Highlights of 2016

As the end of the year rapidly approaches and this blog eventually wraps up with the publishing of my Top Ten Lists on Boxing Day, I thought I’d reflect on some highlights from 2016.

Who would have thunk it, me, on the main stage at the Heath Ledger Theatre, not once but twice! First, it was to present certificates at the 41st Annual Robert Finley Awards in January. Then at the 42nd Robert Finley Awards last night to announce the recipient of the Yvonne Hough-Neilson Award (that went to playwright Noel O’Neill) and nine certificates. It was an honour to be an ITA adjudicator for the last two years and both Awards nights were a real pleasure to attend and be a part of.

February saw the first of three trips over east for theatrical purposes. It was a delight to watch Broadway star Sutton Foster headline the Defying Gravity concert in Sydney and speculate on the pronunciation of Aaron Tveit’s surname. Aussie David Harris and Joanna Ampil also made impressions as the work of Stephen Schwartz was given a triumphant work out.

Now, I am a HUGE Prince fan but I had never seen him perform live. Therefore the Prince concert in February was an absolute highlight. Thankfully I had a ticket bought for me while I was on a plane (thank you, Sarah!) and we had excellent seats. Prince was the consummate performer and had the Perth Arena crowd in the palm of his hand. A little less than two months later he was dead in one of the tragedies of the year.

I was flattered to be asked to be the adjudicator for Blak Yak’s 24 Hour Script Project in April. Held at Rigby’s in the city on a stormy old night it turned out to be an entertaining evening with many excellent performances and well written plays given the time constraint.

One of the more ambitious undertakings of the year came from the theatre hothouse that is Murdoch University. Murdoch Theatre Company, From The Hip Productions, and Second Chance Theatre combined with Nexus Theatre to produce The Gothics Trilogy in July. Three plays based on the classic horror characters Dracula, The Mummy, and Frankenstein’s Monster, performed sequentially in only a three week window. Driven by John King, Tim Brain, and Scott McArdle it was a bold endeavour rarely seen in independent theatre.

I went on my third annual Melbourne musical theatre junket in July. One of the unexpected outcomes was the discovery of Amy Lehpamer who was wonderful as Maria in The Sound of Music. But the real highlight was seeing recent WAAPA graduates in that show (Du Toit Bredenkamp, Sophie Cheeseman, and William Groucutt, all 2014 graduates) and especially the five 2015 graduates – Matilda Moran, Matthew Hyde, Rosabelle Elliott, Alex Thompson, and Joel Granger - in the fabulous Titanic the Musical at Chapel Off Chapel. It is such a thrill to see graduates doing so well in the early stages of their professional careers. It was also lovely to talk to Matilda, Matthew, Rosabelle, Alex, and Joel afterwards to be reminded not only are they all supremely talented but genuinely nice people as well.

Likewise during Sydney trip number two in August to see 2015 graduate Heather Manley (and 2014 grad Max Bimbi) in Aladdin at the Capitol Theatre. Heather was understudy as Princess Jasmine but I saw her playing one of the Attendants in the huge Capitol Theatre. It was great to catch up briefly and meet her proud parents after the show at the Stage Door who had travelled all the way from Guam. I understand Heather would later go on to play Jasmine several times in this spectacular production.  

Then there was the venture into community theatre Sydney style on the same trip. I caught the train out to Bankstown to see two friends who were starring in Chess the Musical. I had no idea what to expect both in terms of venue (a converted swimming centre I believe) and the quality of execution. I found it to be pretty much the same as any upper echelon community theatre production in WA and wouldn’t have been out of its depth at the Finley Awards. The night was enhanced by the revelation that the son of one of the managers at the company I work for has a fabulous singing voice.

2016 was another great year but after seeing 153 productions I must confess to a certain degree of exhaustion. This is after ‘resigning’ from reviewing in July to concentrate on a screenwriting project. I’m glad I 'slowed down'!

Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp - GRADS (13 December 2014)

Me? At a pantomime? A Christmas one no less? There’s a first for everything! I took a seat in my usual front row spot at Hackett Hall with much trepidation. What sort of impromptu audience participation was I signalling myself out for by sitting so close to the firing line? Thankfully, director Stephen Lee calmed my nerves with a pre-show assurance that no such shenanigans would be in order. Phew! I then settled in to watch a crazy show that was totally entertaining and a really fun (carpet-less) ride.

