All Boys - every other theatre company (20 August 2024)

The Windsor knot. A symbol of prestige and success. In business, in politics, and, not by accident, in the private school system. There's a sequence in All Boys where the two alpha students show their latest recruit how to tie the perfect Windsor knot. This had me hurtling back to my own private school days many decades ago practising how to accomplish the perfect look with the school tie. I loved the sequence because of its authenticity. In that world this stuff matters. The school blazer. The school song. The war cry. I never memorised the song (it was a little twee) but forty years on I still know every single word to that war cry. The power of the Old Boy system. The weight of expectation of going to such a school. 

The world of the play is utterly familiar to me in its power dynamics, the demand for conformity to certain ideals, and the struggle for those who don't quite fit into this idealised notion of manhood. We didn't have the undertone of sexual abuse (that I'm aware of) but, in my time, there was one tragedy, several scandals, and bizarre behaviour that nowadays defies logic. All to make us turn into better men, I guess. 

The play examines this insular environment and what it does to the young men inside it. Crucially, it also makes the point that the cycle continues as the products of this system will send their sons to undergo the same 'education'. My experience was from 1979-83. The play is set in 2009-2014. Dare I say it, with recent revelations in the media emanating from similar schools, certain elements have not changed much over all that time. 

Writer Xavier Hazard sets the tone and context for his fictionalised story within this prestigious all boys school in Sydney with a great eye for detail. The tale is told largely in rapid fire vignettes as strands are slowly teased out between ten students. There is a graphic and disturbing incident early on that is the height of wayward boys enforcing their own distorted sense of the 'rites of passage'. An act that has seemingly been handed down from previous years and, worst of all, is expected. There is a revelation later on that lands like a gut punch both for the student involved and the audience. 

Both of these incidences have the potential to escalate into tales of retribution and there were several moments where I thought a Punk Rock style explosion was imminent. Hazard, however, eschews this path to focus on more character driven resolutions to all the conflicts he has crafted. Questions of sexuality, of conformity, of bullying, friendship, betrayal, carrying on the legacy of fathers, and working out who you are and who you're going to become. Then there are darker strands that involve sexual violence, drugs, and the horrendous cost of abuse.  

This may all sound confronting - and it is - but there is also great humour, amusingly inventive use of swearing, and moments of unexpected compassion. The play is almost two hours long with no interval but the lack of a propulsive narrative wasn't an issue as I was immersed in the intertwining strands and the character journeys. 

In this the play is greatly aided by the clockwork precision of Cezera Critti-Schnaars' direction which sees the actors almost in constant motion as they rotate into each scene or vignette with alacrity. I also loved the use of the whiteboard to show the passage of time as a different actor would write the changing year and class with a specific character trait that reflected their mood. Simple set design by Jake Pitcher - predominantly three benches and lattice work to delineate the stage - plus excellent lighting and sound design by Jolene Whilbley and Jess Nyanda Moyle respectively recreated the many locations from the dorm to hallways to class rooms and the assembly hall. Good costume design (those ties!) by Pitcher and the technology props all looked appropriate to the era. 

The all-male cast is uniformly excellent. I didn't quite sense the anger in Liam Longley's Hugh Ryan who is the victim of the dorm raid. He plays Hugh with a stoic nature that eventually sees an outburst at the main instigator though and handles a burgeoning relationship well. The other main character, Jack V, sees Samuel Bennet go through a gut wrenching arc with skill as the high achiever's sense of purpose is torpedoed leaving Jack V adrift, before literally finding his voice at the end.  

James Gant embodies the perfect student Patrick Mulligan as described by one of the other Jacks - good at everything - academics, sport, music, looks... but not so much that he draws attention. Nathan Calvert impresses as Connor who wears his heart on his sleeve as he tries to make friends and work through the confusion over his sexuality. Ray Teakle gets to play a tricky arc as Scott who stands up to the bullies, becomes one of them as a result, does something egregious, seems truly remorseful, and makes a stand to break the cycle. 

Jarrad Inman brings compassion and heart to Jack C while Ethan Gosatti is excellent as the third Jack who goes from debater to opportunist to drug dealer with real flair. Jono Battista commands the stage the moment he appears as the new student Will. James Ford is the head bully as A-Boy and he's all bluster and swagger but you sense he's the kind who'll back down when challenged. The real threat is B-Boy played with menace and physicality by Declan Cooper. He's dangerous because he believes the nonsense he's peddling and Cooper is riveting to watch. 

