All My Sons - WAAPA (2 May 2015)

Twenty one men.

Dead.

Their fighter planes fallen from the skies during World War Two. Not shot down. Sabotaged. From their own side. Faulty parts deliberately shipped and installed.

Two men are accused. One is exonerated. One is sent to jail.

So is the context for this slow burn drama that culminates in a devastating third act as the revelations pile up to reveal unpalatable truths and the importance of taking responsibility.

What I loved about the writing here is that Arthur Miller has put characters that are unshakeable in their core beliefs into conflict:

Kate Keller (Brittany Morel) is unswayed in her absolute certainly that her son Larry is still alive even though he never returned from the war.

Her husband Joe Keller (Andrew Creer) is resolute that he did nothing wrong and was fairly exonerated.

Their other son, Chris Keller (Bevan Pfeiffer) believes in his father's innocence; and they both know that Larry can be none other than dead despite Kate's desperation.

Anne Deever (Stephanie Panozzo), the daughter of Steve Deever who still languishes in jail, is convinced of her father’s guilt. 

Her brother George Deever (Hoa Xuande) arrives at the Keller home implacable in his hatred of Joe’s alleged deception that has ruined his father.

To complicate matters, Anne used to be Larry’s girl but now Chris wants to ask for her hand in marriage.

That is a powder keg of conflicting beliefs just waiting to ignite. It does so as the mystery of what happened at the wartime factory is slowly revealed and the ripples tear these two families and their close neighbours asunder.

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. From the right hand she splays against her thigh to conceal its shaking; to the wide-eyed expressions as the emotion brims every time someone even remotely challenges that belief; to the forceful restating of Larry being alive; it is a compelling performance. 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, at one point even launching herself at Creer who must be twice her size.    

Andrew Creer is indeed an imposing physical presence but his Joe is part magnanimous, part prone to flights of anger and ultimately the façade crumbles as the revelations pile up. It is fascinating to watch the reverse arc – a man seemingly so strong disintegrates while his wife mired in self-denial becomes the rock of the family. Creer handles that trajectory well.

Bevan Pfeiffer’s Chris is also a complex character, almost sweet and naïve in his courting of Anne but quick to anger when events conspire to keep them apart. Pfeiffer ratchets up the outrage as the play builds to its tragic conclusion and his confrontations with Joe are heartrending. His monologue about his duty during the war and his reaction on returning home was a highlight.

Stephanie Panozzo’s Anne plays a pivotal part as the ultimate bearer of the truth but before that dagger I was never quite sure of the character’s motivations. This was intriguing as again it is a complex character and Panozzo gives ‘Annie’ a real strength, determined never to be left alone again no matter what the cost.

Hoa Xuande is the impending threat as George and his arrival illuminates the story from a very different perspective to that of Joe’s. His acquiescence in the face of Joe’s denial felt a little convenient though it was dressed in the importance of the neighbourhood and community which is a featured component of the story. His reversion to malevolence towards the Keller’s is nicely done with Morel’s Kate unintentionally providing the critical link. From then on the play races towards a frantic conclusion that played on high emotion that was affecting and visceral.

Benjamin Kindon, Elle Harris, Dacre Montgomery, and Harriet Gordon-Anderson play neighbours who are entwined in the Keller’s misfortunes and all have important moments. Kindon’s Jim Bayliss delivers a strong monologue in the second half as he sits with Kate; Gordon-Anderson, a beautiful piece of understated acting as she greets George and the subtext of missed opportunities and what might have been shines through; while Harris is perfectly catty as the neighbour who needles Anne about Joe. Montgomery comes across as perhaps the only decent man while also doubling as Bert, a child from the neighbourhood.

The intimacy of The Roundhouse Theatre was perfect for the high emotion on display and I felt right there in the backyard of the family home with its greenery and fallen tree. There were a couple of times though that actors had their back to the audience seated at the top of the thrust in key moments – Xuande’s George suffered most from this and I never saw his response in that beat with Gordon-Anderson; while Creer’s line that succinctly explains the true meaning of the play’s title was also delivered facing away from a third of the audience.

I loved the use of lighting that slowly dimmed then darkened as key memories from the past were revealed or to engender a sense of foreboding. Smoke was used increasingly in the second half as if to mirror the growing obscurity of events swirling around the Keller's. I wasn’t as fond though of the rock music that was played in the transition from second to third act as it momentarily jarred me out of the time period that had been so effectively built.   

