Momentum - WAAPA (29 August 2017)

The unexpected gem. There's at least one every year. A show you maybe don't know much about and have little or no expectaton for that turns out to be a theatrical treat. Momentum, a self devised piece by the 2nd year actors under the tutelage of visiting director Andy Paris, is such a production.

Based in the Moment Work technique this is the presentation of a collection of stories using movement, dance, lighting, props, costuming, audio and multi-media elements, utilising the whole of the Enright Studio space to support and enhance the text. These are the stories of the actors themselves, drawn from or inspired by their own personal experiences.

In its shape and construction Momentum is reminiscent of Love and Information, currently being performed by the 3rd years. However, there is an emotional authenticity and rawness here that is compelling in its honesty. The whole troupe have shared insights into pivotal moments in their lives and it's this vulnerability and generosity that makes Momentum a remarkable work.

Not so much Love and Information as Memory and Fears. Parents feature heavily in these memories, a combination of the traumatic, touching, and insightful. Fears are portrayed in relationships with parents, friends and possible lovers as well as touching on anxiety, bullying, suicide, domestic violence, identity, religion, and sexuality. That may sound 'heavy' but the creativity in the staging and the universal themes explored resonant deeply and keep this totally engaging.

There are also moments of humour including an hilarious 'guest star' appearance by Bobby De Niro himself and a little slapstick here and there.

Music is supplied by the divinely voiced Mia Morrissey on guitar as well as, wait for it, Duran Duran whose Hungry Like the Wolf I never thought I'd hear in a WAAPA production! Jessie Lancaster adds vocal support towards the end showcasing another fine voice.

This truly is an ensemble piece however I'd also like to recognise Teresa Moore's distinctive dancing throughout; Cameron Rouse's opening monologue that sets everything up and gives the actors 'permission' to own their stories and for the audience to embrace them; and the work of Sam Corlett who attacked his story about masculinity with complete fierceness.

The intimacy of the black box Enright Studio is perfect for this type of production and I'd highly recommend attending one of the last two nights this week.

*originally published at facebook.com/perththeatrereviews

Petits Fours - WAAPA (19 June 2017)

An eclectic quartet of bite-sized theatrical treats ranging from political satire (The Election) to an exploration of film set dynamics (Remarkable), amusing canine empowerment (The Emancipation of Alice Paws) and lastly, arthouse portrait of a hedonistic artist (Self Portrait, Masturbating).

All written by local playwrights, in order, Finn O'Branagain, Gita Bezard, Chris Isaacs, and Hellie Turner and directed by Julia Jarel, Nicole Stinton, Trudy Dunn, and Susie Conte respectively.

My pick was Remarkable which started off as a pisstake of the egos one might find on a film set (of a hilariously poorly written script) but turned into a most interesting commentary on the depiction of sex, nudity and violence and, critically, the ways male filmmakers pressure actresses into doing their bidding for less than altruistic motives. A fascinating angle emerged around who was portrayed as complicit in this. Unsettling and perceptive.

Performances were uniformly strong throughout all four plays but my picks from each - Lily Stewart as the kinetic emcee of The Election; William Bartolo as the writer-director in Remarkable whose character initially seemed innocuous/pompous enough until darker motivations emerged; Shannon Ryan in a fine physical performance as the mouthy pooch in The Emancipation of Alice Paws; and Thomas Jackson as the outraged and conflicted Oskar in Self Portrait, Masturbating.

Good to see so many of the 3rd year MT students in the audience on their night off from 42nd Street supporting their acting colleagues. 

*originally published at facebook.com/perththeatrereviews

Lord of the Flies - WAAPA (21 March 2017)

Straight off the bat, this is the most ambitious public debut production I have seen for a 2nd year MT class in the past four years. The first slot is always a play but usually incorporates song and dance in one form or another. Apart from some rudimentary choreography this is an unvarnished acting challenge dealing with a classic tale. Further complicated by the fact that the cast alternates each night after interval!

For the first half I saw the 10 member female cast and then 9 of the 10 male students after the break. Those familiar with the novel/tale will know which character is missing.

I can appreciate the experimental nature and the fact we get to see almost the entire group in one sitting. But it comes at a cost given the demands being made here.

Before we get to that, the design elements are strong from lighting and sound to the multi-level set that is made up of various elements such as compacted suitcases, parachute, sails, netting, airplane tyres and a couple of easter eggs for the keen of eye. Thank you Production Manager Dames Long for the brief inspection after the show. There is a reveal that is well disguised then executed and the ubiquitous pig's head is a substantial prop along with the other iconic item, the conch shell.

To the performances and this is where the MT students are stretched. I can recall either at an Open Day or WAAPA Tour seeing first year acting students doing an exercise where they played young children and then old people. This is how the opening sequences felt and well into the first half with over-exaggerated movement and voices, compounded by the female students playing young teenage males. It felt like an extended acting exercise.

This settled down after the killing of the pig when the plot takes on more serious undertones. Alessandra Tonkich increasingly comes to the fore as Jack upping the confrontational nature of the character. Imogen Howe and Stacey Thomsett also provide grunt as members of Jack's army of hunters.

Crystal Haig's performance of Piggy almost felt like she was channeling Matt Lucas and this muddled the tone for me coming across as caricature. Alexandra Cornish was a preppy and very English Ralph and I liked Prudence Daniel's and Emma Bradley's stillness as Simon and Percival respectively. Daniel didn't quite nail the difficult dual nature of her character, however, on confronting the 'Lord of the Flies'.

