The Wedding Singer - Drew Anthony Creative (20 July 2024)

I confess, I didn't know what to expect with a musical adaptation of the Adam Sandler comedy from 1998. I vaguely remember the movie but didn't have time to revisit it before heading off to Planet Royale. What I do know is that Drew Anthony Creative is at the forefront of production companies becoming increasingly more sophisticated in their promotional materials on social media - video clips introducing each member of the cast (including the ensemble) or showcasing the venue; a slick souvenir program; with plenty of clips and stills from rehearsals. Then there's the pre-show entertainment - in this case, music videos from the eighties projected onto the rear wall of the stage. And yes, I knew the lyrics to every song! 

My confidence level was pretty high though because Anthony is building an impressive track record of quality musicals at the venue; there is a solid core of performers and creatives who are involved in each of these productions; plus the savvy addition of well-known and accomplished local performers such as Marian Byrne, Rachel Monamy, and Tyler Jacob Jones here. 

The show starts like it was shot out of a cannon with It's Your Wedding Day establishing the tone and introducing our main characters. It's a catchy song, the costumes and wigs are peak eighties fashion, and the choreography is an energetic blast. The rear projection sets each scene and there's always some razzle dazzle to the lighting though we'll get to the design a little later. 

I immediately feel at ease as Greg Jarema, mullet wig and all, makes for a likeable and charming lead as Robbie Hart. Even more so when Kate Sisley beautifully sings Someday as Julia Sullivan. Then I'm completely sold in their proper "meet-cute" moment where Julia helps Robbie tone down the amusingly darker lyrics to the love song he is writing for his fiancée, Linda (Awesome). Jarema and Sisley have great chemistry together and there is a tenderness in their interactions that is both refreshingly wholesome and eminently watchable. Their duet If I Told You in the second act is the highlight of the show for mine. 

Of course, things don't go so smoothly for Robbie as he's left jilted at the altar of his own wedding by Linda (Charlize Gosnell). Gosnell makes an impression with a scene in each act where she brings the sass and powerhouse vocals in A Note From Linda and Let Me Come Home. Alas, Linda, you had your chance. Robbie spirals into spiteful self-loathing (Somebody Kill Me) before Jarema embraces the Sandler of it all as Robbie sabotages a wedding he's singing at before launching into Act One highlight Casualty of Love, a big, bombastic rock number where the company cuts loose in a strikingly choreographed sequence. 

Another highlight is the inventively staged Come Out of the Dumpster, again, wonderfully sung by Sisley as Julia tries to console Robbie. It's so good I wish there had been space left to entice the audience to applaud before the action continued. The show meanders a little after that as some plot machinations kick in before rallying with a strong close to the first half with Saturday Night In The City. 

The second act kicks off in style with the villain of the piece, uber 80s capitalist Glen Gulia (Tyler Jacob Jones), extolling the virtues of cold hard cash in All About the Green. Jacobs is such a consummate performer that the slow unravelling of Glen as Robbie increasingly threatens to steal Julia away from him is a delight. 

In a performance that also caught the eye, Lucy Goodrick is excellent as Julia's cousin, Holly. Goodrick exudes confidence as the more worldly Holly and has great stage presence in numbers such as Right In Front Of Your Eyes. Robbie and his bandmates - Sammy (Marshall Brown) and George (Noah Skape) plus the male ensemble have their moment to shine with Single. The songs may all be originals but are infused with that unmistakeable 80s style. George's Prayer, for example, sounds so much like Spandau Ballet's True but is a nice vocal moment for the Boy George-styled Skape. 

As we careen towards the inevitable Hollywood ending by way of Las Vegas we are treated to Marian Byrne's rap stylings as Rosie in Move That Thang and the incongruous guest appearances of fake Tina Turner, fake Billy Idol, and fake Olivia Newton-John amongst others. This is one of the strengths of Anthony's approach - the ensemble is full of performers such as Ethan Churchill who have been leads in his other shows. So hats off to Churchill, Zak Rolton, Will Basson, Izzi Green, Efa Mackenzie, Erin Barry, and Christopher Tierney who dance up a storm, add vocal punch and colour. And of course, Rachel Monamy as Julia's mum Angie who commands the stage in her couple of appearances.

The sound design is impeccable with the balance between backing tracks and vocals perfect. The one thing I wasn't as fond of was the lighting design - it's a big stage but the show felt oddly dark with performers either dimly lit or in shadows/silhouetted unless directly under a spotlight. The rear projections also weren't as expansive as they were in Saturday Night Fever for comparison.

That being said, the strength of this production is the connection between the two leads, both vocally and in the sweetness of their interactions. It's an unexpected pleasure amongst the broad comedy. 

Directed by Drew Anthony, Choreography by Suzi & Jamie Rolton, Costume Build Annette Stivaletta, Wigs Design Deanna Nishi, Lighting Design Anthony & Richard Timms, and Audio Design Jordan Gibbs, The Wedding Singer is on at the Planet Royale in Northbridge until 4 August.

My Favourite Local Writers 2012-2018

In the last of my retrospectives covering the years 2012 to 2018 I wanted to highlight those people perhaps closest to my creative heart, that being local playwrights and collaborators. The people who have created wonderful plays, musicals and cabaret acts that, at their very best, can compete with any new work anywhere else in the country.

