Memorable Performances 2012-2018

Oh my I've seen some wonderful theatre over the last seven years in Perth. Professional productions, community theatre, independent theatre, student productions, even high school shows.

The level of talent never ceases to amaze me, both onstage and off. Seen everywhere from the cavernous performance space at the Heath Ledger Theatre to various black box theatres dotted throughout the city to hubs like The Blue Room and the ECU campus at Mount Lawley. Then there are the pop up venues come Fringe time and the beautiful, oftentimes heritage listed, community theatres in the suburbs.

Here are some of the most memorable performances I've seen since 2012:

Declan Brown (Bennett) & Luke Binetti (William) - Punk Rock, WAYTCo, 2014

"Declan Brown gives a wonderful performance as the utterly loathsome bully Bennett. He is a physical presence that intimidates all of the others but it’s his use of pointed sarcasm and humour that hits home early before he goes too far with his humiliation of Chadwick."

"Then there is seventeen year old Binetti who gives a spellbinding performance as William... For that transformation and its consequences to be handled so convincingly is a testament to Binetti’s skill."

Brittany Morel (Kate) - All My Sons, WAAPA, 2015

"Brittany Morel is simply superb as Kate. The ferocity of Kate’s conviction that Larry is still alive results in a woman who is barely in control and Morel plays this with great skill... That this seemingly anguished and deluded woman turns into something far more potent in the third act is remarkable and Morel’s transformation is riveting..."

Prudence Daniel (Dot) - Sunday in the Park with George, WAAPA, 2018

Such an assured and confident performance. You simply couldn't take your eyes off Daniel as she handled the emotional and lyrical complexities of Dot with aplomb.  

Suzie Melloy (Anita) - West Side Story, WAAPA, 2014

"Suzie Melloy gives a star making performance as the feisty Anita – she is simply superb and a real charismatic presence."

Kingsley Judd (Pongo) - Animal, Upstart Theatre Company, 2013

"Nothing is wasted or misplaced here. It is beautifully acted by Kingsley Judd... who clearly relish(es) working with such quality material."

David Gardette (Alfie) - A Man of No Importance, Playlovers & Irish Theatre Players 2015

"... anchored by a superb, multi-layered performance by David Gardette in the lead role. His Alfie is at turns conflicted, sweet, passionate, naïve, understanding, unbowed and such a warm presence throughout."

Rhianna McCourt (Irina) - Three Sisters, WAAPA, 2016

"With an expressiveness that belies her age, McCourt lets Irina’s emotion flicker across her face to stunning effect... 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... are all communicated throughout the play without a word."

Kieran Garvey (Martin O'Meara) - Under Any Old Gum Tree, Dramafest, 2014

"... brilliantly performed by Kieran Garvey... powerful, moving, insightful, occasionally funny and a blistering exploration of the devastation the Great War caused on those who survived No Man’s Land."

Ashley Rousetty (Man in Chair) - The Drowsy Chaperone, WAAPA, 2016

"His tone is conversational and... he demonstrated excellent comic timing and warmth in addressing and responding to the audience. It’s a nicely judged performance as Roussety imbues the character with enthusiasm, passion, some snark sure but also tinged with an underlying sadness or being ‘blue’ as Man in Chair would put it."

Rhoda Lopez (Edith Piaf) - Madame Piaf, KNUTS Theatre, 2013

"Talking to (writer/director) Stephen Lee after the show, he reinforced what was apparent for all to see – sometimes an actor is simply perfect for a role. Rhoda Lopez gives a bravura performance as Edith Piaf."

Amy Russotti (Amy/Dr. Rickshaw) - Dr. Felicity Rickshaw's Celebrity Sex Party - Holland St Productions, 2016

"... 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..."

Giuseppe Rotondella (Eddie) - A View from the Bridge, WAAPA, 2016

"Rotondella as Eddie gives one of the finest performances I have seen at WAAPA in the last few years. There are so many layers revealed from the forthright, cocksure man’s man who is confident in his position and status to the slow unravelling of that certainty as Eddie’s pre-eminence is questioned by all around him."

Felicity McKay (Vanda) - Venus in Fur, Black Swan State Theatre Company, 2015

"Felicity McKay is simply outstanding as Vanda. Her accent work is excellent and she slides in and out of various characters with astonishing ease, each one of them utterly distinctive so there is no prospect of confusion. She runs the gamut from playful, sexy, sensuous, commanding, dismissive, brash and refined but always with an underlying air of intrigue about who this person really is."

Cameron Rouse (Blanche) - A Streetcar Named Desire, WAAPA, 2018

"The third year acting students crushed it out of the park led by Cameron Rouse who gave a stunning performance as Blanche DuBois. And I mean stunning."

Clarence Ryan (Jake) - Metalhead, Creative Collaborations, 2015

"Ryan is superb as Jake – all coiled anger and aggression both physically and verbally. It’s an exhausting role and his physicality is outstanding – the fight sequences are well choreographed but it’s the manhandling of Gibson and Hampson that was achingly authentic and had the audience wincing."

The Threepenny Opera - WAAPA (14 October 2017)

Attitude. The very best productions have it. Clearly discernible, unapologetic, and totally embraced by all involved. The third year acting students bring it in spades with what turns out to be a perfect ending to their formal training at WAAPA. There is a cockiness and surety here that is undeniable.

