God of Carnage - Melville Theatre Company (15 September 2024)

Two sets of parents sit on either side of a lounge room. The topic of discussion? One child has hit another child with a stick dislodging two teeth. A serious matter requiring mediation. My mind wanders to similar scenarios such as The Slap where this sort of confrontation is fraught with emotion and conflict. Then something interesting happens almost immediately. This play isn't what I'm expecting; oh no, not at all. 

This is where we need to stop and talk about great writing. French writer, Yasmina Reza, knows what those expectations are and immediately sets about subverting them. It's as if she has decided to choose the exact opposite of every beat in the familiar trajectory of this type of story. It's clever, it's intriguing, and is an absolute boon for the actors and director who get to play against type in varying ways. It's also a joy for the audience as they pick up on the sly humour and mischief of it all. 

There's a use of language that entices with oddly constructed phrases and formal words that seem out of kilter with the setting and these characters. The unseen children are talked about as if they're adults and the parents slowly devolve into the antics of children as the play progresses. There are bouts of inspired lunacy as things become more frantic. Alliances form, break apart, and reform in surprising ways amongst the four characters. 

The writing is deliciously playful and smart in its subversion of expected tropes. The ultimate aim is to explore the fault lines in two marriages and chart their demise with a healthy dose of glee and black comedy. In short, I loved Reza's script. 

My curiosity is piqued from the get go. It was all so polite in the opening conversations. Characters were agreeing to certain statements instead of arguing. It felt like a comedy of manners. Things begin to slowly shift until a spectacular comic act makes it clear to any audience members who haven't picked up on the tone what's transpiring. I won't spoil it here but it had me squirming in the best possible way! Indeed, the movement of the play through its crisp 80 minutes with no intermission is best experienced without foreknowledge. 

The writing also allows for this - a fixed set and four characters only. No need for transitions to slow things down. Even when characters want to leave, the script finds ways to keep them trapped in this room. Director Thomas Dimmick has clearly given his cast license to play and play they do with the stage manager, James Gant, having quite the clean up job after the show ends. Again, I love this sort of messiness as it comes from the actors being free to embrace the absurdity of it all. There's a fascinating dance happening as the blocking reflects the shift in character dynamics and interactions.

Dimmick's set is well appointed with sumptuous lounge chairs and lounge, a wine rack built into a cabinet, a coffee table that will weather any form of precipitation, and ceremonial African face masks mounted and lit (Clare Talbot) on the rear wall. Costumes by Michelle Sharp reinforce the differing status of every character in relation to each other and how they see themselves. 

The actors rise to the material and you can sense their joy at sinking their teeth into such well written fare. Brian O'Donovan plays what at first appears to be the everyman father who sells domestic supplies and has a dislike for rodents. His Irish accent and cheeky laugh make for a genial portrayal of a guy who simply wants everybody to get along... until we scratch beneath the surface. Taneeka Grant is the serious minded writer who goes from being passive-aggressive to openly hostile to unhinged as the aggrieved mother who's horrified at what's happened and her husband's attitude towards it. 

Patrick Derrig is the high flying lawyer glued to his bluetooth as calls periodically come in. His matter-of-fact nature and greater concern for a possible class action lawsuit eventually rubs everyone up the wrong way... including, amusingly, some audience members who audibly cringed every time his mobile vibrated with another call. Ruhama Rowe leads the fightback in defending her son while excelling in outbursts of physical comedy that caught me off-guard which made them even more potent. At one point a bottle of rum is added to the equation which only exacerbates the inherent grievances and misgivings each character has towards the others. 

I really enjoyed this. Beautifully written, wonderfully acted, and smartly directed. It was a smallish crowd for the Sunday evening show, however, I expect positive word of mouth will drive those numbers up as this is a real gem. 

God of Carnage is on at Melville Theatre until 28 September.