I can't say I 'enjoyed' watching this play but I did find it engrossing and it had me recalling events from my own school experience that I hadn't thought about in decades. There's a sense of authenticity in the details and the fictionalised elements are well within the bounds of believability. Which is perhaps the most disturbing aspect of all. Worth a look for a confronting production that is well acted, well written, and staged with real energy in the intimate space of the Blue Room Theatre. The show runs until 24 August. 

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors - Koorliny Arts Centre (15 August 2024)

15 August. Kwinana. The journey southwards had proven largely uneventful though the carriage driver had insisted on stuffing my pockets with cloves of garlic and the howling of wolves was occasionally distracting. The castle, while well lit, was not as intimidating as I had expected, certainly not by English standards. There was even a piece of furniture strewn on the grounds. The villagers seemed eager to meet the Count as they thronged inside. There is a sense of anticipation in the air, along with plenty of fog and one or two bats. I do hope the Count is worth it. He seems such a lovely chap in our correspondence to date. I predict a most profitable arrangement though I do worry these endeavours shall drain the life out of me.

So wrote your intrepid reviewer in his *ahem* journal as he headed off to meet the Count. Said reviewer was prompted to remark further:

16 August. South Perth. Returned safely last night but only by the skin of my teeth. The Count is a most charming fellow though he seems to have a curious obsession with necks and a complete disdain for garlic. He also keeps the strangest hours. I must lie down now as I feel curiously lethargic and the early morning sunlight has cause to vex me.

Okay, enough with the allusions to one of the most famous of all gothic horror novels, Bram Stoker's Dracula, on which this comedy is based. We all know the names - Dracula, Van Helsing, Renfield, Jonathan Harker, Lucy (yes, alright, Mina too) Westfeldt... and Kitty.  If I were to keep a journal these are the four observations I would make about the show:

1) The Power Of Laughter. Theatre can be many things - inspiring, thought provoking, educational, provocative. But there's also something to be said for a good, old-fashioned belly laugh. And laugh I did throughout this show as did the rest of the audience. Turn the source material into a British-style farce, add a pantomime Dame or two, ratchet up the absurdity and you have a very funny production. Did it illuminate the human condition? No. Was it silly? Yes. Did it make me laugh. Hell, yes!

2) Dracula is truly immortal. Of all the supernatural tales and beasties, vampires are my favourite and Dracula is the granddaddy of all vampires. There is an enduring fascination with stories about an undead creature that seduces and beguiles. There have been numerous adaptations including Francis Ford Coppola's wonderfully atmospheric movie. Here it's played for laughs but the backbone of the story is so well ingrained in all of us that we know the tropes from wooden stakes to coffins filled with soil to the lack of reflection in mirrors. That knowledge allows the production to zip along without having to overly explain things.

3) The Actor's Voice. What a powerful tool the voice is in any actor's arsenal. To project, to modulate, to startle, to command attention. There will be much talk about the rapid fire costume changes and hilarious wig work but the element that grabbed my attention was the extraordinary vocal performances. There's no dodgy Keanu Reeves accent here! Matthew Jones is at the forefront of this as Mina and Van Helsing. These characters, especially Mina, are dialled up to 11 but his vocal command and variation is exceptional and drove a lot of the comedy. The best transition was a vocal one as Jamie Jewell's Renfield 'falls' out of a window at the rear of the stage and reappears stage left as Dr Wallace Westfeldt with fading screams of terror seamlessly blending into the doctor's first word. Fabulous.

4) Execution. This may be a comedy spoof but the level of execution is extremely high. Once it found its rhythm this clatters along with, literally, dizzying costume changes as four of the cast play multiple characters with Matthew Walford the one constant as Count Dracula. The 'montage sequence' towards the end of the play is a cheeky poke at movie transitions; Tatum Stafford's Lucy attempting to console the cleverly staged wig of her afflicted sister is wonderfully daft as is her bawdy boots n' all scene with a revitalised Jonathan (Nathan Breedt). There's even some excellent puppet work by Breedt as Lucy's former suitors appear and quickly disparage poor Mina. 

Walford makes for a sensual Dracula with a touch of Frank-N-Furter and a dash of rock star swagger. Breedt is the straight man in all the craziness as the milquetoast Harker until he's not in an eye-catching transformation. Stafford imbues Lucy with an earnestness that is tested by the wiles of Dracula but also a fortitude and sense of adventure that her fiancé Jonathan lacks. Jewell is upstanding as Dr Westfeldt and not quite so upright as the manic Renfield. While Jones is simply arresting in drag as the lustful Mina and girl power icon Van Helsing. 