Initially I had thought the prototypical musical was an odd choice for the acting cohort given the vocal demands but it turns out be an inspired one. It suits the group personality of this graduating class like a 'fancy glove'. As one audience member put it after the show, "they owned the space".

And what a glorious space it is.

This is why you make the Edith Spiegeltent a permanent addition to the performance venues on the ECU Mount Lawley campus. For productions exactly like this. The atmosphere and sense of history adds immeasurably to the aura of a classic piece of theatre. So much so that visiting director Craig Ilott dispenses with the need for set decoration with the exception of, as Roy Joseph's messenger amusingly put it, "these fucking mannequins". The two of which were totally extraneous to proceedings anyway.

Instead, the 8 piece band, conducted by visiting graduate Kohan van Sambeeck, is nestled at the rear of the tent with a thrust-like stage jutting into the centre of the space. In a smart move, the audience is situated within the inner circle of the spiegeltent so there are no cluttered sight lines. We're right on top of the action. Or, as I discovered, the action is occasionally right on top of us!

The outer circle and booths were the province of our players. This gives the production an immersive quality for the audience as characters prowl and cavort around us with multiple entry and egress points to and from the stage. There is the feeling of a fully formed world that exists beyond the strictures of the performance space. A colourful, bawdy, exotic world full of villains and dames; vagabonds and, well, to put it indelicately, ladies of dubious reputation. But something more as well - as if we're transported in time to how The Threepenny Opera might have been experienced in decades gone by.

In a simple device the setting of scenes was left to characters wielding cardboard signs (and to our imaginations). I must say the furniture was ever so fancy in the stables of my mind's eye! But more than that, a sense of time and place was evoked by make-up and costuming. The use of white face paint for all; the women provocatively attired; the men all singlets with smart pants and braces; not to mention a range of beggar chic that would make Oliver Twist blush.

Most impressive of all the performers were, as another audience member put it, "balls to the wall" in their characterisations. This was a chance to 'go big' and they lapped it up. In another smart move actors were mingling with the audience before the show started; being cheeky, friendly, inviting. It set the tone - that attitude - of the production right from the get go. A relaxed confidence that you couldn't help but feel and respond to. Thank you Laura McDonald, Sasha Simon, and Katherine Pearson for the chats.

To top that all off there were many fine singing voices with Natasha Vickery (Polly Peachum), Skye Beker (Lucy Brown) and Katherine Pearson (Jenny Diver) excelling in this regard with notable contributions from Rhianna McCourt who belted out Ballad of Sexual Dependency with savage contempt and, of course, the notorious Macheath, Jake Fryer-Hornsby, who acquitted himself well with the challenging lead vocal role.

This is generally described as a 'play with music' so there is ample opportunity to show off the acting chops. With such a rogue's gallery of characters to inhabit this provided all sorts of treats. Kudos to Macheath's henchmen - Charles Alexander, Kingsley O'Connor, Elliott Giarola and Mitchell Bourke - who provided a touch of menace, more than a dash of comic relief, and worked together well especially during the stables sequence.

McCourt and the booming-of-voice Martin Quinn, as Celia and J.J. Peachum, were the Thenardiers of their time in an immensely enjoyable double act. I loved the swagger McCourt gave Celia and Quinn, as Present Laughter also demonstrated, plays pompous rogue with aplomb. Vickery added lovely touches to perhaps the only virtuous character of the lot such as fussing over the decorum of her surroundings - carefully brushing dirt off the steps leading to the stage before sitting for example. She also has a stand out moment singing Pirate Jenny.

Fryer-Hornsby gets to show the greatest range, imbuing his Mack the Knife with an almost cavalier attitude that crumbles when the hangman's noose beckons. I wasn't as convinced about the character's reputation as a ladies man but there is charm here and he worked well with Jack Scott's Tiger Brown, especially during the Canon Song, a fun demonstration of male camaraderie. Scott plays the police chief with a sense of haplessness that I later learned was partly modelled on Inspector Lestrade from the BBC's Sherlock.

Then there's Roy Joseph who delivers the play's infamous Deus Ex Regina as I like to call it. The Queen herself, on her coronation day no less, ensures that crime does indeed pay. Joseph, following the constant breaking of the fourth wall throughout the production, plays up to the silliness of the reversal in a gloriously over-the-top declaration that had some of his fellow cast members struggling to hold back laughter. Nice assist from Mitchell Bourke with equine inspired antics. 

In all, a marvellous production that had me leaving the magical world of the spiegeltent behind with a smile humming what else but Mack The Knife.

Present Laughter - WAAPA (17 June 2017)

I had a great time with this Noel Coward comedy - witty and elegant this featured a handsome set, was stylishly costumed, briskly paced, with many wonderful performances by the third years.

Foremost was Martin Quinn as Garry Essendine with the trio of Natasha Vickery, Rhianna McCourt, and Laura McDonald all excellent.

Sasha Simon and Mitchell Bourke give notable support; the latter exhibiting the physical comedy and mannerisms of a young John Cleese.

The Q&A afterwards featuring Quinn, Vickery, Set Designer Kelly Fregon, and Stage Manager Radek Rubinski gave insight into the construction of the play both from a performance and technical perspective.

A classy production all round.

*originally published at facebook.com/perththeatrereviews

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.