Photos by David Cox

Dead Man's Cell Phone - KADS (11 September 2024)

The cell phone or mobile phone in our parlance. Back in 2007 when Sarah Ruhl's play premiered the first iPhone was only a few weeks away from being introduced. In the 17 years since, digital devices have fundamentally changed how we communicate, how we consume entertainment and news, and how we conduct our daily lives. Arguments rage about the pros and cons of such a massive sea change with governments now seeking to restrict access to social media and apps - two things ushered in and accelerated by smartphone technology - on an age basis. That initial iPhone would probably look quite quaint to us now but it changed the world.  

The play purports to explore how this technology separates us and brings us together. Having seen two different productions in the last year I would contend it does so only on a superficial basis. Which may be quite understandable - how could Ruhl have known how addictive the mobile device would become when coupled with insidious algorithms and apps designed to maximise screen time?  

The dramatic conceit of the play is a clever one, albeit one that has a baked in question that is problematic. A woman eating alone in a cafe hears a mobile phone constantly ringing. She approaches the owner of said phone only to discover - as an audience member so helpfully exclaimed - that he is dead. She answers the phone... 

Thus begins a cascading series of events as Jean (Louise Fishwick) becomes entangled in the dead man's affairs as she continually answers calls from his mistress, his mother, and, what we later find out to be, shady business associates. 

I wonder why. The excuse given is that answering the phone will keep the memory of Gordon alive. A man she does not know. Okay, that's a lovely if somewhat abstract sentiment but it doesn't explain Jean's compulsion to lie and dig herself into deeper holes as she tells Gordon's mistress, mother, wife, and brother blatant fabrications about his last words. It makes me ponder how many people are already dead... a conundrum that deepens as the play slides into surreal territory in the second act. I suspect there is no definitive answer and the play remains elusive on this front. 

I enjoyed Fishwick's earnest portrayal as Jean. The lies feel more impulsive and never knowingly malicious, assisted by a natural Scottish accent. Julie Holmshaw is a delight as the eccentric mother of the dead man who switches from acerbic observations to performative grief with relish. Clare Alason brings casual bitchiness to the mistress, Carlotta, and an exaggerated air to "The Other Woman" in the second act's airport scene that catapults us into strange territory indeed. 

Federica Longo-Huntington's moment as Hermia comes in the bar scene where she plays the always tricky 'drunk' with flair. Usman Banday is awkward playing an awkward character in Gordon's brother. I was never quite sure where I stood with his representation of Dwight. The burgeoning romance with Jean is oddly sweet yet unconvincing. The dead man himself is played by Paul Cook who comes to life in the second half as he narrates the events before his death. This halting monologue had Cook searching for the words and emotions. He fares much better in Gordon's later interactions with Jean as we revisit that fateful cafe in a totally different context.   

Director Phil Bedworth has made many interesting choices, some forced on him by the unique challenges of the small performance space at KADS. The play scoots along and felt much shorter than the previous incarnation I saw last year while retaining all the same scenes. Bedworth leans into the ambiguous nature of the setting by using a stark set design and stripping out ambient noise (except for the airport scene) - are we in perpetual limbo or purgatory or...? This is aided by the stagehands wearing masks suggesting a ghostly presence as set changes are made. These are slow but accompanied by some great music choices from the late 60s/early 70s. Restricted viewing from the back rows makes characters lying down an issue such as in the stationery sequences. 

The one overtly thematic sequence about the mobile as connective tissue, even between worlds, is visually interesting with props, costume, and lighting design as otherworldly figures surround Jean and Gordon, however, the sound of the phone messages needed to be far crisper to be understandable.

This is an unusual play that has several moments of black comedy. Its twists are enigmatic and this sponsored healthy debate afterwards. For me, putting the technology aspect of the phone aside, the main message is our aching need to be told we are loved and to embrace that, even from beyond the grave. 

Dead Man's Cell Phone is on at the KADS Theatre in Kalamunda until 21 September. 

Nora: A Doll's House - WAAPA (9 September 2024)

Thematic potency. A powerful force when a production has something on its mind and every aspect is crafted to support that vision with crystal clear intent. So it is with this adaptation of the classic Ibsen play written by Stef Smith and directed by visiting professional (and WAAPA graduate) Sonya Suares. 

