Best Bits - WAAPA (17 September 2017)

Simply wow!

I haven't had as much fun in a theatre all year as I did with the graduating musical theatre students' final production before Showcase. I certainly haven't laughed as hard or as consistently at anything else, theatre or otherwise, for quite some time.

It is the usual custom for the graduating students to 'take the piss' out of their major 2nd and 3rd year productions during Best Bits. But this cohort has many gifted comic performers and as a collective they have impeccable timing and mischievous sense of humour. The send-ups of Rent, Heathers, 42nd Street, and Chicago were exceptional and there were even a few sly Bring It On references interspersed throughout the program. What is most impressive amongst the inspired satire is an understanding of the weaknesses in story or structure or character that is ripe for the picking.

It also reminds us of the many tremendous performances we've witnessed over the last two years. Most notably Kelsi Boyden in Rent; Monique Warren in Heathers; Mackenzie Dunn in 42 Street; and Boyden again with Jenna Curran in Chicago. Looking back it has been a strong slate of musicals with compelling female characters.

That's not to say the male students have been any less stellar as Finn Alexander (Today 4 U from Rent), Nick Errol (Freeze Your Brain from Heathers); and Luke Haberecht leading the charge in reminding us of the glorious tap dancing from 42 Street demonstrated.

This wasn't solely about making us laugh however. In a generous program that stretched over two hours there were plenty of opportunities for the students to show off their acting and singing skills. Dance, other than the tap from 42nd Street, wasn't as featured.

I liked that a lot of the songs had a lead-in requiring the performers to display their acting chops. The second half also included many more serious pieces to give a sense of emotional range. Indeed, it was an eclectic selection of songs from a remarkably varied smorgasbord of musicals. I was even teased with a snippet from Hamilton. Brief, all too brief!

The two standout moments in this section were -

A beautiful rendition of Falling Slowly from Once by David Cuny (also on guitar) and Monique Warren (on piano). Extra points for difficulty as Cuny dealt with an unexpected broken guitar strap mid-song; and

A powerhouse vocal performance by Cameron Steens of Dust and Ashes from Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. The company adding backing vocals from the upper walkway elevated this further.

But there were so many highlights. To name a few:

Luke Haberecht delivering the rapid-fire, tongue twisting lyrics of Cole Porter's Let's Not Talk About Love with aplomb.

The accent work of Meg McKibbin and Daisy Valerio in singing The History of Wrong Guys (Kinky Boots) and I Have Confidence (The Sound of Music) respectively.

Some inspired mania by Joshua White during The Brain from Young Frankenstein.

A deliciously phlegmy (not a term I hope to ever repeat!) If I Were A Rich Man from Fiddler on the Roof by Tom Gustard.

Benjamin Almon Colley bringing The Roundhouse Theatre to enthralled silence with Tomorrow Belongs To Me (Cabaret).

A lovely, authentic moment between Bailey Dunnage and Daisy Valerio as the former sang World Inside A Frame (Bridges of Madison County).

A couple of real character numbers written by Sondheim - Jenna Curran's scathingly delivered The Ladies Who Lunch (Company) and Mackenzie Dunn effortlessly handling the black humour of Worst Pies in London (Sweeney Todd).

During the show costumes and props, once they were used, were placed in large wicker baskets and suitcases. The symbolic packing up after three long years. Final bows were quite emotional but the applause was enthusiastic and well earned.

See you on the other side in a few months time on stages here, over east, and who knows, maybe throughout the world. As Alexander Hamilton would say... just you wait...

Choice Cuts - WAAPA (19 September 2015)

I talked briefly to Andrew Lewis (Associate Professor and Associate Head of School for Performance at WAAPA) in the glorious Spring sunshine after this compact one hour show by the graduating acting class. A couple of key topics emerged - the emphasis on accent work which was clearly apparent during this retrospective; and how each class, be it musical theatre or acting cohort, has its own collective personality.

When you see Australian actors getting roles overseas in both movies and increasingly in high end US drama, they are universally praised for their ability to seamlessly adopt (predominantly) American accents. That is no doubt in large part to the excellent training in this area at world class academies like WAAPA. But there was a range of accents on display this afternoon and that was, in itself, a feature.

The second point was forming in my mind as I watched Choice Cuts. This is only the second year I have attended WAAPA productions in large numbers, mainly the acting and musical theatre streams. Each of those groups, of course, have their individual personalities, but it strikes me that as a collective there is a distinct dynamic and group personality that is unique to each year. It's difficult to explain but it seems clear in the way they interact both on and off the stage and every year and course is different. A kind of hive entity if you will with its own sense of humour, style and outlook. However, I hadn't quite grasped what that was for this year's acting class until only recently with the excellent The Mars Project and this very show today. It took me a while but I finally got there which was kind of exciting.

