Pinocchio: A Traditional Christmas Pantomime - Zealous Productions (13 December 2024)

Silliness is hard work. And make no mistake, Pinocchio is gloriously silly in all the right ways. This level of silliness also takes an inordinate amount of talent, on and off the stage. I rarely mention producers in my reviews, however, Dixie Farinosi continues to make such smart decisions as she builds a distinctive brand that embraces excellence and sheer entertainment value.

First and foremost, the array of talent onstage is exceptional. It would be easy to dismiss this as “just a panto” but when you have luminaries in Brendan Hanson, Elethea Sartorelli, Lauchlan Edward Bain, and Vincent Hooper treading the boards with exciting new talent such as Emily Lambert and two recent - as in last month - WAAPA graduates in Ellen Ebbs (playing the titular role) and Ben Goldsbrough, you're showcasing the quality and depth of talent in Perth. Farinosi herself even manages to find time to play a character on the boo-hiss side of the ledger. Throw in a Dame played with considerable panache by Matt Dyktynski and an ensemble full of lead performers in their own right and you have a killer lineup. 

The names in the creative team are equally impressive with most having worked with Zealous Productions before. You sense this is a tight-knit group at the top of their game, all working towards a common goal with expertise and passion. We'll come to the individuals later; suffice to say that the show looks and sounds fantastic.

Now, there's no doubt there is a recognisable formula at work with these big pantomimes. The call and response; the establishment of an item - a string of sausages here - that the audience must guard with vocal admonishment of any who dare approach; the aforementioned Dame who will invariably single out someone from the audience for special attention (you lucky boy, Chris!); the machine gun delivery of bad puns; local references designed to provoke a parochial response; clearly defined "goodies" to cheer and "baddies" to boo; with a track list of recognisable classics that the audience can sing and dance along to. 

What strikes me on opening night though is that the wildcard that makes the formula work so effectively is the audience itself. Especially one full of young children who are so honest and uncensored with their reactions. The unfettered energy the audience emits is embraced by such a talented cast and there is a strange alchemy that comes into play that's a delight to watch and be a part of. 

The story itself has been transposed to 1970s Fremantle with our own "pleasure island", Rottnest, featuring in the second act. All the familiar elements are there - the kindly Geppetto; his puppet creation who wants to be a real boy; the Blue Fairy who partially grants Pinocchio his wish; the boy who leads Pinocchio astray in Lampwick; and, of course, everyone's favourite conscience in insect form, Jiminy Cricket. Oh, and a whale.

Everything is bright and bold starting with Katie Williams' costume design which has fun with a peak disco vibe for the ensemble; plenty of seventies flourishes especially for Lampwick; the Italian themed drag outfit for the Dame, Mamma Mia; and the fantastical elements that bring the more fanciful characters to life. One of those is Emily Lambert who looks divine as the Blue Fairy (cheer!) and kicks us off in style with a commanding presence and beautiful singing voice. Aiding the distinctive character stylings are an impressive set of wigs by Manuao TeAtonga and there's a lot of hat work going on including a cunning disguise that would fool even Clark Kent. 

The lighting design (Matthew Erren) is bold and vibrant to enhance the essential fairy tale nature of proceedings with terrific projections throughout to establish the various locations. Shenae White's choreography is playful with its own disco inspired energy while also faithfully recreating the classics in numbers such as The Time Warp and YMCA. 

While closing song Blame It On The Boogie may encapsulate the seventies theme; it's the music of Queen that buttresses some major plot points - A Kind Of Magic for Pinocchio's transformation with Another One Bites The Dust being the signature tune for our leading villain (boo!) Stromboli played with strutting insouciance by Lauchlan Edward Bain who revels in the audience's mock disdain. Bain has a powerhouse voice and a sneering presence that is electrifying. 

Stromboli's accomplices are a stylish Dixie Farinosi as Signora Volpe (boo!) and Vincent Hooper's Signore Gatto (hiss!) who looks and behaves like a reject from a Cats casting call... and I'm talking the movie here, not the musical. It's a wonderfully over-the-top, cat-astrophe of a performance. Oh look, I can do bad puns too! Oh no you can't! Oh yes I -- sorry. Where were we?

