticisms, however, for a production which has so many positives. —
Andrea Carne (Performance seen: 8 October 2004) www.STAGEDIARY.com: Queensland's Online Stage Magazine Hello Dolly Savoyards Hello, Dolly was my mother’s favorite musical and if she was here today she would have been among the enthusiastic audience that laughed, sang and cheered Savoyards most recent production. She and I were there 17 years ago when this highly professional theatre company thrilled local audiences with their first production of Hello, Dolly. It was great fun then but this time around they have presented a truly stunning show. Let’s start with the sets and there are four major set changes. Opening with Horace Vandergelder’s Yonkers feed store, including the basement trap door, the four main characters burst on stage after the audience has been lured by musical director Brian Morrison’s beautiful arrangement of the signature tune. The moment the orchestra strikes up you can feel, rather than see, the smiles of recognition on the faces of the audience — they know and love this song. The haunting melody leads into a robust medley of the familiar tunes that are Hello, Dolly. Morrison’s command of the score is impressive, even for such an accomplished musical director. The set design of the Harmonia Gardens restaurant where much of the action and comedy takes place is far beyond anything an amateur theatre group is normally able to provide, but Savoyards’ 43 years of experience and skill is the telling feature. This set is glorious as well as functional and vast. Choreographer Natalie Lennox is a genius. As her first full-scale musical production, she should be very chuffed indeed with her work. Somehow she has managed to incorporate some pretty fancy gymnastics into the routines that are a credit to the chorus. One of the distinguishing features of this company is its ability to incorporate veterans and novices. And here Lennox excels. Among the chorus are some fresh young faces that are clearly having a ball — extending themselves through complex and exhausting dance routines as well as supporting the leads in the demanding musical roles. Director Terri Quinn’s interpretation of this old favorite clearly demonstrates the depth of talent at the Savoyards company. Quinn’s direction has produced a cracking team that exudes precision and skill. She acknowledges the support of the amazing team she’s brought together including assistant director Michelle Coates and wardrobe mistress Marilyn Freeman. And what a job Freeman has done. It’s hard to imagine that a full-scale commercial production could have assembled a better wardrobe. Freeman’s significant efforts are, well, dazzling! Not only are the Hello, Dolly costumes numerous but due to the period style, also challenging to source. The variety is lovely and so fitting for the setting. If the sets, music and costumes are not enough for a good night out then the principals’ performances certainly will be. Jo Toia as Mrs Dolly Gallagher is superb. A veteran of musical theatre and Savoyards — she joined the company as a 12-year-old dancer and was in the company’s first production of The Merry Widow — Toia’s musical range, comedic timing and dance skill are testimony to her talent and diverse experience. Her seemingly effortless ability to sing, dance and act is the energy that drives the show. Make no mistake, this is a demanding role that only a sophisticated performer can pull off. Toia has the support of a dedicated team of principals and chorus. Her male lead, Rob Vella as Horace Vandergelder, is as good as any in this musical. Surprisingly from a rock background, Vella’s interpretation of the score and his own physically tough routines perfectly complements Toia and the other principals. Savoyards deserve the accolades that will surely follow this production. The company’s dedication to bringing on young performers while supporting them with veterans who know what they are doing will provide Baysiders with a very slick local company for many years to come. —
Desley Bartlett www.STAGEDIARY.com: Queensland's Online Stage Magazine |
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