The original story is now conducted over three moments in time - 1918, 1968, and 2018 - as three versions of Nora, a mother and wife, seek to ultimately break free from the expectations and control of her husband and the societal norms of the time. While much has evolved over those hundred years - technology, fashion, suffrage, attitudes towards sex and sexuality - the layering of the tale over these distinct eras provocatively asks, "how much has really changed in terms of equality?"

The years are specific signposts - 1918 saw the introduction of voting rights for women in Britain and Ireland... providing you were over 30 and met minimum property qualifications. By 1968 the 'swinging sixties' were a cultural revolution with London its epicentre. It's also the year after the Sexual Offences Act no longer made consenting, private sex acts between men over 21 illegal. The contraceptive pill was introduced in the 60s which ushered in a sea change for reproductive rights. 

Which brings us to 2018 as the #metoo movement exploded into the headlines, and those reproductive rights were under assault, especially in America, where the Republican party prosecuted its grotesque obsession with controlling a woman's body leading to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.  

That's the context. The execution is exceptional in all areas - from acting to intricacy of movement, the symbolism of the set, the glorious costumes, and the use of lighting and sound to immerse us in Nora's perspective. It's the second production I've seen this year after Head Over Heels that has utilised the Roundhouse Theatre to such spectacular effect. There is so much subtlety and attention to detail that it's no wonder the show was in rehearsals for weeks. The payoff is sublime.

There is such an embarrassment of riches it's difficult to know where to begin. So let's start with...

Nora 1 (1918) played by Bridget Bourke as an elegant and proper woman with a refined English accent whose unravelling is brilliantly crafted.

Nora 2 (1968) where the character's essential unhappiness is magnified by Sookyung Shin's forthright performance including revelations about Nora's attitude towards the children and her own desires.

Nora 3 (2018) sees Alexandria Henderson excel as a modern woman trapped by circumstances she can't control. Henderson's emotional responses are exquisite especially when Angelo Torres' Daniel imparts shattering news. 

Thomas 3 (1918) is portrayed by Oliver English as a man of status who gaslights his wife 26 years before that term came into being (from the 1944 film Gaslight). It's a wonderfully controlled and controlling performance.

Thomas 1 (2018) - by contrast, the modern day version is far more overt in his dominance over his wife and Riley Warner tackles the unsavoury aspects of this iteration with commitment and physicality.

Thomas 2 (1968) - interestingly, the 60s version sees Thomas Bitti as a more blokey representation that sits between the insidious and overt. Seemingly less harmful on the surface, Bitti adds some nice wrinkles including a moment the character flounders trying to make Nora's salvation all about him.

Christine 2 (1968) has the most to do of the Christines and Mia Fitzgerald is all concern and empathy as the character tries to help the emotionally lost Nora.

Daniel 2 & 3 (1918/68) is played with such affability by Joshua Everett as the friend whose illness is so devastating. Notable that the character confides in Nora and not Thomas. 

Daniel 1 (2018) is given such a vulnerable air by Angelo Torres which comes to the fore in a startling scene we'll come to later. 

Nathan 1 (2018) - the catalyst for all the dramatic danger that besets Nora. Deep Sroa plays the blackmailer with a largely restrained desperation that is compelling. 

Dinasha Perera, Natasha Pearson, Antony Press, and Uisce Goriss-Dazeley are all good in smaller roles; especially the later whose character's change of heart is a critical moment.

The intricate staging as these iterations weave in and out of scenes in various combinations is remarkably conceived and executed by Sonya Suares and Movement Director Sam Chester. I was never once lost in the story and this is aided immeasurably by the work of Set & Costume Designer Ella Firns. Each time period is clearly delineated with subtle thematic differences in the costumes - I loved how the men in 1918 are all in multiple layers of three piece suits and overcoats while Thomas in 2018 is in a simple white T-shirt at one point. With the opposite being true of Nora who goes from simple elegance to the modern day version wearing layers. The three versions of the party dress are lovely echoes of each other to reflect the time periods.

