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 Warrior and The Princess - Blue Moose Theatre Productions (31 May 2014)

I had the great pleasure of going along to the first of two fundraising nights on Saturday to assist the cast and crew of this play get to New York for the Fringe festival there.

Not only did I see the play, enjoy wine and supper, and have some great conversations, the evening’s entertainment commenced with a cabaret of some nine songs. Performed by two of the cast members – the fabulously talented Rhoda Lopez and Ian Toyne - this was a highlight in itself.

Rhoda kicked off proceedings with three songs from her tour de force performance as Edith Piaf in Madame Piaf with a lovely acknowledgement to the writer-director Stephen Lee who was in the audience. Toyne added two Frank Sinatra classics to make no doubt New York was on everyone’s mind and they shared a couple of duets – Cole Porter’s Night and Day and Somewhere from West Side Story. Rhoda also gave a wonderful rendition of Someone To Watch Over Me which was greeted with a simple “Beautiful” from an audience member in the row behind me. There was no chance of any disagreement on that score.

What a way to start! Another glass of wine at intermission and everyone settled in for the play itself which has been invited to New York’s Fringe…

“The Boss is always right.”

A phrase repeated throughout this play about Jewish refugees stranded in Lithuania during the Second World War and the Japanese diplomat who helped save thousands of them. Based on a true story, writer Shirley Van Sanden has crafted what the cast announce at the very beginning is a ‘fable and a fairytale’ and it is presented as such with various storytelling devices. There are three large, white screens at the back of the stage with two in the wings on a 45 degree angle. The three main screens are used to project various images onto but also show silhouetted action of the actors in crucial moments, notably acts of violence. Then there is the use of a puppet to represent The Boss himself and another that is a feisty dog which is part of an actual puppet show in the story. Throw in the use of origami, various other props from a Katana to a baseball bat and ball, and the recurring appearance of a bird both projected and on a stick wielded by the writer herself, and this is an inventive piece of storytelling. It did take me a little while to get into its rhythms and highly stylised and episodic nature but once onboard it proves highly rewarding.

But back to that statement:

“The Boss is always right.”

Easy to disagree with in this day and age, not so easy at a time of war when your boss is in the Japanese Foreign Ministry and you are a junior diplomat who has been reassigned after speaking out about the treatment of the local population during your posting in Manchuria. This is Yoshida (Brian Liau) who has a love of baseball and adheres to the seven virtues of Bushido, the Samurai’s code. He is The Warrior to Rhoda Lopez’s Anna, a Polish child and The Princess, who witnessed her mother’s death at the hands of the Nazis and flees to Lithuania with her Uncle, Jacob (Ian Toyne) where they are taken in by his sister (Monica Main). There they set up a puppet theatre but this is burnt down when the Soviets take control of Lithuania and the Jewish refugees are under even more threat. Yoshida had spotted Anna throwing a baseball and befriended her as she could make a great pitcher for the refugee team he coaches. As things become bleak, Jacob in desperation approaches Yoshida to help obtain transit visas so they can leave the country. Yoshida, with the assistance of his German assistant, Johanna, eventually disobeys The Boss and end up issuing more visas than is authorised. Jacob and Anna escape while Yoshida is summoned to Berlin for re-assignment and eventually ends up in an internment camp.

The acting is excellent across the board with Brian Liau very strong as the conflicted Yoshida who eventually decides to do what is right rather than follow orders. But we also see episodes from earlier in his life – the falling out with his father who wanted him to be a doctor; how he met The Boss whilst a waiter in a restaurant; the incident in Manchuria – which allows Liau plenty of latitude to give depth to his character. Lopez is excellent as the traumatised Anna who also finds a childlike joy in the puppet show and hitting a home run - the true innocent in a time of turmoil and unimaginable suffering. Toyne shines as Jacob who is determined to make life as tolerable as possible for his niece and pleads with Yoshida to help them and the others escape. He also has an amusing turn controlling the dog in the puppet show and plays a Dutch diplomat who is the catalyst for the idea regarding the visas. Finally, Main plays the ‘stern’ Johanna with a deft touch adding most of the humour to proceedings.

I say finally but a key component is the keyboard work of Mark Turton who adds mood and atmosphere throughout. One impressive sequence is the communiques between Yoshida and Tokyo which is a combination of keyboard effects, puppetry and the use of origami. Creative and telling.

There is a lovely coda at the end which brings all the threads together as a grown up Anna seeks out the elderly Yoshida and tells him of all the good his sacrifice accomplished.

This is a creative mix of elements that shines a light on a little known story that celebrates the ability of one person to affect the lives of literally thousands by choosing to do the right thing at great personal risk in a time of horror and war.

The final fundraiser is on tonight, Sunday the 1^st June, and is well worth braving the football crowds to attend. A terrific night’s entertainment.