Heart Is A Wasteland REVIEW OF PREVIOUS PRODUCTION July 1, 2017 ***

 THEATRE 

NB: This is a review of the 2017 production with a different cast from that of the latest 2022 production.

Written by John Harvey, by Brown Cabs Productions and Malthouse Theatre 

At Beckett Theatre, Malthouse, until July 16, 2017 

Reviewer: Kate Herbert on July 1, 2017 

Stars:***

Review was also published in Herald Sun Arts online on Mon July 3, 2017 and later in print. KH

 Ursula Yovitch, Aaron Pedersen - Photo by Deryk McAlpin

Heart Is A Wasteland is John Harvey’s debut as a playwright and, despite the undoubted quality of the actors and the dramatic potential of its premise, this script is not yet ready for the stage.

Harvey describes his play as ‘a road trip, a crazy, black love story set over a few nights’, and when Raye (Ursula Yovich) meets Dan (Aaron Pedersen), the encounter between this seemingly mismatched pair rapidly becomes intense, lustful and increasingly fraught.

Pedersen is startling, compelling, totally credible and fully immersed in his role as the damaged, uncouth but endearing and sometimes inarticulate Dan, who was a youth worker but now works in the mines and nurses a sad secret.

More Than a Game REVIEW August 25 2022 ***

The Unauthorised Footy Show Musical

Book by Jacob Buckley & Michael Whyntie, Music & Lyrics by Walter Buckley

At Chapel off Chapel, The Loft 25-28 August 2022

Reviewer: Kate Herbert

Stars: ***

This review published only on this blog. KH

Amelia Hender Ned Baulderstone Harry Fiedler Walter Buckley-pic Frank Lynch

It’s bad enough when your personal life goes to hell when your best friend hooks up with your recently ex-wife, but when you're a faded footy hero and TV footy identity, your private life explodes into a very public media frenzy. And so it was for the hapless Footy Show clown and former AFL footballer, Billy Brownless.

 

Of course, once the dust had settled, the last thing Brownless would want is a bunch of young musical theatre makers performing a totally unauthorised version of his personal horror story, complete with songs, parody and drunken histrionics.

 

With book by Jacob Buckley and Michael Whyntie and music and lyrics by Walter Buckley (I presume the Buckleys are related?), More Than a Game is a hoot. The songs are full of witty, well-observed lyrics and there are several rocking tunes played by a tight four-piece band led by arranger Regi Ashman.

Caught, Red Stitch REVIEW Aug 20, 2022 ***1/2

THEATRE

Written by Christopher Chen

At Red Stitch Theatre, St. Kilda until Sept 11, 2022

Reviewer: Kate Herbert (Reviewed on Sun Aug 21, 2022)

Stars: ***1/2

This review published only on this blog. KH

Caught-David Whiteley, Jessica Clarke and Louis Le-pic Jodie Hutchinson

 

 

 

Christopher Chen’s play Caught begins with an address by Chinese dissident artist Lin Bo (Louis Le) to the audience at a pop-up art gallery, then proceeds to unravel not only Lin’s story but our entire understanding of truth in art, journalism, power and theatre itself. The play is like a Russian doll, a Rubik’s Cube, a kaleidoscope that changes every time it moves, disorienting the viewer.  

 

Lin’s opening speech is both charming and alarming as he describes his experiences in a Chinese prison after his arrest for plotting a conceptual protest rally on the anniversary of the Tienanmen massacre. In a calm, almost cheerful tone, he describes the appalling conditions, inedible food, frequent interrogations and rats leaping from toilets in his open-air cell during his two-year imprisonment. Lin’s story featured in The New Yorker and made him a celebrity artist in the US.

 

What follows is a gradual deconstruction of Lin and debunking of his horrific tale by the ambitious but vulnerable New Yorker journalist (Jessica Clarke) who wrote his story, and her spiky, obnoxious editor (David Whiteley). Their interrogation of Lin begins as a search for truth then deteriorates into brutal absurdity.

Anna K REVIEW Aug 17 2022 ***

THEATRE

Written by Suzie Miller

At Merlyn Theatre, Malthouse until Sept 4 2022

Reviewer: Kate Herbert

Stars: ***

This review is published only on this blog. KH

Callan Colley & Caroline Craig_photo Pia Johnson

With a central character, narrative and themes loosely based on Leo Tolstoy’s renowned novel, Anna Karenina, Suzie Miller’s play Anna K tells a disturbing tale of a TV current affairs, investigative journalist who breaks the golden rule of journalism – she becomes the story.

 

With echoes of the ill-fated Karenina, this Anna (Caroline Craig) is married with a child but leaves her husband when she falls in love with Lexi (Callan Colley), a young SAS officer almost 20 years her junior who she met when he was the source for her sensational news story about abuse and bullying in the army.