On the positive side of the ledger, Elethea Sartorelli (yay!) is an absolute delight as she prances around the stage as Jiminy Cricket. Sartorelli's onstage charisma is always a formidable asset but it's that glorious voice when she belts out Jiminy's theme song New York, New York that seals the deal. Brendan Hanson as Gepetto (nawww!) felt a tad under-utilised in the first act but seeing he's also the director he only has himself to blame! However, he too has such a warm stage presence that when Geppetto's big moment comes he has a whale of a time (okay, I'll stop now) as he builds into a show stopping moment with All By Myself. Matt Dyktynski thrives as the requisite Dame and has no fear of being the butt of the joke while dishing out plenty of sass himself.  

Which brings us to Ellen Ebbs as Pinocchio (cheers!) and Ben Goldsbrough as Lampwick (more cheers!). Both have had a stellar year in a stellar graduating class at WAAPA. Goldsbrough is terrific as the comic foil quickly winning audience empathy with his deliberately bad puns and dubious pizza making skills. It's such an assured performance for his first professional gig. That's before we get to his singing which is divine and probably caught most unawares given the heavy lifting he was doing with so much broadly accented schtick.  

Ellen Ebbs has more than a touch of star quality. She lends her Pinocchio a fundamental sense of decency with the character being easily led astray because of it. Ebbs has a magnificent singing voice and, if anything, the production didn't make enough of that talent. I was waiting for her to cut loose on a big number, however, the tap sequence leading into a very slick Bye Bye Bye is when you could feel the production change gears and showcase Ebbs' undeniable ability. I was also delighted when the cast cleared out leaving Ebbs and Goldsbrough onstage together to lead the traditional Christmas song. It was a lovely touch. 

Other highlights: Tate Bennett wandering out, guitar in hand, to sing the Gilligan's Island theme song was so oddly bizarre that I couldn't stop laughing. The flubs - and there were a few - from corpsing to a hilariously slow pickup on a spotlight to a performer stepping on a cue and literally resetting a scene - simply added to the fun because there was so much goodwill between company and audience.

Musical director Joshua James Webb leads the regular band of Alex Barker (Drums), Tommi Flamenco (Bass guitar) and Jarrad Van Dort (Lead Guitar) and when you're referencing Queen there are some tasty guitar licks indeed. I mean, the depth on the bench is so ridiculously good that Jackson Harper Griggs and Allen Blachford are named as Associate MD and Associate Director!

This is another hit for Zealous Productions. It's enormous fun fuelled by enormous talent and hard work. The kids will love it and there is more than enough broad humour and innuendo to keep the adults grinning. Plus, who doesn't like to shout at actors and have a little boogie in their seat? 

Pinocchio is on at the Regal Theatre in Subiaco all the way up until Christmas Eve. 

The Drowsy Chaperone - Stirling Players (23 November 2024)

At one point deep into The Drowsy Chaperone, Man in Chair opines that musical theatre is the antidote to all that may be troubling you in the real world, if only temporarily. In this he is absolutely correct and this show is Exhibit A. Like our fourth wall breaking narrator, I was feeling a little blue going in. Throughout, I laughed as hard as I have in some time and came out feeling rejuvenated and back to my old self.

This is the second time I've seen a production of Drowsy after WAAPA's exceptional 2016 effort. It's fair to say it's one of my favourite musicals and director Kimberley Shaw and the Stirling Players have done it justice in a breezy and very funny incarnation. It's a bright and witty confection of a musical that is a real treat because of how joyously meta and over-the-top it is.

The tone is immediately established by Ben Clarke as Man in Chair in a fabulous performance. I hadn't come across Clarke before so the suggestion in the lobby beforehand about his version being a little different had me intrigued. That unique 'take' is initially masked as the show opens with him situated stage right in darkness, unsurprisingly to those paying attention... in an armchair. His opening salvo as he addresses the audience is wonderfully cheeky as he wonders if the show will be too long, if there will be - gasp - audience interaction, and if they're ever going to turn the lights on. The audience laughs because these are things we all wonder when we take our seats for any show.

When the lights do come up I quickly understand how this Man in Chair is indeed a little different. Clarke has learnt all his lines after they were translated into braille. There's a hint of improvisation, later confirmed by the director, however it's such an engaging turn that it matters nary a jot. He has us in the palm of his hands as the character provides a running commentary on the show within a show. 