Director Christopher Alvaro embraces the farce with glee and there's a manic energy to the whole production. He's well supported with excellent lighting design by Chloe Palliser which leans into the over-the-top theatricality of the material but there are also a couple of startling character reveals as Jones materialises out of darkness. Alvaro's own sound design effectively gives us all the expected tropes from howling wolves to organ music to creaking doors and windswept ships. Yvette Drager Wetherilt excels yet again with an array of wigs, some of which are nearly characters in their own right. Costume Design by Cherie Alvaro provides the stylised gothic look while Peter "Pear" Carr and Alvaro's simple set design allows the cast plenty of room to cavort and roam. 

I had a lot of fun with this production down at the Koorliny Arts Castl-- um, Centre and there are two more shows remaining on 16 & 17 August.

Photos by Outatime Pictures

She Loves Me: The Classic Broadway Musical in Concert - Western Sky Projects (10 August 2024)

Classy. The word that immediately comes to mind to describe not only this fabulous production but the entire experience at the matinee performance. From the pre-show tour of the Liberty Theatre that had lain dormant for so long in the heart of the city, to the cast interacting with the audience before the Prelude, to the joy of the show itself, and the post-show Q and A, this was sheer class from top to bottom.

While the two sold out evening shows catered to an audience of some 160, the matinee was specifically tailored to be a more intimate affair of around sixty. The tour conducted by director, co-producer, and Western Sky founder, Andrew Baker, along with cast member Noah Humich (Arpad Lazslo) was a lovely touch. Especially given that the Humich family has played such a significant role in bringing the space back to life and is committed to developing more arts venues in the city precinct. There was an inescapable authenticity and enthusiasm as Humich guided us around the heritage listed venue. This included passing through the green room where the cast was preparing. We will return to the significance of this later. Another benefit of the tour - front row seats!

Mark Flower Photography

The performers, all fabulously costumed, enter and begin to mingle with the audience. I'm asked what perfume I would like to sample by stylishly attired Chris Gerrish in character as Ladislav Sipos, an employee of Maraczek's Parfumerie. The year is 1934. The place, Budapest, Hungary. The rustic nature of the Liberty suits this perfectly. There may not be a $100,000 set but what we do have is a multi-tiered series of platforms that give the perfume shop depth; great set decoration and props; and the inventive deployment of furniture and lamps in the wings to efficiently depict other settings. Set design by Trace Co with effective lighting design by Production and Lighting Facilitator Adelaide Harney. 

Then there's this - the four piece orchestra, stage left. Who begin to play under Musical Director Joshua Haines who's also on keys. We quickly come to realise that this is a sublime score that is expertly played by Haines, Alex Barker on drums, Cooper Williams on trumpet, and Ruth Klein Cook whose violin playing elicits so much emotion in what we will soon recognise as a wittily realised romantic comedy. 

Indeed, this is but one incarnation from the original 1937 play Parfumerie that will also see the Hollywood movie adaptation You've Got Mail starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Here our lead characters, Georg Nowack and Amalia Balash, are wonderfully played by Will Groucutt and Amy Fortnum. Georg and Amalia, in a classic romantic comedy trope, immediately dislike each other whilst unknowingly communicating back and forth by letter. Shenanigans ensue. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1963 and, again, there's a real sense of class all over the writing, the songs, and the music.

Mark Flower Photography

Baker has put together an exceptional cast - the vocal talent across the board is superb; the acting is excellent; the comic timing and staging impeccable. You can sense a real camaraderie between the performers. Yes, the production is described as "in concert" which means performers will often have script in hand but this in no way detracted from the overall experience.  

Fortnum sings superbly with Act One closer Dear Friend one of many highlights. She displays very good comedic chops, especially in the second act with numbers such as Where's My Shoe? Groucutt impresses as Georg realises the entanglement he's in before embracing the possibility of love. Showcasing an expressive singing voice, Groucutt combines beautifully with Fortnum vocally. 

Lainey O'Sullivan has a lovely arc as her jaded Ilona Ritter ends up finding love in an unexpected place with that trajectory perfectly personified by, firstly, the defiant I Resolve to the charming A Trip To The Library. Ryan Hunt as Steven Kodaly might be the closest thing to a villain of the piece as Kodaly woos then abandons Ilona while also fraternising way above his pay grade with all sorts of ramifications. 

