The Wind in the Willows, Dec 27, 2017 ****

CHILDREN’S THEATRE 

Adapted by Glenn Elston from book by Kenneth Grahame

By Australian Shakespeare Company

At Botanical Gardens, Gate F, until Jan 28, 2017 

Reviewer: Kate Herbert

Stars:**** 
Review also published in Herald Sun Arts online on Dec 28, 2017 & in print on Dec 29, 2017.KH

The Wind in the Willows - Doru Sorcel as Badger and Paul Morris as Weasel - pic Paul Fon

Grab a picnic basket, a rug, hat and sunscreen and toddle off with the toddlers to the Botanical Gardens for another cheery, jaunty performance of The Wind in the Willows, adapted from Kenneth Grahame’s very English, 1908 children’s book.

The kiddie-rabbits giggle and shout at the cheerful, nose-twitching Head Chief Rabbit (Scott Mackenzie) trading insults, songs and silly puns with Weasel (Paul Morris), but the kids may be equally diverted by rambling water birds, a duck waddling across the lawn, or a dragonfly cruising by.

The children hoot at the characters’ antics, join a picnic, go on an adventure, then on a dangerous mission with the Rat Pack and Badger Patrol to rescue little Portly the Otter (Dusty Bursill) from the scary, Wild Wood.

In Otis Elston’s production, the kids enthusiastically sing ‘waggle your ears, wiggle your nose,’ and the inimitable ‘Quack quack quackady-quack’, and shout ‘He’s behind you!’ in best panto style.

Morris is the hilariously sneaky, gravel-voiced and wicked Weasel who overruns Toad Hall with his rascally weasel family, takes Mr. Toad (Ryan Hawke) hostage and fights dirty with enormous water pistols filled with ‘weasel wee’.

The merrily likeable Mackenzie maintains crowd control, leads songs and provides breezy guitar accompaniment.

In his gaudy green and pink outfit, Hawke is the flamboyant, vain and plump poseur, Mr. Toad, who behaves like a bratty, British, entitled twit whose head is turned by every new fad from canoeing to motorcars.

Playing the remaining, goofy characters are Kaya Byrne as river-dwelling Ratty, Chloe Bruer-Jones as timid Mole, Doru Surcel as toffy, pompous Badger and Jolan Walker as Otter, a Policeman and a dodgy Judge.

Willows has been a Melbourne summer institution now for 31 years so, if you’ve been hiding indoors for 31 summers, get out now with the family and ‘waggle your ears, wiggle your nose and sing whispering willows.’

By Kate Herbert 

The Wind in the Willows - Doru Sorcel a Badger with 'Badger Patrol'

Highly Flammable Love, Dec 14, 2017 *1/2

THEATRE
By Marcus Doherty & Zara Sengstock
At Irene Mitchell Theatre, St Martins, until Dec 16, 2017
Reviewer: Kate Herbert on Dec 13
Stars: 1.5

Review also published in Herald Sun Arts in print on Tues Dec 19, 2017. KH

Marcus Doherty & Ayesha Gibson-Photo by Clay Waddell

The comedy in Highly Flammable Love is as out of control as the bush fire that ignites in the second act.

Dennis (Doherty), a law graduate, moves from Melbourne to Shilangatta, a remote country town, to be with girlfriend, Kelly (Sengstock), a local copper, but Kelly dumps Dennis unceremoniously, leaving him sulking, boozing and stalking Kelly for months after their break-up.

Writer-directors, Marcus Doherty and Zara Sengstock, are filmmakers who have shifted focus from screen to stage by producing an Australian romantic-comedy for the theatre.

Even experienced theatre-makers avoid writing, directing and acting in their own work, and, although we appreciate the efforts of this creative duo, this overly long production lacks basic dramatic techniques.

The theatrical problems are evident immediately after the opening medley of folksy Australian tunes (Dylan Knur, violin; Imogen Cygler, piano).

From the first awkward scene on a bench at Shilangatta Train Station, the characters and relationships are one-dimensional, the jokes puerile and the performances amateurish and overacted.