The conceit is that Man in Chair is listening to his favourite 1928 musical on a record player and by doing so magically summons the characters to life on stage. There are all sorts of clever shenanigans that disrupt or halt the show including his need to offer facts about each fictional actor playing each fictional part; his favourite songs and the ones that don't quite work; and how musicals function in general. It's smart writing drolly executed which is irresistible to music theatre lovers. 

The story itself is about the impending marriage of Robert Martin (Max Leunig) to star of the stage Janet Van De Graaf (Danielle Battista) and all those who have a vested interest in that marriage not going ahead including Broadway producer Mr Feldzieg (Ben Mullings) who doesn't want to lose his star attraction. There are a couple of gangsters disguised as pastry chefs (Emily Botje and Lukas Perez) who heavy Feldzieg; the absent-minded hostess Mrs Tottendale (Megan Kelly) and her Underling (Benn Austin); Robert's Best Man, George (Oliver Temby); and Kitty (Ciara Malone), a scatter-brained ingenue with her sights set on replacing Janet. 

Then there's the most unlikely of pairings in self-proclaimed Latin lover, Aldolpho (Christian Dichiera) and the Drowsy Chaperone herself played by Sonni Byrne who is far more interested in a tipple or three than shepherding Janet away from her betrothed on their special day. It's a musical so of course the marriage goes ahead... and the other marriage... and the other one... oh, and there's one more for good measure. Conducted by the most unlikely of 'ministers' in Trix, the Aviatrix (Tashlin Church). 

The performances are excellent in terms of comic timing, a willingness to play big when called for (often), fun choreography by Jordon D'Arcy executed with flair, and some real chutzpah to the vocals. Battista grows in stature as the story unfolds and makes for a vibrant and emotionally fraught Janet with Show Off an early highlight and Bride's Lament an unhinged fantasy sequence that is likely to haunt my waking nightmares for some time! I'm a sucker for a tap dance routine so Cold Feets led by Leunig and Temby is another highlight. In fact the whole musical is constructed as one marvellous set piece after the other with the linking narration by Man in Chair.  

Botje and Perez get to play shtick whilst delivering groanworthy pastry puns and a Toledo Surprise. Mullings and Malone form a screwball partnership with the latter bouncing all over the place with ditzy energy. Byrne and Dichiera are another combination that comes to life with gusto while Austin plays the straight man to Kelly's antics including the spit take sequence which is hilariously magnified by the height disparity between them.

Suitably, it's all presented as a brightly lit, fabulously costumed fairy tale that uses the full depth of the Stirling Theatre stage - Lighting Design by John Woolrych, Set Design by Wayne Herring with Costumes by Lyn Hutcheon. The 15 piece Orchestra under Musical Director Isabella Bourgault play the wonderful score with style off in a side room. They initially overwhelmed the start of the opening narration but Sound Operator Kieran Ridgway quickly adjusted the balance and it was spot on after that. 

This is a gloriously fun show. Music theatre lovers will adore it but it's easily accessible to anyone who loves witty writing, larger than life performances, and a joyous vibe. The Drowsy Chaperone is on at the Stirling Theatre until 7 December. 

The Sound of Music - Melville Theatre Company (17 November 2024)

The success of any production of the beloved The Sound of Music is always going to hinge on the performance of Maria. In Hannah Charlotte the Melville Theatre Company has found its star who sings the iconic songs beautifully, sets the tone and leads the large company with style, and works seamlessly with the seven Von Trapp children, another barometer of success. Perhaps not quite as successful in depicting the romance with the Captain, it's an impressive performance nonetheless. 

There is real charm to the production, driven by Charlotte's portrayal and some lovely turns by the children; notably Quinn Dally as a disarmingly forthright Brigitta, and 9-year-old Halle McDonald who is utterly adorable as Gretl. 

Nigel Goodwin is suitably stiff and uptight in the early going as Captain Von Trapp before the character softens on recognising the impact Maria is having on his children. The transition to falling for her isn't quite there but we get swept up in the romance as the storm clouds of an encroaching Nazi Germany gather. 

In this it's a musical very much in two halves. The last time I'd seen the stage production was in Melbourne back in 2016 where, I confess, to being totally smitten with Amy Lehpamer as Maria. I'd forgotten though how many classic Rodgers & Hammerstein songs there are in Act One. It's a cavalcade of music theatre standouts - the title song, How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, My Favourite Things, Do-Re-Mi, Lonely Goatherd, and Climb Every Mountain. It also strikes me, after recently seeing a modern musical which is relentlessly paced, how stately this is. It takes its time as it unfolds memorable song after memorable song with the story interspersed throughout. You sit back and savour the result. 

