In this last Arts Weekly 3MBS radio spot for 2023, I review Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf at Red Stitch and Lady Day at the Emerson Bar and Grill by MTC with Zahra Newman as Billie Holiday.
Kate Herbert is a Melbourne theatre reviewer at Arts Weekly 3MBS & formerly The Age (2022), Herald Sun, Melbourne Times. Kate is a director & playwright (21 plays). Pub. Currency Press. Teacher: Scriptwriting & Theatre Industry since 2019 at Melb Polytechnic; Worked as actor, comedian, improviser, teacher: Acting, Improvisation, Playwriting, was Head of Drama NMIT, Coordinator Writing/ Editing, Swinburne Uni 2010-18. Reviews at theage.com.au/culture/theatre or heraldsun.com.au/arts
In this last Arts Weekly 3MBS radio spot for 2023, I review Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf at Red Stitch and Lady Day at the Emerson Bar and Grill by MTC with Zahra Newman as Billie Holiday.
THEATRE / MUSICAL
Written by Lanie Robertson
At Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne extended until 9 Dec 2023
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: ***** (5)
This review is published only on this blog. I’ll present a radio review on Arts Weekly on 3MBS on Sat 9 Dec 2023. Apologies that I'll review it on air after close of season. KH
Zahra Newman -Lady Day_pic by Matt_Byrne |
Accompanied by a tight, gifted and very cool jazz trio (Kym Purling on piano, Dan Witton on upright bass, Edward York on drums), Newman, wearing a gleaming, white satin gown, addresses us as if we were a devoted audience at Emerson’s in Philadelphia, a bar that she knows so well from her chequered past. Lady is supported – in all meanings of the word – on stage by Jimmy, her pianist, show-host and sublimely patient, current beau, who encourages and prompts her whenever the need arises – which is often by the end of the evening.
Newman is a gifted jazz singer in her own right, but she also captures impeccably the bluesy-jazz stylings of Holiday’s singing, and the drawling, slightly slurred tones of her speech as she becomes progressively more intoxicated, to the point where she can barely stand. The voice and dialect coaching by Geraldine Cook-Dafner must be commended.
Zahra Newman -Lady Day_pic by Matt_Byrne |
The live music, and Newman’s vocal renditions of Holiday’s exceptional repertoire of songs, are thrilling and musical arrangements by Danny Holgate are captivating.
But it is profoundly painful to witness this great talent, Holiday, disintegrating before our eyes, as she re-tells and re-lives dramatic, tragic and painful episodes from her past, including her appalling choice of partner, her heroin addiction, and the imprisonment that ended her career.
The song list includes some full tunes and many snatches of Holiday’s popular melodies, including her most famous and most requested songs, God Bless the Child, and Strange Fruit.
Mitchell Butel’s direction is discreet and unobtrusive, focusing the eye and the ear on Newman and allowing the audience to experience the immediacy of Newman’s performance as Holiday’s story unfolds and her character unravels.
Lanie Robertson’s script draws on Holiday’s lived experiences, illuminating the woman and her life and trials, but never slipping into exposition.
This is an exceptional night at the theatre and Newman’s charismatic performance must be seen. Forget the Chrissie shopping! Rush out now!
by Kate Herbert
CAST
Billie
Holiday Zahra
Newman
Alternate Billie Holiday Elenoa Rokobaro
Jimmy Powers Kym Purling
BAND
Upright Bass Dan Witton
Drums Edward York
CREATIVE TEAM
Director
Mitchell
Butel
Associate Director Zahra Newman
Musical Arrangements Danny Holgate
Musical
Director & Additional Arrangements Kym Purling
Set & Costume Designer Ailsa Paterson
Lighting Designer Govin Ruben
Sound Designer Andrew Howard
Voice & Dialogue Coach Geraldine Cook-Dafner
Voice & Dialogue Coach Jennifer Innes
Stage
Manager
Bridget Samuel
Assistant Stage Manager Sean Proude
Animal Trainers Paws on Film
In this show, I review A Very Jewish Christmas Carol at MTC and A Christmas Carol by Old Vic with Owen Teale at Comedy Theatre, Melbourne. Two very different adaptations of Dicken's for theatre.