There have been outstanding individual works - Stephen Lee's Madame Piaf immediately springs to mind - but this list is made up of those writers where I have seen more than one example of their creative output.

Thank you for the drama, the laughs, the entertainment, the discovery of new worlds and characters, of reflection and debate.

Tyler Jacob Jones & Robert Woods

A duo that is synonymous with award winning one act comedy musicals. Jones is the showman with dazzling lyrics and inventive books that skewer everything from reality television to the movie industry to our obsession with celebrities. Woods is the more stoic of the two when it comes to being onstage but his music is just as inspired. Together they are a perfect creative match. They also have a shared love of movies and movie making that is abundantly clear in how they approach their material. It's perhaps why their work resonates so deeply with me. Above all, they create smart, witty, laugh out loud funny musicals that are a joy to watch. They are also prolific as a Holiday Special and recent Retrospective amply demonstrates.

Highlights: Point & Shoot: A New Musical; Dr. Felicity Rickshaw's Celebrity Sex Party; Gravity the Musical

Tyler Jacob Jones is a fine dramatist in his own right with F**k Decaf and Becky Peterson Will Punch You In The Face notable examples. He also contributed to the excellent Skin Deep which lambasted the cosmetic industry with typical flair.

Jeffrey Jay Fowler & Chris Isaacs

Members of independent powerhouse The Last Great Hunt, Fowler and Isaacs combined their considerable writing talents to create two wonderful pieces of theatre featuring the same characters (that they also played) - FAG/STAG and Bali. There is a compelling honesty to their writing that comes from sharp observation and pointed social commentary. They can have an audience roaring with laughter in one moment then deathly silent the next. Consummate storytellers, they have an innate grasp of storytelling rhythms honed, I suspect, over many performances together.

Each has individually written notable plays with Isaacs' The Great Ridolphi an engrossing one man tour de force and Fowler impressing with perhaps his most mature work, The One.

Scott McArdle

McArdle was like a supernova at Murdoch University when I first came across him - from writing original works to acting, directing, lighting design, pretty much everything. Such indefatigable multi-tasking has continued since he graduated, adding publicist amongst other functions and being a popular fixture on the independent theatre scene. The scope and ambition of McArdle's writing has been a feature - contemplative dramas; a full superhero themed musical; bringing science fiction front and centre to the stage; and adapting Mary Shelley's Frankenstein as a passion project of considerable skill.

Highlights: Bye. Gone; Coincidences at the End of Time; Frankenstein; Between Solar Systems

Will O'Mahony

Perhaps the finest local exponent of dialogue writing I have witnessed over the last seven years. I adore his rapid paced rat-tat-tat exchanges between characters and the density of the information he has them impart. He builds in verbal motifs and repetition that has my Aaron Sorkin loving heart swooning. There is a somewhat off-kilter approach to his storytelling that I enjoy as it allows for such theatrical treats as a talking panda. But he doesn't shy away from emotionally wrenching drama as the final moments of The Mars Project and his contribution to the Loaded double bill attest.

Highlights: The Mars Project (WAAPA version); Tonsils + Tweezers; Coma Land

Hellie Turner 

Always in demand as a dramaturg and mentor, Turner seems to have specialised of late in bringing true life stories to the stage. Notably in uniquely Australian tales set during World War I and a searing reportage-based production tackling rape culture. There is often a lyrical quality to Turner's writing that suits the historical dramas even with their sense of doom and glimpses of impending horror. Project Xan, however, grabbed you by the throat and demanded you bear witness.

Highlights: The Dreaming Hill; The Lighthouse Girl; Project Xan

Tiffany Barton

The aspect I respect most about Barton's writing is the no holds barred, in your face approach. She illuminates extreme characters and behaviours with a forthrightness and honesty that you simply can't look away from. There is no guile or ego here. It may be blunt, it may shock, but it makes for riveting drama.

Highlights: Metalhead; Diva 

Noel O'Neill

To say O'Neill is prolific would be an understatement. He seems to have at least two to three of his plays being performed every year and is a fixture in the community theatre scene. His comedies are so popular he has even turned two of them into franchises. But it's his dramas that most impress.

Highlights: Under Any Old Gum Tree; Holly & Ivy; It's All Greek To Me

Izaak Lim & Nick Maclaine

Specialists in a certain type of cabaret show - take a musical theatre icon from the past and weave a tale about their life story while incorporating their most memorable songs. It's a winning formula that has seen entertaining explorations of Cole Porter and, I confess, someone I did not know much about beforehand, Dorothy Fields.

Highlights: You've Got That Thing!; Exactly Like You: The Magic of Dorothy Fields

Thomas Owen, Cal Silberstein & Jackson Griggs

Emerging from the UWA theatre scene this trio has been tackling that most difficult of beasts, the fully fledged musical with Owen and Silberstein on book and lyrics; Griggs composing the music. The first effort I saw was promising though perhaps trying a little too hard to impress while the followup was one of my favourites from 2016's Fringe World.

Highlights: How We Ruined MacArthur's Markers; Viva La Restoration

Gita Bezard

Another member of The Last Great Hunt, Bezard's writing has a lighter comic touch, oftentimes playing with farce and the exaggerations/preoccupations of youth. Even her most provocative play featured four female teenagers that are literally in a playpen.