The second act, for me, isn't as successful because it gets a little bogged down in plot mechanics as politics and the subsequent threat to the Von Trapp family grows. Musically, there are a lot of reprises to those first act tunes leaving Edelweiss as the most notable song. We'll get back to that later.

This is a huge community theatre production with 22 listed cast members along with 13 Nuns and 3 Postulants. The roles of Marta and Gretl, the two youngest children, have alternates. So a company of forty. This lends the show a sense of scale and provides vocal depth and, in the case of the show opening Preludium, great beauty with so many voices in harmony. 

Director Neroli Sweetman has extensively used the floor space in front of the stage and the central steps leading up to it, again to give a sense of scale and spectacle. Guests in the second act party scene are stationed on either side of the floor; Liesl (Escher Roe) and Rolf (David Bell) sing the sweet Sixteen Going on Seventeen in front of the stage, left; the foot of the stage and stairs are utilised for the impossibly cute So Long Farewell. We even had three Nazis sitting next to us in the front row for the Kaltzburg concert!

The stage itself is well appointed with sumptuous furniture and rear screen backdrops to depict the Von Trapp household and, of course, the hills. Indeed, there is as large a number of designers and crew to support the size of the show, including two people listed for Continuity which is hardly surprising given the logistics involved. Musical Director Nick Navarra has used a backing track for the music which is sometimes a little too overpowering as it swells in grandeur, however, it has allowed him to focus on the vocal performances which are, mostly, excellent with one curious exception. 

Costume Coordinator Michelle Sharp has handled the task of costuming so many performers in so many styles with aplomb. From the more austere habits of the nuns to the clever evolution of the children's clothes as Maria's influence takes hold, to the opulence of the guests, practicality of the servants, and the severe trim of the Germans. It truly is shocking to see a swastika armband which is entirely the point.  

Sound by Mack Chidlow is generally good, however, microphone pickup was occasionally slow, especially in the larger numbers. Then there's the situation I didn't quite understand - Goodwin's mic was fine for dialogue but was surprisingly underpowered for his vocals. His singing, therefore, came across as tentative. I wasn't sure if that was because of the volume disparity or the volume disparity was because his singing wasn't as strong as certainly Charlotte's though he fared better in harmonies. It unfortunately cruelled Edelweiss which should have been an emotionally resonant moment.  

Other performers to catch the eye - Eilish Marie Blackmore as an empathetic Mother Abbess who guides Maria back to the Von Trapps and handles the challenge of the first act closer well; Peter Shaw and Imogen Porter as Franz and Frau Schmidt respectively who quietly add a little levity to proceedings until the mood turns as the Anschluss is enacted; Esher Roe as the oldest child Liesl in a lovely portrayal that couldn't be more removed from a role she played earlier in the year; and Darren Goodison who flirts with being too preening as Max Detweiler yet made me laugh with his "flowers and a certificate" shtick towards the end. 

This is a well-presented production of a perennial classic. Fans of the movie will lap it up. There were people happily singing along all around me. The scenes and songs featuring Hannah Charlotte and the children are simply a delight. Shout out to Choreographer Matilda Jenkins and Sweetman for staging these moments with obvious affection. A charming time at the theatre. 

The Sound of Music is on at the Civic Centre Main Hall, Almondbury Road, Booragoon until 30 November.  

Cast photos by Curtain Call Creatives

Crimson Gully - The Great Indian Theatre Company (16 November 2024)

Crimson Gully is the tale of several generations of women who work in the brothel of a fictional suburban town in India during the nineties. It explores the differing circumstances of how they came to be in this situation and their reaction to it. For some it is a way of life that ensures lodging and food. For another, it is the only thing she has ever known, literally having been born into her mother's trade. Another is cruelly tricked by a fake marriage proposal and forced into sex work. It is suggested that for the most beautiful there is a certain level of celebrity attached. Others feel trapped by a cruel economic reality and social status they cannot escape. The one who has been tricked slowly comes to accept her fate after, understandably, wanting to escape.  