The Old Vic one is much more successful than the other. k
THEATRE
A version by Jack Thorne, conceived by Matthew Warchus from Charles Dickens novel
An Old Vic production
At Comedy Theatre Melbourne until 7 Jan 2023
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: ***** (5)
This review is published only on this blog. I’ll present a radio review on Arts Weekly on 3MBS on Sat 25 Nov 2023. KH
NB: I “re-purposed” some content from my 2022 review of this production, where it was still relevant. K
A CHRISTMAS CAROL 2023_c Jeff Busby |
The pre-show musical entertainment includes actors dispensing mince pies and mandarins to audience members who wave furiously at actors to get their hands on the Chrissy nosh.
Thorne’s version of Dickens’ story extracts crucial moments, takes licence with some dialogue, and omits some characters and scenes because, let’s face it, Dickens’ book would take many hours to perform in full.
The centre of this morality tale is Ebenezer Scrooge, played by virtuoso UK actor, Owen Teale, who manages to take Scrooge from ferocious to vulnerable by the end of the show. Scrooge is a miserly old moneylender who thinks Christmas is ‘humbug’ (He says the word only once in this show.) and who underpays and makes unreasonable demands on his dutiful, hard-working office clerk, Bob Cratchit (Bernard Curry) who lives in poverty with his wife and many children including Tiny Tim (played adorably by Mira Feldman on opening night). Scrooge reviles the carol singers at his door and dismisses his genial nephew, Fred (Andrew Coshan). He suspects everyone wants to steal his money.
Teale’s performance is rich, nuanced and passionate but feels effortless and natural, as if he isn’t acting at all, while his warm, honey-toned voice soothes and charms, even when Scrooge is being mightily mean. Teale’s transformation from this stone-hearted old grump into joyful, bouncing, childlike benefactor is swift but credible, and his 180-degree change triggers the truly joyous Christmas celebration and feast that follows at the Cratchit’s home.
The supporting cast is outstanding with Debra Lawrance as the wry, pert, elderly Christmas Past, and Samantha Morley as the critical, chivvying Christmas Present. The entire cast takes the role of Christmas Future – a group of black-clad veiled ghostly figures – while Scrooge’s late sister, Little Fann (Aisha Aidara) takes Scrooge to view his own, desperately lonely funeral at which he learns his lesson of love and kinship.
Anthony Harkin is compelling as Jacob Marley and his warm, velvety baritone is welcome in the final song, Grant Piro’s Fezziwig is playful and naïve, while Sarah Morrison is warm and composed as Belle, Scrooge’s past love.
We marvel like children at Rob Howell’s gloriously atmospheric set design of tumbled lanterns and drop lights, falling snow, Scrooge’s money boxes and secret compartments in the stage floor, and Hugh Vanstone‘a evocative, often spooky, sometimes festive lighting. The music, composed by Christopher Nightingale, is an imaginative collision of Christmas carols, a capella harmonies, inspired bell ringing and haunting soundscape, played by a live band perched in a balcony box and musicians who are on stage.
A Christmas Carol, with its dancing, singing, snacks, tears and laughter, is a delicious Christmas tonic that reminds us of those who struggle to make ends meet. In London and here, money is collected and donated by the show to charities for the poor. Teale speaks with warmth about donations to FairShare and there are collection boxes at the doors.