Although some audience members laugh aloud, the story is muddled and the dialogue jumps from infantile arguments to preachy exchanges about relationships, gender roles and personal freedom.

The production cries out for a dramaturg to shape the script, and a director to focus the style, balance the pace, inject dramatic energy, stage scenes imaginatively and tighten scene changes.

The style leaps from sketch comedy and messy slapstick, to weird musical/choreographic routines, then to oddly serious dialogue about life, love and arson.

After a patchy first act, the second promises more substance, but soon deteriorates into silliness when characters in cardboard-box cars skitter around the stage in a cartoonish car chase.

Ayesha Gibson, as Zoe the attractive arsonist, provides some credible acting, but Doherty’s uncomfortable grimacing and awkward physicality as the hapless Dennis, is distracting.

Even with the best of intentions and a decent premise, a show can collapse, and Highly Flammable Love needs a skilful theatre doctor to revive it.

By Kate Herbert

Actors:

Dennis - Marcus Doherty

Zoe - Ayesha Gibson

Warren (Zoe's father) - Mick Shanahan

Kelly - Zara Sengstock

Georgia/Stevie/Newsreader - Rose Flanagan

Brandon Mannarino - Alan/Waiter/Roger

Kel Balnaves - Gavin

Musicians:

Composer - Finnian Langham

Piano - Imogen Cygler

Violin - Dylan Knur

Lighting design: Matthew Vasquez

Set design: Zara Sengstock

 

I’m Dreaming of a Christmas Cabaret, Dec 8, 2017 ***

CABARET
At Speakeasy HQ, 522 Flinders St, until Dec 24, 2017 
(Other shows at 6pm, 7.30pm, 8.30pm & late) 
Reviewer: Kate Herbert on Dec 8, 2017

Stars:***

Review also published in Herald Sun Arts online & in print on Dec 13, 2017. KH

Matt Allegro_Photo by Kieran McNamara

 Speakeasy HQ is a stylish, welcoming little vaudeville theatre tucked away down the dodgy end of Flinders St. among the nail salons, pubs and Thai massage shops.

The venue presents multiple shows, but I’m Dreaming of a Christmas Cabaret is a short, Chrissie-themed, cabaret hosted by the charming, talented Matt Allegro (Matt Hadgraft), the show’s highlight who is unfazed by the night’s tiny audience.

Allegro introduces the four acts with cheerful, self-deprecating banter and performs his revamped Christmas songs with wittily rewritten lyrics.

He opens with a snappy, jazz version of Jingle Bells that references ‘the local Liquorland’ then introduces timid twins, Amy and Mel, who are clad in Santa-inspired red-and-white outfits and sing three songs, including Jingle Bell Rock, accompanied by simple, but awkward choreography.

Ukulele Will is gently entertaining with his ukulele version of a naughtily suggestive Christmas song written by Scared Weird Little Guys.

Allegro hauls out an upright piano, which he plays skilfully, delivering his version of The Twelve Days of Christmas: a scathing attack on awful Christmas gifts from the rellies (‘four appalling shirts, two ugly mugs’).

Victoria Wolfe is cute, sassy and curvaceous, although her routine that is billed as ‘contortion’ is, rather, a series of charming but simple variations on the splits.

After Allegro’s goofy routine about awful jokes inside Christmas Crackers, he introduces Jem’Appelle, a petite brunette with a dodgy French accent who channels Piaf with renditions of Padam Padam, Je Ne Regrette Rien and Autumn Leaves.

Allegro’s final set includes Santa Claus Is Driving The Tram and a finale in which he dragoons an audience member to lip-sync his rowdy version of We Wish You A Merry Christmas.

We can assume that he didn’t realise his victim was also his reviewer. Lucky it was fun on stage with him!