Highlights: In A Bony Embrace; Girl Shut Your Mouth; The Talk

Dr. Felicity Rickshaw's Celebrity Sex Party - Fringe World 2016 (8 February 2016)

Who among us hasn’t fantasised about doing unspeakable things to their celebrity of choice? Sexual things. With Brad or Angelina or Colin or Madonna. Sure, most people don’t go on to write an award winning blog about their imaginary carnal exploits. More’s the pity if Dr. Felicity Rickshaw’s tales are to be taken as the high water mark of celebrity erotica. These blisteringly funny and raunchy episodes will make you blush while educating you on some of the more, shall we say, creative ways to achieve a mindgasm.

Of course, there are reasons why someone might choose to explore such explicit fantasies and share them with the world and this is where Holland St Productions add depth to the hilarity. Dr. Rickshaw is the alter ego of one Amy (played by Amy Russotti) who has family and work entanglements to deal with while living alone with her cat Mister Snuggles. The most amusing of these real world scenarios is with geeky office colleague Ben (Tyler Jacob Jones) while her older sister Karen (Claire Taylor) chides Amy for several reasons, most notably about their mother (Erin Hutchinson).

It’s the fantasy sequences, however, when the naïve and dowdy Amy transforms into the rapacious Doctor Rickshaw, that dazzle. Her internal moanologue includes a threesome of performers (Jones, Taylor, and Hutchinson) who sing, dance and cavort while the bearded Russian Victor (Robert Woods) provides musical backing on keyboards.

One signature aspect of any Holland St Productions show is how film literate the driving creative forces, Tyler Jacob Jones and Robert Woods are. It’s tantalising then that a musical comedy is packed with allusions to well-known recent and not-so-recent movies with ‘cameo appearances’ by many a celebrity, most notably Keanu Reeves (Jones), Madonna (Taylor) and a pitch perfect Meryl Streep (Hutchinson). Don't worry, pop stars aren't left out. You have to see what happens to the band members of One Direction to believe it – my lips are sealed on that front… or back as the case may be.  

It’s not subtle and things can get more than a little blue but there’s the trademark wit and mischief throughout in spades. The songs add another element of mayhem as the good doctor’s fantasies are quite literally fleshed out. At times silly and over-the-top there is one gem in the vein of Absolute Perfection (from Point & Shoot) being Colin Fucking Firth.

The performances are all excellent from the stoic Woods with thick Russian accent to the antics of Jones, Taylor and Hutchinson but it’s Russotti who is the star here dropping in and out of the titular character with relish. Her lower lip trembles as Rickshaw mentally salivates over the steamy concoctions she conjures. It’s a tour de force comedy performance that never lets up even in the face of Monster Cocks. Yes, it’s that kind of show.  

This is sure to be another hit for Holland St Productions and they do have form with two of their previous shows including Point & Shoot being award winners at Fringe. Opening night was sold out so I wouldn’t delay in securing a ticket. This is raunchy, laugh out loud funny, and performed with verve and chutzpah. There’s also a touch of pathos to ground the shenanigans but ultimately you’ll know in your heart that love truly is the driving force in the universe.  

Book and Lyrics by Tyler Jacob Jones who also directs, with original Music by Robert Woods, Dr. Felicity Rickshaw’s Celebrity Sex Party is on at The Stables until 14 February. It stars Jones, Woods, Claire Taylor, Erin Hutchinson and Amy Russotti. I don't know if I'd take my mum but I'd definitely take the celebrity of my dreams. 

Top Ten Theatre Productions in 2015 - Plays

One of the most pleasing aspects of this year's list of top ten plays is that it features original writing by five local playwrights - Tiffany Barton (Metalhead), Scott McArdle (Between Solar Systems), Tyler Jacob Jones (F**k Decaf), Will O'Mahony (The Mars Project), and Gita Bezard (In A Bony Embrace) with another entry by Australian playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer. That is an outstanding crop of talent that augurs well for the future of locally generated stories. And what a diverse mix of entries we have this year ranging from searing dramas to witty observational comedies to a genre rarely seen on stage, science fiction. It also includes a genuine out of the box surprise that demonstrates the power of theatre to heal and transform.

The Top Ten:

1. Venus in Fur (Black Swan State Theatre Company)
The year started with a bang as this two-hander introduced 2014 WAAPA graduate Felicity McKay to the world in a brilliant professional debut.

"Venus in Fur is a cleverly written play that allows two talented actors to inhabit multiple personas in a provocative, insightful and funny exploration of a subject matter many consider taboo. It is a great start to the theatre season and the upcoming Fringe Festival of which it’s a part."

2. A Midsummer Night's Dream (Acacia Prison & The Actors Workshop)
A stunning theatrical experience that saw prisoners tackle Shakespeare's beloved comedy under the tutelage of Nichola Renton. An event that will not be quickly forgotten by all involved.

"These men, almost all with no previous acting experience of any kind, flung themselves at this with energy, with style, with commitment, and with their own sense of humour and spirit. It was raw, it was powerful, and it was bloody well funny as all get out."

3. All My Sons (WAAPA)
The intimate Roundhouse Theatre provided the perfect venue for the powerful Arthur Miller play, grounded by Brittany Morel superbly playing a woman three times her age.