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

Written by Arthur Miller, Directed by Tom Healey and starring Andrew Creer, Brittany Morel, Bevan Pfeiffer, Stephanie Panozzo, Hoa Xuande, Benjamin Kindon, Elle Harris, Dacre Montgomery and Harriet Gordon-Anderson, All My Sons runs until Thursday 7 May at The Roundhouse Theatre on the ECU campus in Mount Lawley.    

The Addams Family Musical - John Curtin College of the Arts (1 May 2015)

The lights go down. The stage curtains are closed. The band plays the instantly recognisable Addams Family theme from the television show. Then this happens - large numbers of the audience are clicking their fingers at the appropriate points with perfect timing. It was really cool.

Then those curtains opened and cool turned into “Wow!”

For a high school production the level of detail in the set, costuming and makeup was quite extraordinary. Let’s start with the multi-level set with wings that folded in to represent the outside world with suitably happy murals. The inside of the Addams mansion, however, had wonderfully kooky décor and props, from the implements of torture and death Gomez collects to other bizarre items hanging on the walls.

The band was situated on the middle level and from my vantage point in the front row you could see, through the cobwebs, Musical Director Lochlan Brown on the piano with his back to us. Stairs led down to the main stage area and when the curtains opened the cast was sat there in a variety of distinctive costumes from the white of the ensemble to the darker hues of the family itself. The makeup was outstanding as well so the effect was striking from the opening moment. They then all burst into When You’re an Addams with such great energy that it was simply an inspired opening.

What follows is a very funny satire on family values, love and normality as the dark minded Wednesday (Jitana Jamieson) has fallen for Lucas (Johannes Kornberger), a boy from Ohio, causing all kinds of friction as Gomez (Kai Arbuckle) seeks to conceal the fact from his wife Morticia (Kira-Che Heelan) as Lucas’ family arrive for dinner. Pugsley (Albert Elton) fears his sister will no longer torture him now she has found, gasp, happiness and seeks to sabotage the union while Uncle Fester (Ethan Burke) has a far more romantic viewpoint. Lurch, Thing, and Grandmama with her potions are other immediately familiar characters.

I should mention that there is a rotating cast list during the four performance run so the principals are alternated from show to show which makes the whole endeavour even more impressive.

Arbuckle was terrific as Gomez with his pinstriped suit and thick Spanish accent. His comedy work was a highlight as he tries to mollify his wife and keep the family peace while dealing with Lucas’ parents Mal (Finn Pal) and Alice (Jessica Dalwood). The willowy Heelan towers over him and is resplendent in a black wig and elegant, black costume. They work well together and her character’s reaction to Gomez keeping a secret from her is a pivotal story development and thematic beat. Their tango is a lovely moment as is her eventual thawing as Morticia finally accepts her daughter’s decision to wed.

Jamieson gives an assured performance as Wednesday and it’s a lovely subversion of the usual boy meets girl story as Lucas proves his love by his willingness to actually die by her hands. Jamieson also has many featured songs and it’s here we need to talk about the musical aspect of proceedings.

Firstly, the band of Brown (piano), Steve Richter (drums), James Chong (percussion), Phillip Waldron (bass), Rachael Aquilina (violin), Scott Collinson (wind) and Brody Linke (trumpet) is terrific. The sound balance was excellent and their playing is a highlight. The cast, however, are not trained singers and this is readily apparent (with the notable exception of the student who belted out a lovely interruption during Let’s Not Talk About Anything Else But Love). Some get by, like Arbuckle, with a sing-talk approach, while the full company adds moments of support but most cast members struggle somewhat when featured.

Let me say this though, all of them like Jamieson, Heelan, Dalwood and Burke commit totally to their songs and that is most admirable. It all still works as a musical because of the energy and enthusiasm they bring. There are also moments where the lack of singing prowess is played up for comic effect such as when Fester literally howls at the Moon or Lurch unexpectedly launches into a growly song. The most effective featured song for me was Elton’s What If? that had a nice poignancy to it while Full Disclosure that closes the first act was good fun with the whole company involved.

Back to the performances and Ethan Burke was the standout as Fester pretty much stealing every scene he’s in and acting as a faux narrator at times. His The Moon and Me where he serenades the Moon (Ella Norton) with the ensemble using a mix of white and black parasols was another highlight. He gave Fester a manic energy but also a sweetness when it came to matters of the heart that was compelling. Toto De Waele, with platform shoes to accentuate his height, was a most amusing Lurch while Lily Philp had some funny moments as Grandmama.