By Kate Herbert

The ABBA Show, Dec 15, 2017 ****

CONCERT / TRIBUTE SHOW  

Produced by Showtime Australia 

At The Athenaeum, until Dec 30, 2017 

Reviewer: Kate Herbert  on Dec 15, 2017

Stars:****

Review also published in Herald Sun Arts in print on Tues Dec 19, 2017. KH

Jenna Ball as Frida

Talk about enthusiastic! The Melbourne audience members at The ABBA Show were as involved and effervescent as the performers, leaping to their feet, dancing in their seats, waving their arms and singing along like kids at a Wiggles concert.

Even ABBA lookalikes send fans of that 1970s, Swedish pop phenomenon into uninhibited, joyful frenzy when they hear such distinctive hits as Dancing Queen, Waterloo, Fernando, Super Trouper, Money Money Money, Gimme Gimme Gimme, Ring Ring. Doesn’t ABBA love repetition?

This tribute show delivers 20 ABBA songs and replicates the glitzy costumes, 70s hairdos, signature choreography and even the on-stage relationships between Agnetha (Hannah Pocock), Frida (Jenna Ball), Björn on guitar (Cameron Charters) and Benny on keyboard (Brent McMullen).

Their Swedish accents may be dodgy and their banter decidedly cheesy, but the foursome sings with gusto and Pocock and Ball capture the spirit, glamour and sensuality of Agnetha and Frida as they stamp their knee-high boots, flick their hair and sing with passion and flair.

The ABBA Show includes original video of the real ABBA performing, but this concert has no narrative and any dialogue is used merely to introduce songs or encourage fervent fans to sing and dance.

Director, Johnny Van Grinsven, focuses the show on Benny and Björn’s music played by a tight, three-piece band of bass (Zach Coombs), drums (Ben Harper), synth and saxophone (Hayden Baird).

Ball brings an audience member on stage as ABBA’s ‘man after midnight’, and vivacious volunteer, Jack, becomes a show highlight, donning a feather boa and sequined hat before outdancing Agnetha and Frida.

The ABBA Show is delightfully daggy, and witnessing middle-aged blokes wiggling their bods and flailing their arms to Mamma Mia is a delicious pre-Christmas treat.

By Kate Herbert

The Caretaker, Dec 13, 2017 ***

By Allen Laverty, presented by La Mama

At La Mama Theatre, until Dec 17 2017

Reviewer: Kate Herbert

Stars:***

Review also published in Herald Sun Arts online on Thursday Dec 14, 2017 & later in print (15/12 TBC). KH

Allen Laverty-The-Caretaker_pic by Paula van Beek

Memory can be a loyal, or a fickle friend and Allen Laverty, in a nostalgic wander down his own memory lane, looks at both reliable and erratic memories in his solo show, The Caretaker.

The performance style ambles around as much as the content does: Laverty starts with a snippet of physical comedy before shifting to personal storytelling and conversational audience interaction.

He relates tales from his childhood, recollections of his grandfather and, finally, poignant descriptions of his mother’s recent memory loss and his challenging role as her carer – the ‘caretaker’ of the title.

The emotional and personal details in his portrayal of his grandfather and mother are the most effective and affecting elements: Pa smoking his roll-your-own cigarette, mum repeatedly asking the same question, and Laverty showering his mother when she is incapable.

The set design (Tamara Kirby) incorporates a workbench bearing items used and owned by his grandfather, including a woodworking vice that Laverty uses to carve a wooden spoon throughout the performance.

Laverty’s stories touch on mental illness and psychiatric hospitals and he scares audience members with a weird childhood ‘toy’ that gives its players electric shocks while illustrating the harshness of electric shock therapy.

Although Laverty started making a physical comedy about a bumbling handyman, his intention changed when his mother started to lose her memory, and this has left him with a couple of different plays battling for precedence.

The script needs a clearer structure and dramatic arc to link its various threads, or it could focus on a single character: Laverty’s mother could anchor the narrative from the beginning rather than becoming the focus at the end.

This production may crave a more dynamic, cohesive structure, but The Caretaker has a raw, emotional truth when Laverty tells his personal stories.