"This is a carefully and expertly constructed play that really packs a wallop. I admit I was quite moved by the breadth of the Greek-like tragedy that unfolds. It is very well acted with Morel’s performance in particular a highlight."

4. Metalhead (Creative Collaborations)
I caught this play on a night when the entire cast was "on" and what a treat it was to see them go hammer and tongs at each other in such a harrowing drama.

"... I liked that this was a full tilt performance in every aspect – writing, performance, and staging. This was in your face and unapologetically brutal in spots. There were moments when the audience sat in stunned collective silence as the tension built."

5. Macbeth (WAAPA)
A modern interpretation of the Shakespeare classic that was an excellent showcase of all the disciplines WAAPA trains their students in, not only performance but the many departments that make a production come to life.

"All these elements gave the production great atmosphere and allowed for seamless scene transitions - this fairly hummed along. Having said that there were times, especially involving the witches, where there was a languid, at times hypnotic pace within a scene that was mesmerising."

6. Those Who Fall In Love Like Anchors Dropped Upon The Ocean Floor (Fringe World)
Delightfully performed, written and staged this was an inventive rumination on how the passage of time affects and informs our memories.

"I can see why Anchors did so well at last year’s Blue Room awards and I am glad I had a chance to see it after missing out on its 2014 run. It has an evocative and poetic script by Finegan Kruckemeyer that was well directed by Adam Mitchell and superbly handled by its cast."

7. Between Solar Systems (Second Chance Theatre)
The professional debut production for writer-director-actor-lighting designer Scott McArdle whose team transformed the Blue Room studio space into the interior of a spaceship to outstanding effect.

"To tackle a woefully under-represented genre for your first professional outing and to pull it off with such style and clarity is nothing short of amazing. Yet it doesn't surprise me in the slightest."

8. F**k Decaf (The Cutting Room Floor)
A well acted two-hander featuring a witty and insightful script by Tyler Jacob Jones that was funny and hugely entertaining in the small Frisk Bar space.

"My inescapable conclusion at the end of the performance was that a smart, well written script in the hands of (two) talented actors is a recipe for an excellent evening of theatre."

9. The Mars Project (WAAPA)

A sprawling original work that had to accommodate some 18 of the graduating acting class, this showcased a love of language that was immensely satisfying and built to a devastating final scene.

"The play started a little slowly but developed into an intriguing concept that really kicked into something quite special when the turning point comes. This was delivered with clinical precision as Harris’ Wren pivots the stakes into the stratosphere with a simple question with awful ramifications."

10. In A Bony Embrace (Curtin's Performance Studies & Hayman Theatre Company)

The last play I saw in 2015 and an absolute treat. This was another ensemble piece that was off-beat and funny with a great student cast.

"This was a very well written, acted, directed and presented play with plenty of laughs befitting its sitcom DNA. I have seen plays before that didn’t seem to realise they were actually a sitcom and therefore failed but In A Bony Embrace knows exactly what it is and is expertly executed."

Female Performer of the Year - Felicity McKay

Having only graduated the previous November, McKay burst onto the scene in January with a sassy and bold performance that was utterly compelling as she slid in and out of various personas with consummate skill.

Male Performer of the Year - Clarence Ryan

One of the nicest guys you will ever meet, Ryan's performance in Metalhead was terrifying as he inhabited a character full of coiled anger and aggression. It was a brutally physical portrayal that was haunting.

Special Mentions:

Ben Mortley - While adeptly handling many diverse roles in 'Anchors' it was the heartfelt monologue explaining why his character was only now going on a first date that was a quiet highlight.

Gemma Cavoli - A nuanced performance that builds to another devastating conclusion in the hour long monologue of The List. 

Brittany Morel - The physical representation of a much older woman was excellent as is the change from deluded character to something far more potent. 

Zoe Street - A standout in the at times surreal Melancholy Play, the Curtin University student gave her character a fascinating world weariness that was poetic and languid. 

Elle Harris - As The Mars Project slowly unfolds, Harris becomes the presumptive lead who skillfully handles a complex arc that leads to an emotionally explosive climax.

There you have it. As always, thank you to all the performers, writers, directors, crew, front-of-house, technical and design staff for another excellent year of theatre. 

Point and Shoot: Farewell Show - Holland St Productions (11 April 2015)

I first saw Point and Shoot at Fringe World 2014 where it won two major awards including $10,000 to assist touring the production interstate and overseas. It was subsequently performed in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney towards the end of that year garnering more awards and praise with an encore season at Perth’s Fringe this year. As the team prepare to take the show to the Brighton Fringe Festival in the UK they announced 4 final shows in WA – two in Perth and another two in Busselton to raise money to assist with costs or, as one declared at the end of Saturday’s performance, so they can afford to eat while on tour!

It would be fair to say that after witnessing the show for a second time that it is my favourite piece of original content generated out of Perth (in all formats) for quite some time. I revisited the brief review I wrote back in February 2014 and this still holds true:

“This is a hilarious and pointed satire of Hollywood and the filmmaking business with a clever plot ("twist") and biting lyrics. The four actors play multiple roles and instruments and all are in fine voice. The transitions are seamless and this rockets along at a frenetic pace.”