Gerrish brings a light touch to Ladislav Sipos and is so good in support of comic set pieces such as the visit to the Cafe Imperiale where Georg goes to meet his pen pal for the first time. Speaking of that sequence, Robert Hoffman makes for a magnificent Head Waiter adding another potent singing voice while bringing the funny in spades. 

Mark Flower Photography

Robbie Burns adds an understated gravitas as Mr. Maraczek while Humich is all youthful eagerness as Arpad transforms into Mr. Lazslo. There's also an embarrassment of riches in the ensemble with Alan O'Neill, Jess Clancy, Sophia Matthews, Lindsay McNab, Lynzie Bremner, Andrew Baker himself, and, in a delightful surprise, Cooper Williams jumped out of his chair in the orchestra to participate in the fun! This all comes together in perhaps my favourite moment which was like a movie montage - Twelve Days to Christmas where the cast becomes increasingly frenetic as festive season sales boom. 

Special mention to Sound Designer Michael Fletcher who I spoke to earlier in the year to better understand how critical his work is to shows such as this. Humich had mentioned in the tour how good he thought the acoustics at the venue were but I suspect a lot of skill and effort has gone into ensuring that the balance and clarity between the performers and the orchestra was so good. 

To finish, after rapturous applause at final bows, the Question and Answer session hosted by Jess Clancy was insightful. Two observations that were notable - the 'in concert' approach meant that the cast, many of whom have full time jobs, were able to do the show as they didn't have to spend so much time absorbing the text. Then Amy Fortnum, also a co-producer, spoke so passionately about what musical theatre could and should be and how she wanted to break down the fourth wall between audience and performer, hence the trip through the green room and the cast mingling with the audience before and during the show.  

This was an exceptional afternoon. If the final show hadn't already been sold out I would have been sorely tempted to buy a ticket and go right back in to watch it again. 

Western Sky Projects' ethos of supporting local talent for the benefit of performers and audience alike is genuine. Taking a risk as a not-for-profit production company on a Broadway classic that hasn't been performed in Perth in over fifty years at a venue that hasn't been in regular use for over forty is laudable to say the least. 

The fact that it ended up as a triumph is a testament to the vision, creativity, talent, and hard work of all involved. 

The Wedding Singer - Drew Anthony Creative (20 July 2024)

I confess, I didn't know what to expect with a musical adaptation of the Adam Sandler comedy from 1998. I vaguely remember the movie but didn't have time to revisit it before heading off to Planet Royale. What I do know is that Drew Anthony Creative is at the forefront of production companies becoming increasingly more sophisticated in their promotional materials on social media - video clips introducing each member of the cast (including the ensemble) or showcasing the venue; a slick souvenir program; with plenty of clips and stills from rehearsals. Then there's the pre-show entertainment - in this case, music videos from the eighties projected onto the rear wall of the stage. And yes, I knew the lyrics to every song! 

My confidence level was pretty high though because Anthony is building an impressive track record of quality musicals at the venue; there is a solid core of performers and creatives who are involved in each of these productions; plus the savvy addition of well-known and accomplished local performers such as Marian Byrne, Rachel Monamy, and Tyler Jacob Jones here. 

The show starts like it was shot out of a cannon with It's Your Wedding Day establishing the tone and introducing our main characters. It's a catchy song, the costumes and wigs are peak eighties fashion, and the choreography is an energetic blast. The rear projection sets each scene and there's always some razzle dazzle to the lighting though we'll get to the design a little later. 

I immediately feel at ease as Greg Jarema, mullet wig and all, makes for a likeable and charming lead as Robbie Hart. Even more so when Kate Sisley beautifully sings Someday as Julia Sullivan. Then I'm completely sold in their proper "meet-cute" moment where Julia helps Robbie tone down the amusingly darker lyrics to the love song he is writing for his fiancée, Linda (Awesome). Jarema and Sisley have great chemistry together and there is a tenderness in their interactions that is both refreshingly wholesome and eminently watchable. Their duet If I Told You in the second act is the highlight of the show for mine. 