The second half is much shorter and it's fascinating to see the changeover to the male students who automatically and inevitably bring a more robust physical presence as matters spiral out of control and into open conflict. It would be fascinating to see how they handle the 'innocence' of the opening 'chapters' (I was ambivalent about the projection of chapter numbers and titles onto one of the sails). Andrew Coshan made an immediate impact as a striking Jack and Jarrod Griffiths fared better as Piggy.

The play ends with what felt like another acting exercise as the male students, their characters confronted by the enormity of what has occured, break down and start to weep. It's gutsy to hold on them for so long standing there slowing disintegrating before our eyes but then that's the point.

This production asked a hell of a lot of its cast and while the results were varied the sink or swim approach should serve them well in terms of the acting leg of their triple threat training.

*originally published at facebook.com/perththeatrereviews

Victory - WAAPA (13 June 2016)

Without letting the head completely out of the bag this a fascinating production by the 2nd year acting students.

Howard Barker's play set in Restoration England seems to deliberately go out of its way at the start to alienate the audience with obscene language and provocatively staged sexual acts. Then it eases into the bleakest of possible black comedies culminating in two truly intense and disturbing scenes at the end of each act that would sit comfortably in any Game of Thrones compendium of perversity. Its humour is uncomfortable, its essential tragic nature compelling.

It also reminded me a little of the sort of attention to detail and scope David Simon deploys in his television writing, notably The Wire. Here we see points of view from the people, the monarchy, the bureacracy represented by the newly formed Bank of England, and the arts represented by Clegg and the great John Milton. It creates a fully realised world with competing perspectives and desires.

What I really liked is that the stage, essentially a perfectly raked sand pit on the Enright Studio floor, ends up littered with props, items of costuming, fake blood, and any manner of detritus as the actors cavort and contort in the space. It's messy and ugly and real.

Stand out performances - Stephanie Somerville covers a wide range of emotions as the widowed Bradshaw whose husband's body she sets out to retrieve and is excellent in the lead role; Jack Scott projects Droog like menace as Nodd; Kingsley O'Connor's Charles II is a more conflicted Joffrey style monarch who both chills and cajoles; while Jake Fryer-Horsby is amusing and later affecting as the pragmatic McConnochie. A mention as well to Mitchell Bourke who plays the tragi-comic fool Ball with a swagger that is cruelly cut down.

Commendations though to the entire cast for attacking such a difficult play with inhibition-free exuberance. No easy thing given some of its content.

I really enjoyed this but it's not for the faint-hearted as exemplified by eleven audience members not returning after intermission. But if theatre is there to provoke thought and reaction, and if dark humour is your thing, then this is the type of play you're not likely to see too often outside the walls of WAAPA.

Written by Howard Barker, Directed by Glenn Hayden and starring the second year acting students, Victory is at the Enright Studio until 16 June. 

Three Sisters - WAAPA (17 March 2016)

It’s fitting this play ends with the three sisters, Olga (Natasha Vickery), Masha (Laura McDonald), and Irina (Rhianna McCourt) grouped closely together, two in tears, the oldest searching for hope in their predicament. All three actresses give wonderfully assured and nuanced performances in a debut that bodes very well for the next two years.

Vickery plays the de facto mother figure not only with an air of practicality but a sense that there is such generosity of spirit in Olga especially when defending Anifisa (Stephanie Somerville) against the vindictive Natalia (Sasha Simon). 

McDonald whose character is described as “stunning and magnificent” is all that but it’s the contrasts in her portrayal of Masha, from melancholy to barely suppressed happiness on entering an illicit affair to utter devastation at the loss of her lover, that impresses. Her emotional breakdown in the fourth act is as gut-wrenching as it is removed from all ego. The barely concealed contempt of Natalia is Arctic cold; her smile vibrant when she’s with Vershinin (Mitchell Bourke).

Then there’s McCourt as the youngest sister, Irina, who longs to go back to Moscow even to the extent of marrying someone she does not love in Baron Tuzenbach (Jake Fryer-Hornsby). With an expressiveness that belies her age, McCourt lets Irina’s emotion flicker across her face to stunning effect – her reaction to firstly the abrupt Solyony (Charles Alexander) and later the Baron himself in courting her is sublime. Shock, horror, loathing, resignation, desperate attempts to convince herself of the possibility of happiness, an abject longing to travel to Moscow, the love for her sisters and fondness for Ivan Chebutykin (Frazer Lee) are all communicated throughout the play without a word. The realisation at the fate of her betrothed leading to Irina’s own descent into tears is powerfully moving.

Around this excellent core are many fine performances. Raj Joseph presents Masha’s husband, Kulygin, as fastidious and almost comical at first but becomes far more sympathetic in how he deals with his wife’s betrayal. Elliot Giarola’s Andrey, the brother, begins with high and lofty aspirations but his marriage to Natalia precipitates a descent into debt and self-doubt until he is as trapped as everyone else, through circumstance or geography or in carefully constructed emotional prisons.

Simon effectively swings between two extremes as Andrey’s wife – the doting mother or demanding harridan who cuckolds Andrey and alienates the sisters whose house she takes over. Lee is a warm and likable presence in the early going as the 62 year old doctor Ivan Chebutykin but even this jovial character succumbs to doubt and is left in resigned lethargy as tragedy strikes.    

Alexander is a little one note as the aggressive Solyony who promises to deny the claims of any other suitor after being turned down by Irina. He does this well, however, with a physically imposing presence and this attitude is essential to the development that cruels Irina’s chance of escape. His rival, the Baron, is portrayed with straightforward earnestness by Fryer-Hornsby as he extols the virtue of work and engages in philosophising about the future.