What struck me on Saturday night though is that after touring the show and making tweaks here and there it is such a tightly constructed and slickly performed production. The writing (Book and Lyrics by Tyler Jacob Jones) is clever and witty which has fast become the Jones trademark as witnessed by his subsequent play F**k Decaf and work on Skin Deep which debuted at Fringe this year. It is also a wonderful synthesis of a love and understanding of both movies and musical theatre. A passion shared by Robert Woods who wrote the music and crafted the filmed excerpts for the fictional 1961 sitcom Selma Saves The Day and its bombastic, over-the-top 2042 feature incarnation.

This is the mischievous conceit of the whole undertaking – inverting the current Hollywood paradigm to posit a world in 2042 where the Independents rule the roost in the name of ART and the blockbuster of yesteryear is in disgrace after every single property was plundered for entertainment. All except the obscure, one season show where Selma, her meatloaf, and trusty pet canine literally save the day. In steps the granddaughter of its original creator who comes to Hollywood with dreams of bringing Selma to the big screen. What follows is so furiously entertaining and funny with twists galore that you are swept up in the sheer audacity and inventiveness of it all. The script none-too-subtly lampoons the state of cliché ridden filmmaking but also betrays an intimate understanding of genre and how to subvert it.

This in itself is impressive but the kicker is in the execution. Four actors playing over fifty characters with rapid fire character transitions AND playing multiple instruments during the course of the story with musical motifs cleverly used throughout. It’s a dizzying display of talent, chemistry between the performers, and tight direction and choreography. All four – Jones, Woods, Tamara Woolrych and Erin Hutchinson inhabit different personas so distinctly with such diversity across their multiple roles that it truly showcases triple threat ability – singing, acting, and musicianship. This isn’t used as a gimmick but rather as a meticulously crafted and wildly inventive presentation of the story.

Jones is ever the showman as the screenwriter who dreams of bringing the movies of his childhood back to the big screen. Woods has a manic intensity as the hobo who portends cinematic doom. Woolrych is both ditzy newcomer and knowing femme fatale while Hutchinson is the desperately lovelorn secretary who will sacrifice everything for her unrequited love. But they are so many more iterations including their parts in the filmed footage. It’s simply a dazzling fusion of writing, performance, direction and music.

An added bonus was that as part of their fundraising drive an original cast recording was available for sale on CD. The standout song for me – Absolute Perfection – so beautifully sung by Woolrych will no doubt be stuck in my head for days to come. It was also no surprise to see so many local filmmakers in the audience with even a brief discussion afterwards about how you would go about adapting Point and Shoot for the screen. For art, of course!

All that’s left to say is that I wish the four performers and their support team all the best for their UK performances. I have no doubt the show will be a hit and deservedly so.  

Skin Deep - Pickering Productions (14 February 2015)

With over 500 shows Fringe is always going to prove to be a little hit and miss. You’ll see some fabulous performances and every now and then there’ll be a dud or two. I’ve seen quite a few wonderful ones this festival which means I’m pretty much batting ahead of the curve. I don’t state it lightly then that for sheer entertainment value Skin Deep is my favourite show to date. What a fantastically crazy and hilarious mash-up of mashed up pop songs and insight into the quest for beauty through the ages!

When the answer to “what price beauty?” comes in the form of botox, arsenic, insect larvae, nightshade and other remedies you know you’re in for a helluva ride. Throw in some creative interpretations of a variety of pop songs (I’ll never hear The Eagles' Take It Easy the same way ever again) with a few, um, judicious tweaks here and there to the lyrics and it’s a rollicking night’s entertainment. I’m known for having a big laugh but the lady next to me was literally having kittens. Yes, literally! In fact the whole audience loved this with a standing ovation at the Hellenic Club after a suitable finale with a Carole King classic.

The set-up is that three generations of beauty therapists (all the most important jobs end in ‘ist’) reveal the secrets of the trade with several ‘exhibits’, Law and Order style. They range from invasive beauty procedures to client confessions to mother-daughter wrangling over the school ball with a little murder thrown in for good measure. The performers in question are Lindsay McNab, Cynthia Fenton (also co-writer), and Grace Edwards with the seemingly ever present Timothy How on keyboards.

They work tremendously well together with each getting a moment to shine. A sense of what we were in for arrives early when the three women excel during ‘Exhibit A’ that involves plenty of sight gags as ‘Lins’ undergoes a certain delicate beauty treatment. Other highlights included:

Fenton gives a whole new meaning to the song Defying Gravity which was as inspired as anything you’ll see at Fringe this year and had me laughing from How’s opening bars.

Edwards, hard on the heels of The Dummies Guide to Opera, gives another vivacious performance with standouts including her turn as a put upon 17 year old railing against her domineering mother (Fenton); and who could go past that classic piece of shtick I’ve Never Been To Me for comic potential?

McNab had a beautiful ballad as the mood surprisingly turned a little sombre towards the end. It was an interesting counterpoint and I liked that they took their time here. Additionally, her opening refrain from Bohemian Rhapsody was a prime example of taking the lyrics from a famous song and twisting the context for maximum comedic effect. Which is exactly what How’s Mack the Knife does as cosmetic surgery comes under the satirical knife of writers Fenton and Tyler Jacob Jones.

Jones, who also directs, is the writer of that other impressive Fringe piece currently on, F**k Decaf, one of the stars of which was happily chortling along with the rest of us. Skin Deep has all of his trademark wit and is staged with style and energy. 

