Sleeping Beauty - Zealous Productions (20 December 2023)

On the drive home after a fun night at the theatre my mind wanders to two topics. One is how savvy Zealous Productions and Founder/Creative Director Dixie Johnstone are when it comes to staging these big, end-of-year pantomimes; the other is the wonderful impact they have on their audience. The two go hand in hand and there's no doubt that the Christmastime panto is making a mark on the Perth theatrical scene. Let's start with the savvy...

First and foremost they feature top line talent both onstage and off. Yes, the shows may be silly in nature but the creative skill involved is formidable. Then there's the commitment to local talent but also nurturing the next generation of stars with a willingness to cast performers who've only graduated from WAAPA mere weeks ago in key roles. In this case, Cameron Taylor who plays Prince Frederick the First of Fremantle... son of King Kevin the Kourageous of Kwinana, obviously. 

Stage the shows at the Regal Theatre in Subiaco, a big venue that will attract big crowds as the quality of the production makes itself apparent with the right content at the right time of year. Ratchet everything up to eleven from the choreography (Allen Blachford) to the lighting (Richard Timms), the costuming (Katie Elizabeth Williams) and wigs & makeup (Manuao Teatonga), the choice of musical numbers, the eagerness to embrace the silliness and engage an audience of all ages, and, perhaps most notably, have fun doing it. In all this Sleeping Beauty is a major success. 

The roster of talent is undeniable and there's clearly a core group of trusted creatives and performers the company keep returning to. For good reason. They're bloody good at what they do. Brendan Hanson who played one of the 'ugly step-sisters' in Cinderella two years ago is back as director this time. He knows the rhythms and key beats of any good pantomime and plays up to those elements with aplomb. The call and response is set up early. The positioning of key items on stage and their significance is made clear. The good and evil of it all is established with clarity. Hanson also sets up the eighties vibe from the get go with a Cyndi Lauper classic that acts almost as a mission statement for the show. Girls, goblins, princes, fairies, evil sidekicks, and Cameron from the front row all just wanna have fun.  

Musical Director and Arranger Joshua James Webb runs with the retro theme to deliver the perfect mix tape of well-known songs tailor made for the vocal talent he has on hand. And, oh my goodness, what voices they are, crisply presented with sound design by Michael Fletcher. Amongst all the zaniness there comes a time when a gem emerges and here it's A Thousand Years by Christina Perri that is beautifully sung by Taylor and Joshua Firman. But such interludes of quiet introspection are rare because there are aisles to be danced in and wands to be waved to a diet of classics such as You Can't Hurry Love, The Loco-motion, a wonderful mashup of Aretha Franklin's Think and Respect by the duelling fairies Fairy Nuff (Maree Cole) and Carabosse (Elethea Sartorelli), Time Warp, Holding Out For A Hero, and many more before we end with a Wham classic (don't worry Whamageddon devotees, you're safe) and a Christmas staple. My favourite was the arrangement of I Put A Spell On You, a song perhaps made most famous by Nina Simone, that Sartorelli makes her own in the most delightful of character driven ways.

There is an embarrassment of riches with the whole cast - Amy Fortnum looks and sounds divine as Princess Beauty and has a wonderful sequence with Firman during a quintessential 80s movie song. Maree Cole establishes and maintains the fun tone immediately with her good fairy. Sartorelli is glorious as the evil fairy who reminded me of Frau Blucher from Young Frankenstein... if Blucher held a twenty one year old grudge and owned a schpinning veel. Firman is a crowd favourite as the loyal court jester who mysteriously turns into John Howard a hundred years hence before regaining his vim. Timothy How revels in one of pantomime's great traditions playing Queen Doreen with imperious scorn, never more so than when puns fall flat which is bound to happen when they're being fired off with machinegun regularity. Taylor prances around as any brave prince should while Tate Bennett slinks in evildom as Lurgy. They're supported by an excellent ensemble that enhance the energy and crowd interaction. Props too for ZP's regular band of Webb, Jarrad Van Dort, Tommi Flamenco & Alex Barker. 