by Kate Herbert
Owen Teale & cast CHRISTMAS CAROL 2023_c Jeff Busby |
Ebenezer Scrooge - Owen Teale
Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward -Young Ebenezer (also cello/double bass)
Bernard Curry - Bob Cratchit
Anthony Harkin - Father / Marley
Andrew Coshan - Fred
Stephanie Lambourn - Mrs Cratchit (Mandolin)
Debra Lawrance - Ghost of Christmas Past
Samantha Morley - Ghost of Christmas Present
Aisha Aidara - Little Fan
Sarah Morrison - Belle
Grant Piro - Fezzwig
Kaya Byrne - Nicholas
Benjamin Colley -George (Accordion/tin whistle)
Deirdre Khoo – Jess
Tiny Tim - On opening night Tiny Tim played by Mira Friedman; Alexis Abela, Sasha Hampson, Evie Rose Hennessy, Libby Segal
CREATIVE TEAM
Jack Thorne - Adaptation
Matthew Warchus - Director
Rob Howell - Set & Costume
Christopher Nightingale - Composer & Arranger
Peter Rutherford - Australian Musical Director
Hugh Vanstone -Lighting
Simon Baker - Sound
Lizzi Gee – Movement
Simon Baker – Sound
Campbell Young Assoc- Hair, wigs, make-up
BAND
Natasha Fearnside – Reed
Lisa Reynolds – Violin
Kalina Krusteva – Cello
THEATRE
Written by Edward Albee
By
Red Stitch
At Red Stitch Theatre, St. Kilda, until 17 December 2023
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: **** (4)
This review is published only on this blog. I’ll present a radio review on Arts Weekly on 3MBS on Sat 25 Nov 2023. KH
Kat Stewart, Emily Goddard, Harvey Zielinski, David Whiteley-image by Jodie Hutchinson |
Edward Albee’s play is a brutal examination – or rather, dissection – of the dysfunctional and volatile marriage of George (David Whiteley) and Martha (Kat Stewart), a bitter, frustrated and hard-drinking middle-aged couple.
The play is set in the couple’s home (designer, Harriet Oxley) after a college faculty party hosted by Martha’s father, the college president. Late that night, the hunky new and young biology lecturer, Nick (Harvey Zielinski), and his mousey wife, Honey (Emily Goddard), visit George and Martha for a few tipples. Little do they know what is to come.
46-year-old George, a lecturer in the history department, is deeply embittered that he has hit a ceiling on the ladder to seniority and he blames Martha’s father for stymieing his academic rise. Martha, who is six years older than George, resents his failure and punishes him at every turn for disappointing her and ruining her ambitions.
George, Martha and their two unwitting guests continue to drink hard liquor into the wee hours. What could go wrong?
Over this harrowing night, the petty bickering and verbal sparring, routine humiliation, point-scoring and bizarre psychological games that George and Martha play begin to affect and infect Nick and Honey. George and Martha are patients zero in an awful, viral contagion. Their alcohol fuelled brawling and scrapping morphs into Martha’s boozy seduction of Nick and, finally, it reveals their shared despair. By the end, we witness the shreds of a fragile bond that keeps George and Martha clinging to each other.
The pair take no prisoners, except for Nick and Honey who, in the face of such vitriol, seem incapable of leaving. Why? we might ask. Why not just get up and go? But where’s the drama in that?
With taut direction by Sarah Goodes, each of this talented cast gives detailed, nuanced and compelling performances and feast on Albee’s gritty and challenging characters and dialogue. In the intimate, Red Stitch space, we are so close to the actors that we are almost sitting in their laps; we can smell their boozy breath and sip their bourbon.
This is a production worth seeing, particularly if you’ve never seen Albee’s scarifying, masterly drama on film or stage.
Cast
Emily Goddard
Kat Stewart
David Whiteley
Harvey Zielinski
Damon Baudin (Understudy)
Writer: Edward Albee
Director: Sarah Goodes
Set & Costume Design: Harriet Oxley
Lighting
Design: Jason
Ng Junjie
Sound Design & Composition: Grace Ferguson & Ethan Hunter
Asst. Director: Keegan Bragg
Set & Costume Design Asst.: Natalie Petrellis
Stage Manager: Kelly Wilson
Asst. Stage Manager: Georgina Bright
THEATRE
Written by Elise Esther Hearst with Phillip Kavanagh
After Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
By Melbourne Theatre Company
At The Sumner, Southbank Theatre until 16 December 2023
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: **1/2
This review is published only on this blog. I’ll present a radio review on Arts Weekly on 3MBS on Sat 25 Nov 2023. KH
Evelyn Krape-A-Very-Jewish-Christmas-Carol.-Photo-by-Pia-Johnson |
Chrismukkah is upon us! Christmas, with all its tinsel, trees and Jesus, collides with Chanukkah in A Very Jewish Christmas Carol.