The set design is also deceptively simple but thematically resonant. Towards the top of the thrust we have a chaise lounge, table and a couple of chairs. At the rear of the stage, a large flat with three elongated doorways is suspended. To my mind it was like a time portal. Nora 1918 would always enter from the doorway, audience right; Nora 1968 from the middle; Nora 2018 from the left. 

The highlight of the play is when the flat collapses with the three Noras now joined together across time as they plead for their right, and the right of all women, to have their own agency, and the freedom to pursue their own goals and desires; free of the controlling ways of men and expectations of society. Not seen as simply wives and mothers but human beings. It's incredibly moving and powerful. 

Other highlights - Bourke's monologue about voting for the first time; Henderson's rejoinder where blood is a linking symbol of still being alive emotionally; and then there's the extraordinary moment of intimacy between Henderson and Torres, mirrored by Shin and Everett, where Nora freely and willingly asks to be touched. Complex, devastating, heartbreaking. Later contrasted when Thomas initiates contact without consent. 

The children are heard through excellent sound design by David Stewart but never seen. It's as if the mere suggestion of them (by Thomas) will always be an anchor for Nora to stay but that final cathartic outburst skewers this. Mentions also to Jakob Dorst for the evocative lighting design and vocal coach Jean Goodwin - the accent work, clarity and synchronisation of dialogue is excellent.

It's a remarkable production and a stunning way for the graduating Acting students to close out the year with wonderful support by the Production & Design students. There may still be tickets available for Tuesday through to Thursday, 10-12 September. I highly recommend you try and snag a ticket.

Photos by Stephen Heath Photography

The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Art In Motion Theatre Company (7 September 2024)

For some it's a recurring nightmare. You're walking down the street minding your own business when suddenly a pack of feral music theatre kids pounce on you out of nowhere with their jazz hands and harmonies. You stagger around the corner only to be met with a busker singing Memory. Reeling, you plunge into a company of tap dancers where anything goes. You plead with them, "All I ask of you is to stop this damn infernal music of the night." They respond with a rousing chorus of Do You Hear The People Sing. You wake up screaming, "I don't want to be welcomed to the sixties!" Sobbing, you reflect that it used to be quiet uptown.

So it is for our hero Paul who hates musicals. Except Paul isn't really our hero but we'll come to that later. For now though, this comedy horror musical sees a meteor crash into a small American town unleashing a blue goo that infects people with the urge to sing and dance. As Marlon Brando might warble, “the horror, the horror.”

Proceedings begin promisingly with the 'infected' company singing the title number where Mathew Leak in particular makes an impression as he belts out the song. What follows is an oddly paced first act where I wasn't quite sure what was being parodied. There is a lot of table setting as the characters are introduced in their normal world. Paul (Joshua Hollander) works in an office for Mr. Davidson (Leak) alongside Charlotte (Brittany Isaia), Bill (Clayton van Dijk), and Ted (Blair Price-Morgan). Paul has the hots for Emma (Escher Roe), a barista at a nearby cafe. Ted has the hots for Charlotte. Charlotte still loves her husband Sam (Leak) while Bill wants to reconnect with his daughter Alice (Georgia McGivern). Mr. Davidson has the hots for... we'll get to that. 

A long time passes before we get to the next song with the pacing quite slow as the show puts all these narrative balls in the air. The tone was also hard to pin down. Isaia's Charlotte felt more like a character from a Tennessee Williams play with a fraught portrayal of a neglected southern wife. I don't doubt the commitment to that choice, however, it didn't gel with the expected comedy horror vibe. The other issue is that Paul is totally passive as a character. He reacts to the suggestions of others - notably Roe's Emma and, later, van Dijk's Bill who is desperate to rescue his daughter - instead of driving the story forward in any meaningful way.   

There are moments in the first act that work well - What Do You Want, Paul? is a hilarious piss-take of the 'I want' song where the main character of a musical expresses their hopes and dreams in song. It's reversed here where Leak's Davidson asks the question of Paul before revealing his predilection for [say what?] with his wife while [oh my]! There's a sequence where John Carpenter's The Thing is obliquely referenced in both the behaviour of the aliens and the need to test for who's still human, amusingly by asking them to sing. I also liked the change in disposition when the later infected Charlotte and Sam launch into Join Us (And Die). The first act doesn't end on that musical number, rather a cliffhanger as Bill sets off to save Alice... with Paul in tow.