As for the second part, the impact? This is where a little magic happened. I ended up talking to a lovely woman from a remote country town in South Australia who had brought along her young daughter to see the show. They were in Perth for a fortnight and had never been to a theatre production before. To watch her daughter dancing in the aisle, waving a fairy wand (purchased at interval), and to see the beaming smile on her face was absolutely priceless. She wanted to meet the cast and outside I saw her having a picture taken with Sartorelli and Cole, still in character, in another smart move by the company. There was a long queue down Rokeby Road of children with their parents waiting to do the same. What a gift for that young girl and what memories she might always retain. That is why shows like this are so vital and alive. I hope you remember it for a long time, Letty!

Sleeping Beauty runs right up until Christmas Eve with 1pm and 6pm shows each day. 

Theatregoing Year in Review - 2023

After a barren few years mainly due to the pandemic, 2023 saw me bounce back to more of a normal theatregoing clip. In all I managed to see 39 shows which is a fair effort considering I was tied up with screenwriting duties until April. I was approached to formally review 14 of those shows for this blog which is also somewhat of a comeback. 

In the past I used to publish end of year Top Ten lists for Musicals & Cabarets and for Plays along with performers, crew, and creatives who caught the eye. That was when I was seeing almost double the amount of shows in a year. This time I thought I'd set a task for myself and nominate ten productions of any format - in chronological order - and ten individuals who excelled. This proved to be extremely difficult as I saw a lot of excellent theatre this year with outstanding performances and contributions. So while these shows and individuals may be highlighted there were many more talented actors, musicians, directors, writers, crew members, and others who made the theatregoing experience the joy that it is.     

PRODUCTIONS

Le Nor [The Rain] - The Last Great Hunt (April)

I had missed this Helpmann nominated show on its initial run and could not have been more delighted to attend an encore season at the Studio Underground. About thirty minutes in my theatregoing and screenwriting brains momentarily lurched into gridlock because I couldn't process the sheer skill on display as an 'independent foreign film' was being made onstage before my eyes. Simply outstanding.

"I can't even begin to conceive of how much time, effort and thought went into piecing this all together. The choreography of performer and camera(s) is a dance in itself. The understanding of cinematic transitions and composition done completely live is exemplary. The wonderful use of light and shadow and silhouette. The acting is superb. The attention to detail exacting."

Footloose - WAAPA (June)

I'm used to WAAPA's mid-year musical being one of the highlights of the theatrical calendar but this year felt like a concerted effort to razzle dazzle. The number of guest artists and staff involved was notable as was the work of the Production & Design students across all departments in support of an outstanding graduating cohort of performers.  

"All these elements combine perfectly into the highlight of the show for mine, Somebody's Eyes, one of the best sequences I've seen on stage for quite some time. The show rockets into gear from that point onwards. My only complaint is that there was no pause for applause before the next scene as I would have clapped my hands off." 

Catch Me If You Can - Koorliny Arts Centre (June)

I was intrigued with how a musical adaptation of the Steven Spielberg movie would translate onstage only to be thoroughly entertained with a breezy show that took a meta approach that was colourful and slickly executed. 

"This is a show with a magnetic lead performance, an excellent supporting cast, and an ensemble who all look the part and play up to the inherent fun and sexiness of their multi-faceted roles. The numbers are breezy and well sung (Musical Director Kate McIntosh) with Director Katherine Freind delivering a high energy, brisk production that looks and sounds fantastic."

Zoo Story - Irish Theatre Players (July)

The last thing I expected on a Sunday afternoon was to be made to think so hard at the first of three one act plays at the Irish Club. And I loved them for it in this intriguing two-hander that was beautifully written (Edward Albee), acted and directed (Michael McCall).

"I loved the symbolism and thought behind the staging. The acting was excellent. [Patrick] Downes has the showier part, especially with the monologue that sees the character become increasingly unhinged but [Grant] Malcolm's silent reactions are equally impressive until his character explodes in the third stanza. Thought provoking and thematically rich."

A Chorus Line - Drew Anthony Creative (August)

Musical as character study and what a line-up of local talent there was to bring these characters to life. The show had me from the start and was a rollicking ride where the lack of an intermission was barely noticed. I'm aware there was some controversy over a role that had been excised for the first few shows but understand that was rectified for the rest of the run.