By Kate Herbert

We Are Lightning! Dec 6, 2017 **1/2

THEATRE/MUSIC
By Joseph O’Farrell & Sam Halmarack
At Arts House, North Melbourne, until Dec 10, 2017 
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: **1/2

Review also published in Herald Sun Arts in print on Fri Dec 8, 2017 (TBC). KH

Joseph O'Farrell (JOF) and Sam Halmarack - Photo by Byrony Jackson

We Are Lightning!, by Joseph O’Farrell (JOF) and Sam Halmarack, is shambolic, messy and confused, but parts of the show are oddly diverting.

The premise is that a live music venue is closing, so JOF and Sam are producing one, final night of performance, incorporating their own music and segments by a community choir, a young, local band, two older, rock guitarists and a six-piece brass section.

The audience stands like a crowd at a pub gig, switching its attention between four, small, shabby stages, one set against each wall of the cavernous North Melbourne Town Hall, and sometimes trying to watch all four stages at once.

JOF and Sam present as a sort of demented comedy duo, with JOF being the extroverted, yammering guy playing drums and brainstorming outlandish ideas for the show, while Sam plays guitar, sings his original, love ballads and runs away when the show gets overwhelming.

The audience enjoys JOF and Sam’s songs and banter and the brass sextet is a treat – especially when they appear in marching band outfits – but the two guitarists’ hard rock riffs are all too brief. Give us more!

The 50-person community choir sings Shenandoah, adds back-up vocals to Sam and JOF’s numbers or strolls around the hall in colourful robes, while the youth band plays original songs, one of which muses nostalgically about being 17.

A voice-over by one of the participants captures the confused form of this show when she announces that JOF and Sam have produced a show that’s not actually the performance for which she and others signed up.

We Are Lightning! starts with some good and some goofy ideas, but it is not ground-breaking theatre and its execution is chaotic and rambling so it needs some tightening and clarifying.

By Kate Herbert

WE ARE LIGHTNING! by Joseph O'Farrell (JOF) and Sam Halmarack - Photo by Byrony Jackson

WE ARE LIGHTNING! by Joseph O'Farrell (JOF) and Sam Halmarack - Photo by Byrony Jackson

WE ARE LIGHTNING! by Joseph O'Farrell (JOF) and Sam Halmarack - Photo by Byrony Jackson

Lost: 5, Nov 25, 2017 ***

THEATRE 

Written by Daniel Keene, by Illumi-Nation, Poppy Seed Festival 

At Irene Mitchell Theatre, St. Martins, until Dec 3, 2017 

Reviewer: Kate Herbert on Fri Nov 25, 2017

Stars:***

 Review also published in Herald Sun Arts online on Thur 30 Nov, 2017 & later in print (Fri Nov 30?). KH

Marty Rhone in Kaddish

Starting in 1997, playwright Daniel Keene, with director Ariette Taylor, depicted the homeless and disenfranchised in short, poignant dramas that straddled poetic form and gritty realism.

The Keene/Taylor Theatre Project (KTTP) is now defunct, but new company, Illumi-Nation, under director Michele McNamara, revives five of Keene’s monologues in Lost: 5.

Because this reviewer saw every KTTP production in Melbourne, it is difficult not to compare Lost: 5 and its mostly young cast to KTTP’s exceptional interpretations and seasoned actors.

Marty Rhone, himself a veteran of the music and theatre industries, provides a heart-stopping, achingly truthful performance in Kaddish, portraying an elderly man suffering crippling grief after his wife’s death and mourning her pauper’s burial.

Rhone inhabits the character, leaving the audience gaping as he shifts from reflective reminiscence to howling pain caused by the open wound of his loss.

Fleur Murphy, in The Rain, sympathetically portrays an old, German woman who spent her life hoarding and protecting the belongings entrusted to her by detainees being transported to the concentration camps.

The remaining young cast members do not as effectively capture the poetic style or complex psychological states of their characters.

Stephanie Pick performs Two Shanks as a silent, young woman who finds an abandoned baby in a rubbish bin while, in A Foundling, Pearce Hessling plays a timid, anxious young man who cherishes a dead bird.