Of course, things don't go so smoothly for Robbie as he's left jilted at the altar of his own wedding by Linda (Charlize Gosnell). Gosnell makes an impression with a scene in each act where she brings the sass and powerhouse vocals in A Note From Linda and Let Me Come Home. Alas, Linda, you had your chance. Robbie spirals into spiteful self-loathing (Somebody Kill Me) before Jarema embraces the Sandler of it all as Robbie sabotages a wedding he's singing at before launching into Act One highlight Casualty of Love, a big, bombastic rock number where the company cuts loose in a strikingly choreographed sequence. 

Another highlight is the inventively staged Come Out of the Dumpster, again, wonderfully sung by Sisley as Julia tries to console Robbie. It's so good I wish there had been space left to entice the audience to applaud before the action continued. The show meanders a little after that as some plot machinations kick in before rallying with a strong close to the first half with Saturday Night In The City. 

The second act kicks off in style with the villain of the piece, uber 80s capitalist Glen Gulia (Tyler Jacob Jones), extolling the virtues of cold hard cash in All About the Green. Jacobs is such a consummate performer that the slow unravelling of Glen as Robbie increasingly threatens to steal Julia away from him is a delight. 

In a performance that also caught the eye, Lucy Goodrick is excellent as Julia's cousin, Holly. Goodrick exudes confidence as the more worldly Holly and has great stage presence in numbers such as Right In Front Of Your Eyes. Robbie and his bandmates - Sammy (Marshall Brown) and George (Noah Skape) plus the male ensemble have their moment to shine with Single. The songs may all be originals but are infused with that unmistakeable 80s style. George's Prayer, for example, sounds so much like Spandau Ballet's True but is a nice vocal moment for the Boy George-styled Skape. 

As we careen towards the inevitable Hollywood ending by way of Las Vegas we are treated to Marian Byrne's rap stylings as Rosie in Move That Thang and the incongruous guest appearances of fake Tina Turner, fake Billy Idol, and fake Olivia Newton-John amongst others. This is one of the strengths of Anthony's approach - the ensemble is full of performers such as Ethan Churchill who have been leads in his other shows. So hats off to Churchill, Zak Rolton, Will Basson, Izzi Green, Efa Mackenzie, Erin Barry, and Christopher Tierney who dance up a storm, add vocal punch and colour. And of course, Rachel Monamy as Julia's mum Angie who commands the stage in her couple of appearances.

The sound design is impeccable with the balance between backing tracks and vocals perfect. The one thing I wasn't as fond of was the lighting design - it's a big stage but the show felt oddly dark with performers either dimly lit or in shadows/silhouetted unless directly under a spotlight. The rear projections also weren't as expansive as they were in Saturday Night Fever for comparison.

That being said, the strength of this production is the connection between the two leads, both vocally and in the sweetness of their interactions. It's an unexpected pleasure amongst the broad comedy. 

Directed by Drew Anthony, Choreography by Suzi & Jamie Rolton, Costume Build Annette Stivaletta, Wigs Design Deanna Nishi, Lighting Design Anthony & Richard Timms, and Audio Design Jordan Gibbs, The Wedding Singer is on at the Planet Royale in Northbridge until 4 August.

The Deep Blue Sea - Melville Theatre Company (19 July 2024)

Financial security and status versus impulsiveness and passion. One a secret, both seductive in their own ways. The rock and the deep blue sea Hester Collyer (Anna Head) finds herself caught between in Terence Rattigan's play set in post World War Two Britain. It's all too much for such a sensory woman as Hester who attempts a desperate solution to end her woes. 

It's an arresting opening to a complex and nuanced character study. Hester's tragic plan is only a shilling's worth away from succeeding. She is found unconscious in her flat by the landlady and neighbours who enlist the service of an alleged doctor and call Hester's estranged husband, Sir William Collyer (Neale Paterson) who is an eminent judge. Over the course of that day we meet Hester's lover, Freddie Page (Steven Hounsome), a former RAF pilot who struggles with his own demons by way of the bottle. We begin to understand the nature of Hester's trauma in her interactions with Freddie, Sir William, and various other characters who periodically check in on her, rightfully concerned. 

As an audience we watch in growing fascination and anxiety about where this may all end. Our deepest fears seem justified in one chilling sequence before salvation arrives from the most unlikeliest of sources. We collectively breathe a sigh of relief. It is a rollercoaster of emotions for both the characters and the viewer.

It is a handsomely staged production. Director Barry Park has wisely moved the raked seating closer to the stage which puts us right in the swirl of this most intimate of dramas. The set is beautifully lit and appointed; the costuming is excellent in representing the status and emotional hue of each character; and the original music and sound design adds tension in moments of unease. The repeated use of the song I Only Have Eyes For You takes on subtly different meanings as the story unfolds.   