Dalwood played Alice’s arc from uptight wife to potion infused independent woman nicely with some great snark as the latter. I was also very impressed with Kirsty Clarke as Ophelia who glided across the stage exhibiting very elegant ballet skills accompanied by Julian Monck as her dance partner.

There were lots of other great moments including a tap dance from one of the female ensemble; violin and cello work from Meredith Jackson and Eleanor Campbell; and a diabolical chair prop that had me squirming! The lighting was again very well done throughout which enhanced the costumes and makeup to great effect.

This is deliciously dark and kooky with full throated performances and nothing short of impressive staging and presentation. Directed with flair by Fiona Tholet from a Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa there are two more performances on Saturday 2 May at John Curtin College of the Arts in Fremantle. 

The 39 Steps - Churchlands Senior High School (30 April 2015)

What a surprise to find such a wonderful theatre nestled in the grounds of the Churchlands Senior High School. At something close to 500 seats it is comparable in size to the Heath Ledger Theatre in the Cultural Centre. What a great facility for students to learn their craft both on the expansive stage and behind the scenes. I was told that the school has a very strong musical department and indeed there were eight musicians, headed by Musical Director Mathew Leak, who provide the tune that lingers in our hero’s head. While it was the turn of the acting department to shine with this high spirited farce I notice four of the musicians had parts as well including our Mister Leak!

Some 22 actors are listed in the program with many having small but amusing roles as our hero Richard Hannay (Jordan Price) charges from one misadventure to another in a parody of great Hitchcockian thrillers such as the movie adaptation of the same title and the classic North By Northwest. There is a funny send up of the famous crop duster scene from that film that sees Price flinging himself about the stage as pilots happily fire away.

The story sees Price’s character caught up in all sorts of espionage and intrigue as a sultry foreign agent (Lauren Elliot) is murdered in his apartment forcing him to flee to Scotland. Unfortunately not to Skyfall which I can spell but to a place that I cannot! He is pursued by all and sundry, accused of that murder and in search of the titular 39 Steps which is pretty much a MacGuffin in the grand Hitchcock tradition. To be honest it is the scrapes and japes he gets into along the way that supply all the fun as the plot is tenuous at best. There is an amusing resolution of sorts involving a vaudeville act that is set up early and gives Caitlin Strutt as the Compere and Irene Mateo-Arriere (Miss Memory) a chance to shine.

Many others do as well – Elliot as Schmidt whose untimely end is played as black comedy as our hero has to extricate himself from the scene of the crime; Lloyd Hopkins and Mikhael Poguet who play two salesman on the same train as Hannay flees London but also, with some lovely theatricality involving rapid changes facilitated by different hats, a variety of other characters; and Haralampos Protoolis and Emma Hall as the Scottish innkeepers Mr and Mrs. McGarrigle.

Ellen Harvey also comes into her own in the second half as Pamela. The first half tended to bounce around from one set of characters to another as Hannay ploughs on regardless of his increasingly dire circumstances. The story coalesces into something far more cohesive when he is paired up with Pamela as sparring partner and possible love interest. Price and Harvey work well together with two separate scenes involving handcuffs featured - one, a lovely entanglement as they try and cross a barrier; the other in the inn when they are forced to share a bed.

The show, however, revolves around Price’s performance in the lead as he is only off stage for maybe one brief scene. It is deliberately overstated in both accent and mannerisms as befits the parody but most impressively Price gives Hannay a real physicality as he navigates goons, police inspectors and our villain Professor Jordan (George Samios) with some inventive comic staging.

There are lovely moments throughout – actors flapping their costumes whenever it is windy ‘outside’ which was consistently funny; playing around with window frames as characters make their escape; the knife in poor Schmidt’s back; and some hilarious dummy work towards the end. It never takes itself at all seriously and is an entertaining evening of pratfalls and hijinks with plenty of laughs. 

The 39 Steps is an adaptation by Patrick Barlow and co-directed by Angela Padley and Ruth Sutherland. There are two more performances at the school, a matinee and evening show on Saturday 2 May. You can buy tickets at the door at the Churchlands Concert Hall in Lucca Street, Churchlands.

The Importance of Being Earnest - University Dramatic Society (29 April 2015)

Over the last 12 months or so I’ve seen a lot of student theatre, especially at Curtin and Murdoch Universities and they tell me ECU has pretty handy acting and musical theatre departments on their Mount Lawley campus. It had me wondering what my alma mater UWA was up to on the theatrical front especially given I’ve seen a couple of independent productions at the Dolphin Theatre recently. So off I went to see my first University Dramatic Society (UDS) production with a sense of curiosity and, to be honest, no real expectations.