To the show itself and this fairly hummed along at a brisk one hour running time. There were snippets of past shows - Columbinus, Blood Wedding, Punk Rock, Grapes of Wrath, All My Sons, Measure for Measure, Thezmophoriazusae, Pride and Prejudice, The Playboy of the Western World, and The Mars Project -  and even a theatrical 'trailer' of sorts for the upcoming Macbeth, recreated here as 'Macbeth in a Minute'. Spoiler alert, everyone dies... hilariously.

Some of the other highlights:

A chilling moment from Punk Rock especially a visceral beat between Harriet Gordon-Anderson and Bevan Pfeiffer;

Rian Howlett's rapid fire, tongue twisting alliteration of Someone Spoke to Me;

Dacre Montgomery getting his Shelley Levene and American accent on with a profanity laced tirade at Hoa Xuande in a scene from Glengarry Glen Ross;

The company getting loose and funky in several moments: Stephanie Panozzo's amusing mangling of Aretha's Respect with the others in coordinated support; the abrogation of self in the Animals & Toddlers exercise; and the hilarious recreation of The Fellowship scene from Lord of the Rings (the first one) that had everyone in stitches;

Lincoln Vickery's abuse of poor Rebecca Gulia in a memorable monologue from The Mars Project;

Elle Harris and Megan Wilding both so good in a mesmerising scene from the Grapes of Wrath;

Luke Fewster and Lincoln Vickery likewise in a scene from The Judas Kiss;

Stephanie Panozzo and Ben Kindon crushing a very funny scene A Stud & A Babe which showcased their singing ability as well as their comic timing; and

Rebecca Gulia singing a song I absolutely adore to close the show - Sondheim's glorious No One Is Alone from Into The Woods - which she did so beautifully before the rest of the group joined in as they said their final farewells.

And then they were gone.

It was sharp, short and almost too perfect. I wanted more. I wanted my customary intermission cider in the lobby before the second half. But in many ways it was fitting. There will be more - much more - once this group move into their professional careers and we see them on screens, large and small, and on the stage again.

There are only two more shows, tonight at 7.30pm and tomorrow at 5pm. An hour of your time to see another great graduating class. All of them were terrific. Go see it!

Choice Cuts starred the graduating class of Rebecca Gulia, Claudia Ware, Dacre Montgomery, Elle Harris, Harriet Gordon-Anderson, Hoa Xuande, Jessica Paterson, Ben Kindon, Bevan Pfeiffer, Brittany Morel, Lincoln Vickery, Luke Fewster, Megan Wilding, Rian Howlett, Seamus Quinn, Shalom Brune-Franklin, and Stephanie Panozzo (with Andrew Creer).

Best Bits - WAAPA (5 September 2015)

Almost 18 months ago I went along to the Enright Studio to see the first public performance of the then second year musical theatre class. As is the WAAPA way this inaugural outing isn’t a musical at all. In this case it was an abridged version of the sprawling Australian play Beach. Twenty brand new faces. Twenty performers you’ll slowly get to know as you watch their potential blossom over the coming months. It’s an exciting time as the next crop of talent is unveiled. From my review at the time:

“Talking to the director afterwards, this was the acting debut of many of the students in front of a paying audience. There is some singing – enough to be excited for future musical productions – but this is mainly a mix of comedy, drama, and skits. I’m not sure it entirely worked for me as a coherent play but it did showcase the talent of the second year musical theatre class. Everyone had an opportunity to shine and the production went without a hitch.”

Fast forward to today where that excitement and talent has developed into a stellar graduating class. Best Bits is a fun show because it celebrates their joint achievements, lampooning the four musicals they go on to perform after that initial introduction. It also gives us a glimpse into the enormous amount of work and training they undertake outside of the public eye. Each performer - now 19 in total - has a featured moment and the vocal talent across the board is superlative. Above all it’s funny, entertaining, and has a looser, raw feeling that is very engaging. The latter is by necessity as their final musical finished only a week ago – spontaneity breeds creativity.

Appropriately, the show opens in homage to Beach as the group takes to the stage in bathers before each individual gives us a snippet of a song I’m assuming they performed in their very first week on campus (“O-Week Audition Medley”). Chris Wilcox and Taryn Ryan, reprising their roles as Officer Lockstock and Little Sally from Urinetown, act as hosts of sorts as they guide us through a selection of songs interspersed with mischievously condensed versions of Children of Eden, Urinetown, Legally Blonde and Carrie the Musical. In comparison to last year's show there isn’t as much focus on dancing but, as mentioned, the singing ability reverberates around the intimate Roundhouse Theatre as do the acting chops in the more interactive numbers.

Sondheim was certainly a popular source of songs with Joel Granger and Rosabelle Elliott performing Kiss Me; Morgan Palmer taking on Not While I’m Around; while Daniel Ridolfi excelled with Epiphany (all from Sweeney Todd); with Taryn Ryan tackling Getting Married Today from Company with aplomb. A special mention to Timothy How who accompanied the group on piano and only received the sheet music the day before. “Too much Sweeney Todd” he lamented afterwards but his playing was a highlight.