I enjoyed Bourke’s turn as the army colonel in his mid-40s who is married to a woman who constantly threatens to poison herself but he doesn’t quite have the authority or gravitas yet to completely inhabit the middle-aged officer. He does give Vershinin a poetic idealism that attracts Masha’s attention and captivates her to the point where they begin an affair. McDonald and Bourke have lovely moments together as this relationship blossoms from tentative beginnings.

It is a most handsome production to look at - excellent costumes with the men in their bold military uniforms, the sisters in full length attire with flowing skirts; a detailed and well-furnished set that captures the mood and period of a well off family in a provincial military town; and there is an excellent aural landscape enhanced by the cast singing a variety of Russian songs.

Usually the Enright Studio is my least favourite venue on the ECU campus but director Bagryana Popov has removed a side of seating giving more space to the actors while conversely making this feel far more intimate as a result. I particularly liked how we often heard characters off stage before they made their entrances from various spots in the black box studio.  This added to the sense of a fully realised world outside the confines of the house.

Written by Anton Chekhov and directed by Popov, Three Sisters featured the 2nd year acting students with alternating actors playing the Prozorov family and Kulygin. I saw the Family One cast.

Rodeo Moon - WAAPA (16 November 2015)

The year is 1969. I know this because several characters seemed keen to tell me so. The other key year of note is 1967 when a Referendum question was overwhelmingly passed to remove references in the Australian Constitution that were discriminatory to Aboriginal people. Two years on though and change is slow to come to the outback. Racism is rife and there is a clearly established pecking order. You challenge it at your peril.

Things come to a head in the Pilbara where a combustible mix of forces converges – a rodeo swaggers into town full of machismo and sense of superiority; a ‘coloured’ girl (white father, aboriginal mother) who is a political student dares to stand up for the indigenous townsfolk who are understandably leery; three hippie activists escaping the Vietnam draft arrive; and, as improbable as it sounds, a certain pair of politicians about to fight a Federal Election rock up to check out conditions on the ground.

There is no doubt playwright David Milroy has a specific viewpoint to expound. That he does so in a “Jack and Jillaroo musical” which is full of songs and comedy is an interesting and entertaining choice. This is both a feel good show with everything from a drag act to hilarious bush poetry; to a serious drama that explores the harshness of life in such a rigidly stratified society, the edicts of faraway politicians be damned. It straddles that divide reasonably well though the tonal shifts can be abrupt.

For me the play works best when it focusses on the personal cost of the choices its characters make within the context of what is set up. That larger framework felt forced in the early going with characters delivering awkward exposition to describe the political and social climate of the time. Notably, John Gorton (Ben Jeakings) provides a searing indictment of the ‘politics of denial’ while being played largely as a buffoon. His partner in this unlikely comedy duo is Gough Whitlam (George Carter Zillessen) who will lose the election but manufacture a 7.1% swing to Labor that sets up his ascension as Prime Minister three years hence.

Within this construct there are two simple but quintessentially human stories. Political student Molly (Simone Detourbet) wants to meet a mother Pansy (Shanice Tabua) she has never known; and local indigenous girl Tilly (Teresa Moore) is sweet on star rodeo performer Knuckles (Conor Mavromatis) and wants to dance with him at the ball.

The personal obstacles both face resonate far stronger than any political ‘debate’ on hand. Molly’s father Wetherill (Nelson Baker) resists his daughter’s desire to see Pansy, out of shame and under pressure from rodeo boss Buckley (Jack Sheppard) who has very clear ideas about the place of ‘blacks’ (and women). Tilly’s quest is fraught with danger as it’s a line that if crossed comes with great risk. Both storylines arrive at happy conclusions but not without dramas along the way.

To the performances and Moore is a standout as Tilly. She has the best singing voice and uses it expressively while providing the character with real resolve and dignity. Detourbet has a fine scene with Baker as father and daughter clash in a dramatic highpoint while bringing feistiness to her character throughout. The interaction between Molly and Tilly, initially strained before they bond as allies in their separate causes, is the heartbeat of the piece and well conveyed by both actresses.

Props to Sheppard who gives what could otherwise have been a thoroughly loathsome character enough flair and energy to make his carnival barker Buckley engaging. James Schultz plays Molly’s brother Billy with impressive intensity as he carries a major dramatic thread to do with their mother. On the other side of that coin, Shane Pickett, Mathaias Kepa and Dakota Morrison, bring the laughs with their hippie draft dodgers. Kepa has a strong stage presence and good voice while Pickett threatens to steal the show as the most unlikely of rodeo queen contestants. Mention also to Brian Anau whose bush poem had me squirming and laughing in equal measure.

Musical Director Wayne Freer was also the solo musician on keyboard and guitar and the songs were a likeable mix of ballads, sixties style pop, and indigenous numbers. The majority of the cast were not particularly good singers but the character of their performances carried the day. The stage was red dirt on wooden floorboards with a tree stump, wooden fence posts, and a raised platform at one end. The lighting design accentuated that dirt to give a real sense of place.

This was a funny and entertaining production with a serious undertone that, if nothing else, had me looking up both the Referendum results and the 1969 election. But it was the human cost that people faced during those turbulent times (and in many ways still do) that struck a nerve. 

Rodeo Moon is written by David Milroy and co-directed by Rick Brayford and Eva Grace Mullaley with Musical Direction by Wayne Freer, and stars the Aboriginal Theatre students Jack Sheppard, Nelson Baker, Conor Mavromatis, James Schultz, George Carter Zillessen, Ben Jeakings, Shane Pickett, Mathaias Kepa, Brian Anu, Simone Detourbet, Teresa Moore, Dakota Morrison, Shanice Tabua, Katrisha Jackonia, Stephanie Binder, Aiesha Blurton, Nicole Brockman, and Meiching Riley. There is one final show at the Enright Studio on Thursday 19 November.