I’ve written before about those shows that sneak up and surprise you. Last year it was WAAPA’s Children of Eden and Roleystone Theatre’s The Great American Trailer Park Musical. Well, you can add The Importance of Being Earnest to that list. I knew none of the cast or crew but this was a thoroughly entertaining evening that even with two intermissions whizzed by.

Any discussion of the play has to start with the writing. It is dazzling and full of the trademark wit and dry observation Oscar Wilde is renowned for. The dialogue crackles and fizzes with intelligence and razor sharp humour that makes listening to the exchanges an absolute delight. The tale of fictitious identities and resultant romantic entanglements is expertly crafted even if the major revelation at the end now suffers somewhat from what I call “Luke, I am your father” syndrome. Yes, modern audiences have endured variations of the familial twist for well over a hundred years which tends to temper our surprise. However, that is a minor consideration.

The major one by comparison is how well performed and presented the whole endeavour was. The standouts for me were Ben Thomas as Algernon who relished the language and was suitably sly and mischievous; and Rebecca Egan as Cecily Cardew whose recounting of her engagement to ‘Earnest’ was a highlight. Rupert Williamson was excellent as John Worthing and his verbal jousting with particularly Thomas was rapid fire and engaging. Grace Chapple made for a haughty Gwendolyn and her set piece exchange with Egan in what was a dazzling second act was another highlight.

I warmed to Rebecca Cole’s Lady Bracknell over time – her more deliberate delivery and impressive rolling R’s felt a little out of kilter at first but she was a forceful presence in the third act as befitted the character’s status. Sally Clune’s Miss Prism, she of the formidable pout and excellent aging makeup, stumbled a few times with the dialogue and tended to, along with Ben McAllister’s Reverend, to flirt with caricature. The latter was playing up exaggerated physical movement for laughs but the writing is so good that it felt superfluous. Matt Perrett and Lily Protter rounded out the cast as the ‘hired help’.

As mentioned, the second act where the all major characters collide in the countryside was quite an inspired piece of theatre brimming with comedy. It is also a very handsome production with excellent costuming and well-appointed sets such as the trestles laced with flowers in that countryside setting along with a tree and even swing to stage left. The interior sets were all lounge chairs and settees and an amazing amount of cucumbers and muffins were sacrificed in the making of the show. In this regard, Ben Thomas showed an almost Brad Pitt level of skill in eating whilst acting!   

I very much enjoyed the first UDS production of 2015 and walked away impressed by the acting and overall presentation. I was sitting next to a couple whose grand-daughter I believe it was had been involved with the costuming. They had seen the play starring Judi Dench in London but liked this one more. When I inquired as to why they remarked that Dame Judi was head and shoulders above the rest of the cast which unbalanced that production. It is fair to say that this is not the case here where the scintillating dialogue and banter is well delivered by the principals. It is a very funny and breezy show that was well appreciated by a good sized audience.

Written by Oscar Wilde, Directed by Antonina Heymanson and starring Rupert Williamson, Ben Thomas, Grace Chapple, Rebecca Egan, Rebecca Cole, Sally Clune, Ben McAllister, Matt Perrett, and Lily Protter there are three more shows left at the Dolphin Theatre on the UWA campus, Thursday through to Saturday 2 May. 

Melancholy Play: A Contemporary Farce - Hayman Theatre Company (21 April 2015)

There is a word – a Polish word I believe – that means the sadness one feels as the echo of laughter slowly fades from a recently emptied theatre. If only I could remember what that word is…

If I could then that’s how I would describe the aftermath of watching this very funny play that was wonderfully performed and staged. That and my now sudden guilty feelings about eating almonds!

Yes, this is a gloriously off-the-wall farce that spirals off into strange territory indeed as one of its characters turns into… an almond.

But let’s backtrack a little and start with Sarah Ruhl’s deliciously subversive script. Here it is melancholy and sadness - as embodied by Tilly (Zoe Street) - that is sexy and irresistible with happiness being a chaotic force that causes all kinds of disaster. Flipping the expected stereotypes around is a masterstroke that allows for the farcical and absurd but retains a key message with the almond transformation a clear metaphor. The last third of the play flirts with going way over-the-top but is grounded by an almost too obvious passage of dialogue delivered by Tilly that urges the characters to genuinely be there and support the nut afflicted Frances (Olivia Dugandzic)… even if they have to become nuts themselves. Yes, how does one truly support a friend or loved one who is enmeshed in sadness and melancholy?