All this is in service to the performances which are excellent across the board. What struck me most though was the range of those performances. The neighbours, Ann and Phillip Welch, are earnestly portrayed by Sacha Emeljanow and Rhys Lander. They seem genuine in their concern for Hester and the ramifications if the police were to be involved. Lander has a lovely sequence in the second half where that earnestness works against his character truly empathising with Hester. Head delivers Hester's barely contained sarcasm in response in withering fashion. Indeed, there are many great putdowns throughout the script. But, crucially, they are uttered casually without adding unnecessary and showy spice.

Rose McKenna and Zane Alexander add sly humour to their characters, the landlady Mrs Elton and the somewhat mysterious Mr Miller. The comic touches are a nice counterpoint and occasional respite to the drama. In McKenna's case it also disguises, or at least makes entertaining, the imparting of critical tidbits that help move the plot along. It's an amusing portrayal of a woman who can't help but reveal the sort of secrets a landlady would accrue over a lifetime of dealing with all kinds of tenants. 

Alexander crafts a most interesting arc for the enigmatic Mr Miller who is almost a bit player to begin with but blossoms into something far more compelling as his background is slowly revealed. With a clipped German accent and curt speaking style, Alexander mines a lovely seam of incidental humour before becoming a true voice of empathy in a beautifully staged sequence. It's my favourite recent performance of his. 

Alex Comstock as Jackie Jackson felt a little young for Freddie's knockabout, former RAF buddy but acquits himself well. Hounsome, as Freddie though, gives another layered performance that was a little trickier to pin down. Freddie could be construed as a cad - and there's no doubt Hounsome gives the former pilot a theatrical bent verging on narcissism at times - but there's far more at work here. His hinted at alcoholism hides fears that he is past it - as a test pilot and maybe as someone who can continue satisfying Hester's yearnings and needs. It's a nicely judged performance.

In contrast, Neale Paterson's Sir William Collyer is a representation of reason versus Freddie's theatrics and Hester's emotional tumult. Superbly attired as befitting a man of Collyer's status, Paterson is all stillness and formality. You sense that Sir William does indeed love his wife and wants her back but has no way of understanding or connecting to her emotional and physical needs. Paterson gives the judge a slightly exasperated air of someone who can't understand why money, status, and the platitudes of love aren't enough.

Then there's Anna Head as Hester. What a character. What a performance. Full of layers, complexity, and contradictions. Head plays her at times as bursting with emotion verging on the melodramatic and, at others, as repressing her true feelings whilst putting on a brace face. She can be restless onstage, prowling around or fussing about with folding clothes or polishing shoes; or still and measured when considering her next steps, some of them awful. A vast range of emotions flicker across her face as Head lets us into Hester's inner turmoil. Park knows the calibre of performer he has as his lead and lets dramatic beats linger, fully trusting Head such as in the closing moments. We sit with Hester and watch, rapt, as the play masterfully concludes. 

Barry Park continues to tackle complex plays such as The Deep Blue Sea with great precision and empathy. Several of the coterie of actors he regularly works with feature here - Head, Hounsome, Alexander & Comstock. He also enlists the services of top notch designers and crew such as Costumier Merri Ford, Lighting and Set Designer Mark Nicholson, Music Composer Myles Wright, and Sound Operator Charlie Montgomery. This is a well performed, nuanced character study that is handsomely presented and beautifully executed. Well worth a look.

The Deep Blue Sea is on at The Main Hall of the Melville Civic Centre until 3 August.  

Photos by Grant Malcolm.

Top Girls - GRADS Theatre Company (6 July 2024)

A good story, well told. It's what I hope for every time I go to a theatre production. Make me laugh, make me cry, make me think, make me feel. Most times a tale washes over you as you sit there and simply enjoy the storytelling. Sometimes you have to work for it. Top Girls by Caryl Churchill falls into the latter camp. The rewards for your patience, your curiosity, your attention are immense. This is a famous play with an iconic opening scene. It's complex, endlessly fascinating, boldly structured, and thematically dense. There's a moment where it all clicked into place for me which was sublime. But we'll get to that later. For now I want to track my reactions as the play unfurls and slowly reveals its secrets...