The second act is where the show works much better starting with McGivern's Not Your Seed as the infected Alice rejects her father's rescue attempt in taunting fashion. It's then that all the tropes and cliches of horror and disaster movies are parodied as the pace ramps up - destroying the 'hive brain' to wipe out all the infected; secret military agencies; stopping to have a deep conversation when urgency is called for; characters presumed dead reappearing; fake out endings; improbable twists and revelations; and the mad scientist who goes off the rails. 

Here it's Artorius Emanuel as Professor Hidgens who gives a very idiosyncratic performance that reminded me of Brent Spiner's Area 51 scientist in Independence Day. Emanuel's Professor springs a surprising revelation on us before launching into the wonderfully bizarre parody of the musical showstopper with... Show Stoppin Number. Hollander finally breaks free of the straightjacketed Paul with Let It Out as he sings up a storm to save the day. But really, Emma is our true protagonist which is hammered home at final bows in uproarious fashion with a frantic Escher Roe who is excellent throughout. 

I liked the rock style score which is well played by a five-piece orchestra under Musical Director Zac Skelton. The songs are fun and generally well sung with lots of belting as the craziness escalates. While there were some pacing and narrative issues for mine, the performances are enjoyable with the actors committing to clearly delineated archetypes including Price-Morgan as the office sleazeball and van Dijk as the single-minded father. 

Staged on a simple set, it's the growing prevalence of blue makeup and other effects that track the spread of the infected with visual clarity... along with a blue brain! Special mention also to Emma's very effective wound. Director Micheal Carroll lets his cast and even crew members embrace the zaniness, greeted with raucous approval by the more well-versed StarKid fans in the audience. The lady next to me was beside herself at times with excitement.

The show is on at the Don Russell Performing Arts Centre until 15 September. 

Pictures by Perfectly Picturesque Photography 

Legally Blonde: The Musical - WAAPA (6 September 2024)

In his program notes, director Crispin Taylor mentions that for this production "Over 100 students and staff are involved from 10 different departments." This is perhaps WAAPA's greatest strength as a training academy - the breadth of disciplines that are offered. The yearly "major musical" is a fine example of how all these departments work together to present as close to a professional experience as possible, not only for the students but for the audience as well. 

There's no doubt Legally Blonde is a big, crowd-pleasing musical with catchy songs, a riot of colour and movement, with comic flourishes and heart. It also imparts key messages around the power of self-belief and being true to yourself... plus the importance of good hair maintenance, taking care of your pets, and the mystic allure of all things Irish. 

I can't possibly mention all 100 people involved so let's cut to the chase - the opening night performance was sensational in all aspects. I'd tell you to run and buy a ticket, however, it's been sold out for weeks and on the evidence of opening night, deservedly so. Instead, I'll go through the highlights...

Music students take a bow. The 16 piece orchestra under Musical Director Glenn Hogue played superbly. I love that the musicians came onstage for the curtain call and were met with thunderous applause. I couldn't work out where they'd been though with no pit and the full stage space in use. I found out after the show but we'll come to that shortly as... 

The sound design by Michael Fletcher and his team is excellent. There are some big voices in the cast and with the orchestra in full swing getting the balance this spot on would have been tricky. I loved the speakers under the top of the proscenium arch that gave such oomph to the score and the bigger numbers. I'm told the musicians were playing in a room some 100 metres away from the stage. If so, it's almost miraculous how good the overall sound was. All the dialogue and lyrics were crisp with only one mic pack failure in one number which will be quickly remedied.  

Then there's the work of the Production and Design students and staff. The show looks fantastic and moves like a well oiled machine. Set Designer Bryan Woltjen, who excelled last year with Footloose, has crafted a set that is built for slick transitions with elements flying in with precision. Woltjen utilises the full depth of the Geoff Gibbs stage and embraces the clash between the colourful aesthetic of Elle's persona versus the more 'serious' nature of the Harvard setting.  