Street is excellent as the bank employee Tilly. Her world weary, languid and poetic turn in the early going that marks her sadness as being so potent is terrific to watch. In turn, her therapist Lorenzo (Kane Parker); a tailor (Nathan Whitebrook); a hairdresser Frances (Dugandzic) and then Frances’ lover, the nurse Joan (Daisy Grant) all are drawn to and ultimately fall in love with her. Buoyed by such emotion that is magnified on her birthday, Tilly suddenly becomes inextricably happy causing everyone else to slip into sadness as her allure is somehow diminished. Here Street switches gears to become almost annoyingly ecstatic, playing children’s games and even riding a bike onstage at one point. It’s an eye-catching performance.

Whitebrook is the tentative tailor who kicks off proceedings by offering a defence of melancholy directly to the audience which is a technique used throughout as characters speak through hanging window frames. They also represent the portals to vistas that inspire melancholy such as wistfully gazing through a window on a rainy afternoon. His character’s descent into tear-filled and hiccupped sadness is nicely observed as is the boisterous rivalry with Lorenzo. Parker sports a very good Italian accent as the lovelorn therapist and he gives an exuberant performance that is amusingly capped off by his plaintive pleas to know if he too now is an almond. The fight scene with Whitebrook is a highlight. 

 

Dugandzic gives Frances that air of infatuation despite herself and the fact the character is already in a relationship. It is as if she is compelled to be with Tilly. I especially liked her ‘delivery’ as an ‘almond’ perched alongside the audience in her ‘letterbox’. Her ‘resurrection’ is masterfully staged. There is a late revelation regarding a dubious backstory that was perhaps one step too far for me but is well acted nevertheless. Daisy Grant’s nurse is seemingly far more practical so it’s a treat to see her play the ‘gaga’ looks and clinginess as Joan falls for Tilly’s charms as well.

The cast is rounded out by Savannah Wood, resplendent and elegant in a gown as she plays the cello to stage left. Wood played beautifully and added so much texture and tone to key moments. Of course, the cello is perhaps the instrument most suited to melancholy so it was cheeky and fun when Lorenzo asks her to play something ‘happy’ after the other characters suddenly realise she is there. This is another example of playing around with conventions with Tilly even handing her red balloon to the young boy sitting next to me.

The play fairly rockets along at just under 80 minutes and is well directed by Leah Mercer with seamless scene transitions and handoffs between characters. There is great energy throughout and, as I’ve come to expect with the Hayman Upstairs Theatre, good use of multiple entry and exit points for the actors. This is the second show I’ve seen there this year and it appears they have really taken their set designs up a notch with this and Spring Awakening. The wallpaper on the back wall; the varied rugs on the stage; the hanging frames; the centrepiece couch; Frances and Joan’s apartment space – all well-appointed and adroitly used.

Above all this is very funny even as the farce turns into something quite surreal in its last third. The performances are excellent, especially in the first half as Tilly weaves her spell. This is a really enjoyable production with only four more performances, 22-25 April at Curtin University’s Hayman Theatre Upstairs. 

Written by Sarah Ruhl, Directed by Leah Mercer, Melancholy stars Olivia Dugandzic, Daisy Grant, Kane Parker, Zoe Street, Nathan Whitebrook, and Savannah Wood.

The Dreaming Hill - Western Australian Youth Theatre Company & Southern Edge Arts (15 April 2015)

One hundred years ago our youth were asked to fight a terrible war far beyond our shores at immeasurable cost - soldiers as young as 14 died on the Gallipoli Peninsula and later on the fields of France and Belgium. In this centenary year, a year that will see many commemorations to honour the deeds of those men and women who served both at home and abroad, it is particularly fitting that the Western Australian Youth Theatre Company (WAYTCo) in partnership with Southern Edge Arts commissioned this original play. Written by Hellie Turner, The Dreaming Hill explores the day before that fateful landing on 25 April 1915.

The cast of predominantly teenagers from both companies - including a 14 and 15 year old – was a powerful reminder that in another age these were the very people who served our country as soldiers and nurses in the chaos of ‘the war to end all wars’. The tragedy of what followed was captured eloquently in a line delivered by a Greek fisherman to a young Australian serviceman – “only dead men see an end to war.” The fact that we still put young men and women in harm’s way to this very day illustrates the point. The clear message was to us as an audience, as a community and as a country to never forget the cost exacted to protect our freedoms. 