Steel yourself for an audacious take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in which the belligerent, miserly, misanthropic Scrooge is Elysheva Scroogavitz (Miriam Glaser), known as Ely, a reclusive and sad, young Jewish woman who wrestles with family, pregnancy, a failing bakery she inherited from her grandmother, her Bubi (Evelyn Krape), and the recent death of her baby’s daddy (Michael Whalley) by ill-timed bee-sting.
Nothing is sacred in this script written by Elise Esther Hearst with Phillip Kavanagh and directed by Sarah Giles. Both Christmas and Channukah, Christian and Jewish customs get a pasting. Music, food, characters and rituals from both cultures merge into Chrismukkah parodies.
The ghosts arrive in bizarre cross-cultural, Chrismukkah forms: a smart-talking Rein-dybbuk (Louise Siversen), a hilarious, childlike gingerbread Golem (Krape) and Lilith (Natalie Gamsu) as a grim-faced, black-gowned, spooky sort of cabaret singer. Amidst the demon ghosts is Ely’s vivid, acerbic and critical Bubi, played with relish by Krape.
The audience guffawed at the cheap and cheesy jokes, the dialogue littered with Jewish humour and cultural references, and the recognisable characters: overbearing mother (Gamsu), flighty little sister (Emma Jevons), every-present Rabbi (Jude Perl), intrusive mother-in-law (Siversen), and grumpy albeit dead, grandmother.
Ely’s Christian mother-in-law is ridiculed for her ignorance of Jewish culture and rituals and her obsession with all things Christmassy. (Her treatment, unfortunately, has a whiff of bigotry.)
Despite the hilarity, the production and the script are not totally successful. The link to Dickens’ story is tenuous and it’s a stretch to see Ely as anything other than a depressed, grieving young mother-to-be. Bubi ‘s character and back story would make a far more convincing and effective Scrooge.
After the chaos of the first 80 minutes, the play takes a turn for the dramatic and tragic as Bubi revisits her past and her family in pre-war Poland, the last time she saw them alive. There is a mismatch between the style and execution of these two parts; so much so that it feels like two different plays.
The acting is uneven amongst the cast, but Krape steals she show with her bolshy Bubi and ebullient bouncing gingerbread child. It’s worth the ticket just to see Krape gambol around the stage like a mad, wind-up toy.
by Kate Herbert
Miriam Glaser-A-Very-Jewish-Christmas-Carol.-Photo-by-Pia-Johnson |
CAST
Fran / Lilith / Ensemble Natalie Gamsu
Ely Miriam Glaser
Sarah / Ensemble Emma Jevons
Bubi / Golem / Ensemble Evelyn Krape
Rivka / Ensemble Jude Perl
Carol / Rein-Dybbuk / Ensemble Louise Siversen
Ben / Ensemble Michael Whalley
CREATIVE TEAM
Director Sarah Giles
Associate Director Cassandra Fumi
Musical Director / Arranger Jude Perl
Set Designer Jacob Battista
Costume Designer Dann Barber
Lighting Designer Richard Vabre
Composer & Sound Designer Jed Palmer
Design Concept Contributor Jonathon Oxlade
Additional Composition Jude Perl
Voice & Text Coach Matt Furlani
Fight Choreographer Lyndall Grant
Intimacy Coordinator Cessalee Stovall
Polish Translation & Language Coach Krystyna Duszniak
Yiddish Translation Rebecca (Rivke) Margolis
Yiddish Language Coach & Song Translation Freydi Mrocki
Directing Intern (VCA) Kathryn Yates
Set Design Intern (VCA) Ishan Vivekanantham
Costume Design Intern (VCA) Louisa Fitzgerald
Stage Manager Whitney McNamara
Deputy Stage Manager Meg Richardson
Assistant Stage Manager Brittany Stock
Rehearsal Photographer Charlie Kinross
Production Photographer Pia Johnson
Marketing Campaign Photographer Jo Duck
In this radio spot, I review Orlando by Antipodes Theatre, and the new production of Miss Saigon at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne.