What elevates this though is that beneath the hilarity there is very perceptive commentary on the beauty industry from all kinds of different angles. This gives it great resonance as it highlights how crazy the pursuit of beauty can sometimes be. There is a positive message at the end, however, that dovetails nicely with the singing of classic pop songs from artists such as The Go-Gos, Cyndi Lauper, ABBA, Katy Perry, and Mike and the Mechanics.

Skin Deep is well performed with deft comic timing and inventive use of songs. The singing is strong with Edwards the standout but they are all terrific in the numerous set-pieces. Timothy How is excellent on keyboards and gets to appropriately ham it up as required. 

Above all this is thoroughly entertaining and a hilarious exploration of an industry that has been around in one form or another for centuries. A must see but hurry, there is only one more performance left this Sunday at 7pm.

F**k Decaf - The Cutting Room Floor (10 February 2015)

With Fringe expanding to over 500 shows this year various locations have been pressed into service to hold the staggering amount of activity that is going on. One of these is the Frisk Small Bar in Francis Street which was perfect for this witty observation of relationships, how we change and, dare I say it, grow with the passage of time.

My inescapable conclusion at the end of the performance was that a smart, well written script in the hands of (two) talented actors is a recipe for an excellent evening of theatre.

I missed seeing this the first time around last year so was delighted it had another life at Fringe in 2015. The writer in question is Tyler Jacob Jones who had a stellar festival last year with Point & Shoot: a new musical which he co-wrote and starred in winning major awards and successfully touring on the east coast. This was his next script and talking to Jones he felt some pressure to follow-up Point & Shoot’s achievements.

In this he has succeeded admirably even restraining himself by including only one song (we won’t quibble about a burst of Leaving on a Jet Plane) - the Des’ree, um, classic, Life (okay, I confess, my pop sweet spot is more the 80s and I missed the whole ‘piece of toast’ thing!).

That song (which is revisited several times) serves as a shared memory for friends Kate (Ann-Marie Biagioni) and Ruby (Amanda Watson) though what deeper philosophical meanings did Des’ree really mean with those lyrics? I’ll leave that for Kate, Ruby and eminent scholars to decide.

The two friends periodically meet in the same cafe over a span of several years to share the highs and lows of their relationships, travels, and expectations. Kate is the sexually adventurous one while Ruby, who initially appears quite grounded, suffers through a series of relationships some more doomed than others. They talk, spar, bicker and reminisce as only good friends can. Their insights and experiences are funny but have more than a healthy dose of deft observation.

Biagioni and Watson are both excellent, the former’s character all brash and in your face; the latter’s becoming increasingly a bundle of nerves and doubts. In this, coffee plays a major part. As for decaf, well, the title gives you a pretty good idea what Kate thinks about Ruby’s conversion at one point to Pilates, vegetarianism, and a caffeine free lifestyle!

The device that sets this all up is the dinging of a bell by the waiter (Monty Sallur) that announces the end of one scene and the jump forward in time to the next. The intimate setting means the audience is almost on top of the actors with a sense we’re eavesdropping on their conversations. Each vignette reveals more about the two of them and gives both actors the opportunity to add impressive layers to their portrayals.

Most importantly, this is flat out hilarious. The moment Biagioni storms outside the bar and harangues Watson by mobile while stomping up and down Francis Street is priceless. Likewise, the fight they have that ends up leaving the small performance space a mess of coffee beans, salt, plastic cups and every manner of detritus is realistically frantic. If you sit in the first two rows you might even cop some friendly fire.

I loved this sense of play. Biagioni and Watson are totally in sync with each other and the surroundings - even the accidental breaking of a ceramic coffee mug was used to great effect. I give kudos to Frisk for allowing such an exuberant and messy show on their premises and to the actors for embracing that freedom.

There was a moment of magic towards the end that launched this into another level of intensity and possibilities - Ruby becomes aware of the device of the ringing bell. We then witness a bravura explosion of rapid fire scenes as that bell starts dinging overtime! The ensuing sense of timing and flexibility was impressive and had the audience in stitches.

This is the sort of show that is ideal for Fringe – it’s smart, witty, wonderfully performed and written, with a sense of confidence and playfulness that audiences find irresistible, certainly the one I was with on opening night. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Directed by Scott Corbett, Written by Tyler Jacob Jones, and starring Ann-Marie Biagioni, Amanda Watson and Monty Sallur, F**k Decaf has seven more shows from tonight until Sunday 22^nd February. 

Top Ten Theatre Productions in 2014 - Musicals & Cabaret

It was a big year for musicals, especially comedy musicals. From trailer parks to roller skating rinks, from Transylvania to the vastness of space, and even the Hollywood of the future to alien invasions in 1950s American suburbia, it was a wild ride. WAAPA proved yet again why they are the pre-eminent training academy for musical theatre in the country while the Koorliny Arts Centre had another strong year. There was the further emergence of a local writing and performing duo whose audacious ‘holiday special’ presages a very bright future.

To my favourites:

1. West Side Story (WAAPA)

A spectacular production at the Regal Theatre boasting the combined might of WAAPA’s second and third year musical theatre students and a host of talented students from all other departments. Throw in a wonderful set, an orchestra in fine form, and one of the best ever musicals and it was a highlight of the year.