The play follows five Australian diggers and four nurses with their Matron as they spend a last day on the Greek island of Lemnos before the amphibious assault. They encounter various locals including the aforementioned fisherman, Spyros (Luke Binetti); a good-natured shyster, Ascesto (Lachlan McGregor), who promises girls, grog and garlic while protecting the honour of his beautiful sister Phoebe (Liannah Prior); with a haughty ‘witch’ (Zali Stipanicev) thrown in for good measure. There are portents of impending doom from the flock of crows that fly overhead to a speech by Spyros about chaos. For the lads though there is a mix of excitement, apprehension, and naivety which is beautifully counterpointed by the nurses who know (and have trained for) the deadly ramifications of what is about to come. The hospital ship that they will shortly return to is another potent symbol by its very presence offshore.

The script by Turner is lyrical and poetic with one of the soldiers, Leo (Campbell Greenock) himself a ‘philosopher-warrior’ quoting Shakespeare, reciting his own attempts at poetry, and having conversations with Spyros about Homer’s The Illiad. The beauty of the island and its people is nicely conveyed as is all the exuberance and impetuousness of youth. But the script never loses sight of what is to come with references to Death, Chaos and symbolism like The Ferryman intruding. In the most powerful sequence, the fragile romance and tenderness on display at the end of the party is torn apart by a flash forward to only a few hours hence with sickening detail. It is wonderful piece of theatre as we have come to identify and even care about these characters only to have their possible futures blown apart before our eyes. Equally impressive is the company intoning each of their character’s fate on the day and beyond in a chilling postscript.

The acting is very strong across the board – from the innocent flirtatiousness of the nurses played by Daisy Coyle, Mikayla Merks and Tahlia Norrish to the over-exaggerated accent of the New Zealand nurse (Michaela Barker) used for comic relief. Tess McKenna reins in their antics as the stern Matron and is decisive and calm as the glimpse of battle shows us the grim reality of war.

Greenock opens the play by walking onto the impressive outdoor set as a modern day teenager before stripping down and changing into his uniform. It was a potent message – what would it be like to step into their shoes given all we now know. He gave a well measured performance that grounded the more poetic elements within the context of the horror to come. He has a particularly fine moment with a rallying speech towards the end of the play exhorting the men to “go forth” as the time of battle draws ever nearer. The only slight drawback was the string of lights in front of him that had lowered for part of the party sequence that cast shadows over and partly obscured his face from my vantage point. 

Liam Longley’s and Thomas Blowffwitch’s characters both try their luck with romance, Longley to sweet effect; Blowffwitch’s to amusing reversal. Andrew Phillips was a stout physical presence as Frank which made sense on reading the program notes to see he has served with the Australian Army – his bearing and demeanour was perfect for the character. While not as accomplished, Austen Faulkner’s Harry was the decent kid from Fremantle out of his depth in both war and love but had some nice moments all the same.

 

The standouts for me were Binetti and McGregor, the former working well with Greenock as they discussed Aristotle and Homer and the nature of war and chaos. Binetti has that intangible quality that makes him eminently watchable even when prowling on the outskirts of the set. McGregor, on crutches no less after breaking his ankle a fortnight ago, was sly and mischievous, providing a lot of humour to lighten the stark knowledge of these people’s likely fate.

Director Renato Fabretti makes full use of the set as his actors clamber over sandbag emplacements and literally feel the soil under their feet. There was a tendency in the party sequence, however, as soldiers and nurses paired off, for the actors not in whatever featured duo was talking, to be impassively waiting for ‘their turn’. Live music is provided for atmosphere to one side of what really is a thrust arrangement with the audience enclosing two sides of the courtyard at the Museum. External street noise was minimal and not too invasive, even from the movie playing on the big screen in the cultural centre.

Overall this was a wonderfully acted, evocatively written, and well directed play that looked at a brief moment of joy and discovery before being wrenched into the horrible reality of war. That it was performed by actors the very age of the men and women being portrayed gives it special significance and it is a thoughtful and powerful addition to the ANZAC canon.

Directed by Renato Fabretti, Written by Hellie Turner and starring Michaela Barker, Luke Binetti, Thomas Blowffwitch, Daisy Coyle, Austen Faulkner, Campbell Greenock, Liam Longley, Lachlan McGregor, Tess McKenna, Mikayla Merks, Tahlia Norrish, Andrew Phillips, Liannah Prior, Sam Reeves and Zali Stipanicev, The Dreaming Hill runs until 18 April in the WA Museum courtyard before moving to the Albany Museum 23-26 April.  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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