And The World Goes 'Round - WAAPA (10 October 2015)

This is one of my favourite times of the year on the local theatrical scene. We've seen glimpses of what will be next year's graduating musical theatre class but now we get the full package, front and centre. The singing potential hinted at in the play Hiawatha; the triple threat skills used in support of the third years in Legally Blonde; all come together in this musical revue.

And what a revue to choose - the timeless songs of John Kander and Fred Ebb. Thirty five of them in fact. Such wit and intelligence in the lyrics, such polish and pizzaz in the music. It's nothing short of a treat for musical theatre lovers.

What I really appreciated is that the second year class had the opportunity to shine in so many facets. Yes, the singing ability is undeniable which is to be expected. The choreography by Australian musical theatre legend Nancye Hayes (who also directs here) was slick and, at times, sassy, funny, and downright sexy. The cast looked fantastic, predominantly dressed in black. There was a lot of accent work and admirable use of stagecraft and acting skills. Above all though was a sense of chemistry within the group - they worked well together and were enjoying the opportunity to perform such world class material.

The venue was perfect for this style of show - seating was along two sides only and we were nice and close to the action. The four piece orchestra under musical director Derek Bond was tucked away in one corner leaving plenty of stage space which was set out slightly staggered over three levels. There was an appropriate piano keyboard motif painted on the wall and floor.

Before I get to some highlights, there was a real buzz about this production. This was enhanced by the presence of several family members in the audience. I was talking to the uncle of one of the performers as we lined up outside; the mother of another who had travelled from interstate to see her daughter; and ended up sitting next to yet another mother who had come all the way from Queensland to see her son. The anticipation and pride they share is a delightful bonus.

I must mention the work of the orchestra, a feature of which was Derek Bond's excellent piano playing, but also included fine work by Austin Salisbury on Keyboard, Oliver Rundin on Drums and Jonathan Chen on Bass.

This is definitely a recommended show - it is utterly entertaining and very funny in parts and a wonderful showcase for this group. You might have trouble getting a ticket though even with an extra show added due to the demand.

It features the second year musical theatre class of:

Ashley Roussety, Christina Odam, Jason Arrow, Jens Radda, Joshua Firman, Kate Schmidli, Melissa Russo, Mikey Halcrow, Rebecca Cullinan, Stephanie Wall, Andre Drysdale, Marissa Economo, Stefanie Caccamo, Hannah Burridge, Matthew Manahan, Nathan Stark, Samuel Welsh, and Embla Bishop.

Some highlights for me:

The witty Coffee in a Cardboard Cup enhanced by some funny choreography featuring, you guessed it, cardboard cups (Wall, Baum, Manahan, Stark, Cullinan, Bishop).

A beautifully sung version of Coloured Lights by Stefanie Caccamo with appropriately good lighting design.

The delightfully cheesy ode to Sara Lee that hammed things up gloriously (to mix my food metaphors) again with cheeky choreography (Baum, Arrow, Welsh, Odam, Bishop, Russo).

Sam Welsh enjoying the attention of Misses Economo, Burridge and Schmidli with Arthur in the Afternoon.

The entire Chicago sequence but especially Nathan Stark's poignant Mr Cellophane and Messrs. Arrow and Welsh having a grand old time with an unexpected version of Class.

The first act closer City Lights featuring Mikey Halcrow and the whole ensemble that hints at what is to come next year when the entire group is on stage together.

The charming tale Ring Them Bells (Economo, Burridge, Russo, Caccamo, Roussety, Firman, Welsh, Manahan).

The hilarious Pain that sees Burridge, Caccamo, Odam, and Halcrow suffer under the tutelage of a wonderfully overbearing Drysdale.

Stephanie Wall's Maybe This Time from Cabaret.

The lads in coordinated attack with briefcases in hand during Money, Money.

And finally, the multi-lingual closer New York, New York featuring Bishop, Drysdale, Caccamo, Radda and Odam before the ensemble joins in to clinch the deal with a rousing finale that drew appreciative applause for a wonderful show.

There were so many other highlights so if you don't already have a ticket see if you can beg, borrow or steal one!

Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb, Directed by Nancye Hayes, with Musical Direction by Derek Bond, And The World Goes 'Round is on at the Enright Studio until 17 October.

Tour of WAAPA - Friends of the Academy (5 May 2015)

The Friends of the Academy have been supporting WAAPA students for more than 30 years now, not only with fundraising activities but many other invaluable tasks such as assistance for interstate students getting acclimatised to their new surroundings. Financial grants are provided to supplement the travel and accommodation of final year students for work experience secondments. The Friends also contribute funds to the end of year Showcase tours for the graduating Musical Theatre and Acting students, so vital in securing agents in Sydney and Melbourne.

It’s always a pleasure to read the letters received from grateful students thanking the Friends for helping them achieve their goals. They are posted on the Friends Facebook page as are details of upcoming fundraising events. One of those events is regular tours of the WAAPA facilities. Having seen a little of the behind the scenes at the Mount Lawley campus during last year’s Open Day I arranged a day off work to tag along and see more…

What a fascinating day it turned out to be! We were greeted by the Secretary of the Friends, Tanya Tsirigotis who introduced us to our ‘tour guide’ for the first part of the day, Peter Cowan. Peter has a wealth of knowledge having worked at WAAPA for some three decades. He was full of wonderful stories about personalities and events as we made our way through areas the general public normally wouldn’t see.