"I say all this because opening night of A Chorus Line made me feel so damn comfortable. Not because the seats at the Theatre Royale are so comfy (they are) or that the venue is ideal for an intimate viewing experience (it is) but because I immediately knew that I was in good hands. Trying to put it into words in the lobby after the show I equated it to sitting at home watching a prestige television series where you simply know that everything is going to be first rate and reward your attention. It was and it did."

Wise Children - WAAPA (September)

On entering the Roundhouse Theatre one of the third year acting cohort (who was not performing due to being cast in The Twelve) motioned at the stage and exclaimed, "look at it!" She was not wrong. The set was an outstanding playground for the actors to thrive in during this most theatrical of productions. 

"...director Adam Mitchell has pushed the students to perform 'large' and there's ribaldry and plenty of shtick to go around. This is aided by the work of choreographer and movement coach G Madison IV who puts the cast through their paces with mock fighting, dancing, and pratfalls. But there are also beautifully crafted moments of tragedy; one where blood is spilled and another that changes the fate of a character forever." 

Cats - WAAPA (September)

As an avowed Cats sceptic and somewhat of an ALW agnostic, I confess, I was not feeling the Jellicle of it all before the show. But damned if the third year musical theatre students didn't win me over, especially with a cracking second half that rocketed along with so much kinetic energy it was undeniable. 

"Two aspects are immediately apparent - this is a dance heavy production with Jayne Smeulders' stunning choreography testing the performers' stamina and athletic limits; and the music students in the 16 piece orchestra (including 5 staff members) under the baton of musical director Craig Dalton are featured as equally as the performers on stage."

Tick, Tick... Boom! - Arise Productions (October)

One of the surprises of the year was when a (film) director I work with declared that he loved the Andrew Garfield movie, listened to the soundtrack all the time, and on being told there was a live production coming up insisted we go. Who am I to argue when a show is this good?

"[Tate] Bennett's acting is superb as he tackles an array of emotions culminating in the song which builds until he's singing with such raw emotion and anger you feel Jon's pain radiate from the stage. It's a stunning sequence highlighting Bennett's acting and singing talent with accompaniment by Musical Director Taui Pinker on piano." 

Godspell - WAAPA (November)

The second year musical theatre students announced themselves to the wider theatregoing public like a thunderclap from on high in this outstanding introduction. The most impressive aspect was how cohesive a unit they already seem with a palpable sense of joy and camaraderie onstage. 

"What an introduction to the 2nd year musical theatre students at WAAPA with a terrific production of Godspell tonight. Brilliant singing, energy to burn, and a real sense of chemistry as a cohesive cohort already. This is going to be a fun group to follow next year." 

The Pillowman - Hayman Theatre Company (November)

The more I think about this extraordinary play the more I marvel at the high wire act playwright Martin McDonagh has pulled off. The writing is exceptional and all involved in the mounting of this production clearly reveled in bringing it to life. 

"Director Travis Koch has assembled an excellent company of Hayman alumni and existing students, both on and off the stage. From the look of the play, the sound of it, and the performances, this is exceptional independent theatre not for the fainthearted."

PRACTITIONERS

Bronte Frances (Performer) - Orlando (WAAPA)

Utterly magnetic as the titular character in a role that saw them effortlessly portray male and female versions in vastly different time periods no less. 

Barry Park (Director) - Private Lives (Old Mill Theatre), The York Realist (Garrick Theatre), The Normal Heart (GRADS)

From the scintillating wit of Noel Coward to the words unspoken in The York Realist and the roiling anger at the mishandling of the emerging AIDS crisis in The Normal Heart, Park had an excellent year, directing with intelligence and precision. 

Adriane Daff (Performer) - Le Nor [The Rain] (The Last Great Hunt)

If you told me Daff was the biggest movie star in Europe circa 1962 I would believe you based on her extraordinary performance in Le Nor. The camera simply adores her and she's equally adept at using the close-up and monologue to devastating effect. 

Bryan Woltjen (Set Designer) - Footloose (WAAPA), All Shook Up (Hama Productions)

Woltjen gave us the astounding multi-tiered set of Footloose at His Majesty's then a month later backed it up with another striking set for All Shook Up at Crown. Big spaces superbly presented to put us in very specific time periods and places with great clarity.