 

The play takes place in a smart hotel suite (designer, Anna Cordingley) a few days after Anna has left her husband and awaits the arrival of her 10-year-old son so she can break the news to him of his parents’ separation. Anna and Lexi are evidently locked in love’s sweet embrace, initially oblivious to the fact that their affair has been leaked to the media which leads to her being flayed and castigated on social media, pursued by the hostile media flocking outside their hotel, then ostracised and finally suspended by her TV station.

Hairspray REVIEW Aug 15, 2022 ***1/2

MUSIC THEATRE

Music by Marc Shaiman; Lyrics by Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman; Book by Mark O’Donnell & Thomas Meehan

At Regent Theatre (Closing date NA)

Reviewer: Kate Herbert

Stars: ***1/2

This review is published only on this blog. KH

Mackenzie Dunn, Javon King, Carmel Rodrigues, Sean Johnston-pic Jeff Busby

 

Hairspray, the musical, is a heady blend of singable tunes, 1960s dance routines and bouffant hairdos (and hair don’ts), high gelato colour palette and the fumes of Ultra Clutch hairspray.

 

This sparkling, new Australian production directed by Matt Lenz (original direction by Jack O’Brien) features choreography recreated by Dominic Shaw (original choreography by Jerry Mitchell).

 

The musical is based on John Waters’ 1988 kitsch, camp movie starring drag queen Divine as the overeating, reclusive laundress, Edna Turrnblad (played in this production by Shane Jacobsen), but composer Marc Shaiman, co-lyricist Scott Wittman and writers Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, created a commercial hit show featuring Edna and her daughter, Tracey (Carmen Rodrigues).

Laurinda MTC REVIEW Aug 11 2022 ***

THEATRE

Adapted by Diana Nguyen from Alice Pung’s novel

At Sumner, MTC Southbank Theatre until Sept 10, 2022

Reviewer: Kate Herbert

Stars: *** (3)

This review published only on this blog. KH

Ngoc Phan, Chi Nguyen, Fiona Chou, GEmma Chua-Tran, Jenny Zhou-photo Jeff Busby

It is difficult to translate the nuances and complexities of a novel into a stage script and production and, in the case of this adaptation of Alice Pung’s Laurinda, a work of Young Adult Fiction, any subtlety is lost at the outset.

 

After a 35-minute delay on opening night because of “technical problems”, the play begins with barely controlled hysteria as the lead character Lucy Lam (Ngoc Phan), now in her late 30s, surges onstage in a lather because she has discovered that her award for teaching excellence will be presented by a former school colleague and renowned bully, Brodie Newberry (Gemma Chua-Tran), now youngest Chief Justice in Australia; an unlikely achievement at her age, but let’s suspend our disbelief.

Creation Creation REVIEW Windmill, August 10 2022 ****

CHILDREN’S THEATRE

By Windmill Theatre

At Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, 19-20 August 2022

Reviewer: Kate Herbert

Stars:**** (4)

This review of recorded version on August 10, 2022. This review is published only on this blog. KH

FleurEliseNoble_JonathonOxlade_CreditThomasMcCammon

Creation Creation by Windmill Theatre is a delightfully whimsical, eccentric and sometimes poignant physical and visual performance that will appeal to children and adults alike.

 

It asks the big questions such as: how the world was created, what happens after death, how humans create babies and even why some people can lick their elbows. These questions and their multitudinous answers can be heard in excerpts of recorded interviews with ordinary people ranging from ages 8 to 102.

 

On a totally white stage, two non-speaking performers, Jox (Jonathon Oxlade) and Fleur (Fleur Elise Noble), use odd objects and geometric pieces of cardboard to create playful representations of the voiced ideas, including an array of creation myths from cultures including Egypt, Greece, Iran, India, China and indigenous Australians. Meanwhile, from the side of the stage, Auslan interpreter Dan Cleasby translates the voice overs.

Louisa’s Dawn REVIEW August 4, 2022 **1/2

THEATRE

Written by James Howard

At La Mama Courthouse, until August 14, 2022

Reviewer: Kate Herbert 

Stars: **1/2

This review was first published in The Age Arts online on Friday Aug 5, 2022 and in print on Monday Aug 8, 2022. Click this link Louisa's Dawn and scroll to second review to read it in The Age online.

 

Gin O’Brien, Peppa Sindar. Mary-Rose McLaren, Tayla Harry, photo Darren_Gill

Australians will have heard of Henry Lawson, the renowned Australian writer, but few will know that his mother Louisa Lawson published The Dawn, a journal specifically for Australian women, between 1888 and 1905, employing 11 women to produce the publication.