Then there are the men who circle around the women - the clients, the young man who offers salvation via a marriage proposal, the heartless criminal element who profit off the women's 'labour', the corrupt officials who ensure the status quo, and a politician who callously proposes the brothel be torn down to build a hospital as an election promise. A promise he has no intention of keeping. 

There is also the female activist who is trying to save these women - from infection and disease, from exploitation, and from themselves in some cases. 

There's a lot going on and that may be part of the issue but we'll get to that later. For now, here are the elements I liked...

This is only The Great Indian Theatre Company's second major production after last year's The Final Line. The creative force behind the company - Sreekanth Gopalakrishnan - appears committed to mounting at least one of these productions at scale every year. It's a laudable ambition for the fledgling company.

The Acknowledgement of Country was tastefully done as the representative of one storied culture recognised the indigenous storytellers of the land on which this specifically India-set tale was being told. 

Unique elements that bring colour and vibrancy to the local theatre scene, especially costuming, traditional music and dance. There is a cultural specificity here that I appreciate and is embraced by the target audience.

The lead performance of Nidhi Wilson as Muskaan, the Rekha who is famed for her beauty. Wilson brings a playful sense to a character who is vivacious and more than aware of her power to seduce and bedazzle. There is great potential in her arc with Mit Singh as the young man, Madan, who embodies idealised love and causes Muskaan to consider a life outside of the only world she's known. 

Karthika Nair is another performer who slowly worked her way into prominence as the prized beauty who is tricked into sexual servitude. It's an incredibly difficult role that, as written, moves from desperation and fear to grudging acceptance and, eventually, an offer to sacrifice her own chance at freedom to assist Muskaan achieve hers. 

The production goes to some incredibly dark places as it wends its way to a bloody, overwrought conclusion. 

But here is where we need to talk about ambition meeting ability. 

Gopalakrishnan's script is trying to give us a holistic view of a town in all its aspects in much the same way as David Simon did for Baltimore in The Wire. One of the all-time great shows by one of the greatest writers/showrunners ever; told over five seasons and tens of hours of sublime television. At this stage Gopalakrishnan doesn't have the runway or the writing chops. Story strands disappear for long periods or feel extraneous. Plot mechanics feel designed to force a pre-determined outcome rather than coming from credible character choices. I'm also not quite sure what the play is trying to say. It ultimately turns into a quasi-revenge tale but that isn't clear for the majority of the production.

The biggest weakness is that characters rarely speak as living, breathing human beings. The dialogue is overstuffed with exposition and declamatory statements where characters either talk at the audience or at each other, not with each other in genuine conversations. This means the pacing of scenes is deathly slow because there are none of the rhythms and cadences of everyday speech patterns. This is compounded by the acting, most noticeably with the male performers, where the declarative dialogue is often shouted - there is no nuance or modulation. There is also a lot of searching for and mimicking of heightened emotion which simply doesn't land for what the story needs to work. 

As a writer I know how incredibly difficult it is to write compelling dialogue and weave multi-stranded stories into a thematically cohesive whole. It's something you have to work on and I hope Gopalakrishnan continues to do so. What may assist, as the company moves forward, is having someone else direct so there is a creative collaboration to interrogate and rework the script to bring out the best in characters, staging and performance. It would also help to focus on one or two story strands only at this stage and build towards these more epic productions which are fiendishly difficult for even the most talented of writers. 

I do not say these things to dishearten but rather to encourage. Both Crimson Gully and The Final Line contain compelling stories within those scripts told from a unique perspective. Stripped back, reshaped, and reconceptualised they have the potential to be powerful works. 

Cast photos by Albert Antony Roy

Come From Away - Koorliny Arts Centre (15 November 2024)

Where were you when...? 

The question that is asked when something of global significance has happened, usually catastrophic. The terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 - 9/11 - changed the world forever. It led to three wars - Afghanistan, Iraq, and the so-called 'War on Terror'; ushered in mass surveillance of citizens under the Patriot Act with far-reaching implications beyond the US as Edward Snowden's revelations revealed; dramatically changed air travel protocols; with certain political elements using it to ratchet up anti-Muslim sentiment and the 'othering' of so many innocent people that continues to this day.

It was a Tuesday night in Perth when those planes hit the World Trade Center. They cut into an episode of The West Wing no less to report on the developing story. The images were, and remain, unspeakably shocking. 