The first thing that struck me was that the tiered seating had been moved a long way forward from their usual spot. One common note at Dramafest was how far away the action was with such a deep stage. Here we were much closer and it was a really good choice. It was also great to see so many children in the audience and there was indeed a lot of group interaction with the usual boos as the villain appeared, a sing-along, and advice to our heroes.

The story itself? You know - Aladdin, a lamp, a beautiful princess, an evil Sorcerer, a Vogue-reading Genie, some Kung Fu fighting, lots of laundry, men in drag, women as men, Chinese-style Keystone Cops, and a propensity to break into song whenever a set change was required. Oh, and some self-inflicted cream pie in the face work. Your standard pantomime hijinks. It was lapped up by the enthusiastic audience – the show, not the cream pie – and everyone was having a really good time capped off by an elderly man with a white beard in a red jump suit gate-crashing the party.

To the performances!

Grant Malcolm was channelling some Jim-Broadbent-as-Ziegler type theatrics as the evil wizard Abanazar and was suitably over-the-top. He earned the hearty boos directed his way. Abanazar’s plans for world domination were somewhat altered on meeting the princess but who can blame him?

Jarrod Buttery made for a, ahem, handsome Widow Twankay and was thoroughly engaging in the role. Buttery used a droll sense of humour to great effect with plenty of asides to the audience, the slyer of which sailed over the head of the kids but were appreciated by the adults. I should also note that his beard nicely complimented the Widow’s various dresses!

It’s the first time I have seen Melissa Kiiveri on stage but she made for a radiant Aladdin in a spunky performance that was a real crowd pleaser. There was a cheekiness to her portrayal that I very much liked but, more impressively, a genuine tenderness in the romance with the Princess. 

That Princess  - Balroubadour – was played by Grace Edwards with naivety and innocence coupled with the odd regal temper tantrum. Edwards had the line of the night whilst wailing for her beloved Aladdin when she broke the fourth wall and bemoaned, “Three years at WAAPA, for this?!” Priceless.

Kate O’Sullivan gave a funky turn as the Genie of the Lamp with attitude to burn and a thick American accent that was a treat. Indeed, between O’Sullivan’s drawl, Lis Hoffman’s thick strine as So Shi, and Kiiveri’s pronounced English accent this was somewhat of a United Nations for the ear! I was bemused by the Deus Ex Genie to resolve a plot predicament (but really, who cared?) and O’Sullivan had a chance to shine with her rendition of Pharrell’s Happy which I believe is now mandatory for all new musicals, pantomimes, and cabarets to end with these days. Let It Go, people.

Of the secondary characters, fresh-faced James Parker played the straight man role of Aladdin’s brother Wishee Washee well. He had a good-natured vibe that worked very effectively. Hoffman, as mentioned, was the most unlikely of handmaidens bringing Ocker scepticism to her role and an unexpected development that I’m possibly still traumatised over! Judd Millner and Jennifer Van Den Hoek brought added comic relief as the Chinese policemen, Ping and Pong. Jonathan Beckett and Kerri Hilton rounded out the cast as The Grand Vizier and The Empress respectively. They amusingly had their own banter going on.

The ensemble was made up of a charming mix of young children and older performers who gave interesting interpretations of pop standards such as Kung Fu Fighting, Celebration and a re-imagining of Pinball Wizard (perhaps it’s just as well Pete Townshend is deaf!). The second act even commenced with a lovely ribbon dance performance by three members of the Chung Wah Dance Group.  

The highlight amongst all the madness though was an original song in the second act written by David Harries, Sarah Courtis and Arnold Wong called Forever and a Day that was beautifully performed by Edwards and Kiiveri. Finally, it was pleasing to see the cast come back out in costume to pose for pictures with the children. A nice touch.

Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp is a colourful and funny show that is perfect entertainment for all the family in the lead up to Christmas. I not only went to a pantomime, I thoroughly enjoyed myself! Oh yes I did!!!

There are four more shows left at Hackett Hall in Floreat until 20 December.