 

James Howard’s play Louisa’s Dawn explores the courageous, relentless spirit of Lawson during the time she established her journal, published material challenging the status quo and faced rabid opposition from men. The male unions were outraged at the temerity of this woman who worked in the male-dominated printing industry, employed non-union women (women were not permitted to join unions) and supported women’s rights to vote and to earn money – rights now taken for granted.

Medea: Out of the Mouths of Babes, REVIEW Aug 3 2022 ***

THEATRE 

At Theatre Works, St. Kilda until August 20, 2022

Reviewer: Kate Herbert

Stars: ***

This review was first published in The Age Arts online on Thursday Aug 4 and in print on Friday Aug 5, 2022. Click this link Medea-Babes. to read the review in The Age online. Scroll down to find the review.

L-R Emily Joy, Paolo Bartolomei, Willow Sizer photo by Morgan Roberts  

 

 

 

When developing Medea: Out of the Mouths of Babes, director Steven Mitchell Wright filtered the ancient Greek tragedy about the abandoned wife and mother who murdered her children through a group of five youngsters – the “children’s council”.

 

The production features striking, vivid imagery and cleverly executed live and recorded video (Chris Bennett) that cunningly incorporates the children’s drawings and video of them playing. The style merges cabaret, soap opera, melodrama, television and cartoonish characters that echo the children’s imagery such as the relentlessly cheerful King Creon (Emily Joy) and Jason (Paolo Bartolomei) with his flamboyant, heroic posturing.

Gone Girls, REVIEW July 28, 2022 ***

THEATRE

Written by Patrick Livesey & Annabel Larcombe

Gasworks Arts Park, until August 6, 2022

Reviewer: Kate Herbert 

Stars: *** (3)

This review was first published in The Age Arts online on Sunday 31 July and in print on Monday Aug 1 2022. Click this link Gone Girls

Gone Girls-Patrick Livesey, Annabel Larcombe- Image by Jacinta Oaten

Gone Girls is a political satire about the successes, failures and rivalry of Julia Gillard (Patrick Livesey) and Julie Bishop (Annabel Larcombe), two high-achieving, Australian female politicians and, in a fortuitous confluence of events, it opens as the new federal parliament boasts a record number of women representatives.

 

Gillard and Bishop’s political careers burned brightly for a time then flamed out; Gillard occupied shadow and government ministries and enjoyed a short-lived period as Labor Prime Minister, while Bishop served in Coalition ministries and as Lib Deputy Leader but failed in her bid for the Prime Ministership.

Unsolicited Male REVIEW July 26 2022 ***1/2

THEATRE

Written by Ron Elisha

Produced by Q44 Theatre

At Chapel off Chapel, until August 7, 2022

Stars; ***1/2

Reviewer: Kate Herbert

This review was first published in The Age Arts online on Thur July 28, 2022 and in print on (TBC) Fri July 29, 2022. KH

Russell Fletcher & Kym Valentine- image Jodie Hutchinson

Sexual relationships in the workplace are a potential minefield in the post #MeToo era and Australian playwright Ron Elisha’s 2018 play, Unsolicited Male, dissects gender and power politics and issues of consent by taking a deep dive into a single, messy incident between a male boss and his female employee.

 

Boss Zeke (Russell Fletcher) is confident in his business role, but feels awkward, weak and unattractive to women in his personal life, while his employee Wendy (Kym Valentine) knows that her power is limited in the workplace but is very aware of her attractiveness to men.

Paradise Lost REVIEW Darebin Speakeasy, July 21, 2022 ***1/2

THEATRE

Created by Bloomshed 

At Northcote Town Hall Art Centre until July 30, 2022 

Reviewer: Kate Herbert 

Stars: ***1/2 

This review was first published in The Age Arts in print and online on Monday July 25 2022. Click this link to read at The Age online: Paradise Lost KH

Paradise Lost_James Malcher & Elizabeth Brennan-photo Sarah Walker

Bloomshed’s bastardised and bonkers reimagining of John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost is a literary, political and religious satire with a fair dose of blasphemy.

 

There is much to recommend in this production, not least of which are the remarkable, floral set design (Nathan Burmeister) and the inspired and hilarious opening that features lighting trickery (John Collopy) and a cast of tiny cherubs. Milton is satirised mercilessly – described dismissively as “a blind, 17th century Protestant poet” – and his celebrated work is stripped down to its narrative essence in this contemporary interpretation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Cheer Up Carl, REVIEW La Mama July 20, 2022 ***

THEATRE

By Louis Dickins

At La Mama Courthouse until July 24, 2022

Reviewer: Kate Herbert 

Stars: ***

This review was first published in The Age Arts online on Friday July 22, 2022 but not in print. Click this link and scroll to the third review.  Cheer Up Carl

Cheer_Up_Carl_ Simon Chandler, Maddie Roberts, Gabriel Egan-Pic Darren_Gill

Think of the most self-absorbed, free-loading, angry, miserable git you have ever known, and you have an image of Carl (Gabriel Egan), the central character in Louis Dickins’ short, comic play Cheer up Carl.