Imagine if the answer to "Where were you when...?" was sitting in a plane diverted to Canada as the FAA shut down US airspace. Or, a resident of the town of Gander in Newfoundland where that plane and 37 others were incoming with some 7000 passengers. This is the true life premise for Come From Away. 

Why this is so compelling is that amongst the swirl of massive geopolitical implications that would define the beginning of a new century, a quintessentially human story is told. A story about compassion and empathy; about fear and uncertainty; about grace under pressure; about finding humour and connection even in the darkest of circumstances. It is in many ways a joyous story which has, by necessity, an underlying sadness. These are ordinary people - from around the world - caught up in an extraordinary moment.

Enough of the preamble as I'm burying the lede. Koorliny won the rights to stage the Western Australian amateur premiere and it's clear they know how special this property is. The attention to detail and execution on opening night is exceptional. I had not seen Come From Away before but knew something memorable was brewing after thunderous applause by a capacity audience greeted the end of opening number Welcome To The Rock. 

From there the production moves at a relentless pace. Yes, a fire alarm caused a brief show stop. By then the cast, musicians, and all involved had built up such good will that it didn't dampen the audience's enthusiasm at all. Well done to co-director Katherine Freind for clearly explaining what had happened to put everyone at ease. Then we were off again on a rollercoaster of emotions which culminated in a spontaneous standing ovation at final bows and raucous appreciation of the band as they played us out. I've not seen a surge of genuine affection like that in a long, long time. 

Thing is, they deserved it and then some. 

Let's start with the band. The band! They played the hell out of the infectious score that had me toe-tapping along happily. Take a bow Musical Director Kate McIntosh (Keyboard) and musicians Ben Clapton (Fiddle), Talitha Broughton (Whistles & Flute), Emily Ranford (Guitar), Christian Ingram (Bass Guitar), Nikki Gray (Drums & Percussion), and Dylan Randall (Ugly Stick). The music informs and enhances so much of the emotion and humour, played with such spirit. I loved that Clapton, Ranford and Randall were onstage during certain numbers adding a sense of community and vitality. 

All the production and design elements. The rustic set design (Stephen Carr) that captured the unusual and remote feel of Gander. The lighting design (Kat Brieden) that focussed my attention and highlighted characters and moments with clarity, so important with such a frantic pace. The sound design (Jonathan Hoey) that allowed that score and vocals to shine while letting scenes of high emotion breathe. The choreography by co-director Allen Blachford using diverse configurations of wooden chairs to depict everything from planes to buses to the interior of various town settings. An elaborate dance that was precise and playful when it needed to be. Costume consultant Melissa Kelly not only having to distinguish between locals and 'plane people' but plotting the hand-off of costume elements with the cast playing multiple characters. Prop designer Rebecca Foottit adding quirkiness as well as all the practical elements as the townsfolk realise the scope of what needs to be done. A cohesive team effort that created an awesome space for the cast to perform.

And perform they did. The cast of twelve hit the ground running and don't let up. There is an enthusiasm that is palpable from the opener and a respect for the stories based on real people. Strands and pairings slowly emerge along with featured roles. This is only a snippet of all the characters the cast bring vividly to life - Diane (Gillian Binks) and Nick (Colan Leach) starting a tentative yet sweet relationship; Beulah (Lucy Eyre) and Hannah (Mahali) forming a bond over their firefighter sons; Kevin (Tadhg Lawrence) and Kevin (Bailey Bridgman-Peters) whose relationship is buffeted by different reactions to their predicament. Maree Cole's Bonnie who's concerned with the welfare of the animals that were on those planes; Neil Young as the Mayor powering through to do what must be done; Phoebe Tempra's Janice as the novice reporter overwhelmed by the magnitude of what's happened; Rea Selepe's Bob who is initially more worried about being in 'redneck' territory; and Jason Nettle as Oz, a police constable on the island. Shannon Payette Seip is the trailblazing airline pilot Beverley Bass. They are all excellent - acting-wise and vocally while working seamlessly together as a company.  

Highlights are everywhere from the opening number to Mahali's superb rendition of I Am Here to Prayer led by Lawrence; Payette Seip's Me and the Sky; Young leading us into Screech In and so on. 

Directors Katherine Freind and Allen Blachford have crafted a marvellous production in all facets. It's the best community theatre musical I've seen since 2015's A Man of No Importance. A must see.

Come From Away is on at the Koorliny Arts Centre in Kwinana until 30 November. 