A few of the other highlights (among many) for me were: Kate Thomas reminding us how good she was as Elle Woods with the title number from Legally Blonde; Tayla Jarrett (who also showed a deft comic touch throughout) on piano singing The Hill from Once; two beautifully sung numbers by Harry Prouse (I, Who Have Nothing) and Callum Sandercock (Music of the Night); the original crowd pleasing cabaret piece Bath by Matthew Hyde; and a sultry Call From The Vatican by Baylie Carson.

I also enjoyed Matilda Moran's Maybe I Like It This Way; Heather Manley's Papa Can You Hear Me?; and Alex Thompson's How Glory Goes. Chris Wilcox continues to exhibit a sly sense of humour that is captivating (as well as getting his U2 on) and I really like Joel Granger's and Taryn Ryan's stage presence from an acting perspective.

Megan Kozak showed off some fine yodeling talent with Roll in the Hay and Jess Phillippi had me tapping my feet along happily to I Can Do Better Than That from The Last Five Years. Jacob Dibb gave a playful rendition of Rosemary and Joe Meldrum cut a fine figure during Easy Street from Annie. 

 

It's safe to say everyone was impressive and the sheer talent across this group is a delight. As is their obvious chemistry with, I have to say, a lot of snogging going on and great comic timing. Look out for a very funny running gag in the Carrie sequence.

It all ends with the entire class singing In The Beginning from Children of Eden, a fine dropping off point as thoughts turn towards Showcase, graduation, and a professional career in musical theatre. That’s all still to come, however. For now though, this was a relaxed, funny, and entertaining look back at the last three years for an exceptionally talented group of young performers. I wish them all the very best and look forward to seeing them on stages across the country in the near future.

Best Bits starred the 2015 graduating class of Alex Thompson, Baylie Carson, Callum Sandercock, Chris Wilcox, Daniel Ridolfi, Harry Prouse, Heather Manley, Jacob Dibb, Jess Phillippi, Joe Meldrum, Joel Granger, Kate Thomas, Matilda Moran, Matthew Hyde, Megan Kozak, Morgan Palmer, Rosabelle Elliott, Taryn Ryan and Tayla Jarrett with Timothy How on piano.

There are two more shows - Sunday 6 September at 2pm and 6pm. Ticket sales at the venue.

Choice Cuts - WAAPA (20 September 2014)

Let’s begin at the ending, shall we…?

Far, far away in a magical land called Mountlawleycampus there was a good witch who was no doubt popular (Jane Watt) and a green-faced, masculine witch with a black witch’s hat and caked on face paint (Joel Horwood) who was clearly evil (the grin gave it away!).  Yet despite their differences and Elphaba-Joel making Glinda-Jane crack up during their number, they came through three years of trials and tribulations stronger and yes, changed for good. 

   

When the massed company of WAAPA’s graduating acting class joined Horwood and Watt in singing Wicked’s For Good in Choice Cut’s finale it was funny but also strangely moving as the sentiment of the lyrics was appropriate and heartfelt. It capped off a couple of hours of entertainment from the third year students whose thoughts will now wander towards showcase tours and life beyond WAAPA.

What an eclectic mix this show presented from three years of productions and study! There were the obligatory scenes from a selection of Shakespeare’s greatest works - Macbeth, As You Like It, and Othello; the last played out with murderous intensity only inches from me in the wonderfully compact Roundhouse Theatre. Interspersed throughout were monologues and self-devised pieces including Harriet Davies lamenting her ISS or Irritable Singing Syndrome which saw her amusingly burst into song at any moment.

In fact there was far more singing than I expected with several strong voices on display such as Henry Hammersla (I Believe) and Alex Malone (Maybe This Time). Indeed the first half ended in raucous fashion as ‘The Girls’ of the class presented their Protest Song that challenged, far more indelicately than I will describe it, certain, ahem, expectations of female grooming. It had the small but appreciative audience chuckling their way to the bake sale in the foyer. An aside: damn nice homemade cookies and cake!

There was a lot of accent work on display and clearly this is a focus over the journey. It featured as the group revisited productions such as The Golden Age, Speaking in Tongues/No Worries and Chekhov in Yalta where, damn it, Felicity McKay will create Magic If! There were two specific Accent and Dialect Monologues as well, by Julio Cesar and Kirsty Marillier.

Physicality was highlighted with a mix of fight sequences and the inhabiting of everything from animals to the poor, twisted creatures of The Golden Age to Toddlers. The last I had seen conducted as an exercise by Angela Punch-McGregor during Open Day so I was delighted to watch Adam Sollis and Jane Watt channel their inner child with such abandon. 