Joshua Firman (Performer) - Catch Me If You Can (Koorliny Arts Centre)

Perfectly cast in the lead role that Leonardo DiCaprio made famous in the movie, Firman has the charisma, stage presence, and joyous vocals to make us barrack for his wayward conman.

"Firman brings considerable charm, acting chops, and the best singing voice I have heard at Koorliny if not in all the community theatre shows I have attended over the years." 

Mia Simonette (Performer) - All Shook Up (Hama Productions)

The pivotal role on which all the Shakespearean plot complications rely on, Simonette gives a star making turn as the lovelorn Natalie and the blokey Ed.

"Simonette has an outstanding singing voice but the show doesn't work if she can't convincingly sell the... comedy and ensuing romantic chaos. This is where (she) excels, giving a wonderful performance." 

Sarah Halton (Set Designer & Costume Designer) - Wise Children (WAAPA)

Responsible for the visual feast that was Wise Children from the incredibly detailed and dressed set to the vast array of colourful costumes that added so much to the theatricality of the piece.

Tate Bennett (Performer) - Tick, Tick... Boom! (Arise Productions)

A blistering performance by Bennett in the lead role which builds in intensity until he's singing with such raw emotion and anger you feel the character's pain radiate from the stage. 

"Bennett immediately draws us in with a charming turn that is vulnerable, funny, confessional, anxious, sarcastic and, above all else, real. His singing is excellent with a vibrancy in both power and emotion. He grabbed the audience by the collective scruff of the neck and didn't let go."

Samuel Ireland (Performer) - The Pillowman (Hayman Theatre Company)

An outstanding performance that is emotionally and physically draining but never less than compelling in the intimate confines of the Hayman Theatre. 

"Ireland is rarely off-stage and conveys such a wide array of emotions, mostly in a heightened state, that he is physically drained by the end of the play... It's marvellous work."

Tadhg Lawrence (Performer) - Othello (GRADS)

Sly and confident, Lawrence draws the audience and unsuspecting characters into his orbit with ease making his character's intentions even more sinister.  

"The play is propelled by an excellent performance from Tadhg Lawrence... (who) plays Iago with great energy, cunning, and an affability that was disarming as he addressed the audience.

Finally, two names to watch for next year:

Ellen Ebbs who gave a compelling turn as 'JC' in Godspell; and Bridget Bourke who played the precocious Dolour Darcy in The Harp In The South: Part Two (WAAPA) with "wide-eyed enthusiasm and was always in the moment." 

Othello - The Graduate Dramatic Society (6 December 2023)

William Shakespeare is celebrated for the sheer number of phrases and idioms he contributed to the English language, many of them still in common usage. One of the most memorable is "green-eyed monster" from Othello which is a more striking depiction of his "green-eyed jealousy" from The Merchant of Venice almost a decade earlier. That monstrous form of jealousy ripples throughout Othello, ending in tragedy for all it ensnares. The play also gives us "I will wear my heart upon my sleeve" as Iago seemingly confesses his treachery. 

And what treachery it is as Iago conspires to bring low his military commander, the Moorish general Othello, by stoking the flames of irrational jealousy over the supposed misdeeds of Othello's wife, Desdemona. Misdeeds Iago has carefully constructed through cunning deceptions and the ownership of a handkerchief - an inelegant plot device but one that features heavily. It is, as one audience member exclaimed, "very Shakespeare... everyone dies in the end." Not quite true though also not a "spoiler" for it is, indeed, a Shakespearean tragedy so blood will inevitably be spilled. 

All this under the stars on a beautiful summer's night at UWA's New Fortune Theatre, a reconstruction of the Elizabethan era Fortune Theatre where The Bard's plays were originally performed. Of course, there is the added bonus of being serenaded by the resident peacocks who display prodigious projection skills though questionable dramatic timing. It also means that the elevated stage is wide and deep with nary a place to hide for the performers with no sets and only those glorious words under the lights and gaze of audience and peafowl alike.    

Director Thomas Dimmick has made many key choices in his adaptation of the play. Several traditionally male characters - notably Cassio, Roderigo, and Brabantio - are played by Krysia Wiechecki, Tarryn McGrath, and Meredith Hunter respectively. It adds an interesting spin to the power dynamics throughout the play with subtle shifts in perspective such as it now being a mother's scorn and concern for her daughter as Hunter's Brabantio condemns Desdemona's marriage to Othello. There still lingers a distasteful sense that her objections, and the treatment of Othello in general, are because he is a Moor who therefore could only have beguiled the senator's pristine daughter with magic.  