First stop was the Geoff Gibbs Theatre where we heard about its history and development from the early days to its current configuration. This is probably the only time I will ever be on the main stage though thankfully no singing, acting or dancing was required on my part! Peeking behind the curtain to see the fly tower and other technical aspects was intriguing. 

Then it was off to the workshop where the set for Legally Blonde is being built for the Regal Theatre; followed by the props rooms full of all kinds of funky items; lighting with old analogue desks; costuming where again we saw a sneak peek of the designs for Legally Blonde; and other departments like sound. It’s a warren of corridors and rooms where students are encouraged to learn from their mistakes and create.

We sat in The Roundhouse Theatre which is perhaps my favourite venue to which Peter explained why it is so notoriously difficult to light and get the sound right for. It was kind of eerie seeing the set for the current production, All My Sons, devoid of actors, almost as if slumbering. Next was the Enright Studio which is currently configured for Much Ado About Nothing. We had seen the miniature mock-up of the set upstairs and what strikes you is how much work, skill and effort occurs in so many different departments well before an audience enjoys the production.

One of the actors, Lachlan Ruffy, poked his head in to say hello and talk briefly about the pleasure of working with the director Sean O’Shea, himself a WAAPA graduate. It’s one of the themes of the day – that sense of family and how the graduates give back to the Academy, most notably Hugh Jackman with his Foundation but many others as guest directors or in other capacities in the industry.

After a break for morning tea it was off to the Music Auditorium where a combination of 2^nd and 3^rd year musical theatre students, nine in total, were doing a “mock audition” for a production of Cats. There was a panel comprising the Head of Musical Theatre, David King; and the director and choreographer of Legally Blonde, Jason Langley and Lisa O’Dea respectively. Another choreographer impressively took the nine through their paces as dancing ability is a key component for a musical like Cats. 

Watching her build a sequence from scratch in blocks and explain in detail the body movements and positioning was fascinating. The students asked for clarification where necessary and it all felt very supportive while, I might add, not only the tour but a host of other students watched. Then it was time for the singing component of which we heard five students before we had to unfortunately move on. The idea was to simulate as closely as possible a real audition situation and notes and feedback were given afterwards but only for the students.

Next up was a movement class for the Aboriginal theatre students who were being taught by an effusive teacher again in a very supportive environment. This time the exercise was to undergo a birth as a creature of some description. Afterwards the students took questions and answered with passion and enthusiasm about acting and how such exercises help them enhance their craft as they develop characters and workshop scenes. I’m looking forward to seeing their showpiece production towards the end of the year.

The Director of WAAPA, Professor Julie Warn, then spoke to us in the courtyard and took questions and I was unaware that the Academy has as many as 1200 students. Clearly proud of WAAPA’s achievements, students past and present, and the upcoming international musical theatre conference and other events, it was nice to chat for a while. 

After lunch in the student cafeteria the day wrapped up with a Classical Tuesdays concert by the Symphonic Wind Ensemble back in the Music Auditorium. Conducted by Musical Director Dale Pointon it was an eclectic mix of 5 pieces, one inspired by the US Marine band; another - Sergei Prokofiev’s March Op. 99 - by May Day. A musically balanced view of US-Soviet relations back in the day!

It was a very enjoyable day and I would encourage firstly anyone interested in theatre and supporting WAAPA to join the Friends of the Academy and secondly, on doing so, to sign up for a tour. The creativity and energy in the hallways and in these workshops is inspiring and it is always a pleasure to talk to the students. 

Thank you to Tanya, Peter, and all the other Friends who provided the morning tea and also to the students and staff who allowed us a moment to share in your wonderfully creative and artistic world. The hard work, talent, and dedication are truly a delight to witness. 

Much Ado About Nothing - WAAPA (4 May 2015)

WAAPA have been doing some interesting things lately with their black box theatre, the Enright Studio. They have been using different configurations that have changed things up in terms of presentation and staging. I should have twigged that something a little unusual was in the offing when I walked by a queue of people where people normally have no right to be queuing. Yes, the main entrance to the studio was closed off and the audience was entering via an exterior side door. First time I’ve seen that happen.

Once inside we were presented with Leonata’s café decorated with pictures and posters from the 40’s with a sign welcoming the boys back home from presumably World War Two. Period music was used to good effect to complete the reimagining of Shakespeare’s comedy classic to the different time period as was the costuming, hairstyles and makeup.

What followed was a rollicking presentation of deception and schemes as Benedick (Rory O’Keeffe) and Beatrice (Elle Mickel), Claudio (George Pullar) and Hero (Anna Apps) eventually find love in the most unusual of ways after the various connivances of Hero’s Mother’s Leonata (Megan Smart) and Don Pedro (Lachlan Ruffy) to bring them together and the calculated manipulation of Don John (Giuseppe Rotondella) to tear them apart.

In typical Shakespearean fashion, conversations are overheard and either misrepresented or misunderstood to comical and mischievous effect. The more serious ramification is Claudio’s rejection of Hero at the altar after he believes a fabricated story that destroys her chaste reputation. It is interesting that the men are so quick to misjudge the women so completely with little but hearsay. But all’s well that… ahem.

O’Keeffe made for a robust Benedick who comes into his own in the second half when the ‘court jester’ takes on more serious airs as he confronts Pedro and especially Claudio about their treatment of Hero. Mickel was excellent as a most feisty Beatrice and her putdowns of Benedick were deliciously barbed. Pullar is a cocky Claudio but has a nice arc as remorse at his actions after being so thoroughly misled hits home hard in the second half. Likewise Apps has plenty to work with going from virtuous bride to disgraced ‘harlot’ only to regain that virtue on returning from her own fabricated banishment.