A key element to the look of the show is the work of Costumer Designer, student Elisa Von Perger and her team including Wardrobe Supervisor Lauren Wroth and Dressing Supervisor Liana Karkar. From the explosion of pink to the Delta Nu cheerleader vibe over to the more sombre lawyer attire, there is a vast array of costumes which dazzle, especially when the full company is onstage. Wigs play an important part with brunettes turned into blondes and vice versa amongst the cast along with a couple of impressive 'perms' that are crucial to second act plot shenanigans.

Lighting Designer Jay Covich, another student, adds vibrancy and colour but also atmosphere to quieter moments such as the beautifully lit and staged title number. Shout out to the Props department and especially puppet makers Maisy Williams (Props Supervisor) and Joshua Horgan who created two charming surprises that were an immediate hit with the audience. 

To the performances and this graduating cohort has a cohesiveness that's been apparent from their very first public show, Godspell, last year. It's palpable in every production and Legally Blonde caps off a stellar year. Choreographer Jayne Smeulders taps into this special alchemy with a cheekiness to the big dance numbers that the cast attacks with real joy. Opening number Omigod You Guys and, shortly thereafter, What You Want set the tone and the production hits the ground not so much running as sprinting and never lets up. 

Within that group chemistry there are terrific individual performances starting with Emma Caporaso as Elle Woods. Caporaso's Elle is smart, capable, and determined right from the get go. I never doubted the character would triumph - there's no ditzy blonde here. She sings wonderfully, looks amazing in a series of spectacular outfits, and handles the comedy beats well. It's her work with Ben Goldsbrough (Emmett) that is particularly affecting and is the emotional heartbeat of the story.

Goldsbrough brings real empathy and a genuineness to Emmett that I found charming and quietly compelling. It's an impressive performance and, as mentioned, the duet Legally Blonde is an emotional highpoint.  

Jake Binns is like a 90s boy band idol as Warner breaks Elle's heart in Serious. The open shirt look, the smooth vocals, the effortless glide around the stage. Katie Green is bitch perfect as Warner's new love interest Vivienne until the character undergoes a change of heart and becomes an unexpected ally of Elle's deep into the second act. Which is when Green unleashes one of those powerful voices that is a feature of this class.  

Kathryn Desmier, Christina Anastasiadis (understudy for Jayda D'Agostino), and Asha Kerr play the Delta Nu trio of Margot, Serena, and Pilar who later become the Greek chorus in Elle's head. Always a fun and energetic presence, they ratchet it up a notch with the cheeky Bend and Snap, such a fun sequence. 

Adam Pavis makes an immediate impression as Professor Callaghan in an authoritative Blood in the Water. He later tackles the unsavoury side of the character with equal authority making Callaghan's abuse of his status somehow even more shocking. 

Ellen Ebbs commands the stage as Paulette with Ireland a standout. Ebbs showcases not only her superb vocals but an expressiveness that is riveting to watch. Her Paulette is a convincing voice of reason to Elle while also devouring the comic potential of the interactions with Samuel Austin's strutting delivery man, Kyle. They both play up to the mischief of it all with Austin a hoot as the seemingly oblivious object of desire. 

Tabitha Galluccio is another who has excellent stage presence as Enid Hoops. Galluccio brings the rap within The Harvard Variations and it's her facial expressions and deft comic timing that makes a mark as she subtly crafts a quirky counterpoint to the other interns. 

Geena Hutton slays Whipped Into Shape as Brooke Wyndham, the full on skipping assault whilst belting out the song. Harrison Ion and Blake Douglas lap up the theatricality of There! Right There! as Nikos and Carlos while Madison Randl brings the big hair and duplicity as Chutney Wyndham. 

You sense Taylor knew he'd been handed the keys to the Ferrari and he's let it rip in a fabulous show that is enormous fun and a great way for this graduating class to end their year. 

Photos by Stephen Heath Photography