Cast pictures by Outatime Pictures 

9 to 5: The Musical - Art In Motion Theatre Company (2 November 2024)

Who here among us hasn't dreamed of getting one over on their boss? Particularly if that boss is unfair, unscrupulous, inflexible, and demanding. Sure, those thoughts may only occasionally stray into, ahem, abduction, poisoning, and the odd, poorly aimed gunshot or two. But when you're a woman working for a "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot" who can blame you for indulging in such fantasies? Of course, the imagination can be far more potent than reality when it comes to delivering a suitable comeuppance to someone like odious employer Franklin Hart.

The musical is based on the 1980 comedy smash hit of the same name that propelled country singer Dolly Parton into movie stardom alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The title song became one of Parton's biggest hits and an ear worm I won't be able to shake for the next few days! I vaguely remember the movie and it's interesting watching this tale of office revenge unfold in musical form over forty years later. 

The production is well sung and well played but I admit I was struggling a little with the story itself which is pretty thin and follows a, by now, well trodden trajectory. What did grab my attention though were the imagined sequences which are far more theatrical than the familiar office politics. This is where the show shines as it frees itself from the straight jacket of representing an everyday work environment, even one beset with inequity and misogyny. When the show launches into its own "He had it coming..." sequence of The Dance of Death/Cowgirl's Revenge/Potion Notion the production hits its straps as the three leads bring the sass and vibrancy that the long office set-up had largely denied them. 

Timid new employee Judy (Stacey Gobey), high on pot, transforms into a film noir-style femme fatale, all glamour and gun toting bravado. Doralee (Jen Gadeke) who is the object of Hart's lust and victim of unsavoury office gossip, turns the southern belle into a formidable cowgirl; and Violet (Sarah McCabe), overlooked and underappreciated, morphs into a murderous Snow White who's brewing up a potion to off the biggest rat of all. 

Hart himself, played by Aaron Lucas, shrinks before their wrath as they imagine ways to end his tenure in terminal fashion. These startling character changes are supported by clever costume reveals; complete switch in lighting palette; and the ensemble playing up to the inherent absurdity of it all, most amusingly in the fairy tale setting. 

Other imagined scenes that pop - the one that sets the template as Lucas embraces the lecherous nature of Franklin Hart as he objectifies Doralee in Here For You which is both funny and repulsive at the same time; in some ways the reverse perspective as the obsequious assistant Roz (Mary Carter) pines for Hart in Heart to Hart; and Violet getting her Roxie moment early in the second act with One of the Boys. 

Gobey is excellent as Judy, giving the divorcee a real sense of vulnerability as she adjusts to new circumstances before breaking out of her shell culminating in the impassioned Get Out and Stay Out.

Gadeke brings the southern drawl, the swagger, big hair, and bigger voice in the role Parton made famous. It's an eye-catching performance with Backwoods Barbie an early highlight. 

McCabe's office-bound Violet is very straight-laced and almost underplayed so the change up for the imagined scenes is a welcome contrast. She has a tender moment with Joe (Liam Tickner) in the ballad Let Love Grow. 

The three leads complement each other vocally with numbers such as I Just Might and Shine Like The Sun while embracing the increasingly screwball nature of the revenge arc. I also liked the variation in costumes to signpost their character traits with Gobey in dowdy outfits; Gadeke in figure hugging dresses; and McCabe in practical office attire.   

Lucas revels in the lewd nature of Hart before submitting meekly in the revenge fantasies including a fun costume choice that deflates Hart's ego in delicious fashion. This may be an odd thing to say for such a slimy character but his presence is missed for most of the second act. 

Carter impresses as Roz though the character, through today's eyes, is a little problematic in her fawning over a cad like Hart. Carter almost makes me feel sorry for her in 5 to 9 which is an achievement in itself. Tickner lends Joe a fundamental decency and there is a large ensemble that spice up the big dance numbers and provide comedic beats; notably Keri-Rose Baker as office lush Margaret, Terence Smith as the oblivious Dick, and Rp van der Westhuizen as salt-of-the-earth Dwayne. 

Musical directors Tara Oorjitham and Jasper Cruden marshal a 12 piece band who play the upbeat score with brassy flair. My initial concern about that size band situated in front of the stage with no pit was quickly alleviated as they accompany the mic'd up actors well. 