In Getting Shelter, Keneisha Nottle’s character vibrates with clown-like energy that contrasts with the reality that she is dying in a hospital ward. It is hard to reconcile this youthful portrayal with Bob Hornery’s original performance of the same character as an old geezer in 1999 for KTTP.

Although the acting is uneven, the quality of Keene’s writing and Rhone’s performance makes Lost: 5 a noteworthy theatrical experience.

By Kate Herbert 

The Rain - Fleur Murphy 
Kaddish - Marty Rhone
Two Shanks - Stephanie Pick
Getting Shelter - Keneisha Nottle
A Foundling - Pearce Hessling

Composer / Sound designer - MBYRO Matt Brown
 

Vivid White, Nov 23, 2017 ***

THEATRE (WITH SONGS)

Music & script by Eddie Perfect, Melbourne Theatre Company

At Southbank Theatre, Sumner, until Dec 23, 2017 

Reviewer: Kate Herbert on Nov 23, 2017

Stars:*** 
Review also published in Herald Sun Arts online on Monday Nov 27, 2017, and later in print. KH

Christina O’Neill, Brent Hill, Ben Mingay, Verity Hunt-Ballard _photo Jeff Busby

Vivid White, by Eddie Perfect, includes witty, satirical cabaret songs that glue together a play merging sketch comedy and mild social satire with pure idiocy and absurdity to tell a story about home ownership.

Perfect’s feisty songs, with their pithy lyrics, diverse styles and quirky musical arrangements (James Simpson), are the highlight of Dean Bryant
’s production, along with the vivacious, hilarious cast of actor-singers.

When Liz and Ben (Verity Hunt-Ballard, Brent Hill) and their friends, Evan and Cynthia (Ben Mingay, Christina O’Neill), bid for the same house in desirable North Fitzroy, tempers fray and their long-standing friendship, based on Ben and Evan’s award-winning, now-defunct comedy act, suffers a fatal blow.

But this auction feeding frenzy is just the beginning of a descent into madness involving the rise of a despotic rule of law designating ‘home owners’ a privileged class protected by armed guards who shoot ‘renters’ who invade the ’Owners’ Zone’.

The scenario gets even more absurd when the tentacles of an unseen (until the final scene) mind-controlling creature (voiced by Virginia Gay) invades the minds of aspiring homebuyers and starts murdering renters.

If we expect political satire to mercilessly flay its targets, then Perfect misses an opportunity to attack significant impediments to home ownership: investors, developers, banks and government. The hapless, single homebuyer seems a soft target.

The clever, entertaining songs make the play’s structure, narrative and dialogue look ordinary and repetitive, and the songs might be better served in a cabaret format linked by incisive, satirical banter.

The multi-talented performers play instruments and sing the irreverent songs, including: Gay’s rendition of Soft Close Drawers, the show standout reminiscent of Kurt Weill, the spirited What the F... Was That?, Better (‘I’m doing better than them’), and Lambert’s lament about her failed auction bid.

If you enjoy a swipe at the housing market and crave songs and silliness in the Silly Season, Vivid White may be just the ticket.

By Kate Herbert 

Brent Hill, Gillian Cosgriff, Virginia Gay, Keegan Joyce, Ben Mingay_ photo Jeff Busby

Vivid White Song list

Prologue: What The Fuck Was That?

A House is More

Rescue Dog

Better Gillian Consgriff

The Part of You That Never Moves Out  Lambert lament

They Come Late (Or Not At All)

Hands

Taking Out The Bins

Edinburgh 2005

Soft Close Drawers

One Satirical Song

Vivid White

Men’s Right’s Activist

Snowflake

Cast:

Gillian Cosgriff, Virginia Gay, Brent Hill, Verity Hunt-Ballard, Keegan Joyce, Ben Mingay, Christina O’Neill

Creative Team:

Director Dean Bryant
 

Musical Director/
Orchestrator
James Simpson 


Set Designer 
Owen Phillips 


Costume Designer 
Tim Chappel


Lighting Designer 
Ross Graham


Sound Designer 
Russell Goldsmith 
 

Assistant Director
Sarah Kriegler