"It’s not a feeling I get often but the buzz around WAAPA’s mid-year showcase production at the Regal Theatre has been enormous and I was hoping, expecting, pleading for magic and that’s exactly what was delivered – magic of the most potent kind. If you had told me that baton was a wand I would have believed you."

2. Children of Eden (WAAPA)

A production that took me totally by surprise but left me thoroughly impressed as WAAPA’s second year students announced their arrival in exuberant style.

"I’m happy to report that any reservations I had disappeared almost immediately in what turned out to be a spectacular production. The second years were uniformly excellent; it is a beautiful score with wonderful songs; and the venue was comfortably configured and used to maximum effect. I walked away with a real sense of the ‘wow’ factor hence my delighted surprise."

3. Hair (WAAPA)

WAAPA’s third year students kicked off their final year with a bang with this performance of the rock musical that harkened back to the era of flower power and the Vietnam War getting the tone and atmosphere spot on.

"The main players were more than ably supported by the rest of the cast who had a wonderful sense of energy and chemistry as they genuinely enjoyed the playful choreography and playground style set. Then there was the eight piece band that was in terrific form led by musical director David King."

4. Oliver! (Mandurah Performing Arts Centre) 

You know it’s been a good year when this joyous production is only fourth on the list. One of the highlights of 2014 was the massed cast including some 40 children performing Consider Yourself.

"When musical theatre gets it right, when everything is firing on all cylinders – the performances, the vocals, the orchestra, set, costume, lighting,everything – it is a sight and sound to behold."

5. Merrily We Roll Along (WAAPA)

The final production for WAAPA’s sterling third year class who lapped up Sondheim’s musical in the more intimate Roundhouse Theatre.

"After the big, elaborate musicals of the last few days over in Melbourne this show was a pleasant reminder that a stripped back production such as this in an intimate setting with talented performers and musicians can be just as entertaining and memorable. And yes, Mister Sondheim, I was tapping my feet more than once!"

6. The Jones/Woods Holiday Special (Holland St Productions)

A retrospective greatest hits package as hilarious as it was audacious that featured Gravity the Musical that lampooned and adored Alfonso Cuaron’s film in equal measure.

"This company of talented performers clearly relished working with such quality material and, again, there was real chemistry between them all. The fact that the show was put together with something like only three weeks rehearsal time is testament to their abilities. The audience response was as enthusiastic as anything I’ve seen in Perth – foot stomping intensity in fact! "

7. Young Frankenstein the Musical (Koorliny Arts Centre)

The very first production I saw this year and what a way to start. The kind of craziness that only Mel Brooks could summon brought to kooky life down at Koorliny.

"Based on the Mel Brooks’ movie of the same name, it exhibits the typical Brooks sense of humour as it parodies the horror genre. The gags can be a little hit and miss but I generally found this very funny. It is also performed and directed with great verve and there are many wonderful set pieces."

8. The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Roleystone Theatre)
Another great surprise of the year. What a raucous, hollerin' and a stompin' good time this was with a lovely sweetness under all that big hair, outrageous costumes and trashiness.

"What impressed me most is that beneath the raunchy and crass exterior that poked fun at the ‘white trailer park trash’ stereotype there was an underlying sweetness and genuine affection for these characters."

9. Point & Shoot: A New Musical (Holland St Productions)

I was fortunate enough to see the additional performance that was added to this show's run at Fringe. I can see why there was such a demand as this is clever, funny, and wildly entertaining. 

"This is an hilarious and pointed satire of Hollywood and the filmmaking business with a clever plot ("twist") and biting lyrics. The four actors play multiple roles and instruments and all are in fine voice. The transitions are seamless and this rockets along at a frenetic pace."

10. This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things (Gillian Cosgriff)

Another show I was lucky to catch at the tale end of its run at Fringe. Based on Cosgriff's own experiences the songs here are pointed, funny, and insightful, delivered with real panache.  

"A front row seat meant I was only 2-3 metres away from Cosgriff who proved to be a vivacious, witty, and very charismatic presence as she combined original songs with insights into her life and that of her generation, those of the already nostalgic mid-twenties."

Female Performer of the Year - Suzie Melloy

In a spectacular show that did so many things so well, Melloy stood out as Anita in West Side Story. She "gives a star making performance as the feisty Anita – she is simply superb and a real charismatic presence."

Male Performers of the Year - Tyler Jacob Jones & Robert Woods

I am usually the first person to rail against ties but you can't really talk about one without the other when it comes to musicals. Jones and Woods as creative collaborators and performers are a potent combination with a huge future.

Special Mentions:

Rebecca Hetherington - Gives a fine performance as Mary, the heart and soul of Merrily We Roll Along. "Not only is her acting impressive but vocally she shines..."

Jesse Angus - A full tilt performance in Young Frankenstein where Angus "attacks the role (of 'Fronkensteen') with impressive energy and the appropriate level of mania."

Jon Lambert - Unrecognisable as Fagan in Oliver! after his stint as the Monster in Young Frankenstein. A very charismatic performance. 

Madeleine Shaw - Steals the show as the eponymous lead in Cinderella. The petite performer has a divine singing voice and confident stage presence.

Kohan van Sambeeck - seemingly ever present as a musician in many of the WAAPA productions, van Sambeeck also found time to be Musical Director for The Last Five Years and compose his first original score for the play Closer. 