Dimmick also uses modern costuming and props - the military "men" are dressed in camouflage pants, army boots, olive green t-shirts and dog tags; the civilians in dresses, suits, or jeans. Then there's Patrick Downes' Clown who is a mixture of both styles coming across as a larrikin Cockie who happens to have stumbled into a Shakespeare production which adds well-timed and executed levity. Costume Design by Merri Ford.

The only significant set design as such is the introduction of the marital bed late in the second half where monstrous deeds shall be committed. The upstairs balcony is used judiciously when those 'on high' address their subordinates. Otherwise, sound design of battle and hubbub adds to the sense of scope; anachronistic music choices to the sense of revelry; with effective lighting design that casts our skulking villains in shadow when required and highlights touching scenes such as Emilia braiding Desdemona's hair whilst discussing marital infidelity. Lighting Design by Fiona Reed.

The play is propelled by an excellent performance from Tadhg Lawrence as Iago, the duplicitous ensign who "hates the Moor" for promoting Cassio over him. Though, it should be said, Iago's true motivations are somewhat slippery as he seems to have various grievances, real or imagined, against many of the other characters. This makes him fascinating and his schemes even more heinous. Lawrence plays him with great energy, cunning, and an affability that was disarming as he addressed the audience. I loved the confidence of his eye contact in those moments and while the standing order appeared to be "if a peacock squawks, wait" Lawrence would often use his own excellent projection to contest said fowl. 

Erik Bibaeff certainly brings a physical stature to Othello and there's no doubt there is a sense of brooding menace in the second half. However, I found him a little stiff and one note as the titular character, mainly relying on an increase in volume to denote anger and telegraphing his emotions rather than convincingly conveying them to us and the other characters. There is a gasp-worthy burst of violence that he handles well and the physical threat to Desdemona is clearly established.  

Krysia Wiechecki gives a lively performance as Cassio before expertly recalibrating after the Vodka-induced fight with Montano (Jarrod Buttery), another of Iago's schemes. This sees Cassio fall foul of Othello's good graces and Wiechecki brings a keen sense of the import of such a loss of reputation. 

The program announces this is Anna Weir's first community theatre production which makes her portrayal of Desdemona even more remarkable. She lent such decency to the woman who is beset by innuendo and doubt while unfairly pilloried as a 'whore' and 'strumpet' for totally fabricated infidelities. One unpalatable conclusion is that Desdemona is being punished for having the audacity to marry a Moor. Weir brings a sweetness and dismay that heightens the impact of Desdemona's fate.   

Tarryn McGrath also enacts a clear action change as her Roderigo morphs from a hapless pawn of Iago's scheming to reluctant participant whose sense of unease and demise is perhaps more poignant now. Downe's adds jocularity and easy charm with an Aussie flavour; Hunter is relentless as the aggrieved mother early on in the play; and Grant Malcolm brings a crisp authority to Lodovico in the second half.  

Then there's Grace Edwards whose Emilia, Iago's wife, emerges in the second half as a force to reckon with. Faithful to Desdemona as her maidservant and loyal to her husband, Emilia comes to learn of her unwitting part in Iago's scheme as the ramifications careen towards a bloody conclusion. For all the talk of 'honesty' in the play, it's Edwards who imbues Emilia with the most honest reaction to the outrages that have occurred and those to come. The rage she summons at both Othello and Iago is justified and utterly compelling. For mine, Desdemona and Emilia are the two most tragic figures, unfairly caught up in the petty machinations of men. I was unmoved by Othello's ultimate fate as, even though he was manipulated, his response is so massively over-the-top and abhorrent that I have no pity for him whatsoever. But that's one of those wonderful gifts of a Shakespeare play - the discussions afterwards.

This is a great opportunity to see a classic tragedy at a wonderful venue where much care and attention has been taken by the cast, crew and creatives. There are five more performances on 8, 9, 14, 15, 16 December at the New Fortune Theatre in the Arts Building at UWA.

Photos by Grant Malcolm.