 

Carl is a relentless visitor to the home of his obliging, considerate brother Peter (Simon Chandler) and Peter’s less tolerant wife Sonia (Maddie Roberts) who he regales with tales of woe about his dog Grover’s death, his drug-trafficking girlfriend’s deportation and his summary dismissal from his role on Neighbours after he attacked the director. Carl now writes bleak, self-indulgent poetry that is totally ignored by everyone except his admiring brother Peter.

The Comedy of Errors REVIEW July 15, 2022 ***

THEATRE

Written by William Shakespeare

By Bell Shakespeare

At Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne until July 23, 2002

Reviewer: Kate Herbert 

Stars: ***

This review was first published in The Age Arts online on Sunday July 17, 2022 and in print on Monday July 18, 2022. Click this link Comedy of Errors to The Age and scroll down to the second review after 9 to 5.

Felix Jozeps (facing front) with cast- image Brett Boardman

Shakespearean comedy collides with hedonistic, 70s disco culture, and classic TV series, Fantasy Island, in Bell Shakespeare’s lively and colourful production of The Comedy of Errors.

 

The tangled, farcical narrative involves two pairs of identical twins, separated in infancy by a shipwreck, who are mistaken for each other with madcap results. When Antipholus of Syracuse (Skyler Ellis) arrives in Ephesus with his servant, Dromio of Syracuse (Julia Billington), their lives intersect with those of Antipholus of Ephesus (Felix Jozeps) and his servant, Dromio of Ephesus (Ella Prince), leading to dizzying complications, love mismatches, imprisonments and general confusion.

9 to 5 The Musical REVIEW July 14 2022 ****

MUSIC THEATRE 

Music and Lyrics  Dolly Parton; Book by Patricia Resnick 

At State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne until September 18, 2022 

Reviewer: Kate Herbert 

Stars: ****

This review was first published in The Age Arts online on Sunday July 17, 2022, and in print on Monday July 18, 2022. Click this link 9 to 5 the Musical.

9 to 5 -Casey Donovan, Marina Prior, Erin Clare & Ensemble- image David Hooley

 

9 to 5 The Musical is much like its creator, Dolly Parton: perky, colourful, amiable, singable and fully renovated – and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s almost enough to make you want to visit Dollywood! Almost.

 

The inimitable Parton is front and centre in the new, updated version of this eminently consumable and frothy production directed by Jeff Calhoun who realised that audiences wanted to see and hear Parton in person – well, pre-recorded, at least. Her beaming smile and broad southern accent feature on the enormous clockface above the stage, from where she provides background to characters and even sings along to 9 to 5 in the finale.

 

This feel-good show is a workplace revenge comedy with music and lyrics by Parton and book by Patricia Resnick, screenwriter of the original 1980 movie starring Parton, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda.

Looking For Alibrandi REVIEW July 13 2022 ***1/2

THEATRE

Adapted by Vidya Rajan from book by Melina Marchetta

At Merlyn Theatre, Malthouse until July 31, 2022

Reviewer: Kate Herbert 

Stars: ***1/2

This review was first published in The Age Arts online on Thur 14 July and in print on Friday 15 July 2022. Click this link  Looking for Alibrandi to read the review in The Age online. K

7. Chanella Macri, Lucia Mastrantone c Jeff Busby

The 17-year-old Josie Alibrandi (Chanella Macri) is a product of Australia 30 years ago – or more. Her story, told today, feelis dated, and unrepresentative of Italo-Australians in 2022 – however, Vidya Rajan’s stage adaptation of Melina Marchetta’s youth fiction novel, Looking For Alibrandi, is buoyant and entertaining.

 

The production is book-ended by the annual ritual of tomato passata bottling which Josie calls “National Wog Day”. Be warned: only Italians, quips Josie to audience, may use the term “wog”. The play, like the novel, depicts Josie’s experiences during year 12 as a successful, scholarship student at a privileged Catholic girls’ school. Josie’s life is inextricably entwined with her single mother, Christina (Lucia Mastrantone), and her domineering Nonna (Jennifer Vuletic). Her family expands upon the arrival of her long-absent father, Michael Andretti (Ashley Lyons), a successful lawyer.