We begin with Marlene (Solonje Burns) literally 'running up that hill' as she climbs and reclimbs a set of stairs, giddy at the news of her promotion at an employment agency. She celebrates at a restaurant that is beautifully presented with Chinese lanterns overhead, patterned flats, a curved booth, and table. Her friends arrive but they're no ordinary people - they have been conjured from history and fiction in a striking and eclectic mix of women. Here's where the work for the audience begins on multiple fronts - I was familiar with Pope Joan (thanks, Rest Is History podcast) but not overly with Isabella Bird, Lady Nijo, Dull Gret, and Griselda. We glean information as they reveal who they are and interact but this is complicated by extensive use of overlapping dialogue. Costuming helps us place these women in time but it's not until fairly late in the scene when we are specifically told they are centuries apart. Common strands begin to emerge in their conversations - the significance of childbirth, ownership, sacrifice, and navigating the whims of men in their respective times. 

Photo by Grant Malcolm

It's a boisterous scene as Marlene becomes increasingly drunk and it's all pitched as a girls night out with Director Virginia Moore Price clearly encouraging the cast to play. I loved the physicality as Burns clambers over the booth, stands on the table, and is all grand gestures as are her guests. Suzannah Churchman is bold as Isabella Bird; Sarah Plummer crawls over the stage in a startling papal birthing moment; while Jenny Howard's Dull Gret bursts into life at the end of the scene. Lady Nijo (Kelly Cleary) is more elegant and beholden to her 9th century male overlords and Emilia Lawonski's Griselda, the latecomer to the party, exhibits a brittleness that will become important later. The set is a mess by the end of it as bowls and other props fly everywhere, most amusingly as the cast stomp along to Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights and Howard unintentionally sends a bowl scooting into the wings with the force and accuracy of Cortnee Vine's penalty kick that propelled the Matildas into the World Cup semi-finals.

As I puzzle over what it all means it hits me that Marlene has summoned these women from her imagination which means she's actually celebrating alone. This is a significant realisation for later. 

We are then thrust into a scene set in a backyard where a girl, Angie (Lawonski), hides from her mother, Joyce, with a friend. Unfortunately this is under a set of stairs temporarily located at the foot of the stage so my view was obstructed from the 8th row. It takes a dark turn as Angie confronts Churchman's Joyce with no small amount of tension as the threat of violence hangs in the air. What a way to go into intermission!

Sadly, we lost a fair view audience members after the break. All I can say is, yes, the opening half may have seemed obtuse and challenging but you missed out on a superlative second half.

Which opens with a set design that will give me nightmares for weeks! Having worked in offices for the better part of 30 years the use of eight, overhead fluorescent lights was genius. The only thing that could have traumatised me more was if one of them were flickering (there's always one!). This sequence in the Top Girls Employment Agency plays out as a sly satire about the modern workplace circa 1982 from a woman's perspective. Significant aspects include - the employees exhibiting male traits and perpetuating male stereotypes as a way to get ahead; Marlene all cock-a-hoop as she is about to become the top girl; and a visit from her niece, Angie, who clearly idolises her. There's also a cleverly written and delivered inversion where Win (Georgina Teakle) after being bored by the details of a candidate's resume ends up blurting out her life story to another candidate. Another fascinating moment is when the wife of the man Marlene will replace, Mrs Kidd (Howard), basically asks Marlene to step aside because her husband won't be able to cope, being a man and all! 

Then we get to the true showstopper - the final scene. It's set one year earlier where Marlene has travelled to visit her sister Joyce at the behest of her niece Angie. Set in Joyce's kitchen as the two sisters sit across from each other under an old style light fixture. Marlene has brought presents which excites Angie no end including a significant call back to an earlier scene. Then the sisters get down to business. They bicker back and forth and it's clear they have made vastly different choices which have led to this moment. A secret, that until this point has been well concealed, is revealed. 

That's when one of those rare theatrical treats you crave kicks in. It was like I had been staring at a slightly blurred photograph when suddenly it snaps into focus. Everything made sense after that revelation. This scene is a microcosm of the dreamlike opening. Of course the dialogue was overlapping - sisters having this sort of fraught conversation don't politely wait for each other to finish their lines. Of course Marlene was getting increasingly drunk. And of course the stories those historical and fictional women were telling related directly to this moment in devastating fashion. It is brilliantly written and brilliantly performed by Burns and Churchman. Where Virginia Moore Price had let the cast run riot in the opening here she embraces stillness especially as we close on Burns as the lights dim; Marlene broken down and vulnerable in direct counterpoint to her sly bitchiness and confidence in the preceding scene. It's a sublime ending.