The humour here was more of the sly variety, for example Joel Horwood and Jonny Hawkins having fun in an excerpt from Waiting for Godot where the worst possible insult, far above moron or sewer rat, was musical theatre student! The transitions worked better in the second half but there were times the audience was unsure when to clap so some ‘acts’ didn’t get their just applause as they bled into the next. This certainly wasn’t the case after Hawkin’s Tribute to Stritch, a statuesque performance in stockings, heels, wig and a dress.

All the third year shows were reprised with the sequence from Festen giving me the same uncomfortable feeling as when I first saw it, a testament to that production’s power and to the skill of this class. Realism revisited some brave moments with Liam Maguire, Harriet Davies and Alexis Lane featuring while Great Expectations had a quick whip around by the chorus. I was intrigued by the glimpses of shows I hadn’t seen, namely The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui and Hour of the Wolf (second year production).

It was an engaging tour of three years of hard work and talent with the dramatic highlight being the work of Holly Dryoff, Aleks Mikic, Emma Diaz and Henry Hammersla in the Othello scene which had great intensity particularly from Diaz and Mikic. The Protest Song was an unexpected treat and the understated humour throughout worked well. Not everyone had a featured moment but all worked well in the various ensembles including Steph Tsindos and Alexander Frank. I’ve only just realised one person was missing, Harry Richardson whose Herbert I quite enjoyed in Great Expectations.

Well done one and all and thank you for a great year. Thank you also to the second year students who were on front of house and bake sale duty. It was great to chat with some of you and I look forward to seeing Blood Wedding and hearing what your third year shows will be.

Now, as mentioned, the audience wasn’t that large for a Saturday matinee on the first hot day of the impending summer. But there is one more show left, Sunday at 5pm and the money collected from ticket sales, the raffle and bake sale help get these talented actors over east for their showcase tour. It’s going to be stormy and awful outside so go and see some theatrical magic instead!   

Best Bits - WAAPA (7 September 2014)

This isn’t going to be so much a review as it will be a celebration.

WAAPA’s graduating musical theatre students capped off an outstanding year and the culmination of three years hard work with four shows over two days at The Roundhouse Theatre. All twenty of these talented performers were given a highlight moment as well as jointly reminding us of the featured productions they have starred in over the journey. It was a very relaxed, funny, and entertaining couple of hours that more than ably demonstrated their abilities as they prepare for the showcase tour of Sydney and Melbourne. Agents and stardom beckon.

Simply accompanied by Tim How on piano, this was more than just a ‘greatest hits’ concert. The parodies of the four major musicals – Merrily We Roll Along, West Side Story, Hair and Reefer Madness were inventive and hilarious. From lampooning the complexities of Merrily We Roll Along’s reverse timeline narrative to sending up Hair’s famous nude scene to an unconventional (to say the least!) interpretation of West Side Story, the 2014 graduating class were clearly enjoying themselves and the audience went along for the crazy ride. The chemistry within the group was palpable.

They also cheekily borrowed the central conceit of the Sondheim musical to tell their own story backwards - from 2014 all the way back to arriving at the acclaimed Academy for the very first time. It was a nice linking device. That they ended the show all with suitcase in hand was an apt image – it’s time to depart for their next journey as a bright future and professional careers await.  

Between the set-piece parodies was a mix of performances – from musical numbers, to dance routines, to monologues to show off acting chops. I really liked the balance as it reinforced the fact that WAAPA trains these wonderfully gifted performers to be triple threats – singing, dancing and acting. There were plenty of witty transitions as well and the show was nothing less than downright mischievous at times. I loved the overall vibe that all these elements achieved - a celebration indeed.

I don’t intend to go through individual performances other than to say there were so many highlights in all three of those disciplines. It was a really fun afternoon with a receptive audience, some of whom will be featuring in this very spot next year. 

Unfortunately I arrived late to the party with this class having only seen their 2014 performances (Reefer Madness looks like it would have been a scream). Two things to come out of today though: a sense of excitement to see what happens next with the individuals in this group; and a real expectation for the second years as they step up to take their place. Already a strong roster of productions has been announced for 2015 – Urinetown, Legally Blonde, and Carrie.

Finally, thank you to the 2014 graduating class of Jess Voivenel, Shannen Alyce, Miranda Macpherson, Suzie Melloy, Daniel Berini, Patrick Whitbread, Sophie Cheeseman, Lyndon Watts, Ben Adams, Sophie Stokes, Will Groucutt, Stephen Madsen, Ashleigh Rubenach, Chloe Wilson, Jack Van Staveren, Eloise Cassidy, Nick Eynaud, Max Bimbi, Rebecca Hetherington and Du Toit Bredenkamp for providing such excellent entertainment over the year. Every show, including this one, has been entertaining, enthralling and a sheer delight.

All the best for showcase and the future!