The villain of the piece, Don John, is given a certain panache by Rotondella as typified by his smooth exit as the first half closes. Emma O’Sullivan is hilarious as the thick accented Dogberry while Kieran Clancy-Lowe has some nice moments as Father Francis. Megan Smart is given a tricky role as Leonata going from proud mother, to contempt for her daughter then grief as the truth emerges, to vengeful matriarch. There is great strength here though she plays Leonata’s immediate reaction to Claudio’s humiliation of Hero as somewhat overwrought for mine.  

Ruffy’s Don Pedro is suitably commanding and it’s his belief in the deception perpetrated by Borachio (Joel Davies) that seals the deal for Claudio and initially Leonata. Brittany Santariga and Sophia Forrest get up to plenty of light-hearted mischief as Margaret and Ursula respectively.

Among the many highlights is the early dance sequence on the men’s return from war as couples jive and celebrate with great energy. Then there is the very amusing set piece where Benedick hides (badly) under a table listening to Don Pedro and Claudio falsely talking up Beatrice’s affections for him. This is matched by Hero and Ursula doing likewise about Benedick’s love of Beatrice while she is hidden behind the bar.

The standout moment though is the wedding where Pullar’s Claudio explodes into venomous condemnation of his prospective bride. Apps’ anguished response matches his disdain. It is a powerful dramatic moment in the midst of all the comedy. And this is a very funny play indeed with all the deceits and manipulations gleefully played out. The exchanges between Benedick and Beatrice, in particular, are verbal jousting at their best.  There was also a lovely moment as Claudio puts words to his remorse at Hero’s supposed grave and one by one the supporting cast blow their candles out until darkness ensues. O’Keeffe’s funnily inept attempt at song was another memorable moment and was in marked contrast to Kate Betcher’s beautifully rendered effort earlier as Balthasar.

Despite the obstacles along the way it all ends in joyful dance as the two sets of couples finally commit to each other and the cast take their final bows. One minor note would be that the audience was seated along three sides of the studio with those bows only delivered to the back wall rows.

Written by William Shakespeare, Directed by Sean O’Shea and performed by the second year acting class, Much Ado About Nothing runs until Thursday 7 May at the Enright Studio on the ECU Campus in Mount Lawley. 

Marat Sade - WAAPA (13 March 2015)

One of the great joys of the initial season in a new year of WAAPA productions is witnessing the second year students being unleashed on the public for the first time. In this case the acting students but it was lovely to see so many of the second musical theatre students in the audience as well (whose turn comes with Hiawatha starting tonight). Both classes will become very familiar to those who regularly attend WAAPA shows over the next two years. For now it’s getting to know who these talented performers are and what an introduction this play, indeed quasi-musical, provides!

Set in 1808 where a play is being performed in an insane asylum directed by none other than the Marquis De Sade (Angus Mclaren), it explores the events leading up to the murder of revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat (Will Mcneill) by Charlotte Corday (Kate Betcher) in 1793. The inmates play the roles while Sade watches on amused as their re-enactment morphs into an indictment of the French Revolution and the very institution in which the play is being staged. 

This is observed in growing horror by a representative of the Bonaparte regime, Coulmier (Lachlan Ruffy) who insists that it is now a different, enlightened time. The inmates’ disagreement leads to events that parallel the very revolutionary fervour they act out. All the while Sade, playing himself, has philosophical discussions with Marat about the nature of revolution and of human nature itself. In the end the poor are still poor and the revolution delivered a greater dictator in the form of Napoleon than the king they overthrew and beheaded. What then was the point? Does man’s essential nature render revolution redundant?

This play within a play is a dense dialectical discussion delivered in rhyme and song with several complex layers that make it challenging but also entertaining and unpredictable. The songs, as noted by Musical Director Timothy How in the program, are not in the accepted tradition of musical theatre but are deliberate interruptions to the narrative flow to provide commentary and reinforce political and social points of view. 

The work of Gabrielle Mickel, Rory O’Keeffe, Giuseppe Rotondella and Brittany Santariga as the four major singers was a real driving force in their colourful and energetic representation with full throated vocal performances. In the intimate configuration of the Enright Studio there were times they were up close and their eye contact was very good with the audience as they mocked and cavorted and implored.

George Pullar as the Herald who sets the play within a play in motion and announces the scenes (and reminds inmates of their lines from time to time) was a strong presence throughout. There was a slyness to his performance that I enjoyed. Mclaren is ever the provocateur as Sade with his showcase moment coming when he is voluntarily whipped by a female inmate as he rails against the revolution. Betcher has a sweet voice as Corday but was much stronger in the second half as the deed is finally done and her depiction as a narcoleptic inmate seemed more credible.

Alexander Daly injected earnest urgency as Jacques Roux who beseeches the inmates and revolutionaries alike to open the granaries and feed the poor all the while being straight-jacketed and ill-treated by the male nurses. Kieran Clancy-Lowe plays (an inmate who plays) Duperret as a fop who only has sexual designs on Corday but is thwarted at every turn. Given that it’s the notorious Sade directing the play within the play, carnal desire and sexuality is an ever present undercurrent that bursts into a tidal wave of frenetic energy during the ‘Copulation’ sequence that is bawdy and gleefully performed.