Solonje Burns is superb throughout. Suzannah Churchman matches her in that exquisite final scene. Emilia Lawonski makes an impressive community theatre debut as Angie in a very physical performance as the awkward teen. The cast as a whole are terrific - Jenny Howard, Sarah Plummer, Vicky Williams, Georgina Teakle, Giordana Marra, Kelly Cleary, and Amanda Langton. 

As is the creative team Virginia Moore Price has put together including Merri Ford's costume design, choreographer Amanda Watson, and props & stage art work by Kresna, while Price also did set, lighting and sound design. 

You hope going in to get a good story, well told. Sometimes you get a great story, exceptionally well told. 

Top Girls is on at the Stirling Theatre until July 20 and is a must see. 

Frozen Jr. - The Production Academy (5 July 2024)

One of the most recognisable songs from Frozen is Do You Want To Build A Snowman (it's an an ear worm I've been singing in my head ever since the show finished) and in a lovely early scene Young Anna (Lucia Sodano) and Young Elsa (Anna Secker) do just that with toys and magic because, hey, who wants to sleep when you can make Olaf? It's an important moment in a couple of ways - it sets the tone for the thoroughly charming and entertaining 65 minute production but also this: do you want to build a viable pathway to train talented youngsters in the music theatre space? 

Okay, maybe not as pithy as the song title. However, when I look at the professional creatives who've brought this show to life such as producer Christie Blizzard, director Dixie Farinosi, and costumer designer Nicole Jenkins; the impressive production values; and the roster of young performers onstage you get the sense of a true springboard for our potential future stars. This is reinforced by what amounts to a mission statement in the (very polished) souvenir programme about assembling the strongest Creative Team and ensuring the Company has access to the best training available. In this sense the show is a roaring success. 

It also hits the mark with its key audience demographic - children, of which there were many in attendance - who know the story, all the songs, and the cast of memorable characters. "What should we call him?" was met with an immediate chorus of "Olaf!" at the end of that scene. I witnessed a young girl stand and turn in utter fascination as she watched Hans (Lachlan Stevens) and several of the ensemble ascend the aisle in search of Elsa. In the finale, as the whole company filled the aisles on either side, two even younger girls high-fived Bronte McLennan (Anna) with such glee as their dad beamed. Anneka McLennan's rendition of  the iconic Let It Go was greeted with rapturous applause as were the cast at final bows. 

The show looks fabulous with bright and vibrant lighting design by Richard Timms which was perhaps best showed off during In Summer with the juxtaposition of cold and warm colours as snowbound Olaf dreams of warmer climes. The lighting is also cleverly woven into the crisply projected images on the rear of the stage that depict all the various locations. The costuming by Jenkins invokes the well known appearance of the characters from the movie and there are a couple of magical costume reveals for both Anna and Elsa at different stages. The design for Olaf is a delight as is the representation of Sven the reindeer. 

Sound designer Mason Vellios and vocal director Veronika Panzic have created a well balanced soundscape though occasionally the exuberance of the singing overshadows the backing track which is unusual but a sign of the enthusiasm of the principal cast. Farinosi and choreographer Kenisha Yam make very good use of the large ensemble and performance space with Hygge being a notable, feel good highlight. There are also some very clever transitions as Young Elsa & Anna become Middle Anna (Lilia Sodano) and Middle Elsa (Macy Daley); and when Anna, Kristoff (Walter Gittens) and co are cast off the mountain. You can see and feel the attention to detail that has gone into staging the production across all disciplines. There's even some extra razzle dazzle with a barrage of unexpected pyrotechnics as a well earned, visual exclamation mark. 

I was impressed with the performances across the board but the ones to especially catch the eye were Olivia James who displayed terrific comedic chops as Olaf; an expressive Bronte McLennan as Anna; her twin sister Anneka McLennan who is far more stoic by comparison as Elsa; Walter Gittens exuded a relaxed stage presence as Kristoff that was oddly compelling; and Addison Blizzard who ramped up the energy as Oaken. Lachlan Stevens gets to play a nice character reveal while Milla Sweeney amused with a fussy portrayal of Weselton. 

A well-staged production that looked and sounded fabulous with a young cast of varying ages that promises bright things for the future. 

Photos by Stephen Heath Photography