It's a busy set with lots of transitions but a large team of stagehands did so effectively and I liked the fold-out flats that were cleverly designed to present multiple configurations. Those and rear screen projections gave us a clear sense of place and, I must say, there was an impressive array of office props including a full-size office printer at one point.

Director Lys Tickner has drawn out some very strong performances here, however, I was far more engaged with the imagined sequences which are full of energy and creativity. The music is infectious and the songs are well performed. In the end our heroines triumph in toe-tapping fashion.    

9 to 5: The Musical is on at the Don Russell Performing Arts Centre until 10 November. 

Pipedream - Blue Room Theatre Presented with Brent Rollins & STRUT Dance (17 October 2024)

Water. An element that sponsors strong memories such as darting through sprinklers as a child on a hot summer's day or that unmistakable smell coming off baked tarmacadam at the first good downpour. The sensation of downing a glass of cold water to soothe a parched throat or luxuriating at the feel of it on your skin in a shower or pool or at the beach. Most times we take it for granted. Until it becomes scarce. Precious. Yearned for. A situation that has become far too prevalent for many in regional areas as drought grips the countryside. A crisis that grows ever more dire. 

This original, hourlong contemporary dance performance choreographed by Brent Rollins explores the impact of relentless drought on the people who must endure it. A country boy who grew up on a farm, Rollins brings lived in experience to vividly portray the moods such a predicament engenders. There are clearly defined sections like movements in a symphony that cover a gamut of emotions as the two performers - Sophie Sibbons and Natassija Morrow - dance, glide, and cavort across the main Blue Room stage. 

Now, I'm in no way qualified to talk about the technical aspects from a dance perspective. What I can discuss are all the elements used to present a compelling narrative that captured my attention, held it, and had me appreciating the beauty of the human body in motion in service of a coherent theme. 

That thematic intent begins before we even walk into the theatre proper. Each audience member is invited to dunk a small glass into a bucket of water and pour it into a funnel connected to a pipe. It's a simple act but one that is tactile and communal which sets up what is to come perfectly. 

There's a telling juxtaposition as we go from the flow of water in the foyer to the sound of sporadic dripping. The two performers are silent and still on the floor, next to empty buckets begging to be filled. A lattice work of white piping is suspended overhead. To one side of the stage is a clutch of pipes of varying length and width that appear like a rickety picket fence that cleverly opens to allow for the retrieval and storage of props. The floor is painted to represent the dirt of the land but with concentric circles which hint at the cycles involved. The set design by William Gammel has some other surprises, one of which involves a high level of trust between the performers and stage manager Jasmine Valentini; another depicting a brief respite before the cycle will begin again. 

The lighting design by Jolene Whibley is stunning in its representation of never-ending harsh sunlight or heat infused nights to the prospect of rain to the eventual storm that finally comes. It also bathes or shades the performers to enhance the evocative nature of their movement. The thought and execution of the lighting plot is matched by the soundscape and original score by composer Azariah Felton. Each section has a distinctive style and beat as we move from moments of despair and frustration to the joy of a country dance and the exuberance of play as a distraction to the boredom inflicted by stifling heat. At one point metallic tapping echoes across us in what I took to represent the inside of an empty water tank. Then there's the howl of wind sweeping across the arid land that opens the performance, deliberately unsettling and effective. 

Sibbons and Morrow work incredibly well together. The tenderness and trust between them is palpable. I loved the intensity of their connection through unflinching eye contact and their expressiveness in celebrating joy amongst the adversity. A sequence involving plastic bags reminded me of a famous beat from the movie American Beauty - there is beauty in the simplest of things... even if it's catching blowflies.

Each gets a highlight of their own - Sibbons in a sensual exploration of the feel of even the smallest drops of water against the skin; Morrow in a precise navigation of the water levels literally falling towards her. Their synchronised movement reflects the mood of any particular sequence - sombre, playful, joyous, elegant and there is an interesting burst of what felt like blame in literal finger pointing as their interactions become more boisterous towards the end. Depicting the highs and lows of surviving the harshness of the environment means this journey feels authentic and earned. 

Dance isn't usually something I attend so I didn't really know what to expect walking in. I was more than impressed with the high level of execution across all facets that created a cohesive and arresting work that was memorable. There are only two more performances at The Blue Room Theatre, 18-19 October. Well worth a look. 

*photos by Sophie Minissale