Then there is Marat himself who is afflicted with a skin disease that forces him to take soothing baths administered by his carer Simonne (Sarah Greenwood). Mcneill has the tricky task of playing a damaged inmate while also rising to the task of debating Sade as the revolutionary who still plots and schemes on the very day of his murder. It is a conceit of the play that a dysfunctional patient could hold his own in such discussions but Mcneill does well particularly in the more rousing moments as Marat. Greenwood gives Simonne a physical affliction and is all twisted and shuffling as Marat’s carer. More than once I felt her malevolent one eyed stare as she glowered at the audience.

Timothy How adds musical texture on the harpsichord while the costuming and makeup is excellent. Director Andrew Lewis makes full use of the black box space with actors clambering up poles along the wall and moving behind and through the audience who are seated on all four sides. 

Talking briefly to an audience member who saw the original production at the Playhouse Theatre in 1966 the one element that was perhaps missing was a sense of ‘danger’ – the audience is a surrogate for those watching at the insane asylum but at no point is there any real sense of ‘threat’ from the inmates. Having said that, I enjoyed this dense and layered play and it is a promising introduction to the second year acting class.

Written by Peter Weiss, Directed by Andrew Lewis, Musical Director Timothy How and featuring the 2nd year acting class of Miranda Aitken, Anneliesse Apps, Kate Betcher, Kieran Clancy-Lowe, Alexander Daly, Joel Davies, Sophia Forrest, Sarah Greenwood, Angus Mclaren, Will Mcneill, Gabrielle Mickel, Rory O’Keffe, Emma O’Sullivan, George Pullar, Lukas Radovich, Giuseppe Rotondella, Lachlan Ruffy, Brittany Santariga and Megan Smart, Marat Sade is at the Enright Studio until Thursday 19 March.

Children of Eden - WAAPA (13 October 2014)

There is no better feeling than being totally surprised by a theatre production. I had no idea what to expect with Children of Eden. It was the WAAPA second year musical theatre students’ first standalone musical after their public debut earlier in the year (the play Beach) and sterling support of the third years in West Side Story. I am not a religious person so the prospect of an overt retelling of sections of the Bible left me somewhat cold. The Enright Studio is also my least favourite venue at the Mount Lawley campus tending, on occasion, to be a little cramped seating wise.

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.

The story is familiar even to someone as unschooled in the Bible as me – the First Act is Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden who are subsequently cast into the Wasteland when they defy ‘Father’ and eat fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. The Second Act is Noah and the great flood. What I didn’t expect is how much good-natured humour there is throughout. The themes of free will versus (parental) control, unconditional love, compassion, forgiveness and ultimately letting go so that your children, however you want to define that term, can exercise their own choices are universal and there is nothing preachy at all here. It is a joyous recounting of iconic tales that have survived for two millennia.

I particularly liked the parallels as first Adam then Noah assumes the de facto ‘Father’ mantle of their respective families and the hard earned lessons that lead to forgiveness and love. Another key aspect is that a completely different cast of performers is featured in each Act which gives everyone a chance to shine. And shine they do…

Father is played by Matthew Hyde, a towering figure in a sharp white suit who is genial and kind to his children Adam (Daniel Ridolfi) and Eve (Baylie Hemming) as they discover the joys of the Garden. That benevolence turns to consternation then wrath as they defy him. Hyde plays both sides of that coin well and is aided in his rage by great lighting and sound effects as he curses Cain and later in the Second Act brings the thunder and rain.

Hemming is the impulsive ‘spark of creativity’ as she quizzes Father relentlessly and is first to fall to the seductive charms of the Snake and partake of the forbidden fruit. She does well with the difficult The Spark of Creation but it’s in the final number of the First Act, Children of Eden that Hemming excels.

Ridolfi is a warm Adam with a lovely singing voice who calmly and implacably believes Father will return to take them away from the Wasteland. A World Without You where he proclaims his love for Eve even if it means joining her in exile is a highlight.

We soon meet a playful young Abel (Harrison Prouse) and a sullen young Cain (Joe Meldrum) subsequently played as teenagers by Morgan Palmer and Chris Wilcox respectively. Wilcox, in particular, gives a physical and forceful performance as he challenges Adam and ultimately Father. He exploded into action in the second half of the First Act and added a rock flavour in his singing and posture. The death of Abel at his hands is well handled and the darkest point of the tale.

The other significant presence is the Snake, a sensational six-headed ssynthesissss of sensuousnesssssss and sssssslinkinessssss as sssimulated by Tayla Jarrett, Taryn Ryan, Kate Thomas, Rosabelle Elliott, Jess Phillippi and Megan Kozak. Their tempting of Eve is downright playful and sexy.

After the interval Megan Kozak warms up the audience as she’s featured in the boisterous Generations. Then it’s time for Noah (Jacob Dibb) to assume the father mantle as he guides his wife Mamma (Heather Manley) and sons Japeth (Joel Granger), Ham (Callum Sandercock) and Shem (Alex Thompson) through the perils of arranged marriage and, of course, the building of the ark. Japeth incurs the wrath of the family when he chooses to wed Yonah (Matilda Moran) who is marked as the line of Cain and therefore seen to be utterly unsuitable.

Granger and Moran’s duet In Whatever Time We Have echoes A World Without You and is another highlight. Moran also features with Stranger to the Rain and was most impressive in the acting stakes as Yonah becomes the unlikely catalyst for compassion and healing as the situation becomes desperate on the ark. In fact this whole sequence is nicely acted with Dibb’s work pivotal and Rosabelle Elliott and Jess Phillippi rounding out the main cast as Aphra and Aysha respectively.