An excellent year with many other great performances and a couple of shows unlucky not to make the final ten. Thank you to all the casts and crews, musicians, front of house staff and all the other people who make the magic of theatre come to life. I look forward to seeing you all again in 2015!

The Jones/Woods Holiday Special - Holland St Productions (26 July 2014)

Back in a time before digital music downloads there used to be something called an ‘album’. This was a collection of songs played in a pre-determined order. Quaint, I know! This led to what was known as the Greatest Hits album where the best songs of a band or artist over their career were brought together onto the one record. Or what young people today call a ‘playlist’. Usually, to release a greatest hits album, you’d have to have a sustained period of success…

How audacious then for Messrs Jones and Woods to put together a showcase of their ‘greatest hits’ for two performances only at the Hackett Hall in Floreat. Billed as The Jones/Woods Holiday Special the evening was a collection of original musical theatre songs written by Tyler Jacob Jones and Robert Woods and performed by them with a little help from their friends. Except audacious is a perfect word to describe this duo and they have both the talent and material to more than pull off such an evening. In fact it was a stunning and hilarious night that had the audience stomping and clapping in approval.

I was fortunate enough to see the final show of Point and Shoot at this year’s Fringe Festival, a musical that deservedly won the Artrage Theatre Award for Best Theatre Production and the coveted Martin Sims Award for Best New Western Australian Work. They had taken out the Artrage award the year before for Falling to the Top, a musical featuring The Divalettes, a group on the comeback trail with their appearance here (a chapter that will surely make its way into the annals of pop music history). I had also been impressed with Jones’ Finley Award nominated role as the lead in the musical Curtains as this very venue last year. It’s fair to say my expectations going in were high. It’s also fair to say they easily cleared that bar.

Three things that immediately struck me during this show – the showmanship on display (the chemistry between Jones and Woods is impressive as they introduced each segment, bantered, mock-argued, made-up and, at times, genuinely amused each other); the brilliance of the songs which are smart, incisive, clever, and outright funny; the absolute affection they have for not only musical theatre but also - and this was what I didn’t know but should have guessed at from Point and Shoot - feature films. There is a perfect fusion here between those two passions – film and musical theatre – and it’s a potent mix.

This was highlighted with a punctuation point in the closing section of the evening when they presented a new, short piece Gravity the Musical, a film Woods described as the greatest ever and bemoaned the fact it didn’t win the Best Picture Oscar. Brianna Williams gave a pitch perfect performance as ‘Sandy’ with St John Crowder as ‘George’ and Jones himself as the third astronaut whose name nobody remembers and, donned in a blonde wig, Sandy’s daughter. The lyrics here are so incisive as they lovingly pay homage to the film but also mock it mercilessly (the lack of ‘Sandy’s back story other than she had a daughter… who died; and the massed company imploring  Sandy that “she can do it” satirising the film’s ropey second act turning point). This is a Fringe Festival show and lawsuit waiting to happen. But, oh my, it was jaw-achingly funny.

There were so many other highlights as the duo presented their back catalogue – a Japanese version of Lookamalips from Falling to the Top performed by kimono-clad Ichina Parker while The Divalettes looked on unimpressed; Jones singing the witty You’ll Do from Zombie Girlfriend, and an aching lament to Ashley Judd for never winning an Oscar; a roaring 80’s style pisstake, One Heart, from the duo’s Moviefest Extra entry Dragon Conquest, belted out by Ann-Marie Biagoni with a little help from Robert Woods and an over-the-top dual saxophone solo that was hilariously on point; the wistful Absolute Perfection from Point and Shoot which is perhaps my favourite of their songs, beautifully sung by Tamara Woolrych; You’re Insane from Robert Woods’ solo musical theatre exploit, Delicious House, featuring Timothy How and Tamara Woolrych; Paul Spencer’s rendition of Astronaut as a rhyme-challenged Woodsman; and Woods singing an excerpt from Jones’ Year 12 essay on the film American Beauty chosen at random by an audience member.

Phoebe Jackson was featured in two numbers, I Want To Fly (from undoubtedly the definitive Peter Pan adaptation) and Awful Folk from The Amberly Show. The Divalettes (Breeahn Jones, Kimberley Harris, Mariaelena Velletri and Claire Taylor) also had their moment to shine with a sassy reprise of Lookamalips. The ensemble from Point and Shoot (Jones, Woods, Woolrych and a wonderfully zany Erin Hutchinson) ran through four songs from that show and perhaps the biggest applause of the night was for youngster Rhylan Bush who played Captain Hook in I Want to Fly. David Gray rounded out the ensemble with vocal support on numbers such as the deliciously black Zombie Girlfriend and, if I'm not mistaken, was on keyboards at one point. 

This company of talented performers clearly relished working with such quality material and, again, there was real chemistry between them all. The fact that the show was put together with something like only three weeks rehearsal time is testament to their abilities. The audience response was as enthusiastic as anything I’ve seen in Perth – foot stomping intensity in fact! 

Robert Woods and Tyler Jacob Jones are a duo to watch. They are touring the eastern states in a couple of months and I expect that they will break and break big – there is too much creativity, invention, and sheer chutzpah for them not to. On the evidence of this fabulous showcase theirs are names we’ll be hearing a lot of in the future.