MUSICAL THEATRE
Adapted from Virginia Woolf's novel, Orlando
Music and Lyrics by Rachel Lewindon Book, Lyrics by Willow Sizer
By Antipodes Theatre
At 45downstairs until 11 Nov 2023
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: ***
This review is published only on this blog. I’ll present a radio review on Arts Weekly on 3MBS on Sat 11 Nov 2023. KH
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Orlando - Angel Leggas, 3 Fates Media |
Five young actors (Marty Alix, Louie Dalzell, Manali Datar, Willow Sizer, Kikki Temple) play Orlando, both man and woman, sometimes individually, and sometimes as a group or chorus. The narrative evolves through layered dialogue, excerpts of Woolf’s text, and in the lyrics of the eclectic repertoire of songs (Music by Rachel Lewindon, lyrics by Lewindon &Willow Sizer).
On a set design (Bethany J Fellows) that has a centrepiece representing a pebbled stream, directors, Margot Fenley and Maude Davey, with movement director, Belle Hansen, and the cast, create an abstract, movement- and text-based performance. It is underscored by live music (Musicians, Lewindon, Imogen Cygler) and peppered with songs, with the most successful musical moments being the five-part harmonies.
The difficulty with adapting a novel for stage is that there is an inclination to include tracts of the original prose and to cram all the narrative threads into the performance. Such is the problem with this Orlando. Too many words, too many narrative threads leading to a lack of clarity in the delivery of Orlando’s story.
There is also an unevenness in the performance and vocal skills of the cast. Some have rich tone and fine vocal technique, but there is some awkwardness in the acting and a lack of nuance and finesse which limits the characterisations.
Unfortunately, the important issues of gender and identity are often overstated and didactic. The script could trust the audience to understand the intention without resorting to what sounds like preaching.
This production certainly has some interesting musical elements and physicalisation, but has not created the definitive, dramatised version of Woolf’s Orlando.
by Kate Herbert
CAST
Marty Alix (they/he), Louie Dalzell (he/him), Manali Datar (she/her), Willow Sizer (they/them), and Kikki Temple (she/goddess)
MUSICIANS
Rachel Lewindon (she/her) and Imogen Cygler (she/her)
CREATIVE TEAM
Director: Margot Fenley (she/her)
Dramaturge/Director: Maude Davey (she/her)
Movement Director: Belle Hansen (she/her)
Set & Costume Designer: Bethany J Fellows
Sound Designer: Evan Drill (he/him)
Lighting Designer: John Collopy (he/him)
PRODUCTION TEAM
Casting & Cultural Consultant: Kuda Mapeza (she/they)
Cultural
Consultant: Chels Morgan (they/xe)
Stage Manager: Ashleigh Walwyn (she/her)
Publicist: Cameron Lukey (he/him)
Social Media Manager: Chloe Towan (she/her)
Sound
|Operator: Rami Blowes
Artistic Director/ Produciton manager: Brandon Pape
New Work Manager/Producer: Cameron Steens (they/them)
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Orlando - Angel Leggas, 3 Fates Media |
Marty Alix (they/he), Louie Dalzell (he/him), Manali Datar (she/her), Willow Sizer (they/them), and Kikki Temple (she/goddess)
by Kate Herbert
CAST
Marty Alix (they/he), Louie Dalzell (he/him), Manali Datar (she/her), Willow Sizer (they/them), and Kikki Temple (she/goddess)
MUSICIANS
Rachel Lewindon (she/her) and Imogen Cygler (she/her)
CREATIVE TEAM
Director:
Margot Fenley (she/her) Dramaturge/Director: Maude Davey (she/her) Movement
Director: Belle Hansen (she/her) Set & Costume Designer: Bethany J Fellows
Sound Designer: Evan Drill (he/him)
Lighting Designer: John Collopy (he/him)
PRODUCTION TEAM
Casting
& Cultural Consultant: Kuda Mapeza (she/they) Cultural Consultant: Chels
Morgan (they/xe)
Stage Manager: Ashleigh Walwyn (she/her)
Publicist: Cameron Lukey (he/him)
Social Media Manager: Chloe Towan (she/her)
Sound
|Operator: Rami Blowes
Artistic Director/ Produciton manager: Brandon Pape
New Work Manager/Producer: Cameron Steens (they/them)