Then there’s Heather Manley who blew the doors off the joint with a blistering rendition of the gospel flavoured Ain’t It Good. Even the ensemble seemed impressed as they were all smiles responding to the vocal fireworks. It ends with the entire cast singing In The Beginning which was a fitting and emotional finale to a great show that had so many other highlights even in small moments like Sandercock’s vocal work as Adam and Eve enter the Wasteland.

I must mention the atypical setup that had three rows of seating along both of the long walls of the Enright Studio facing each other. This meant the performers were in very close proximity as they used the entire length of the narrower stage space. At times they were even behind those rows singing in what I overheard one audience member describe as “surround sound” – a nice effect. Finally, the band of Derek Bond (piano), Alex Barker (bass) and Ellenor Pereira (drums) who were tucked away in a corner was excellent and I really enjoyed the beautiful piano driven score.

Directed by Adam Mitchell with a Book by John Caird, Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, Musical Direction by Derek Bond and featuring the second year musical theatre students and the three piece band of Bond, Barker and Pereira, Children of Eden is a wonderful piece of musical theatre that is uplifting and beautifully delivered. A must see with only 5 more performances until 18 October 2014.

The Grapes of Wrath - WAAPA (26 August 2014)

There are basic human rights that we accept as a given (though under threat from time to time) such as a roof over your head, access to food, the ability to work, and protection by the law. This story is one where all of those things are taken away from a family and how they struggle to survive in the face of such unthinkable adversity. Yes, the extended Joad family are kicked off their farm in 1930’s dustbowl America and forced to travel to California on the promise of work. Along the way they discover all kinds of hardship and people who would take advantage of an over-abundance of labour during the Great Depression.

On the surface this is a bleak tale but it is the indomitable will of the mother, Ma Joad (an authoritative performance by Megan Wilding), that defies all assaults on her family and the calamities that beset them that resonates so strongly.

Our tale begins with newly paroled Tom Joad (interesting casting choice but one where Elle Harris excels) returning to the family farm. On the way he discovers ex-preacher Jim Casey (Andrew Creer) who is no longer moved by the spirit of the Lord as he once was. Seems young Tom spent four years inside for killing a man who had attacked him, a crime he does not regret. On learning of the family plight the decision is made to travel westwards where orange handbills promise plenty of work picking grapes and other fruit in the lush California valleys.

Three generations of the Joads including a reluctant Grampa (Luke Fewster), Granma (Harriet Gordon-Anderson), Ma and Pa Joad (Dacre Montgomery), Al Joad (Bevan Pfeiffer), Uncle John (Seamus Quinn), the pregnant Rose of Sharon (Becky Gulia), the two children Ruthie and Winfield (Brittany Morel and Jessica Paterson), Tom and Casey all pile into an old truck. This is amusingly yet effectively portrayed by a plush couch with the ‘children’ holding torches to signify headlights. There are two tragedies and warnings along the way that they are chasing fake dreams of a better life. But what else is there for them to do?

Once they get to California there are all manner of people willing to prey on their desperation. Seems those handbills have been more than effective in attracting families like the Joads which means the employers can slash wages to grossly unfair levels. Then there are the run-ins with the law whose officers have an aggressive attitude to all the ‘immigrants’ flooding into the State. The parallels to modern day situations in various parts of the world are obvious. Those confrontations see Casey on the run and Tom subsequently reprising his crime as he checks a commotion outside a work camp one night only to find the worst kind of trouble. As he leaves the family he vows to fight the injustice that is rife all around them. The play ends with a storm, a birth, and an act of charity that is well handled and moving.

The production is in the black box theatre of the Enright Studio and director Sandie Eldridge has chosen to have her actors stay in the space eschewing exits and entrances. They lurk in the wings when not in scenes. With such a simple set it’s the use of various props that creates the world – blue plastic sheet representing water/river; use of a door held upright then placed on the stage floor; the couch which is utilised in various ways; and the sort of detritus and assorted possessions that such a family accrues.

A Narrator (Stephanie Panozzo) periodically reads descriptive passages from the novel and observes the action while occasionally playing the harmonica. She also guides characters who have perished into the wings like some guardian angel. This allows us to accept why the dead are suddenly up and about as they have to get off the primary stage space.

The acting is good (as are, generally, the American accents) with Wilding and Harris featuring but I also liked Creer’s good-natured performance as Casey and Montgomery as a somewhat bewildered Pa Joad. Props go to Gordon-Anderson and Fewster playing characters well beyond their years. Gulia comes into her own in the later stages as her character goes from tragedy to offering an unusual and potent gift of generosity.

I wasn’t a fan, however, of the use of music that only had the effect of wrenching me out of the drama. I understand the temptation of the lyrical association of songs such as Do You Know the Way to San Jose and (a rock version of) California Dreaming but those songs are at least 30 years after the time period being depicted as were a couple of even more modern tracks. There was a great dance sequence full of energy and fun amidst the gloom of the family predicament and it worked well when the actors were performing The Clapping Song which is based on a 1930s number. But when the modern version is played over the top it again dissipated my immersion in the world.

Other than that this is the first time I have seen the second year acting students and they acquitted themselves well in an iconic American tale.

Directed by Sandie Eldridge, Written by Frank Galati based on the John Steinbeck novel, and featuring Elle Harris, Dacre Montgomery, Andrew Creer, Bevan Pfeiffer, Seamus Quinn, Megan Wilding, Becky Gulia, Stephanie Panozzo, Brittany Morel, Jessica Paterson, Harriet Gordon-Anderson, Claudia Ware, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Luke Fewster, Rian Howlett, Ben Kindon and Lincoln Vickery, The Grapes of Wrath has two more performances, 7.30pm 27-28 August at the Enright Studio.